

What’s it all about…and What’s in it for you!
A University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener is a volunteer who provides service to the community by assisting people with horticulture issues and teaching proper horticulture practices, using unbiased and research based information.
Before a volunteer can provide that assistance, it is necessary to become educated about what those issues could be and how to find appropriate solutions. The University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program provides this training.
Sponsored by University of Illinois, and implemented by Extension, the program is open to Illinois residents 18 years of age or older.
As a Trainee/Intern, you will receive training on a variety of horticulture topics including soils and composting, botany, entomology, pathology, turf, vegetables, fruits, and ornamental plants. Training is offered online through the University’s Champaign campus and will be supplemented locally with evening labs January through April, in Lake County.
In addition to the training and labs, you will have the opportunity to take field trips and attend other workshops and meetings year round. There are also state, national and international conferences you can attend.
The “Illinois Master Gardener Manual” and "Pest Management for the Home Landscape" is included in the approximately $375.00 training fee. This Manual and Pest Management Book contain information used in the classroom training topics, and are a permanent source of reference material. The Manual is also available on a thumb drive for an extra fee.
In exchange for the training, as an intern, you will be asked to volunteer 40 hours of service to the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program. In order to maintain your status as an Active Extension Master Gardener in future years, you will be expected to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours of service, and complete 10 hours of additional training, annually.
The types of volunteer work includes:
Okay, you may say, this is all good stuff, but what’s in it for me beyond a lot of study and hours of volunteer work?
Read on….
To enroll in the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program, you must fill out an application at the appropriate Extension Unit.
In Lake County, the Extension Office is located at 100 South US Highway 45. Grayslake, IL 60030, (847)223-8627. Email questions to jessebd@illinois.edu . The next Course will be in January 2024. More information and applications coming Spring 2023.