Today more and more people are realizing the physical, social, and psychological benefits of working with nature, and home and community gardening is a great way to make that connection. Whether you are new to gardening or already working in the field, NYBG's gardening classes are a great place to increase your knowledge and improve your skills. Taught by top professionals, each course provides cutting-edge information on ecologically responsible garden care and design, including plant use, soil husbandry, composting, and pest control. Lectures are supported by hands-on study on the Garden's historic grounds. Enroll in a course for fun or pursue a Certificate.
Click here for an overview of the Certificate Program.
Whether you live in a house with a backyard or an apartment with no access to green space, you can compost! Led by NYBG experts, this course will guide you through the fundamental principles of composting.
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.
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.
In just three weeks, complete more than 40% of the coursework required for the Gardening Certificate and gain a solid base in the principles of environmentally sound gardening from expert professionals.
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...
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.
Pest
identification
is
key
to
maintaining
a
healthy,
beautiful
garden.
Learn
to
identify
which
insects
are
pests
and
which
are
beneficial
to
your
home
garden.
Learn
the
most
common
orders
of
insects
and
the
damage
they
can
cause,
as
well
more...
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 how to create a container garden for your patio, terrace, or entryway that's both functional and gorgeous-and helps your plants thrive in all four seasons.
Learn
how
to
use
native
plants
and
native
gardening
practices
to
enhance
garden
ecosystems
and
increase
biodiversity.
Study
native
herbaceous
and
woody
plants:
their
identification,
habitat,
and
culture.
Discover
how
to
promote
a
healthy
environment
using
native
spring
ephemerals,
herbaceous
more...
This class introduces basic garden design principles using the interplay of structural features, plant characteristics, and site assessment. Learn to creatively combine trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and bulbs based on color, shape, texture, and size.
Get
a
little
messy
making
seasonal
berry
jam!
Learn
different
methods
of
jamming
that
use
less
sugar
and
no
additives
or
pectin.
You'll
come
away
with
three
delicious
jams
that
will
transport
you
back
to
summer
whenever
you
reach
for
more...
Discover
plants
native
to
our
region
that
flower
in
summer,
such
as
Hairy
Penstemon,
Spotted
Beebalm,
Shrubby
St.
John's
Wort,
and
Northern
Bush
Honeysuckle.
Learn
how
to
choose
the
right
plants
for
your
landscape
conditions
and
explore
the
benefits
they
more...
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.
This class introduces basic garden design principles using the interplay of structural features, plant characteristics, and site assessment. Learn to creatively combine trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and bulbs based on color, shape, texture, and size.
Whether you live in a house with a backyard or an apartment with no access to green space, you can compost! Led by NYBG experts, this course will guide you through the fundamental principles of composting.
Learn the essential pruning techniques for woody plants used by NYBG experts. In this course, our plant professionals will guide you through the key principles of pruning woody plants such as small trees and shrubs.
Learn
time-honored
canning
techniques
to
extend
the
bounty
of
your
favorite
stone
fruits,
such
as
peaches,
plums,
apricots
and
more,
long
after
summer
has
passed.
Create
a
compote
to
top
your
summer
desserts;
prepare
for
fall
with
warming
spices;
or
more...
Whether
you
are
just
beginning
your
gardening
journey
or
looking
for
expert
advice
on
how
to
make
your
garden
more
robust,
this
class
will
provide
a
detailed
overview
of
a
variety
of
shrubs,
perennials,
and
annuals
that
have
been
identified
more...
Study
the
entire
cannabis
growing
cycle,
including
best
practices
for
critical
harvest
and
post-harvest
procedures,
and
how
artificial
lighting
and
carbon
dioxide
enrichment
can
help
maximize
production.
We'll
discuss
the
pros
and
cons
of
different
grow
sites
and
media,
with
more...
Wondering
what
to
do
with
your
bounty
of
tomatoes?
Preserve
them,
of
course!
We
will
show
you
the
best
ways
to
process
and
hot
pack
your
harvest,
with
a
simple
method
borrowed
from
industrial
canning.
We'll
make
a
chili
tomato
more...
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.
Examine pre-planting procedures, from soil preparation to crop rotation planning. Study the timing and techniques of planting, pest management, and harvest and post-harvest handling. Survey heirloom varieties, new cultivars, and classic selections.
Return
to
great-grandma's
tried-and-true
process
to
make
pickled
cucumbers
in
three
styles—spicy
dill,
sweet
bread-and-butter,
and
zesty
relish.
Designedfor
beginners,
this
class
covers
the
basics—from
recipes
to
food
prep
to
sterilizing.
You'll
pick
up
tips
and
tricks
for
pickling
all
more...
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.
Discover how to get the best from a large array of hydrangeas that can bloom multiple times. Find out how to make these rebloomers sing with later season color. Hint: Pruning isn't always the way to improve plant performance.
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.
Don't
let
a
lack
of
sun
cast
a
shadow
on
your
garden!
Find
out
which
plants
thrive
in
shady
conditions
while
bringing
charm
and
color.
You'll
see
how
to
expand
your
palette
from
reliable
standards
such
as
hosta
and
plant
more...