Program Overview

Program Overview

The Master Gardener courses are online, independent study courses offered by the Faculty of Agriculture, Extended Learning. Students work at their own pace and have up to nine months to complete all assignments and quizzes.

Course Description

Maintaining the Garden is a web-based distance education course and is part of the Master Gardener Training Program. The course focuses on garden maintenance, including what to do, why it is done, and how to do it. By understanding these principles, students will be able to take the best approach to garden maintenance.

Course Outline

The course will cover common gardening practices, including:

• Gardening Techniques and Tools
• Weeds and Weed Control
• Plant Health
• Pests
• Pruning

Technical Requirements

• Internet (High Speed preferred)
• Reliable computer/laptop device
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word for submitting assignments

Course Dates

All courses open on October 1st and close on July 31st.

Refunds

Course refunds are eligible up to two weeks after registering for the course. The refund amount will be adjusted to include a non-refundable administrative fee of $50.00. After the two-week period, there are no course refunds.

Prerequisites

It is recommended that the Master Gardener Program Courses be taken in the following order:

1. The Science of Gardening
2. Maintaining the Garden
3. Plant ID and Use
4. The Art of Gardening

Recommended For

The course is recommended for:

• Anyone with a passion or interest in gardening
• Those interested in working towards becoming a Master Gardener within the Master Gardener Association of Alberta
• Individuals looking to expand their gardening knowledge

Instructors

• Colleen Tanner

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Master Gardener Training Program - Alberta: Required

Course Details

• Type: Online - Self-Paced
• Dates: October 1, 2025, to July 31, 2026
• Total Learning Hours: 65.0
• Instruction Delivery Method(s): Online Self-Paced
• Course Fee(s): Tuition (non-credit) - $488.00

Instructor Biography

Colleen Tanner has 25+ years of work experience in commercial landscaping, landscape design, and managing a retail nursery and garden centre. She owns a small business called Seasonlscapes and has a background in organic growing. She is an advocate and practitioner of organic growing and has driven her passion for horticulture into the field of teaching.