How to Grow Plants and Nurture Them - Online Gardening Course - FutureLearn (2024)

Online ExpertTrack in

4.5

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64

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Learn how to care for plants with easy-to-follow gardening techniques aimed at both new and experienced home gardeners.

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  • Duration

    Approx 5 weeks

    4 hrs per week

  • Certificates

    Earn course CertificatesFind out more

  • 100% online

    Learn at your own paceHow it works

  • Cost

    $39/monthFind out more

  • Level

    IntermediateSee requirements

How to Grow Plants and Nurture Them - Online Gardening Course - FutureLearn (3)

Gardening for Beginners: The Basics and Beyond

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About

Requirements

Course overview

Certificates

How ExpertTracks work

Educators

FAQ

About

Requirements

Course overview

Certificates

How ExpertTracks work

Educators

FAQ

Plants add beauty to any space, whether it’s a garden, balcony, or windowsill. Learning to grow and nurture your own flowers, fruit and vegetables, or houseplants brings many mood-boosting benefits and can help benefit the wider environment, bringing in more birds, bees, and butterflies.

Newbie gardeners can often feel daunted by the amount of jargon out there but this easy-to-follow ExpertTrack from BBC Gardeners’ World will give you the confidence and knowledge you need to help plants stay healthy and thrive.

Expert home gardening tips for you to grow plants in any environment

To help you begin gardening at home, this ExpertTrack covers the fundamentals of how to grow plants and the environments each type requires to thrive.

You’ll explore the science of how plants grow and how they change through the seasons. With practical tips and techniques to try at home, you’ll be equipped with the green-fingered skills to grow your plants to perfection.

Learn the best techniques for sowing seeds, watering plants, and more

If you’re not sure what your plants need, it’s very possible to accidentally kill them with kindness. This ExpertTrack will guide you through the needs of different plant types and how to adapt your cultivation techniques accordingly.

You’ll look at the entire lifecycle of caring for plants, from sowing seeds and feeding them to pinching, pruning, and deadheading.

Prevent disease and pests from damaging your plants

Plants are exposed to a variety of different elements, insects, and environments, and with them come diseases and pests.

This course will teach you preventative methods to protect your plants, as well as what to do if something goes wrong.

Learn from the experts at BBC Gardener’s World Magazine

BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine is the UK’s best-selling gardening title and GardenersWorld.com is the go-to online destination for millions of gardeners each month.

Working with the top names in gardening, the brand caters for complete beginners and seasoned experts alike, providing the know-how they need to create a beautiful garden.

Key skills you will learn

  • Identify the different parts of plants, their different forms and their function in supporting growth.
  • Investigate how the structure and composition of soil and compost are fundamental for plant health.
  • Understand the growth cycles of different plant types and the key maintenance the gardener needs to give them.
  • Assess the different growing conditions experienced by plants and adapt cultivation techniques accordingly.
  • Apply basic methods of raising new plants – from sowing seeds, to dividing and taking cuttings.
  • Appreciate that plants have different needs from ourselves and that it’s possible to kill plants with kindness
  • Appreciate the need to observe plants regularly to nurture and respond to their needs.

Experience required

This ExpertTrack is designed to appeal to all kinds of gardeners, so no previous experience is required to benefit from these courses.

Whether you’re a first-time gardener, on a limited budget, or a failed grower, this ExpertTrack will help you build the skills to cultivate beautiful greenery in no time.

Getting started

This course is for anyone who wants to learn how to garden at home. It is aimed at all would-be home gardeners irrespective of budget, your own growing space, or ultimate goals.

ExpertTrack course overview

  • Course 1

    How Plants Grow: The Essentials

    4.4 (35 reviews)

    Build your gardening skills and knowledge and learn the best environments and techniques to nurture your plants.

    1 test

    2 weeks

    4 hours per week

    • Week 1

      How plants grow
      • Welcome to the course
      • Back to basics: what's in a plant?
      • How a plant grows itself
      • What will you grow?
    • Week 2

      Where and when plants grow
      • Assess your conditions
      • Understanding seasons
      • Climate, outdoor and indoor environments
      • Understanding your soil
  • Course 2

    How to Grow Healthy Plants

    4.7 (29 reviews)

    Level up your gardening skills to master the basic methods for growing new plants and protect them from disease and pests.

    1 test

    3 weeks

    4 hours per week

    • Week 1

      Keeping your plants alive
      • Watering plants
      • Feeding plants
      • Protecting plants
      • Pinching, training and thinning
      • Pruning, trimming and deadheading
    • Week 2

      Growing new plants
      • Why raise new plants
      • Growing plants from seed
      • Growing plants from cuttings
      • Dividing plants
      • Layering plants
    • Week 3

      How to avoid common gardening problems
      • Has something gone wrong?
      • The gardener and plant problems
      • Pests, diseases and root causes
      • What you've learned

Prove you're job ready

Highlight the new, job-relevant skills you’ve gained and supplement existing qualifications with a hard-earned, industry-specific digital certificate – plus one for every course within your ExpertTrack.

  • Learn the latest in your chosen industry or subject.

  • Complete each course and pass assessments.

  • Receive certificates validated by the educating organisation.

  • Impress employers with learning outcomes you can add to your CV.

  • Make your career dreams a reality.

Download a PDF

How ExpertTracks work

Join an ExpertTrack to master new skills in your chosen specialist area. Work through a series of topic-focused courses at your own pace, and pass the final assessment to earn a digital certificate award which proves your expertise.

Join a free 7-day trial

Decide if the ExpertTrack is right for you with free access to the full suite of courses and assessments for a week.

Keep learning for $39/month

Pay a monthly subscription fee of $39 for as long as it takes you to complete the ExpertTrack. You can learn at your own pace and cancel at any time.

Earn digital certificates

Receive a certificate for every completed course and pass the final assessment to earn a digital certificate.

Become an expert

Use your specialist training to progress further in your career or build expertise in areas you’re passionate about.

World-class learning with BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

The UK’s No.1 gardening magazine. Providing garden and plant inspiration, seasonal advice and practical projects.

Meet your instructor

David Hurrion

I've gardened since I was a child and went on to train in horticulture, education and journalism. Growing plants is part of my life, and I'm passionate about sharing my knowledge and experience

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

What are our learners saying?

Add a new skill or forge a new path

"I recommend Futurelearn to anyone looking to learn and upskill...If you are in the job market, you might want to add a new skill or forge a new path."

They bring the classroom right to you

"FutureLearn courses are always interesting and informative. They bring the classroom right to you and send you on a journey to explore new ideas and offer interesting topics."

Start learning today - free 7-day trial

After your free trial you can:

  • Pay

    $39

    per month to keep learning online

  • Have complete control over your subscription; you can cancel any time

  • Work at your own pace and set your own deadlines at every stage

  • Only pay while you’re learning; the subscription will cancel automatically when you finish

  • Complete online assessments to test your knowledge and prove your skills

  • Earn digital course certificates and a final award that you can share online, with potential employers, and your professional network

  • Keep access to the content of courses you complete even after your subscription ends

Start your free 7-day trial

FAQ

What is an ExpertTrack?

ExpertTracks are a series of online courses designed to help you master new skills in specialist areas. You pay a monthly subscription fee which includes access to all courses within the ExpertTrack, as well as assessments and the final digital certificate.

Each ExpertTrack comes with a 7-day free trial period. You may cancel your subscription at any time and your subscription will automatically cancel when you finish the courses and assessments in your chosen ExpertTrack.

Can I try courses on the ExpertTrack before paying?

Yes. All of our ExpertTracks come with a 7-day free trial. You may claim one free trial period per ExpertTrack.

Once I join an ExpertTrack, how long do I have to change my mind?

You have seven days before you will be charged your first monthly subscription fee. When you join an ExpertTrack you automatically receive a 7-day free trial period. You can cancel at any time during the trial period and no payment will be taken from your account.

Please see our full refund policy here.

Do I need to attend any classes in person?

No, all of our ExpertTracks consist of fully online courses. This means you can take an ExpertTrack from anywhere in the world.

Do ExpertTracks offer university credit or professional certification?

No. ExpertTracks are designed for you to master new skills in a specialist area. You will earn a digital certificate that proves your learning, but it does not carry accreditation.

If you’re looking for certified or accredited courses, many of our microcredentials offer university credit or professional certification.

Have more questions about ExpertTracks? Read the ExpertTracks FAQs, or contact us.

How to Grow Plants and Nurture Them - Online Gardening Course - FutureLearn (2024)

FAQs

How to Grow Plants and Nurture Them - Online Gardening Course - FutureLearn? ›

This ExpertTrack will guide you through the needs of different plant types and how to adapt your cultivation techniques accordingly. You'll look at the entire lifecycle of caring for plants, from sowing seeds and feeding them to pinching, pruning, and deadheading.

Is FutureLearn completely free? ›

How much does it cost to join a course? It is free to join and study the majority of FutureLearn courses. If you want you can upgrade your course to get additional benefits, like the ability to qualify for …

How to make new varieties of plants? ›

The techniques used in creating a new cultivar are: mass selection, recurrent selection, top crossing, and synthetic variety development. In mass selection, the source population is examined and desirable plants or seed from those parent plants are selected.

How are new types of plants created? ›

Genetic engineering and genome editing are plant breeding processes that allow plant breeders to introduce desirable characteristics to an organism through genetic modification techniques that utilize modern biotechnology.

How are new plants made? ›

New plants can be "made" because their genes allow so many possibilities. Breeders and hybridizers take advantage of this, moving pollen from one plant to another, sowing the resulting seed, and waiting to see what develops. Even a home gardener can create a new type of plant by following the same steps.

How credible is FutureLearn? ›

Are FutureLearn certificates recognized? Yes, all of FutureLearn's certificates are accredited and recognized by well-known organizations.

Which is the best platform for free online courses? ›

While Coursera, edX, Udemy, Google and Great Learning offers loads of free online courses with certificates, do have a look at Alison, NPTEL and others.

How to create a hybrid plant? ›

It is achieved by combining the attributes of one plant with those of another; this is done by fertilizing one plant with pollen taken from another. This action is called a cross.

Can you breed your own plants? ›

Plant breeding isn't just for commercial growers. With some knowledge, a bit of effort and a fair amount of patience, any home gardener can breed new crosses of flowers or vegetables.

What is the difference between a cultivar and a variety? ›

In short, a cultivar is a plant that is produced and maintained by horticulturists but does not produce true-to-seed; whereas, a variety is a group of plants within a species that has one or more distinguishing characteristics and usually produces true-to-seed.

Can you plant two different plants together? ›

Don't Limit Your Pots to Just One Plant

However, mixing more than one type of potted plant in a container creates a mini-landscape with a variety of colors and textures. Mixed planters may look difficult to recreate and care for, but some simple care tips for single plant pots can also apply for mixed-plant containers.

Can you mix two plants together? ›

Plants of the same botanical genus and species can usually be grafted even though they are a different variety. Plants with the same genus but of a different species often can be grafted. But the result may be weak or short-lived, or they may not unite at all.

What is the quickest method of plant breeding? ›

Mutation breeding is the correct answer.

What are the 7 things plants need to grow? ›

All plants need space to grow, the right temperature, light, water, air, nutrients, and time.

Can you invent a new plant? ›

Under patent law, the inventor of a plant is the person who first appreciates its distinctive qualities and reproduces it asexually. In other words, a plant can be created (such as by breeding or grafting) or it can be "discovered."

Are free online courses actually free? ›

MOOCs are free, but they may charge for certain features, like certificates of completion. For example, while edX users can audit courses for free, verified track participants pay about $50 to $300 per course.

Is there a free version of study com? ›

To help keep education accessible to all, Study.com is offering free courses in history, English, math, and science - divided by grade level - as well as full access to over 12,000 different lessons plans and activities.

What is the difference between FutureLearn and OpenLearn? ›

FutureLearn is an online training provider offering a wide selection of courses, often delivered in association with big-name universities whereas OpenLearn is from the long-established and well-respected Open University.

Is Study com really free? ›

How much does Study.com cost? The Study.com learning platform offers four types of plans for its users. Teacher Edition, Test Prep Edition, and Study Premium Edition cost $59.99 per month, while College Accelerator Edition costs $199.99 per month.

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