COLUMBIA, Mo. – Registration is open for the fall online University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener course. The 15-week class begins on Aug. 10 and ends in December.

Gardening is an activity with many rewards, says MU Extension horticulture specialist Debi Kelly. One of those rewards is “the satisfaction of sharing your plant knowledge with others,” she says. The Extension Master Gardener program provides in-depth horticultural training to individuals who then help others learn about gardening and the environment.

“The program’s motto, ‘helping others learn to grow,’ emphasizes service to others as the program’s main objective,” Kelly says.

Participants will learn about the mission of the Master Gardener program and gain a working knowledge of the fundamentals of gardening and its terminology, she says. The course provides a foundation in plant structure and function, soils and plant nutrition. plant propagation, fruits and vegetables, herbaceous and woody plants, entomology, plant pathology, landscape design, lawns and pesticides usage.

Core training is the first step toward Extension Master Gardener certification. After core training, participants complete a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer service. Local coordinators help online trainees find volunteer opportunities to meet the volunteer service requirement.

Since its inception in 2013, more than 3,000 individuals have gone through MU Extension online Master Gardener training. Extension Master Gardener programs are offered in every U.S. state and most Canadian provinces.

Participants will receive a copy of the Missouri Master Gardener Core Manual as part of the registration fee, says Kelly.

State Master Gardener coordinators are Kelly and Sarah Denkler, MU Extension regional director for southeastern Missouri. Kelly, Denkler and horticulturist David Trinklein teach the course.

Register online, or contact Kelly at kellyd@missouri.edu with questions.