Course now in progress.
Registration - No longer accepting registrations.
2026 ProHort Core Course in now in progress. Please join our interest list to be the first to hear about future ProHort courses.
Join 2027 ProHort Course Interest List
Course Fee: $655 member/$695 non-member, includes printed and digital Core Course Companion Guide
Members and staff of the following organizations can register at the "Member" discount:
Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association , Minnesota State Horticultural Society, The MN Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association.
“I am a retired forester, but wanted to learn more about gardening, fruit trees and growing grass. I have a container garden on my deck (I'm unable to garden in my yard because of the deer), and I also rent a portion of a community garden. Since I've taken this course, I have grown so many vegetables that I've been able to donate many pounds to the local food shelf.“ - John, ProHort 2025 student
“I took the course so I could be a better salesperson and help customers.” - Erin, ProHort 2025 Student
“I lived in southern California all my life and moved to Minnesota shortly before retiring. I wanted to learn about gardening practices, which were appropriate for this northern climate. The ProHort program has opened my eyes to an entirely new palette of cold-hardy plants.” - Barbara, ProHort 2025 Student
Knowledge: The ProHort Core Course includes the same online classes offered for the Master Gardener Volunteer Core Course. ProHort students receive the same concurrent instruction together with the Master Gardener Interns, but without the Master Gardener commitments of volunteering or continuing education.
Skill level: ProHort is for Homeowners, Hobbyists, Industry professionals, Educators... or anyone looking for comprehensive horticulture foundation education from University of Minnesota Extension.
Course Coordinator: Laura Vogel has a Masters in Horticulture from the University of Delaware and has worked in the horticultural field across seven states and two decades — from retail garden centers to research and education. Laura is available to assist participants through email and optional scheduled live online Q&A sessions.
Equipment: You will need a computer or mobile device with internet to access the course online (phones or tablets work best with a free downloadable app called Canvas).
Photo courtesy of iStock
- Botany and Horticulture
- Soils, Fertilizers, and Composting
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Plant Pathology
- Entomology
- Growing Vegetables in Minnesota
- Growing Fruit in Minnesota
- Herbaceous Ornamentals
- Woody Ornamentals
- Lawns
- Weedy Plants
- Indoor Plants and Propagation
- Living with Wildlife
- Plant Diagnostics
The course is:
- Online, self-paced and can be completed on your own time. You’ll have access to the course through the end of 2026.
- Entirely online and accessible by a computer, tablet or your phone.
- Interactive with quizzes and options to connect with students and instructors.
Course modules include:
- A short series of videos covering the content.
- Activities that allow you to practice and apply your knowledge.
- A Companion Guide for reading about content in printed color copy as well as downloadable .pdf format.
- Quizzes to check your learning at the end of each module.
Optional course interaction:
- Students will have access to the course coordinator to ask further questions about material.
- Choose to attend optional scheduled Zoom Q&A sessions with experts to answer your questions, offered live with posted recordings for later viewing.
Photo by istock/demaerre
Time commitment
Expect an average of 40 - 60 hours to complete all the course material and quizzes.
Certificates of Completion
Earn a Certificate of Completion by passing each of the 14 online knowledge quizzes that are available after each module.
Laura Vogel, 2026 ProHort Course Coordinator
Kick off your learning with an optional live Zoom meeting with the Course Coordinator and your new classmates! We will go over how to log in and navigate the course, share our horticultural learning goals and talk about live learning opportunities along the way. The meeting is optional and will be pre-recorded for those who cannot attend the live session. Please check your email when you register. A link to this optional online meeting will be sent in your class registration confirmation. We will send a reminder email with the login information to all registered participants before the session by January 12.
The introductory meet-and-greet is included in the course fee and is optional to attend.
Photo by fizkes/shutterstock
Choose to virtually attend Q&A sessions with your classmates, facilitators and guest experts online to review the module content. Q&A sessions are included in the course fee and are optional to attend. Registered students will receive links to attend these sessions if desired. These sessions will be recorded and shared for those who cannot attend live.
Horticulture Core Course Printed Companion Guide
Digital Course Guide is included in .pdf format. You can electronically download the entire Digital Course Guide file to your device, or simply click to view and read each Course chapter that is embedded in each module.
Watch Course Coordinator Laura give a short video overview of the course*. (4 min)
*overview is of 2024 course
Cancellation policy: Course registration is transferable to another student through Jan. 9, 2026 by contacting the Education Office at the contact information listed below. A $25 cancellation fee is applicable to all cancellations prior to Nov. 30, 2025; a $100 cancellation fee between Dec. 1-Dec. 30. No refunds after Dec. 30, 2025.
ProHort Frequently Asked Questions
Questions? Contact the Arboretum Education Office at 612-301-1210 or [email protected].