If you love digging in the dirt, growing plants, volunteering in your community, and sharing knowledge with others, then becoming a Master Gardener might be just the thing for you.
The Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener Program is open to anyone who wants to deepen their gardening knowledge while giving back to their community. In 2025, the process to join begins with the online course, Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening. This course is offered annually in fall and allows you to learn foundational gardening concepts at your own pace. Registration for this year’s course opens July 16, 2025. Register by Aug. 11 to receive an Early Bird discount.
When you finish the Foundations in Gardening course, you’ll have up to five years to enroll in the Master Gardener Onboarding course, held annually in winter. This online course covers what it means to be a Master Gardener—from reporting volunteer hours to keeping up with continuing education. Onboarding also includes a horticulture entrance exam that covers information from Foundations in Gardening.
After successfully completing both courses, you’ll be part of a statewide network of Master Gardeners who use their knowledge of plants and environmental stewardship to improve lives and enhance the quality of local communities. As a Master Gardener, you’ll apply your knowledge and skills to educate others and make a positive difference in your community.
The Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener Program has several participation levels to allow flexibility based on a participant’s life circumstances. The most rigorous level is “Certified,” which requires 10 hours of continuing education and 24 hours of volunteer service per year. Other levels are available with smaller time commitments. All participation levels are valued! The different participation levels are covered in the Master Gardener Onboarding course.
Interested in joining? Find more information at mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/join or learn more about the Foundations in Gardening course.
