PERRYVILLE – The mission of the Missouri Master Gardener Extension Program is “helping others learn to grow.” The Master Gardener program provides in depth horticultural training to individuals throughout Missouri who then volunteer their time applying what they have learned to help others in their communities to learn about gardening and environmental education. The Master Gardener Program throughout Missouri promotes and raises public awareness of the University of Missouri Extension as a source of unbiased, research-based gardening information.
Through activities such as Extension newsletter articles, workshops, garden booths and demonstration projects, Master Gardeners provide gardening information to thousands of Missourians each year throughout the state.
To become trained as a Master Gardener, an individual must attend a 30-hour classroom Core Course training. Then the Master Gardener trainee is required to give 30 hours of volunteer service back to their community in approved University of Missouri Extension activities.
Perry County Master Gardeners are hosting Extension Master Gardener training in early 2025. The training sessions will be for six Fridays starting on January 24 and running through February 28 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 each day. Master Gardeners will be providing a light lunch each Friday. The training session will be held at the Perry County Extension Office located at 321 North Main, Suite 1 in Perryville, Mo. There will be face to face instruction, hands-on activities and at least 2 field trips (scheduled separately). The cost of the class is $200, which includes the Master Gardener Core Manual, state fees and speaker fees. Registration deadline is January 15, 2025. The program will cover the subjects of plant anatomy, soils and fertility, annuals and perennials, fruits and brambles, vegetable gardening, lawn care, insects, landscaping, propagation, and plant disease.
Partial scholarships are available through the local Master Gardener Chapter. For information on scholarships, reach out to Maxine Lohmann at 573-517-3677.
Online registration is encouraged at https://extension.missouri.edu/events/extension-master-gardener-training-perry-county.
Those interested in Master Gardener training can also reach out to the Perry County Extension office at 573-547-4504 or contact Donna Aufdenberg at 573-243-3581 or aufdenbergd@missouri.edu.