This meeting is for current McDonough County Master Gardeners.

Master Gardener Program

Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who dedicate their time and skills to make their community a more beautiful place. To become a Master Gardener, you must fill out and submit an application by contacting your local Extension office. After the local coordinator reviews the application, you will be asked for an interview. Acceptance of trainees will be based on an established need for local Master Gardener volunteer activities. The training program takes place either online or face-to-face by live instructors or via live webinar presentations. Training dates and locations will vary from county to county.

What will you learn? Classes are taught by University of Illinois specialists and Extension educators. Topics include botany, soils, vegetables, fruits, flowers, trees and shrubs, grasses, landscaping, insects, and diseases.

Cost: A fee, which is determined by the local coordinator, is charged for the training and includes a training manual. The cost for the online training program is $300. Additional local fees may apply.

What happens next? After successfully completing training and passing the final exam, you will become a Master Gardener Intern. The internship consists of fulfilling volunteer hours approximately equal to the number of hours of classroom training received, 60 hours. Certified Master Gardeners are those who have completed their classroom training and internship.

To be an active Master Gardener, you must remain current in annual educational updates (a minimum of 10 hours) and volunteer service hours (a minimum of 30 hours) required by the local program.