The NYBG Gardening Certificate Program provides in depth courses on sustainable gardening techniques, soil science, plant propagation, and garden maintenance design for the home gardener. Regional experts guide you through the art and science of plant selection and care for home or small-scale residential/urban/community gardens and greening projects.
Students who are pursuing a Certificate must complete 187 total course hours (164 required + 23 elective). Browse this page to discover what required courses are currently scheduled.
This user-friendly intro course surveys the major plant groups-flowering plants, conifers, ferns, and bryophytes-focusing on their form and structure. Become botanically literate and gain practical experience in dissecting and analyzing plant structures.
Explore the basics of successful, environmentally friendly gardening. Topics include soils and their improvement, seed sowing, vegetative propagation, planting, pruning, watering, weeding, mulching, and disease and pest control. This course is also required for the Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate.
Choose the right plant for the right place, based on site-specific design and maintenance criteria. Learn landscape values such as size, texture, color, and flowering and fruiting seasons. Review trees, shrubs, groundcovers, annuals, and perennials suitable for this region.
Learn
sustainable
garden
and
landscape
maintenance
techniques,
including
planting
methods,
plant
care,
and
maintenance
regimens
for
trees,
shrubs,
lawn,
and
perennial
gardens.
Discuss
site
analysis
and
plant
selection,
organic
gardening
practices,
and
how
to
create
a
calendar
of
landscape
and
more...
Understand
how
the
qualities
of
soil
affect
the
overall
productivity
of
plants
and
make
sustainable
gardening
practices
possible.
Practical
application
of
theory
is
stressed.
Topics
include
soil
formation,
physical
properties
of
soil,
soil-water
relationships,
and
management
techniques
such
as
irrigation,
more...