BIOL 214

BIOL 214
Sustainable Gardening

1. Catalog Entry

BIOL 214
Sustainable Gardening

Credit hours (4) Four hours lecture and lab.

An introduction to the principles and practices of sustainable gardening; covering the planning, planting, and care of ornamental plants, vegetables, and fruits. The course will focus on gardening but will also cover techniques for sustainable living. Visits to local farms and homesteads allow students to observe and engage in sustainable gardening practices. Lab meetings are mostly outdoors and usually hands-on.

 

2. Detailed Description of Course

Topics covered in this course include:

• Basic botany
  • Plant anatomy
  • Plant physiology 
  • Plant pathology 
• Garden planning and design principles 
• Soils and composting 
• Site analysisSoil analysis
  • Topography 
  • Sun and wind patterns
  • Strategic placement of plants for sustainable outcomes (reducing heating/cooling costs, blocking/enhancing views, etc.)
  • City/town ordinances, utilities, easements
• Plant propagation 
• Cool and mid-season crops
• Warm season crops 
• Growing vegetables in containers
• Extending the season (succession planting, microclimates, row covers, cold frames, and other frost protection
• Seed saving
• Food preservation
• Garden maintenance
• Weed identification
• Pest identification and Insect Pest Management strategies
• Companion planting
• Community gardens
• Farmer’s markets
• Woody landscape plants
• Herbaceous landscape plants
• Landscape design principles 
• Herbs and spices
• Gardening for pollinators and wildlife
• Deterring undesirable wildlife
• Small fruits
• Tree fruits
• Permaculture and other sustainable techniques

 

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

The course is both lecture and lab. The labs are hands-on in the greenhouse or off-campus at a variety of local farms learning from the owners and getting hands-on experience. Past off-campus locations have included a berry farm, a small homestead, a mushroom farm, farms that produce for farmers markets and food banks, a native plant nursery, an apiary, and a community garden. Students may also participate in community service projects when available, such as planting native plants in City of Radford flowerbeds. Lectures incorporate guest speakers with applicable expertise and experience. Students also complete and present a semester-long project in which they apply content learned to create a practical garden and landscape design.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the fundamental principles of plant growth, soil health, and pest management necessary for successful sustainable gardening.
• Demonstrate a familiarity with common herbaceous and woody native plants, their establishment, and care.
• Create a plan for a sustainable home garden layout that includes ornamental, vegetable, and fruit plantings with proper site and plant selections.
• Create a plan for a vegetable garden, including crop selection, planting, soil fertility, irrigation, pest management, and harvesting.
• Explain the contribution of sustainable gardening to the environment, personal enjoyment, personal health, and community building.

 

Assessment Measures

Assessment methods used in this course include but are not limited to quizzes, exams, lab activities, garden design proposals, presentations, written reflections on assigned readings or videos, and in-class participation in discussions and other activities.

 

Review and Approval

April 9, 2025