Classes

Usually offered right before and during the growing season, our classes are an opportunity to answer questions that arose during the previous season and get some terrrific ideas for the upcoming season.  Our organic Gardening Certification Program offered in conjunction with Washtenaw Community College provides a comprehensive overview of organic gardening principles and techniques, while course in water quality, container gardening, and Low-Vision gardening delve into more specific issues.

Register for a Project Grow class or event

Organic Gardener Certification Information
Gardening with Low-Vision
Water Quality in Garden and Backyard environments
Heirloom Gardening Series
Other Project Grow Classes

Organic Gardener Certificate Program

WCC and the Ann Arbor area's Project Grow Community Gardens will offer an Organic Gardener Certificate program beginning winter semester. This program will give home gardeners and professional landscapers the knowledge and skills needed to establish and maintain vegetable and ornamental gardens organically. Classes can be taken individually or as a series. Individuals who complete the required 7 classes, a final exam and a 20 hour volunteer component will receive a certificate in Organic Gardening. Students will have until October of the year following their final class (one and a half years)to complete the volunteer hours.

Required Courses:
Introduction to Organic Gardening
Soils, Compost and Organic Fertilizer
Advanced Organic Vegetable Gardening
Organic Pest and Disease Management
Landscaping with Native Plants
Organic Weed Control
Advanced Organic Lawn Care

Elective Courses:
Easy Organic Fruit Growing

Certificate students: Course Pack will need to be purchased from the WCC bookstore.

Non certificate students: There will be a small mandatory materials fee to cover cost of class handout.

To register and view class descriptions visit the Washtenaw Community College's Organic Gardening Certification Page. You will also find descriptions of the classes in the calendar above.

For registration questions, call WCC Live Work Learn at (734) 973-3607.

Gardening with Low-Vision

A Series of four educational courses for both gardeners who are adapting to a low-vision lifestyle and for their families and friends who are assisting them in this transition. Sponsored by Project Grow and the Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled. 

Cool Weather Plants and Starts
Taught by LuAnne Bullington, Project Grow volunteer and low-vision gardener

Have you always wanted to grow and enjoy your own herbs and vegetables but don't think you would be able to tell a weed from a kale seedling because of your eyesight? We will explore starting your own plants from seeds and starts, planting and spacing methods, crop rotation, record keeping, watering, and harvesting techniques for people with visual impairments using cool weather plants.
Location: Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled, 4135 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI. Please register by calling 973-4350 or by emailing lbpd@ewashtenaw.org.  No fee required.

Container Gardening and Raised Beds: From Vegetables to Flowers
Taught by Sheri Repucci, Project Grow staff

Basics of using containers and raised surface gardens to grow your favorite vegetables, herbs and flowers, indoors or out. Container gardening is a wonderful technique to include in your low-vision garden, as they can provide distinctive tactile clues, allowing you to separate and thus identify a variety of plants you may wish to grow. Includes a hands-on component, participants will plant up and take home one pot. supplies included.
Location: Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled, 4135 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI.  Please register by calling 973-4350 or by emailing lbpd@ewashtenaw.org.  No fee required.

Organic Gardening Methods: from soil to pest control
Taught by Sheri Repucci, Project Grow staff

Basics of organic gardening methods, including soil requirements, fertilizers, and pest control.  Organic gardening methods are a natural fit for low-vision gardening as they are both safer and easier to use. In addition, many organic gardening products have either a distinctive smell, obvious tactile differences, or both, aiding in your confidence in their use.
Location: Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled, 4135 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI.  Please register by calling 973-4350 or by emailing lbpd@ewashtenaw.org.  No fee required.

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Water Quality in Garden and Backyard environments

This winter Aistis Tumas, Environmental Educator for Michigan's Environmental Stewardship AmeriCorps (MESA), returns to present a series of classes relating water quality with water use in the garden and backyard environments.

Organic Lawn Care
Taught by Aistis Tumas, AmeriCorps volunteer and environmental educator, Michigan Groundwater Stewardship

Project Grow and the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program present an “Organic Lawn Care” class.  Learn how lawns may pose environmental risks to your local watershed and how lawn care practices can be used to minimize these risks.  Topics: fertilizing, soil types, managing pests, mowing, local water quality issues.
Location: Project Grow, in the Nature House on the Leslie Science and Nature Center's campus, 1831 Traver Road, Ann Arbor.  Please register by calling Project Grow at 996-3169.  No fee required, donations encouraged.

 

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Heirloom Gardening Series

Longtime Project Grow gardener and heirloom expert Royer Held, along with fellow longtime Project Grow gardener and Greenview garden site coordinator Tom Scheper are once again presenting their experience and expertise to you in the Heirloom Gardening series of classes.

Organic Gardening with Project Grow
Created for beginning organic gardeners, this class, presented by Project Grow , will teach you basic organic gardening methods. The class will cover topics such as soil quality and amendments, planning the garden and plant variety choices, fertilizers and other organic plant care methods. Project Grow Instructor:  Royer Held.  Location:  Leslie Science Center Nature House, 1831 Traver Road, Ann Arbor.  For more information call Project Grow at 734-996-3169 or register online.

Enjoying and Preserving Heirloom Vegetable Varieties in your garden
This class, presented by Project Grow,will help you save heirloom plant varieties for future generations while enjoying them at the same time.  Learn about the multitudes of heirloom vegetable varieties that are maintained by home gardeners like you.  Discover the importance of seed saving and key seed saving techniques.  Find out how to create your own heirloom vegetable varieties.  Project Grow Instructor:  Royer Held.  Location:  Leslie Science Center Nature House, 1831 Traver Road, Ann Arbor.  For more information call Project Grow at 734-996-3169 or register online.

Tomatoes and Pepper from seed to shining seed
In this class, presented by Project Grow, prize-winning gardeners Tom Scheper and Royer Held will share their secrets on how to select, start, and grow delicious, organic tomatoes and hot peppers.  Come learn about the best cultivars to grow and get tips to ensure a bountiful harvest. Project Grow Instructors: Tom Scheper and Royer Held.  Location: Leslie Science Center Nature House, 1831 Traver Rd., Ann Arbor. 
For more information call Project Grow at 734-996-3169

Potato Seeds, seed potatoes and sweet potato slips: growing sweet potatoes and Bolivian Potatoes in Michigan
All kinds of unusual potato varieties can be easily grown in the garden. In this class, presented by Project Grow, learn about their history, characteristics, and how to raise them from seed or tubers. Project Grow Instructor:  Royer Held.  Location:  Leslie Science Center Nature House, 1831 Traver Road, Ann Arbor.  For more information call Project Grow at 734-996-3169 or register online.

Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener
Remember your high school biology class?  How about a quick refresher with some ideas about how to put Mendel’s ideas to work in your garden? In this class, presented by Project Grow, Learn what it takes to shape the course of evolution and create your own plant varieties. Project Grow Instructor:   Royer Held.  Location:  Leslie Science Center Nature House, 1831 Traver Road, Ann Arbor.  For more information call Project Grow at 734-996-3169 or register online

Other Project Grow Classes

 

Build Your Own Hoop House!

Learn how to build your own hoophouse to start the growing season a bit early and extend it longer in the fall. We'll share our experience building, maintaining, and growing for the first year and get you off on the right foot for your own hoophouse adventure.  Project Grow instructors: Joan and Richard Bailey  For more information call Project Grow at 734-996-3169 or visit our web site projectgrowgardens.org

Introduction to Beekeeping

This class is designed to give the participant a brief overview on the art of beekeeping.  In addition to highlighting the basics needed to begin beekeeping, it will review the life and activities of the honeybee.  Ideal for anyone interested in starting their own hive, or fascinated with honeybees and eager to learn more. Project Grow Instructor: Michelle Kuhar.  For more information call Project Grow at 734-996-3169 or visit our web site projectgrowgardens.org

Project Grow presents Winter Seed Sowing  

You’ve heard of starting seeds indoors to get a jump on spring, but it’s also possible to start seeds outdoors in winter! Monica Milla, author of Fun with Winter Seed Sowing, will show you how to get a head start on your spring gardening in the middle of winter. Monica will discuss how to start and raise hardy seedlings in containers made of reused and inexpensive  materials, which you can store conveniently on your back porch. Winter sowing works with all kinds of seeds, including vegetables, perennials, biennials, annuals, natives, and woody plants. In a hand's on portion, each attendee will winter sow some seeds into a milk jug to take home. For more information call Project Grow at 734-996-3169 or visit our web site projectgrowgardens.org

 

 

 

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