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Washington State University

Gardening Green Courses

Flowers in a field Gardening Green Courses

Learn the Essential Principles for Landscape Gardening Success

 

Would you like to grow naturally beautiful landscape that keeps our Whatcom waters clean? Would you like to know how to nourish healthy soils, how to save water, and reduce your maintenance chores? WSU Whatcom County Extension’s Gardening Green courses will teach you the essential principles for successful landscape gardening that is easier on the environment – using more know-how and less fertilizer and pesticides.

Cheryl Lovato Niles

Cheryl Lovato Niles
Water Resources Educator
clniles@wsu.edu
(360) 778-5812


Gardening Green Courses

WSU Whatcom County Extension is offering sustainable landscaping courses three ways this spring.

We are offering:

· On-Your-Own-Schedule Online Course
· LIVE Online Course
· LIVE In-Person Course

 

These Gardening Green courses will teach you how to:

· Understand your site and soils so you can choose plants that will naturally thrive
· Proper planting techniques so you can get great plants off to a good start
· Watering techniques and tools
· How to make the magic of mulch work for you
· Get strategic about your maintenance chores

All course participants will get worksheets and resources that they can use to put sustainable landscaping principles into action. And all participants will complete learning assignments that will build upon each other to create the foundation of a custom landscaping plan for your site!

 

Three ways to learn:

Close up of Moodle screen

On-Your-Own-Schedule Online Course

Dates: April 15 – May 24, 2024
Duration: 6 weeks
Time commitment: 3-5 hours per week
Cost: $25

Details: This course has no scheduled meeting times. The course materials are all provided online via a platform called Moodle. A new course module will be available each week and participants will work through the materials and the learning assignments within the week according to their own schedules. Participants are expected to contribute to weekly group discussions via the online discussion boards.

A new topic will be covered each week in its own module which will contain one or more recorded presentations, a printable summary sheet, and a list of excellent additional resources on the topic of the week. Each module also includes a short quiz so that you can check your understanding of the material.

Each module also includes a learning assignment where you’ll apply what you’ve learned to your own site. You’ll share your progress on these assignments with your course mates via the online discussion board.

There are limited “scholarships” available.  If the cost is a barrier to you, please indicate that you would like the fee waived when you register.

five people around a table

LIVE In-Person Course

in Sudden Valley

Dates: Friday mornings, 4/19 – 5/17
Duration: 5 weeks
Time commitment: 2 hours of class time; 2-4 hours of homework per week
Cost: $42 fee for soil testing

Details: This course will meet weekly on Friday mornings April 19 – May 10, from 10am to Noon in the Sudden Valley Dance Barn (8 Barn View Drive).  The course will wrap up on Friday May 17, from 10am to Noon with site visits to 2-4 participant properties (TBD) where we will discuss the possibilities for applying what you’ve learned in the course.

The course includes a laboratory test of soil pH, fundamental soil nutrients, soil texture, and organic matter. Course participants will bring their soil samples to the second class session and the instructor will deliver them to the soil testing laboratory. Results should be ready before the end of the course.

Participants will receive a coupon from the Garden Spot Nursery!

 

Sitting woman using laptop in an online conference

LIVE Online Course

via Zoom

Dates: Thursday evenings 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28, & Saturday afternoon 3/30
Duration: 5 weeks
Time commitment: 2 hours of class time; 2-4 hours of homework per week
Cost: $42 fee for soil testing

Details:  This course will meet weekly on Thursday evenings 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, & 3/28 via Zoom from 5 to 7pm. Course materials and assignments will be provided via email. The course will wrap up with site visits to 2-4 participant properties (TBD) on 3/30 from 1 to 3pm where we will discuss the possibilities for applying what you’ve learned in the course.

The course includes a laboratory test of soil pH, fundamental soil nutrients, soil texture, and organic matter. Course participants will drop their soil samples off at the WSU Extension Whatcom County Office at 600 Dupont Street during the second week of the course and the instructor will deliver them to the soil testing laboratory. Results should be ready before the end of the course.

Participants will receive a coupon from My Garden Nursery!