The Extension Master Gardener program was established in Missouri in 1983 and provides in-depth horticultural training for Missourians who wish to share their knowledge of gardening. The mission of the University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener program is to support MU Extension by providing trained volunteers to assist in public horticulture education.
This course prepares Extension Master Gardeners in topics related to soils, plant nutrition, vegetables, fruits, ornamental woody plants, herbaceous plants, plant propagation, disease and insect control, lawn care, residential landscape, environmental stewardship, and safe use of pest management strategies.
Extension Master Gardener volunteers assist MU Extension by utilizing unbiased research-based information to educate, answer frequently asked gardening questions, teach through demonstration gardens, donate produce, present as speakers' bureaus, and share information.
To become trained as an Extension Master Gardener, an individual must attend a 30-hour training course and provide 30 hours of volunteer service back to their community.
- Cost: $200
- Contact Information: For more information, contact the Cole County Extension Center at 573-634-2824 or email dhakald@missouri.edu
Lectures include:
- MG1: Missouri Master Gardener Program Policies and Procedures
- MG2: Plants and Their Environment
- MG3: Plant Propagation
- MG4: Soils, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management
- MG5: Vegetable Gardening
- MG6: Fruit Production
- MG7: Establishment and Care of Woody Ornamentals
- MG8: Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs
- MG9: Herbaceous Ornamentals
- MG10: Managing Lawns and Turfgrass
- MG11: Landscaping Your Front Yard
- MG12: Insects
- MG13: Preventing and Managing Plant Diseases
- MG14: Using Pesticides Safely Around the Home and Garden
This training is a “hybrid” of in-person and online training, trainees will have two options for each lecture. They can come to Cole County Extension Office on Thursday mornings, 9:00 am - noon to watch the lectures or participate in live Zoom meetings.
Dates: Thursdays, September 3 – November 12, 2026, 9:00 am to noon via Zoom or in person, plus in-person field sessions.
There will be six in-person field sessions/ hands-on activities in the training. The date, time, topic and location of field sessions are provided in the table below:
Field Sessions Schedule |
Date and Time | Chapters and Topics | Physical Address |
Monday September 14 (5:30 to 7:30 pm) | Tour 1: Governor’s Mansion Flower Garden
Tour 2: Central Missouri Master Gardener Greenhouse and Propagation Room | 100 Madison Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101 810 Sandstone St. Jefferson City, MO 65101 |
Saturday September 19 (10:00 am to noon) | Fruit and Veggie Garden Tour in Columbia | Will be provided close to the date. |
Thursday September 24 (5:45 to 7:15 pm) | Neighborhood Landscape Tour in Columbia | Will be provided close to the date. |
October 8 (Combined with lecture) (9:00 am to noon) | MG13: Preventing and Managing Plant Diseases | Cole County Extension Center (2436 Tanner Bridge Road), Jefferson City, MO |
Monday October 12 (5:30 to 7:30 pm) | Session 1/Tour 1: Lawn Walk (Focus on Lawn Management)
Session 2/Tour 2: Soil Sampling and Processing from Garden and Lawn
| Cole County Extension Center (2436 Tanner Bridge Road), Jefferson City, MO |
Monday October 19 (5:30 to 7:30 pm) | Hands-on activities on Plant Propagation
| Cole County Extension Center (2436 Tanner Bridge Road), Jefferson City, MO |
All participants will meet at Cole County Extension Center (2436 Tanner Bridge Rd), Jefferson City, MO 65101 on Thursday, August 27 at 5:30 to 7:30 pm for orientation session.
