Learn the basics about growing your own vegetables

Rebecca Krans<kransr@msu.edu> and Sarah Rautio<rautio@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - January 26, 2022

Self-paced online Smart Gardening with Vegetables 101 course now available for registration. Fifty percent off through March 31.

A vegetable garden. — An important, smart concept for healthy vegetable gardens includes planting a diverse offering of vegetables, herbs and flowers. Photo by Rebecca Krans, MSU Extension

As winter’s cold and snow are upon us, now is the perfect time to discover and learn smart gardening techniques to create a successful vegetable garden. To help you get started, Michigan State University Extension’s Smart Gardening with Vegetables 101 self-paced online course will be available at half-price through March 31, 2022—only $15 for all six sessions (regular price is $30)! This course is designed for introductory and beginner vegetable gardeners and has proved beneficial to those who have completed it. According to participants from 2021, 72% learned ways to increase their yield and/or decrease their inputs.

Whether you intend to grow a small or larger scale vegetable garden, learn valuable steps to help get you started from choosing the best site to ending with a successful harvest. The number one reason for participants taking this course in 2021 was so they could have easier access to healthy vegetables, and 78% noted that this course helped them to grow their own food.

“I really enjoyed taking this class. I have always wanted to learn more about gardening and the basics. I think that the knowledge shared is for all kinds of gardeners. The set up was very easy to follow along and the handouts helped while learning.” Beginner gardener and Smart Gardening with Vegetables 101 participant

Co-hosts of class — Cohosts Rebecca Krans and Sarah Rautio stay connected with gardeners through monthly MSU Extension articles that remind them about what to think about during the growing season, like "Smart Gardening with Vegetables 101: Late spring tips," "Smart Gardening with Vegetables 101: Growing your garden tips" and "Smart Gardening with Vegetables 101: Summer maintenance."

Participants have appreciated the self-paced nature of the course. Six modules consist of video presentations, polls and Extension-based gardening resources that can be saved on your computer for future use. Topics include:

Planning a vegetable garden and the importance of soil health
Planning the site and plant selection
Raised beds and containers
Seeds versus transplants
Integrated pest management
Organic gardening, composting and seasonal planning

If you are new to vegetable gardening, take advantage of this opportunity to learn vegetable gardening basics in six easy to understand science-based sessions from the comfort of your own home. The entire course is only $15 for over six hours of instruction. This 50% off value is good through March 31. After that, the regular price is $30.

“I loved this course! The information was all presented in a very understandable fashion and I am very excited for all of the handouts that we were able to download for future reference. The information presented is directly applicable to home gardening and I would imagine can be used in some way by everyone who watched this course.” Smart Gardening with Vegetables 101 participant

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).