At the suggestion of Albrecht Thaer (1752-1828),Wilhelm Albrecht founded the "Ducal-Nassau Institute of Agriculture" in Idstein on November 15, 1818 as a higher educational institution for farmers. The young people were to be prepared for their future independence in year-round courses with theoretical instruction and further training. The school was financed by state subsidies and contributions from external students. In 1835, the institute moved to Wiesbaden and operated under the name Herzoglich-Nassauische Landwirtschaftliches Institut Hof Geisberg. Albrecht now introduced two-year winter semesters so that the young farmers could stay on their farms during the season. He recruited teachers such as Carl Remigius Fresenius, Karl Thomae and Friedrich Carl Medicus for his "winter school". The institute also provided advice; for example, new fruit tree varieties were developed for Nassau.

From 1910, the school continued as an institution of the Chamber of Agriculture of the Wiesbaden administrative district with director Jonas Schmidt. Between 1876 and 1915, 1,293 pupils attended the institute, over 200 of whom came from almost every corner of the world. In 1920, a gardening class was added. After the sale of the Geisberg farm and the establishment of a foundation (1924/26), the school opened in 1925 in a more conveniently located villa on Mainzer Straße, with an additional home economics course and a business advice center. The experimental fields were located on Weidenbornstraße and Dankwardweg. After the Second World War, the school's work came to a standstill and it was not until 1969 that the new teaching and research institute with horticultural school (Gärtnermeisterschule) was opened. In 2003, the experimental operation was moved to Geisenheim. The final closure of the Wiesbaden horticultural school took place on 15.10.2005. In 2008, the advisory office of the Hesse State Agricultural Office moved to the Mudra barracks in Mainz-Kastel.