Invasive Plant Identification, Removal and Control Strategies (core NP, D & H)

This class will explore invasive plants including their history and introduction intentionally or otherwise to Eastern North America.  Learn how these species cause biochemical changes that affect soil microbes which in turn cause major shifts in plant community populations.  Identification, control strategies and the degrading effects of these species on ecosystems including their effect on native will be followed by a hands-on workshop and demonstration of eradiation techniques.  A short field trip will be included.

Practices and Principles of Growing Nutrient Dense Vegetables (H)

This course is for serious home and production vegetable gardeners as well as professionals caring for vegetable gardens. This course will cover an overview of how biological systems function and support you in addressing limiting factors in your garden. Examine, soil testing and mineral balancing, biological inoculation, seed sizing and sorting, potting soil, tillage, fertility, in season plant and soil monitoring and supplemental feeding based on plant needs. Specifically in season monitoring will be based on conductivity and brix monitoring with appropriate solutions including nutrient drenches and foliar spraying. The objective of this course is to support gardeners in growing vegetables that are pest and disease resistant as well as very flavorful and containing high levels of nutrition.

Advanced Pruning Workshop

(elective H or D)

Pruning is both an art and a science.  This course will address the how, what, where, and when of pruning in the residential landscape.  Students will learn the philosophy of pruning, addressing approaches not only for summer but also for early spring and dormant season pruning.  Consider a wide variety of sites, situations, and scenarios, and explore pruning of both coniferous and deciduous ornamental plants.   Pruning will focus on plants massed in landscape beds, foundation plantings, hedges, individual specimens, both mature and newly planted, ranging in styles from formal to natural.  This hands-on workshop will have minimal classroom time and participants will be observing demonstrations, and pruning plants on the grounds of the botanical garden.  Participants should complete at least one introductory pruning workshop prior to this course.

This is a survey plant identification class covering horticulturally significant North American Native plants that thrive in the Berkshires and surrounding tri-state region.  Both herbaceous and woody plants will be covered with special focus on garden worthy, low maintenance plants that work well in the managed landscape.  Herbaceous plants including wildflowers, woodland and meadow plants, grasses, sedges, and ferns will be the topic of the first four classes, and flowering shrubs, ornamental trees, evergreen and shade trees will complete the final two classes.  Information on the cultural requirements, maintenance, plant combinations and associations will form the framework of this course.

Learn practices in horticulture which have positive or neutral ecological impact; methods which can be sustained over the long term with the least possible alteration of the existing community of plants, animals, fungi, and microbes. Ecological gardening is a way to work with nature, not against it and sustainable practices are those which work in an ecologically sound manner. The New England Wild Flower Society has utilized principles of ecological gardening for over forty years at its botanic garden, Garden in the Woods. Such practices preserve floral and faunal diversity, both above and below the soil line, and do not significantly alter the soil, water, air or organisms which exist in, or come in contact with, our landscape. In this class, learn about the sustainable practices employed here at Garden in the Woods with a focus on creating and maintaining healthy soil and effectively using compost & compost tea. Consider, site, location and how to identify the “right plant for the right place”. These techniques use a hands-on approach to mitigating the adverse affects of traditional gardening. Learn how to put all these practices together to achieve a closed system.

This course is a must for those working or planning to work professionally in the field of horticulture.  Participants will learn how to write a simple business plan, understand a team approach using subcontractors to a business advantage and ways to organize a business. . .from sole proprietor to incorporating (S-Corp, Inc, LLC).  This course will cover dealing with employees, insurance and tax write-offs.  Emphasis will be on markups on materials and labor, what the going rate is to charge clients and how to cost estimate projects. Students will complete a cost estimate for a residential project - start to finish.  The focus will be on staying small, lean and smart and finally how to make a profit. 

Plant Propagation

(elective H)

Learn the art and science of plant propagation to successfully increase or add to your plant collection.  This course is taught over 3 consecutive years.  In 2012 the course will focus on sexual propagation methods using seeds. Asexual reproduction including cuttings, grafting, layering and division will be covered in 2013 and 2014.  The course will include 3 lectures, a hands-on lab and a field trip  to a production nursery.  Students will learn the fascinating science behind propagation from seed and will then practice propagating using techniques learned during the lectures.  A field trip to a production nursery will enhance and support the technical aspects of the course.  A basic course in botany will serve as a good foundation for the course.  $35 material fee.

Organic Vegetable Gardening

(elective H or D)

Designed for those starting or caring for a vegetable garden, get all your questions answered in this practical class on growing food.  This course will include site selection, soil and nutrient management, seed selection, design, crop rotation schemes, seeding and planting, pest management, and specific plant cultivation.  These topics will be discussed with an emphasis on building a healthy soil and careful management of moisture requirements.  Each week students will investigate a different vegetable family (Melon family, Tomato family, Beet family, Cabbage family, Legume family and the Greens family) to insure all questions are answered about cultivation of these important food groups.