From 'Extra Dirt' . . .

Want to learn more about gardening, but don't have the time or money to go back to school? Go online! You can do the courses on your schedule and many are free. Phil Nauta, author of Building Soils Naturally (Acres U.S.A.), offers 15 free lessons on organic gardening at his Smiling Gardener website. For a fee, you can sign up for more in-depth instruction and step-by-step videos in Nauta's Academy course. Looking for help in designing your garden? The free version of Google SketchUp makes it easy to create 3D drawings like a pro. If Google SketchUp feels a bit techy, try Jung Seed Company's Garden Planner, which is free for 30 days (or $25 per year). Cornell University's Department of Horticulture offers a variety of distance learning courses ranging from design and plant propagation to botanical illustration and permaculture. Costs for the six- to seven-week courses range from $300 to $600. Become a better gardener!