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Horticulture & Agriculture · Micro Certificate

Turn Your Backyard
Into a Food Garden

Learn how to grow your own vegetables, herbs, and fruit, no matter your space or skill level. This online course is designed for New Zealand conditions, showing you what to plant and when. Start with your soil and end with a plan for a year-round harvest.

Free first lesson
Or enrol on the spot
Rated 5 by our students
From $25
Per Week
ICOES + CPD
Endorsed Certificate
14-Day
Money-Back Guarantee
100%
Online, Self-Paced
24/7
AI Tutor
Where this can take you

Upskill. Career or Business. Made for New Zealand.

And if you ever wanted to take it further, these are the kinds of roles it could lead to:

Garden Centre Assistant
Nursery Hand
Gardener's Assistant
Community Garden Assistant
Urban Farm Hand
Horticulture Apprentice
Curriculum

What You’ll Learn.

3 modules · 24 lessons · Study at your own pace

01Welcome & IntroductionFree
02Reading Your Backyard: Sun, Shade, and Space
03New Zealand Climates and What They Mean for You
04Understanding Soil: What Good Growing Soil Looks Like
05Building and Improving Your Soil Without Spending Much
06Choosing What to Grow: Matching Plants to Your Goals
07Raised Beds, In-Ground Beds, and Containers: Which to Use
08Seasonal Planting in New Zealand: What to Plant and When
09Planning Your First Planting Season
10How Plants Grow: A Simple Guide to What They Need
11Watering Right: How Much, How Often, and How to Do It
Included with your course

Your 24/7 AI Tutor.

It knows where you are

Your tutor sees the lesson you are on and what you have covered, so every answer fits your progress.

Explains Until You Get It

Confused by a concept? Ask for a simpler take, a real-world example, or a quick quiz to test yourself.

There at 11pm

Study when it suits you. Your tutor is available around the clock, every day of your enrolment.

Inside this course · Your tutor
I've got these little grey-ish bugs on my beans in Auckland and they leave sooty mould everywhere. How do I get rid of them without sprays?
It sounds like you're dealing with passion vine hoppers. The sooty mould grows on the honeydew they create. A simple first step is to use a strong jet of water from the hose to knock them off the plants. You can also plant companion plants like nasturtiums nearby as a 'trap crop' to draw them away from your beans. Would you like a list of other natural pest control methods?
ModernEdu
This certifies that
Charlotte Reeve
has successfully completed the
Backyard Food Growing NZ
Issued by Modern Education New Zealand
Certificate No. ME-2026-04871
Verify at modernedu.co.nz/verify
Your certificate

Proof of What You Know.

Endorsed

Endorsed by ICOES, the International Council for Online Educational Standards, and CPD-eligible.

Verifiable online

Every certificate carries a unique number an employer or client can verify on our site in seconds.

Made to share

A printed hard copy is included with upfront enrolment, and a digital version for LinkedIn and your CV.

Student reviews

What People Are Saying.

5 average rating

Set up a plant styling business, and maintain it too

The content was clear and practical — including the set-up of a plant styling business, and ongoing maintenance too.

Emily P. · Verified student

The financial part of the business

Learning about the financial part of the business.

Kristine S. · Verified student

The first weeks are the foundation, not a warm-up

The first weeks in the home are not a warm-up phase, they are the foundation. The guidance we give owners during this window can prevent months of remedial work later, making early intervention one of the most powerful tools we have as trainers.

Gaylene D. · Verified student
What you get

Everything Included.

In this course

24 lessons across 3 modules, read, listen, or watch every one
Your 24/7 AI tutor, built into every lesson
Assessments and your ICOES-endorsed, CPD-eligible certificate
12 months access, with extensions available on request

As a Modern Edu student

Student discount on any additional course
Printed hard-copy edition of your course
More student extras on the way
How it works

Four Steps to Your Certificate.

01

Try It Free

Start lesson 1 right now, free. See the course and meet your tutor before paying anything.

02

Enrol Easily

Pick the option that suits you. Every option is covered by the 14-day guarantee.

03

Make Real Progress

Read, listen, or watch each lesson. Go at your own pace with your tutor beside you.

04

Get Your Certificate

Pass your assessments and receive your endorsed, verifiable certificate.

Enrolment

Easy Ways to Get Started.

Try the first lesson free. When you are ready, split it into four with Afterpay or Klarna, save $60 upfront, or take the simple weekly plan.

Start Here · No Card Needed
Free first lesson
Start lesson 1 right now and meet your AI tutor. See exactly how the course works before you decide anything.
No card. No commitment. Your progress carries over when you enrol.
When you are ready to enrol
Recommended · Split Into Four
$59.75 ×4
Afterpay or Klarna covers the $239 upfront price for you. You get every upfront bonus and the $60 saving, then repay in four fortnightly amounts. Nothing more after that.
A second course free, your choice
Printed edition of your course included
Save $60 compared with the weekly plan
Continue With Afterpay or Klarna
Four interest-free payments of $59.75 for approved applicants. Late fees may apply.
Upfront · Save $60
$239
One payment by card if you would rather settle it in one go. Same bonuses: second course free and the printed edition.
CardAfterpayKlarna
Enrol Upfront for $239
Afterpay and Klarna split $239 into 4 payments of $59.75.
Weekly Payment Plan
$25 /week
12 weekly payments · $300 total
Upfront bonuses not included.
Start the Weekly Plan
Visa · Mastercard · Amex · Afterpay · Klarna accepted.    14-day guarantee
Not sure yet?
Before you enrol

Is It Right for You?

This course is for you if

Complete beginners who want a step-by-step plan to start a food garden in New Zealand.
Renters or people with small spaces, like balconies in Wellington or courtyards in Christchurch.
Anyone wanting to reduce their grocery bill and eat fresher, healthier food.
Gardeners who have struggled in the past and want to learn about NZ-specific seasons and soil.

It is probably not for you if

If you want to become a commercial farmer. This course is for backyard-scale growing.
If you need a formal qualification from NZQA. Our courses are for personal and professional development.
Expert gardeners looking for advanced techniques like large-scale irrigation or hydroponics.
Anyone looking for a course focused on native NZ plants or purely decorative gardening.

14-Day Money-Back Guarantee.

Try the full course for two weeks. If it is not for you, we refund you in full. No questions asked, no conditions.

More from students

“I love that it has different ways to learn! I'll keep learning about each flower's conditioning needs — I feel I've learnt so much already.”

Tammie O. · Verified student

“Very informative, and I like the focus on clients. It's better to give advice in small segments — just as we do with our dogs. Small steps.”

John H. · Verified student

“Real world responses — wow. The laws, and what it means to run a facility, is an eye opener. Even the less-common-pets section was eye opening — rabbits are illegal to keep as pets here in Queensland!”

Lee P. · Verified student

Start With a Free Lesson.

Start with the free first lesson, or enrol on the spot from $25 a week.

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Backyard Food Growing NZ
First lesson free · $25/week · 14-day guarantee