BIOL 102 - Growing Food and Medicine

3 Credit(s)

This course teaches basic techniques and best practices for horticulture through applied learning experiences outdoor gardens and in the greenhouse. Focusing issues on health, food and nutrition, students will grow a variety of vegetables, herbs ornamental plants that are common in temperate zone domestic gardens. Practical knowledge of plant anatomy and physiology will be applied during the growing experience. Field trips to local and campus gardens, will provide examples of gardening techniques, varietal selection, and planting strategies. These outdoor growing practices will be contrasted with greenhouse horticultural practice to provide a complete exposure to horticultural practice. Harvest, storage, and processing options are discussed in the context of providing local food in an urban or peri-urban setting. A variety of growing methods and facilities will be discussed and deconstructed to understand their various applications in urban settings.