Vegetable Gardening: From Site Selection to Harvest

Bryce Lane, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Emeritus and Lecturer Emeritus, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University

Wednesdays, April 6–May 18, 2016 – 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm and Saturday, May 21, 2016 – 9:00 am to 11:00 am

This seven-week course is designed for anyone who is interested in growing their own food. From site selection to harvest, we will discuss all the important steps in planning, installing, maintaining, and harvesting a home garden, or community garden plot. Whether you are a beginner, or a "seasoned" gardener, we have constructed a course that will help you be more successful in your growing your own vegetables.

Syllabus

April 6 – Introduction and Overview: site selection, and garden design (orientation, style, etc.)

April 13 – Getting Ready: soil basics and bed preparation, climate (heat and cold), and sustainability (organic vs. synthetic)

April 20 – Plant Selection and Planting: types of veggies, timing, seeds and transplants

April 27 – Garden Maintenance I: water, fertility, and mulching

May 4 – Garden Maintenance II: staking, training, and weeds

May 11 – Garden Maintenance III: pest management

May 18 – Harvesting and Postharvest Practices and Wrap Up

Field Trip

We will be visiting the Asbury United Methodist Church Community Garden which recently received the City of Raleigh Environmental Award in Urban Agriculture on Saturday, May 21. The garden started in 2011 and has donated thousands of pounds of vegetables to charities.

About Bryce Lane

Bryce grew up in Western Massachusetts, where he discovered his passion for plants and telling others about them, working at a local garden center through high school and college. After earning his B.S. in plant science from the University of Massachusetts in 1979 and an M.S. in horticulture from The Ohio State University in 1981, he came to the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University as a lecturer, teaching in both the two-year and four-year programs. He taught plant identification at NC State for 18 years. In 1987, he became the undergraduate coordinator, serving the department in that capacity for 26 years. Bryce taught both large and small courses, for majors and non-majors. In the past 30+ years, he has taught more than 20,000 students. He has received numerous local, regional, and national teaching awards and is frequently invited to speak at many workshops and symposia, about teaching as well as horticulture and gardening. He hosted and produced a three-time, Emmy winning UNC TV public television show called "In the Garden With Bryce Lane" which was on the air for 11 seasons. Most importantly, he has been married for 37 years to his high school sweetheart, has two happily married daughters, and six incredible grandchildren.

Bryce retired from NC State in January 2014, and is now spending more time with his family, pursuing the next chapter in his public speaking career, and teaching part time at NC State and the JC Raulston Arboretum. He served as interim director of the JC Raulston Arboretum from July through November 2014. He is an avid gardener who has gardened in the same spot for 32 years!

Cost

$200.00 for members, $250.00 for nonmembers. Note to nonmembers: instead of paying $50.00 more for the program, become a member for $50.00 instead.

Registration

Advance registration is required. Please register online using our registration e-store. Registration is limited to 24 people and is considered complete when payment is received.

Cancellation

Program cancellations can be made up to two weeks before the program's start date. A 15% cancellation fee applies.

Location

Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Directions

Need directions? Click here.

Parking

Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.

Questions

Please call (919) 513-7005 for more information about this course.