Grow Your Gardening Skills with UW-Madison Extension’s Online Course
Want to be a better gardener? Whether you’re new to gardening or looking to deepen your skill set, Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening is the course for you.
Foundations in Gardening teaches research-based gardening methods to grow healthy plants and manage common pests. The course introduces a decision-making framework that focuses on the biology of how plants grow, why pest problems happen, and how to reduce and prevent plant issues in your garden.
Offered online by the UW-Madison Division of Extension Horticulture Program, this self-paced course runs Sept. 7–Dec. 6, 2025. You’ll learn how to grow and care for everything from trees to vegetables to houseplants—and everything in between! Learn more at go.wisc.edu/ExtFoundationsInGardening.
Early Bird registration is open July 16–Aug. 11, 2025, for $299, including a digital course manual. You may purchase a physical copy of the course manual for an additional fee. Scholarships are available during Early Bird registration for those eligible for financial assistance. Registration closes Aug. 28.
Learn more and register at go.wisc.edu/ExtFoundationsInGardening.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
- Connect plant biology with good gardening practices
- Explain how to select, grow, and maintain the health of different kinds of plants
- Manage common plant problems
- Use Integrated Pest Management strategies to protect plant health and the environment
The course includes 14 modules with videos, virtual activities, readings, and live webinars featuring Extension experts. You can also sign up for optional online lab sessions to apply what you’ve learned in real-life scenarios (additional fee applies).
Foundations in Gardening is divided into three units:
- Unit 1: Cover the basics – review general gardening, botany, soils, and decision-making strategies to manage pests
- Unit 2: Learn about pests and beneficial insects you’ll encounter in the garden
- Unit 3: Focus on specific types of plants, including vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, houseplants, and lawns
Learn From the Experts! As part of the course, you will have the opportunity to learn from UW-Madison Horticulture Extension Specialists during live “Q&A with the Experts” webinars. It’s a great chance to get the answer to that question you’ve had for a long time! Webinars are recorded for later viewing in case you can’t make the live webinars.
Comprehensive Training Manual: All participants receive an electronic (PDF) copy of theFoundations in Gardening training manual. A hardcopy of the manual is available at an additional cost. This is a valuable reference tool to have on the bookshelf. We highly recommend purchasing a hard copy of the training manual.
CEUs: Participants who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion and earn continuing education credits (CEUs) for certain professional organizations.
Online Labs: Dig deeper into important course concepts by registering for four optional online labs led by Extension educators. You’ll practice applying course concepts to real-life situations. All labs are held via Zoom and are recorded for later viewing. The online labs are available for an additional fee.
If you are interested in becoming a Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener, this course is considered an “approved learning opportunity” to be eligible for the Master Gardener Program. For more information on how to become a Master Gardener, visit mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/join.
If you have questions about this course, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for detailed course information.
Questions? Email Amy Freidig at gardening.class@extension.wisc.edu
The Extension Horticulture Program provides research-based horticulture information to Wisconsin gardeners so they can make informed decisions that keep their plants healthy while protecting the environment. The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming in compliance with state and federal law.
