After a hugely successful pilot, ANC is offering our Urban Gardener Certification Program again. The 10 week class is described below. We filled up rapidly for the fall class and indications are that this one will be filled as well. Call K’Anna at 999-3910 or email her at kannab@allenneighborhoodcenter.org for further information. You can also download the registration form – the deadline to apply is February 15th.
The Urban Gardener Certification Program
The Urban Gardener Certification Program is a 10-week/20-hour course featuring instruction in basic yard and greenhouse gardening appropriate for high density, small lot neighborhoods such as those on Lansing’s Eastside and neighborhood plots in the GardenHouse.
Dates: Wednesdays, 6:30-9:00 pm; February 25th through April 29th.
Location: Hunter Park Community GardenHouse (just off the Clifford Street parking lot, one block south of Kalamazoo) OR at the Allen Neighborhood Center.
Instructors: Primary instructors are GardenHouse staff K’Anna Burton and Linda Anderson, Gary Heilig, MSU Extension Master Gardener Coordinator as well as guest instructors.
Tentative Curriculum:
Feb. 25: Introductions& Orientation: Gardening Outdoors vs Greenhouses
March 4: LAB: Intro to GH procedures, seed starting, potting up, etc
March 11: Basic Plant/Soil Science/relationships with garden plants
March 18: Vegetables & Fruits Basics/ Organic growing
March 25: More Vegetables Basics./ GH Vol. Staff Manual overview
April 1: Garden Mentoring, Volunteering, Urban Gardening projects
April 8: Organic Pest Management/ lab work inside or out!
April 15: Composting/ Water, rain barrels/ Lab work
April 22: Native Plants, Rain Gardens & design activities (Celebrate Earth Day with us!)
April 29: Your own urban garden plans, designs/ Graduation!
Applicants to the Urban Gardening Certification Program agree to:
- Commit to attending at least 8 of the 10 classes (certification is contingent on attending at least 8 classes)
- Commit to 40 hours of volunteer staffing at the Hunter Park Community GardenHouse following this course.
- Commit to assist, as time and energy allow, other gardeners on one’s facing block.
- Pay materials costs of $15/30*, due no later than at first class meeting.
*Enrollment space is limited with preference given to Eastside residents (48912 zip code residents pay $15/ other Lansing residents pay $30). We hope to repeat the course again beginning in September 2009. To apply for a slot in the spring class, please complete the registration form and send to ANC by February 15.
