Who We Are

Do you enjoy gardening and would like to learn more? Do you enjoy sharing your knowledge with others? The Chicago Master Gardener Program may be for you. All you need is an interest in gardening, an open mind and a willingness to share your knowledge with others.

The Master Gardener adult volunteer program is nationwide. Master Gardeners are a vital link in getting horticulture information to the public through University of Illinois Extension offices.

Instruction

Attendance at all 12 Master Gardener training classes is required. The 2010 classes will be conducted on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from January 13-March 31 at Garfield Park Conservatory at 300 North Central Park in the Jensen room. Instruction is also offered online. Call (773)233-0476 for information about the online Master Gardener Program.

For more information, email Ron Wolford, Extension Educator, Urban Gardening/Environment at rwolford@illinois.edu.

Training

Master Gardeners participate in more than 60 hours of training on botany, vegetables, tree and small fruits, diseases, insects, soils, fertilizers, pruning, trees and flowers and organic gardening. The sessions are taught by University of Illinois specialists and Extension educators and are coordinated by local horticulture extension educators. The emphasis of the information is practical, yet research based. Students must pass a final comprehensive exam (all open book).

2010 Chicago Master Gardener Training Schedule

Wednesday - January 13 – BOTANY – Greg Stack, Extension Educator, Horticulture

Wednesday – January 20 –SOILS – Ellen Phillips, Extension Educator, Crop Systems

Wednesday – January 27 – VEGETABLES – Ron Wolford, Extension Educator, Urban Horticulture/Environment

Wednesday – February 3- WOODY PLANTS-Richard Hentschel, Green Industry Programming

Wednesday – February 10 – HERBACEOUS PLANTS – Greg Stack, Extension Educator, Horticulture

Wednesday – February 17 – FRUITS –Richard Hentschel, Green Industry Programming

Wednesday – February 24 – PLANT PATHOLOGY – Nancy Pollard, Extension Educator, Horticulture

Wednesday- March 3 – INSECTS – Susan Grupp, Extension Educator, Environmental Science

Wednesday – March 10 – TURF – Matt Kostelnick, Extension Educator, Horticulture

Wednesday- a.m. – March 17 – IPM – Russel Higgins, Extension Educator, Integrated Pest Management

Wednesday-p.m. How to be a Volunteer – Larry Wilson, Extension Educator, Community & Economic Development

Wednesday – March – 24 -PLANT CLINIC, DATABASE, ORGANIC BASICS – Kirsten Akre, Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse, Sue Gasper, Chicago Master Gardener Organizer

Wednesday – March 31 – SNOW DAY

Cost

The cost is $275 for the Master Gardener manual , supplemental handouts and a Chicago Master Gardener t-shirt.

Scholarships are available.

In return for the training, Master Gardeners give back at least 60 hours of volunteer time to the Chicago Master Gardener Program within a year. Volunteering can take the form of answering questions from gardeners or working on special projects such as The Great Plant Escape, an indoor school gardening program, landscaping at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, serving as technical assistance for community and school gardens, worm composting, insect petting zoo, the Growing Connection/Earthboxes,the Lurie Garden, Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Bug Bash, Smart Home Vegetable Garden, Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo.

Applying

Registration for the 2010 Master Gardener Training class is closed and the class is full. Applications for the 2011 class will be accepted from May 1, 2010 until November 1, 2010.