Dates for the 2018 Core Training classes have been announced! Classes will begin on Tuesday, February 6, 2018. Classes will be held from 6-9 pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the Springfield Botanical Center, 2400 S. Scenic Ave and will continue through early April. The cost to attend the classes is $160 per person or $275 for couples sharing a training manual. The program fee covers a training manual, class handouts, speaker fees and other expenses related to the class. For more information or to register for an orientation session, contact Kelly McGowan at Successfully Encoded or call 417-874-2965 or 881-8909. Dates for the orientation sessions are Tuesday, January 23, 2018 from 6-8 pm and Tuesday, January 30, 2018 from 6-8 pm. Attendance to one of these orientation sessions is mandatory in order to register. If you do not live in Greene County contact your local University of Missouri County Extension office for guidance.

Just as plants need nutrients, sun and oxygen to grow, Extension Master Gardeners need enthusiastic volunteers to thrive. Community service is at the core of the Master Gardener program in Springfield, MO and each year brings a new opportunity for area plant and garden enthusiasts to take our Master Gardener training and join our family of volunteers.

You don’t have to be an expert gardener to become a member. Participants receive 30 hours of classroom training, and as a trainee, pledge to contribute 30 hours of volunteer service during the first year. When achieved, you have earned the title of Certified Master Gardener and 20 hours annually are required to maintain member status.

Training typically beings each year in February and alternates day or evening classes every other year. There is a fee for the training which includes the Missouri Master Gardener Core Manual which contains 14 guides: one guide about the program policies and 13 detailed guides on a variety of horticultural topics. (This replaces the former Grounds for Gardening horticultural guidebook, still available for purchase, a complete collection of research based horticultural information from the University of Missouri Extension.)

As a benefit of continued service, Extension Master Gardeners may attend advanced horticultural training and most educational programs free of charge.

Download our informational brochure: Helping Others Learn to Grow.

Find a Master Gardener Program near you!
Master Gardener Programs are offered through county extension centers throughout Missouri and the USA. Please use the list below to locate the program nearest to you. Out of state? Look here.