Tuesday, February 17, 2015 through Thursday, April 2, 2015
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1-4 pm

Orientation Sessions:
Wednesday, January 28, 2015, 6-8 pm
Thursday, January 29, 2015, 6-8 pm

Dates for the 2015 Core Training classes have been announced! Classes will begin on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 and run through Thursday, April 2, 2015. They will be held from 1-4 pm on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the Botanical Center and the Library Station located on N. Kansas Expressway. The cost for the program will be $150 for an individual or $255 for couples sharing a book. To sign up for an orientation session or for more information, you may email Kelly McGowan at or call the Greene County Extension office at (417) 881-8909. Orientation sessions will be held on Wednesday, January 28, 2015 and Thursday, January 29, 2015, from 6-8 pm on both days. Attendance to one of these orientation sessions is mandatory in order to register.

 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.