THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION MASTER
GARDENER PROGRAM
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 problems and teaching proper
horticulture practices, using research based information.
Before the volunteer can provide that assistance, it is necessary to become educated about
the problems and their solutions. The University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener
Program provides this education.
Sponsored by University of Illinois, and implemented by Extension, the program is open
to Illinois residents 18 years of age or older.
As a participant you will receive a minimum of 45 hours of classroom training on a
variety of horticulture topics including soils and composting, botany, entomology,
pathology, turf, vegetables, fruits, and ornamental plants. Classes are taught by experts in
these fields. Sessions are held on a weekly basis, January through April, from 9:00am to
4:00pm, in the odd numbered years, in McHenry County.
In addition to the classroom training, you will have a chance to take field trips and attend
other workshops and meetings to supplement the scheduled training every year.
The “Illinois Master Gardener Manual” is included in the approximately $200.00 training
fee. This Manual contains information used in the classroom training topics, and is a
permanent source of reference material. It is also available on CD-ROM for an extra fee.
In exchange for the training, as an intern, you will be asked to volunteer 60 hours of
service to the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program. In order to
maintain your status as an Active Master Gardener in future years, you will be asked to
volunteer a minimum of 30 hours of service, and complete 10 hours of additional
training, per year.
-Over-
The types of volunteer work includes:
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Handling phone calls and walk ins to the Extension Office, from homeowners
with horticultural problems. *New gardeners are required to work a minimum of
16 hours in the office – 4 days for 4 hour shifts
Manning off site information tables at events, libraries, and other venues
Participating in design, construction, and maintenance of displays, exhibits, and
demonstrations
Giving programs to community groups and organizations
Planning, organizing and attending programs such as Gardenfest and GardenWalk
Working with and promoting community gardens
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….
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Satisfaction of gaining practical knowledge about growing things
Privilege of learning from acknowledged experts in horticulture, entomology, and
botany
Proficiency to advise and help others with their plant problems
Convenience of updates on seasonal problems before they happen…and how to
treat them
Opportunities to associate with and make friends with others who share your
interests
Participation in group educational and social activities: field trips, garden visits,
seminars, potlucks
Hands-on experience in planning, preparing, planting, cultivating and harvesting a
public demonstration vegetable/flower/herb garden
Construction and care of composting sites
Knowledge to apply all of this expertise to the betterment of your own yard, trees,
shrubs, and gardens
To enroll in the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program, you must fill
out an application at the appropriate Extension Unit. In McHenry County, the Extension
Office is located at 1102 McConnell Rd., PO Box 1430, Woodstock, IL 60098, (815)3383737. Applications are due in August, of even numbered years.
Jan 2014