HOME GARDENER BOOT CAMP PROGRAM

2024 Bootcamp registration is full. 

Check back in the fall for information regarding our 2025 Bootcamp. 

Please watch 'The Dirt', our monthly newsletter, for information about the next Boot Camp offering.

10 two-hour online sessions, 

one weeknight per week, for 10 weeks

Offered once a year in mid to late winter 

Boot Camp is a new, improved, more practical program for home gardeners who want to dig deeper into how the plant world works. It provides participants with the “hows” and “whys” of the most current horticultural techniques to help their gardens thrive. 

Initial sessions cover gardening fundamentals, such as soil science, basic botany, landscaping, and ecosystems, at a depth that will not be overwhelming to less experienced gardeners, but with enough to interest more experienced gardeners and introduce important knowledge to help them be successful. Lectures also cover topics such as natives and environmental factors.

The latter part of the program shifts to more practical aspects of gardening, offering “how to” advice grounded in horticultural science. Subjects such as weed and pest management, plant selection and care, and growing food are covered here.

Topics:

• How Plants Work

• Understanding Soil

• Landscapes/Ecosystems

• Natives

• Woody Plants/Pruning

• Perennials/Biennials/Annuals/Bulbs

• Pests and Diseases

• Weeds

• Vegetables and Fruits

In addition to the ten weeknight lectures, Boot Camp includes handouts and Q&A time with presenters.

Registration for the Home Gardener Boot Camp Program typically opens in late fall for the ten classes starting in January. Signup is announced in The Dirt, our free monthly e-newsletter. Subscribe HERE.

Questions? Email us at

 BootCamp@MassMasterGardeners.org

Looking for help with seasonal garden care? Prefer remote learning? Consider our 4-week Gardening Know-How Series, offered online over a 4-week period, with different topics each season.

The Home Gardener Boot Camp Program does not lead to Master Gardener certification.

The Home Gardener Boot Camp Program was formerly called the Home Horticulture/Home Hort Program.

Boots image courtesy of Waldorf School of Louisville