Ron Finley MasterClass Review: Is This Gardening Course Worth It?

Gardening is often seen as a peaceful and calming activity many even use it as a form of therapy. However, self-proclaimed “Gangster Gardener” Ron Finley proves that gardening can be much more than that. 

In his gardening Masterclass, he shows that with the proper guidance, anyone can learn to garden and grow their own food. But with the tons of free gardening videos available online, what makes Ron Finley MasterClass worth taking?

We will share an overview of Ron Finley’s Masterclass review, the pros and cons of taking it, and the overall feedback from people who’ve watched the videos. By the end, hopefully, you can decide if this Ron Finley MasterClass review is something you might be interested in taking.

Who is Ron Finley?

Ron Finley is an artist, fashion designer, community activist, and experienced gardener from South Central, Los Angeles. He considers himself a “guerilla gardener” with a mission to change how people think about food and gardening.

In his neighborhood, gardening is a struggle. He refers to the city as one of the “food deserts” because cheap fast food is accessible but high-quality, healthy alternatives are difficult to find.

In 2010, he decided to turn abandoned lots and medians (or parkways) into something the area needed: free edible gardens. With basic tools and gardening skills learned as a child from his mother, Ron Finley grew leafy greens, peppers, tomatoes, baby banana trees, and much more in a 150-by-10-foot stretch of land by the road. Ron Finley’s gardening talent attracted the attention of his neighbors as they saw plants beginning to grow and started picking fruit and vegetables from those parkway gardens.

A city councilman came to his aid through the support his parkway garden received, including a feature on several national news outlets. After five years, they were able to alter the legislation. Residents of Los Angeles can now grow their own food on city-owned median strips.

In 2013, he was a guest on TED Talk and discussed “guerilla gardening,” which went viral because he talked about how he took on the LA Authorities for the right to convert abandoned public lands into gardening spots.

Finley established The Ron Finley Project, a non-profit organization that aims to teach different communities to make food sanctuaries and how to use their lands to create business models. He’s a dedicated leader of a food revolution in the South Central LA community with hopes to change things on a broader scale. 

Ron Finley appeared in different films about urban gardening, such as “Urban Fruit,” “Food For Thought,” “Food For Life,” and “The Great Disconnect,” among others.

Overview of the Class

The Ron Finley MasterClass will teach you everything you need to know about using any soil to grow plants and vegetables, no matter where you are. The class features 10 video sessions that last for two hours and seven minutes. Each video has a different focus with topics to add to your knowledge about gardening principles and techniques. 

In his Masterclass, Ron Finley teaches gardening and explains the entire process of planting to harvesting food, from leafy greens to sugar snap peas and sweet potatoes to herbs. He details why it’s best to grow particular vegetables as seedlings or seeds, how resilient other plants are, and the many ways they can be planted. 

Moreover, Finley recommends the best herb garden for beginners to grow. He covers common rootbound and over- or under-watering problems to keep your plants healthy and help them thrive. Finley will also sprinkle in some personal stories along the way that make the classes even more interesting. 

Ron Finley also covers issues in how cities are designed and talks about the problems in the national and global food systems. He doesn’t just focus on creating a garden; he also explains why people should spend time doing it. Basically, Ron Finley’s course is all about educating people on ways to afford and access healthy food.

Ron Finley teaches his students to see gardening as a way to find and express their creative force while providing them with the practical skills they need to succeed. One thing that sets this class apart is that it’s not just about gardening tips and tricks. It’s also about how to view gardening as an art form.

To give an idea of what’s in store for you if you avail the Ron Finley MasterClass, here’s the breakdown of the topics:

• Meet Your Instructor
• Planting a Revolution
• Getting Dirty Ron
• Creating Planters
• Grow Your Own Food: Greens & Legumes
• Grow Your Own Food: Sweet Potatoes
• Grow Your Own Food: Planting Herbs
• Increasing Your Bounty
• How to Not Kill Your Plants
• Finding Your Creativity

Finley’s teaching style is engaging and informative. He’s a natural instructor who breaks down complicated scientific terminologies into easy-to-understand explanations. He’ll make you feel confident and ready to get your hands dirty with his teaching approach.

Aside from the audio, the high-quality footage of Ron Finley doing the work, like creating a gardening bed, makes the class relatable to the viewers. Just seeing him on the move, doing everything, will give you the feeling that you are with him.

In addition to the videos, Ron Finley’s Masterclass comes with a downloadable 41-page class workbook. This book contains other valuable information not included in the video series. 

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• You will learn from a passionate teacher
• Well-thought-of and structured content
• Straight-to-the-point style of teaching
• Practical and easy-to-understand techniques
• Highlights key takeaways after video lessons
• Supplemental material included
• A balance of theory and practice
• High-quality videos

Cons:

• There is some cursing and profanity in the videos
• The whole class is a bit short
• No pest control tips
• It doesn’t cover different kinds of plants

Note that aside from the videos and the workbook, there’s a MasterClass community called “The Hub” where you can interact with other users, ask questions, and gain insights.

Who is This Class For?

Ron Finley’s class in gardening is recommended for:

• People who wish to have their own garden yet don’t know how or where to start
• Those who have limited gardening space and want to utilize it the best way possible
• Beginners or those with little knowledge of gardening
• People who want to make a change in their lifestyle

How Much Does Ron Finley MasterClass Cost?

To access Ron Finley’s MasterClass cost, you must have a MasterClass membership. There are three different subscription levels: Individual, Duo, and Family. All plans are charged annually.

Ron Finley’s Masterclass costs $120 per year (or $10 per month). With this MasterClass subscription plan, you can access every course in the MasterClass library, including unlimited access to MasterClass courses from other instructors.

Duo and Family MasterClass passes give you access to the classes on multiple devices simultaneously. For $240 per year, the Duo pass allows you to use two devices, while Family permits up to six devices for $276 per year.

MasterClass has a 30-day full refund policy, so if you’re unsatisfied with your purchase, you can request a refund within that time frame.

Users’ Experience 

Most users shared that they enjoyed Finley’s classes because the video materials are of good quality and substance, unlike the free instructional videos on the Internet. They found the course’s structure very friendly, especially for beginners who don’t want to get lost in the new gardening terminologies that come their way. 

Unlike free YouTube videos, users liked that the course is ads-free which means no disturbance while trying to watch and learn. Those who have already started gardening were inspired by Ron Finley and are looking forward to growing food from their garden. Users appreciated how Finley not only talks about gardening but also touches on other important topics like the neighborhood and community, the planet, healing the body, health, and food. 

Some people find Finley’s cussing normal, making him appear more realistic and passionate about gardening. Although, some users wish that there was a version without profanity so they could share it with their kids.