Six modules, taken in any order that fits your season.
Each course is self-paced and built around written lessons, short videos, and a guided assignment you complete in your own growing space.
Foundations of Container Gardening
Covers container sizing, drainage, sun mapping, and how to group plants by water and light needs before anything gets planted.
- Choosing containers by root depth
- Mapping sunlight across a small space
- Basic soil mix selection
- Spacing for airflow and growth
Composting for Small Spaces
Builds a working compost system sized for apartments, patios, or small yards, and explains how to troubleshoot common early issues.
- Setting up a countertop or bin compost system
- Managing moisture and odor
- Turning schedules that fit apartment living
- Using finished compost in containers
Water-Efficient Irrigation for Home Gardens
Introduces low-cost drip systems, self-watering inserts, and watering schedules adjusted for the participant's specific climate zone.
- Installing a basic timer-based drip line
- Building a self-watering container insert
- Reading soil moisture manually
- Adjusting for heat waves and dry spells
Organic Pest Management Basics
Focuses on identifying common pests early and responding with non-chemical methods appropriate for small, shared, or family spaces.
- Identifying pests at the leaf and stem level
- Introducing beneficial insects
- Making simple soap or oil sprays
- Preventing fungal spread through spacing
Seasonal Planning by Climate Zone
Walks through building a personal planting calendar based on a specific USDA hardiness zone and local frost dates.
- Locating your USDA hardiness zone
- Working backward from last frost date
- Succession planting in limited space
- Adjusting the calendar year over year
Guided Practical Project: Your First Growing Season
A combined project that ties together soil setup, composting, irrigation and pest response across a single planting cycle, with written check-ins along the way.
- Applying earlier modules to one continuous project
- Weekly written progress logs
- Adjusting plans as conditions change
- Documenting a first harvest
How the courses are structured
Every module combines short written lessons with a practical assignment completed in the participant's own space, whether that is a windowsill, balcony, or shared backyard plot. Discussion happens asynchronously, so there is no fixed class time to attend.
This program is educational and does not lead to a professional horticultural or agronomic license. It is built for home gardeners, renters, and community garden members who want a structured way to learn.
Self-Paced
Move through modules on your own schedule, revisiting lessons whenever the season calls for it.
Written Feedback
Guided assignments receive written check-in responses rather than live grading sessions.