Burlington--Want to learn more about growing vegetables, pollinator gardens or sustainable landscaping to expand your own knowledge or to teach others? 

A 16-week non-credit online course offered through the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension Master Gardener program offers all that and more. Registration is now open for the course, which begins on January 19. 

Gardeners of all levels of experience will benefit from the course, which covers a broad range of topics including fruit and vegetable gardening, herbaceous plants, lawn care, insect pests, plant diseases and landscape design, among other topics.

Information will be presented by UVM faculty and green industry professionals through recorded lectures, live Q&A sessions, discussion forums and other weekly activities. Participants must have basic computer skills and should plan on up to six hours a week to complete course work, assignments and quizzes.

Registration closes on January 12. The course fee is $400 for Vermont residents, $550 for non-residents, with an additional $75 for the comprehensive 880-page manual. Vermonters may apply for partial scholarships until December 15. To register or apply for financial aid, visit http://go.uvm.edu/mastergardener.

Two separate tracks will be offered. Track 1 is for gardeners who would like to become a certified UVM Extension Master Gardener Volunteer. This option requires a 40-hour internship within two years of completion of the course. 

Track 2 is for non-residents and Vermont gardeners interested in studying home horticulture but not seeking certification as a Master Gardener. Students in this track have access to the same materials as Track 1 but are able to study and learn at their own pace. A Home Horticulture Certificate will be awarded upon completion of the course work.

If requiring a disability-related accommodation to participate in this course, please contact Deb Heleba at debra.heleba@uvm.edu or (802) 656-1777 by December 15.