2026 St. Louis Master Gardener Training
Due to unexpected changes we will be postponing St. Louis Master Gardener training until later this spring. If you had already registered for that course, please contact Eliza Pessereau, St. Louis County’s Field Specialist in Horticulture.
If you did not already register, or would prefer to start the Master Gardener course in January 2026, you can register for the statewide online Master Gardener course, or the St. Charles County in-person course in St. Peters, MO.
Please note that any communication related to the official St. Louis Master Gardener course will come from Eliza Pessereau, Debi Kelly, Juan Cabrera-Garcia, or Jody Squires.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your flexibility.
The St. Louis Master Gardener program was established in 1983 through a partnership between the Missouri Botanical Garden and the University of Missouri Extension. This collaboration enables horticultural education and outreach into the St. Louis Community. In 2023, 416 St. Louis Master Gardeners (MG) logged 49,291 volunteer hours in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
The 18-week training begins in January, with afternoon and evening classes held at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Courses are taught by Missouri Botanical Garden staff, MU Extension horticulturists, and industry experts. The program is tailored to growing conditions for the region, and topics include basic plant anatomy, soils, lawn care, flower and vegetable gardening, landscape design, pruning and propagation, and integrated pest management. This in-person training provides MG trainees the opportunity to interact face-to-face with their instructors and receive immediate feedback on their work. It also allows trainees to form relationships with each other that frequently evolve in to volunteer groups, which contribute to the success of the St. Louis Master Gardeners.
If you’re interested in hands-on and handed-down gardening knowledge, consider join the ranks of St. Louis Master Gardeners. For more information about the St. Louis Master Gardener course, email Eliza Pessereau.
MU Extension St. Louis Garden Hotline
Have a gardening question? Certified Master Gardeners are here to help! Call 314-400-7657 or email stlgardenhotline@gmail.com. Please provide details about your gardening question and include pictures if possible.
Pictures should be as follows:
- Distance shot showing its environment.
- Closer shot of just the plant itself.
- Up-close shot showing the area of concern.
- Close-up and overall view of the plant/tree where it emerges from the soil.
Note: The hotline is not staffed 40 hours a week, but you will receive a response in a timely fashion.
If you have questions about commercial horticulture or soil test interpretations, feel free to contact our horticulturist, Eliza Pessereau.
Master Gardeners Volunteering in the Community
St. Louis Master Gardeners, use this online system to report your volunteer hours.
Put your plans, thoughts and results on paper to help ensure successful gardening.