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Continuing Education Classes

Certificate in Horticulture

This program is designed for people who plan to pursue a career in the horticulture industries and for highly motivated home gardeners who want an in-depth understanding of plants and gardens. Horticulture certificate courses impart broad knowledge of plant growth and plant uses, with a focus on horticulture in an urban environment. Many students use the certificate to prepare for entry-level positions in the horticulture industry or to seek advancement in their current profession.

Courses combine lectures with hands-on learning and are taught at a community college level and require a significant investment of personal time in addition to class hours. You must attend two-thirds of the class sessions and achieve a passing grade (70% or higher) on the final exam or project to pass each course. Classes may be taken in any order, but it is recommended that students start with beginning courses, moving on to secondary and then final courses. Upon successful completion of all eight courses, you will receive an official Certificate of Merit from Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

More Information on Courses

Classes may be taken in any order, but it is recommended that students start with beginning courses, moving on to secondary and then final courses.

Beginning courses:

Botany for Horticulturists

A strong foundation in botany is essential to understanding how to maintain a healthy landscape. This course includes discussions on plant anatomy, plant life cycle and reproduction, taxonomy, genetics and plant physiology. This course assumes no previous knowledge of botany.

Soil Management

All the planning that goes into creating a beautiful garden is wasted if the soil is poor. Learn about soil structure, fertility, and water availability, so you can understand what is happening underground. Learn about different ways to improve the soil through soil amendments.

Urban Garden Maintenance

BBG's professional horticulturists teach you the ins and outs of maintaining a city garden. Learn the tools and techniques for pruning, soil preparation, planting, transplanting and other essential tasks.

Secondary courses:

Herbaceous Landscape Plant Identification

Herbaceous plants (annuals, biennials and perennials) accentuate the characteristics of other features in the landscape. When used properly, they provide almost year-round bloom. Learn identification methods, landscape uses, and diseases and pests of each plant. Classroom lectures are augmented by laboratory sessions in BBG's 52 acres of plant collections with more than 12,000 kinds of plants.

Woody Landscape Plant Identification

Woody plants form the backbone of a successful landscape planting. This course helps you master the many woody plants commonly used in urban landscapes. The instructors discuss identification methods, landscape uses, and diseases and pests of each plant. Classroom lectures are augmented by laboratory sessions in BBG's 52 acres of plant collections with more than 12,000 kinds of plants.

Final courses:

Pest Management

Part of becoming a skilled gardener is knowing how to identify and control common insects and diseases. In this class, learn about the pests that attack your garden and the methods for their prevention and control. Proper site selection, plant selection, soil conditioning, and other integrated pest management (IPM) practices are discussed. Safe application of pesticides is also covered.

Plant Propagation

As you learn to grow and care for landscape plants, it is essential to know how to increase your stock of plants. Learn plant propagation techniques such as hybridization, grafting, layering, and rooting cuttings. After a lecture and demonstration of each method, you will practice each technique in a hands-on lab session.

Urban Garden Design

Size, texture and color are among the most important aspects of garden design. Learn to use these attributes to make the most of small spaces. In this class, you will learn how to complete a site analysis, select appropriate plants and create a design for smaller-scale urban gardens.

Internships and Volunteer Opportunities

A popular way to enhance your horticultural expertise is to complete an internship or become a garden volunteer in addition to completing the classroom instruction in the Horticulture Certificate program. Brooklyn Botanic Garden provides full-time, paid internships for a hands-on experience working with professional gardeners on horticultural maintenance and display. For more information, contact the Director of Horticulture at (718) 623-7242.

We also have an active corps of volunteers who work in the garden, at the Gardener's Resource Center, or for other Garden programs and events. For more information or to become a member, contact the Director of Volunteers at (718) 623-7260.

Current Course Offerings

To find out which Certificate in Horticulture courses are coming up and the dates they are offered, go to the Certificate in Horticulture page or fill out this form to request a catalogue. Each course in the Certificate in Horticulture program is offered two times per year.

Adult Education
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
1000 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11225
(718) 623-7227

Fees

Please check the current class listings for information about fees.