Take Your Love of Gardening to the Next Level – Become an Illinois Master Gardener!

Are you passionate about plants and eager to share that passion with your community? Join the Illinois Extension’s Hybrid Master Gardener Training Program!

This flexible training format combines the best of both worlds:
🌱 Live, expert-led online sessions you can enjoy from the comfort of home
🌿 Hands-on, in-person workshops at our Rock Island County Extension office

Learn from University of Illinois horticulture experts while connecting with fellow garden enthusiasts, local educators, and Master Gardeners.

Ready to grow with us?
Join our interest list and be the first to know when the next local training opens!

Hybrid Master Gardener Training Interest List

The Illinois Gardener online training is offered statewide three times annually and is fully self-paced, perfect for flexible learning. 

Learn more about the Master Gardener program here

After successfully competing your training, you will have the opportunity to participate as a Master Gardener volunteer helping us extend horticulture education and environmental stewardship in your community. Volunteer opportunities may include presenting to clubs or civic groups about gardening and other horticulture topics; developing demonstration gardens (pollinator, perennial, vegetable, rain, etc.) that serve as educational tools; educating citizens on how to establish community gardens; providing horticulture resource information at community events; answering gardening questions via our horticulture hotline; offering seasonal horticulture lessons to youth at schools or clubs, and other opportunities that interest you.

Master Gardeners also get together on a monthly basis for meetings, continuing education, and fellowship.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, contact Tracy Jo Mulliken. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting participant needs.