Organic Gardening

Introductory Week: Welcome & Introduction

• Week 1: Intensive Gardening Methods; Soil Assessment
• Week 2: Soil, Compost and Mulch; Site Assessment
• Break week
• Week 3: Gardening Techniques; Draft Design
• Week 4: Growing Annuals: Vegetables, Flowers, and Herbs; Early, Mid and Late Season Crops
• Week 5: Garden Maintenance and Managing Pests Organically
• Week 6: Trees, Shrubs and Herbaceous Perennials; Final Design

You will not be able to access the material after the last week of class.

Instructor: Donna Alese Cooke dmc72 [at] cornell.edu

Purpose

This online course teaches the basics of small-scale organic gardening for the beginning gardener, while also offering experienced gardeners an opportunity to expand their knowledge. 

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will:

• Understand best gardening practices through organic gardening techniques and methods.
• Evaluate the ecosystem, resources, and challenges of your garden site and how to develop a plan for a successful organic garden.
• Develop a systems-thinking approach with a better understanding of soil and plant health, fertility, and pest management.
• Implement methods to build healthy soil, increase organic matter, and use organic fertility sources tools and supplies effectively, while encouraging healthy populations of beneficial insects and organisms.

Note: This is not an organic farming course. The content taught in this course is applicable to small-scale sites, such as a backyard.

Course Philosophy

This course focuses on a systems-thinking approach, where many elements contribute to the health and productivity of a garden and landscape. We hope to engage participants in learning a foundational perspective about organic gardening that will guide them towards designing and fulfilling short and long-term gardening goals.

Approach

This course will present a wide range of information including the background of organic gardening as well as organic gardening versus conventional gardening, ecology, landscape design, general technique, and methods for applying this knowledge to daily life. 

Expectations

Participants are expected to keep up with weekly assignments and activities as they purposely build on and refer to previous lessons. Assigned lessons with readings and videos are required, with participation in online discussions, hands-on activities, and submission of design work and reflective journals. Most students spend approximately 5 hours each week with the content, however more time may be needed to explore additional resources added each week.

No previous experience in the natural sciences, ecology, landscape design, gardening etc. is required, but will be helpful in expanding your understanding of organic gardening. 

Lessons

Each week’s topic will open on a Monday, with lessons that contain the following components:

• Selected readings about the topic of the week.
• Activities to carry out at home and in the garden; some with deliverables to share with the instructor or fellow participants.
• Reflective writing that cultivates a thoughtful perspective and dialogue with the course instructor.
• Whole class forum with topics and questions for discussion.
• Additional and optional readings, activities, and resources.

Due Dates

It is important that you work through each lesson assigned for a particular week. Weekly topics begin on a Monday, and required assignments are generally due on or before the following Monday. Late assignments will be accepted, but instructor feedback may be delayed, and satisfactory completion of the course may be compromised. Consider optional activities only after completing and submitting required assignments.

Materials and Supplies

• A garden space you have worked in or hoping to work in this season.
• A binder for assignments, handouts, and other resources.
• A computer with reliable high-speed Internet access (to view videos, view readings, submit assignments, and participate regularly in discussion forums).
• Optional: A device for scanning the garden design you create and submitting them as .pdf file.