Courses at Merritt College with Stew Winchester

Fall Courses

LANHT 5A - Plant Materials: Fall Native Plant ID

Identification and culture of fall native plants used in the landscape: Climate, soil, and water preferences; garden culture; pest and disease problems; and pruning and propagation. The lab includes classroom demonstrations and field trips to prominent Bay Area landscapes.

Spring Courses

LANHT 5EB - Plant Materials: Spring Native Plant ID

Identification and culture of spring native plants used in the landscape: Climate, soil and water preferences; garden culture; pest and disease problems; pruning and propagation. Slide presentations substituted for lab.

LANHT 12 - Weeds in the Urban Landscape

Study of nature of weeds and their interactions in the environment: Emphasis on identification and characteristics of various central California weeds, including preventive, biological, and chemical methods of weed control.

After the first few classes, weather permitting, this class will meet mostly out in the field!

Note - If you have already taken California Native Plants classes, but have not yet had a weeds class – you need a weeds class! Most of the plants you see along most trails in the Bay Area are weeds, so if you want to learn the natural history of our area, you can’t ignore the weeds. And, if you are a gardener in the Bay Area, you will spend much more time dealing with weeds than with diseases or insects.

Summer Courses

LANHT 53 - Alpines Lab

Observation of natural, wild garden formation and application of these principles in the design and installation of local gardens. Field-based course, more information.

See Admissions and Registration Information

If you have questions not answered on these web pages, please contact Stew.