Winter 2025 Online Illinois Gardener Training Registration

Our online, self-guided Illinois Gardener training course is available to take from the comfort of your home at your own pace. This online course is currently offered three times a year in Winter, Summer and Fall. Registration for this Winter session will be open from November 1-January 13 and the course kicks off on February 3. There are also three optional group Zoom sessions as a part of this course as well.

Important Dates to consider for the Winter Course
Winter/Spring 2025 (Course runs February 3-April 30)
· Registration opens 11/1/2024
· Registration closes 1/13/2025
· Manuals start shipping out week of 1/20/2025
· Training starts 2/3/2025
· Group Zoom meetup dates on Mondays at 6PM: 2/3, 3/3, 4/7

What will you learn: Classes are taught by University of Illinois specialists and Extension educators. Information is science-based and specific to Illinois’ unique climate, soil, environment, insects, wildlife, and plants. Topics include botany, soils, vegetables, fruits, flowers, trees and shrubs, grasses, landscaping, insects, and diseases. The training includes videos, a manual, reading materials, and quizzes. The course can be completed in approximately 14 weeks with four hours of weekly work or additional time can be taken. A computer and strong internet connection is highly recommended.

Cost: The cost for the online training program is $300 or $320 and includes a training manual shipped to your address. Additional local fees may apply if local hands-on sessions are being offered in your county.

Following the Course: Upon completion of the course, you’ll receive an Illinois Gardener Training Certificate of Completion. You’ll then be given the choice to stop there and simply utilize your new gardening knowledge in your own garden- or choose to move on to the next steps of the process to becoming a Certified Illinois Extension Master Gardener volunteer.

Because there is no subsequent volunteer commitment to just taking the online course, participants do not automatically become Illinois Master Gardeners and may not use the title of Master Gardener at this point. The title of ‘Master Gardener’ is a registered service mark and only to be used for Illinois Extension events and purposes.

Please note that different counties have different periods for accepting applications and applying does not guarantee acceptance, as some units receive more applications than spaces available for new volunteers. There may be some waiting period (possibly up to a year or two) between finishing the online training and being able to apply with your local county. Reach out to your local county Extension office prior to registering to find out when they're taking on new applications next if you are worried about having to wait.

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Contact Information

First Name

Last Name

Street Address

Street Address 2

City

State

ZIP

Daytime Phone

Evening Phone

E-mail Address

Which County do you live in?

I am interested in taking this course..

as the first step to becoming an Illinois Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

to increase my own gardening knowledge. I am not interested in volunteering at this time.

Please select the medium you would like to receive the Master Gardener Training Manual: Note- many students prefer the print version of the manual to be able to flip through easier, but it is personal preference to which you prefer.

Print Manual Only: Hard copy manuals are shipped three-hole punched and shrink wrapped with cover and spine inserts. Binder not included. Recommended binder is one 2-1/2 inch binder or two 1 ½ inch binders. ($300.00)

USB Manual Only: The USB version of the manual includes a USB stick that is shipped to you with a file of the PDF version of the manual on it. ($300.00)

Both USB and Print Manual ($320.00)

Discount code

Civil Rights Compliance - Participant Info

As part of our commitment to providing equal opportunities in our programming, University of Illinois Extension is required to collect and report overall statistics about the race, ethnicity, and gender of program participants. Your responses are voluntary and appreciated.

Gender

Ethnicity

Race

Refund Policy

No refunds are given once you've received the training manual in the mail.

Total Registration Cost $