Sarah Rautio
Sarah Rautio is the state leader of the Michigan State University Extension Master Gardener Program®, providing administrative support to the MSU Extension Consumer Horticulture Team and Michigan's 2,000 MSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers. She also administers Foundations of Gardening, a course for those who want to later apply to the MSU Extension Master Gardener Program as well as those interested in learning about research-based gardening practices for personal or professional reasons.
Sarah has a B.S. and M.S. in Biology from Oakland University and a PhD. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University. She specializes in ecosystem approaches to gardening, gardening with wildlife, water/garden relationships, and ways gardeners can help global challenges, such as climate change and plant conservation.
In her spare time, Sarah enjoys seeking out unique plants across the world, hiking, cooking, and spending time with her four children and their ever-growing collection of dogs.
Have a question about gardening? Call 1-888-678-3463 or submit a question to Ask an Expert.
Related Work
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Registration opens July 2 for MSU Extension’s fall online Foundations of Gardening course
Published on June 18, 2025
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Consider nature when designing your garden
Published on October 18, 2024
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Canadian Garden Study Tour connects people, places and plants
Published on October 9, 2024
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Purple deadnettle and henbit: Two common garden spring weeds
Published on May 14, 2024
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Foundations of Gardening Syllabus
Published on March 4, 2024
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Canadian Garden Study Tour offered by MSU Extension Master Gardener Program
Published on January 19, 2024
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Smart Gardening to Deter Deer
Published on December 20, 2023
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MSU Extension Master Gardener Flora Phelps is 100 years young in 2022
Published on December 16, 2022
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MSU Extension staff expand their international experience through Purdue Extension’s Ireland Garden Study Tour
Published on October 18, 2022