BROOKINGS, S.D. – Registration is open for the 2025 South Dakota State University Extension Master Gardener training.
The course is open to anyone who would like to learn horticulture skills and research-based best practices and share their gardening knowledge with others. Participants will learn which plants are well-suited for South Dakota, including trees, shrubs, perennial flowers, turfgrass, vegetables and fruits. Other topics include soils, plant diseases, insect pests and weeds.
Offered once each year, the course is a hybrid of online and in-person training for South Dakota residents age 18 and over. Registration is required and costs $250 (training plus 40 hours of volunteer work or $500 (training without volunteer hours). For details and to register, visit the SDSU Extension Events page and search “master gardener”. Applications are due by March 10, 2025.
Extension Master Gardener is one of the largest volunteer organizations in the country, with more than 86,076 volunteers in 49 states. Prairey Walkling, SDSU Extension Master Gardener Field Specialist, said there are many ways to volunteer, including teaching horticulture classes to youth or adults, staffing displays at local events and serving as a resource for home gardening questions.
“It looks different for all, but there are some commonalities,” Walkling said. “There are really endless opportunities, and we can't wait to hear your ideas on how to share research-based horticulture in your corner of South Dakota.”
Most coursework is online and self-directed. Online coursework includes weekly 90-minute live webinar sessions at 7 p.m. CST from April 17 to June 19. Participants must complete an open-book final exam by July 31.
Participants must attend two in-person training sessions to pass the course. They can choose one location to complete their in-person training. This year’s locations are an evening session on April 15 and full day on June 17 in Sturgis, evening session on April 3 and full day on June 12 in Pierre, or afternoon session on April 1 and full day on June 10 in Sioux Falls.
For more information, visit the Master Gardener page.
