The University of Wyoming Extension has opened registration for its 2025 Master Gardener training, an online program for Wyoming residents interested in expanding their gardening knowledge and assisting fellow gardeners.
“I am so excited to get the online Master Gardener training up and going for 2025,” says Donna Hoffman, UW Extension educator and state Master Gardener coordinator. “People across Wyoming have been looking forward to the next online training session for quite a while and now we can get the next class of volunteers trained and out in their communities helping other gardeners.”
The 16-session course includes approximately 48 instructional hours led by 14 UW faculty members and extension educators. Classes take place via Zoom on Thursdays 6-9 p.m., starting Jan. 9 and running through May 15. All sessions are recorded and made available to course participants.
Topics to be discussed in the 2025 course include botany basics; soils; composting and mulch; herbaceous and woody ornamental plants; pruning; vegetables and herbs; landscape design; lawns and alternative turf; weeds; integrated pest management; pesticide safety; entomology; plant pathology and disease diagnosis; fruit trees and small fruits; and volunteer opportunities.
In addition to online resources and Zoom recordings provided throughout the course, participants will receive a hard copy of Sustainable Horticulture for Wyoming: A Master Gardener Handbook. For those enrolled in the course, handbooks will be available for pickup in county extension offices across the state.
Registration for the 2025 online Master Gardener training can be completed at https://bit.ly/master-gardener-2025. Early bird registration, which is open through Wednesday, Jan. 1, costs $175. Regular registration, which is open from Thursday, Jan. 2, through Thursday, Jan. 9, costs $200.
The Master Gardener training is a non-credit course and cannot be taken for college credit, but those who participate fully will receive a certificate of completion.
Graduates are encouraged to seek volunteer opportunities in their communities. To achieve the title of Master Gardener, they must complete 40 hours of volunteer time in coordination with a local Master Gardener coordinator. For more information, contact a local extension office.
To learn more about the Wyoming Master Gardener program, contact Hoffman at dmcuin@uwyo.edu or (307) 235-9400.
