2025 Boot Camp registration is closed.
Check back in the fall for information regarding our 2026 Boot Camp. 

2025 HOME GARDENER BOOT CAMP

Join us for weekly Zoom sessions from the comfort of your home!

10 1.5 hour ONLINE sessions - One weeknight per week for 10 consecutive weeks

Thursday evenings, 7-8:30 PM 

January 9- March 13, 2025

Are you ready to dig deeper into the world of gardening? Whether you're planting your very first seed or you're a seasoned green thumb looking to refine your techniques, our Boot Camp offers a diverse range of topics that cater to all skill levels. At the MMGA, we believe that gardening is for everyone, no matter where you dwell - in a sprawling yard, a cozy terrace, or just a small patch for a raised bed, the possibilities are endless. Our Home Gardener Boot Camp is designed to provide you with a science-based foundation of how things grow and help you choose the right plants for your garden.  Created with care for the unique growing conditions of the Northeast,  our 10 week program  focuses on the importance of environmental stewardship. 

Each of the 90 minute sessions begins with 60 minutes of instruction followed by a 30 minutes interactive Q & A session. In the event you are  unable to attend  the live session, classes will be recorded and available for later viewing.  Sessions will be taught by our most experienced Master Gardeners with a passion for sustainable gardening practices. Our experts will guide you through essential principles that will enhance your skills and deepen your understanding of the environment. 

WHY WE CALL IT BOOT CAMP: In recent years “Boot Camps” have become popular for everything from parkour to yoga to chess and even knitting! The MMGA is not about the latest fads or fashions, but it occurred to us that our program and all these other boot camps share something in common: they are short, focused, and led by subject matter experts. And they help you take a favorite pursuit to the next level by imparting knowledge and skills that you can put to use both immediately and long-term.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Boot Camp is designed for home gardeners at all levels of experience who are looking to create an ecologically-friendly landscape. Information is presented in a way that is easily understandable to less experienced gardeners while including enough science-based background to be useful to everyone. While much of Boot Camp’s content is geared to Massachusetts, gardeners in other lower New England states may also benefit.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN BOOT CAMP/Program Topics:

• Gardening Basics 

• Home Herb Gardening

• The Holistic Approach to Gardening

• Vegetable Gardening 101

• Ditch the Dirt: Simple DIY Hydroponic Growing 

• Perennial Gardening 

• Creating an Eco-Friendly Urban Garden 

• Container Gardening

• Bulb gardening

• Blueberries in your Home Garden

WHO ARE THE PRESENTERS: Sessions are taught by our most experienced Certified Master Gardeners who are passionate subject matter experts and trained presenters. They started out as home gardeners just like you, so they know what information will help you the most.

YOUR INVESTMENT AND WHY IT’S WORTH IT: The fee for all ten sessions of Boot Camp is $250, payable online by credit card or PayPal. This averages out to just $25 per session.  

Here are just some of what makes Home Gardener Boot Camp unique:

• It’s the only program of its kind taught exclusively by Certified Massachusetts Master Gardeners.

• Classes are geared toward learning about the biodiversity of landscapes and ecosystems which are intimately connected.  You’ll learn the right habitat for flora and fauna to thrive in your landscape. 

• Because sessions are live, you will have the opportunity to interact with presenters via a 30-minute Q&A. No relevant questions will go unanswered: If we run out of time, we’ll get back to you with written responses.

• Miss a class?  No problem.  Classes will be recorded and available for viewing up to 1 week after the missed class.

• To provide an ongoing reference, most lectures include handouts, which will be emailed.

Develop your horticultural expertise in time for Spring!

Winter is the perfect time to learn how by attending

Boot Camp, January 9-March 13!

Registration closes on Monday, January 6, 2025, or as soon as limited “virtual seats” are filled.  We expect to book up quickly.  To avoid missing out, you are encouraged to sign up soon.  Refunds will be given until Monday, January 6, 2025.

Questions?

Click HERE for our our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Still have questions? Email BootCamp@MassMasterGardeners.org

Looking for help with seasonal garden care? Consider our 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. Classes are not available individually and refunds will not be given for individual classes missed. If you miss a class, you can watch the recording up to 1 week after the missed class. 

Boots image courtesy of Waldorf School of Louisville