Plants, Pots & Container Gardening Course

Learn how to grow plants in pots and containers with our gardening short courses in Sydney!

Welcome to the ultimate guide for mastering the art of container gardening! Whether you’re a budding enthusiast or a seasoned gardener looking to refine your skills, our comprehensive course is designed to unlock your creativity and help your plants flourish in any space.

Embark on a transformative journey into container gardening, where you’ll enhance your plant care skills. From essential growing techniques to mastering the nuances of potting mix, you’ll learn how to ensure your plants thrive in pots and containers. This course is essential for nurturing healthy, vibrant plants.

Whether you aim to beautify a room, balcony, patio, or garden area, our course provides the tools and knowledge you need to create thriving green spaces. You'll unlock the secrets of container gardening and build the confidence to  cultivate your own botanical masterpieces! 

Join us to discover the art of container gardening and elevate your green space!

Learning outcomes

By the end of this Plants, Pots & Container Gardening course, you should be able to:

• See, feel, and understand when plants are healthy and happy
• Identify and select reliable plants
• Apply techniques for growing an abundance of herbs, flowers, greenery, and vegetables
• Determine the ideal positioning for indoor and outdoor potted plants
• Employ a dependable method for watering potted plants
• Understand reliable care and maintenance practices for container gardening

Course content

What will be covered in this Plants, Pots & Container Gardening course?

Essential Growing Techniques
Gain insights into reliable growing techniques that ensure your plants remain healthy and vibrant. You'll learn about:

• Optimising oxygen levels and drainage
• Mastering watering, fertilising, and pruning
• Essential skills for successful plant care

Discovering the Potting Mix Advantage
Understand the importance of potting mix in plant health, focusing on:

• Watering and airflow dynamics
• Drainage and root patterns
• Bio-ecology and growth dynamics

Thriving in Pots
Explore the secrets behind choosing the right materials for your pots and containers, including:

• Heavyweight options: concrete and terracotta
• Medium materials: wood and metal
• Lightweight alternatives: plastic and fibreglass
  Each material impacts plant health and aesthetics.

Optimising Container Sizes
Learn why container sizes matter and how they influence:

• Moisture retention and plant types
• Root space and growth precision
  Select the right size to ensure your plants thrive without overcrowding.

Container Magic
Discover how to design, decorate, and differentiate between decorative and growing containers. Explore innovative ideas such as:

• Using re-purposed and upcycled containers
• Adding character to your green oasis

Stylising Your Pot and Container Collection
Master the art of stylising your pots and containers to create stunning visual displays. Techniques include:

• Grouping and matching
• Eclectic blending to enhance aesthetic appeal

Long-Term Care and Maintenance
Gain confidence in long-term care with skills like:

• Re-potting plants effectively
• Troubleshooting common plant health issues
• Checking root moisture levels without getting your hands dirty

Practical Sessions: Hands-On Activities and Demonstrations
Participate in practical activities, including:

• Immersion soaking
• Water transplanting
• Potting up and transplanting
• Re-potting and stabilisation
• Stem propagation and root pruning
• Potting up and pruning your own plants

Intended audience

Who is this Plants, Pots & Container Gardening course for?

This course is for gardeners who are seeking in-depth knowledge about growing plants in pots and containers.

Practical sessions vary with the time of year, the weather, the availability of gardens, and may take place in a classroom environment.

Please note - this course does not contain horticultural advice on: 

• Pest or disease identification 

• Pest or disease management  

• Use of chemical treatments for plants.

Specific plant selection advice is available from your local horticulturist to help with plant requirements for your local area.  Your specific local area plant species are not covered in this course.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd in the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Course materials

What to bring to class:

• A notepad and pen, or tablet/phone, to take notes
• Gardening gloves
• A face mask (to protect against potential potting mix/garden soil bacteria such as Legionella)

Optional - students may also wish to bring:

• One or two of your own plants to pot up or re-pot, or propagate or prune. If you are potting or re-potting your plant(s), please also bring a small bag of potting mix (the College can supply pots)

And/or

• One or two of your own plants for discussion on watering, feeding or growing issues