If you do not reside in one of these counties, please get in touch with the county in which you reside. You can locate your local Extension office at https://extension.illinois.edu/global/where-we-serve

The University of Illinois Master Gardener program is an educational volunteer training program. The program is open to any adult willing to learn about horticulture and share that research-based information with others. The Master Gardener program is for those enthusiastic individuals who complete the training and agree to volunteer 20 hours annually at the local U of I Extension office.

Hybrid Training
Participants will study online each week and attend a weekly live webinar session on Tuesdays online from 9-10:30 AM for 12 weeks.

2024 Dates- Put your name on the waiting list at least 2 weeks prior to the start date you prefer and you will be contacted by county staff.
February 6- April 16 | Live Webinar Tuesdays from 9-10:30 AM or
September 10-November 26 | Live Webinar Tuesdays from 9-10:30 AM

Hybrid Training will include 11 webinars - an introduction and 10 core subject areas. Subjects include Introduction; Botany; Soils and Fertilizers; Plant Diseases; Entomology; Integrated Pest Management; Annuals and Perennials; Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines; Lawns; Small and Tree Fruits; and Vegetables. This training has a hands-on activity for each module that will be done at the Extension office when convenient for the trainee. The training includes videos, a Master Gardener manual, reading materials, and quizzes. Trainees can expect to spend at least 4 hours per week working on the content on their own. This includes reading the chapter, completing the quiz, and viewing all the content in Moodle. The fee for the hybrid training is $175 which covers the fee for the textbook.  

Online Training
Self-paced training for 14 weeks with online quizzes.

2024 Dates- Put your name on the waiting list by Jan 10 for the Winter training and you will be contacted by county staff.
Winter-January 29-May 6 or
Summer-June 10-September 30 or
Fall-October 7-December 31
Our online training is a great opportunity for folks who need more flexibility to participate. It is a self-paced program that can be completed at any
time. The training includes videos, a manual, reading materials, and quizzes. The course can be completed in 14 weeks with four hours of weekly work.  A strong internet connection is highly recommended. This course is aimed at exposing participants to in-depth horticulture content through 13 modules – Introduction, Botany; Soils and Fertilizers; Diagnostics and Plant Diseases; Entomology; Integrated Pest Management; Annuals/Perennials; Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines; Lawns; Small Fruits and Tree Fruits; Vegetables; Composting/Organic Gardening; and Living with Wildlife. The fee for the online training is $300 which covers the textbook and online class fee. 

If you answered "yes," please fill out this registration information, and a staff member will contact you to discuss your options.  A completed application, background screening, payment, and interview are required before training begins.