2023 In-Person Class
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.
Become a Master Gardener!
If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener and joining the Master Gardeners of Greene County, 2024 Core Training for new members begins Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Classes will be held in the evenings from 6-8 pm at the Springfield Botanical Center, 2400 S. Scenic Ave and will continue through Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Day/date fluctuations are due to room and speaker availability. The cost to attend the classes is $200 per person. The program fee covers a training manual, class handouts, speaker fees and other expenses related to the class. Class topics include Soil Health, Insects, Botany, Home Vegetable Production, Herbaceous Ornamentals, Turfgrass, Home Fruit Production, Plant Diseases and Diagnostics, Landscape Design, Trees, and Plant Propagation. We will also be doing garden walks and hands-on activities at each class.
We are now accepting sign-ups for orientation. Attendance of an orientation session is a mandatory first step to becoming a new Master Gardener. The dates and times for these are Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 6-8pm, and Wednesday, April 24, 2024, from 6-8pm. You are only required to attend one session. To sign up, please e-mail Kelly McGowan at or call 417-874-2955 with your name, contact information, and which session you would like to attend. Orientation sessions will be held in the large meeting room of the Springfield Botanical Center located at 2400 S. Scenic Ave. Springfield, MO 65807.
Class times rotate from year to year; evening classes in 2024, afternoon classes in 2025, etc. If you can’t attend this year’s evening class, but would like to be on the contact list for next year’s afternoon class, just email Kelly McGowan at There is also an online option that will take place this fall. The online classes cover the same curriculum, but doesn’t have the hands-on component of the in-person classes.
There is a lot of interest in this year’s class and registration will be limited to 50 people. These 50 people will be selected based on their commitment to fulfill volunteer requirements (30 hours the first year; 20 hours plus 6 continuing education hours each year after that) and become an active member of the Master Gardeners of Greene County, Christian County Master Gardeners, or Ozark Gateway Master Gardeners in the Joplin/Carthage area. Details on this will be provided at orientation. At the orientation sessions, you will also get a chance to visit with existing Master Gardener members. The Master Gardeners of Greene County is an active group full of great members who are excited to meet you!
For more information on core training classes or to register for an orientation class, contact Kelly McGowan at or call 417-874-2965.
2024 Class Schedule:
Tues., April 30
Thurs., May 2
Tues., May 7
Mon., May 13
Wed., May 15
Thurs., May 23
Tues., May 28
Thurs., May 30
Tues., June 4
Thurs., June 6
Mon., June 17
Tues., June 25
Thurs., June 27
Tues., July 2
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.