Course CodeBHT217Fee CodeS2Duration (approx)100 hoursQualificationTo obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of £30. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested. Grow Tropical and Sub Tropic Fruits Learn to grow tropical fruit on an orchard or farm or at home. Explore the hundreds of warm climate fruits that are grown and eaten around the world. Discover new and untapped commercial opportunities. Learn to propagate, grow, water, feed, control pests, harvest, and more. Pursue a passion, start a business or improve your skills to work in fruit production. Lesson Structure There are 8 lessons in this course: Introduction To Warm Climate Fruit Growing Deciding what to grow Where to get helpful information and start networking Scope of Warm Fruit Growing -Review of main groups: Citrus, Berries, Nuts, Vines, Other fruits. Understanding plant naming Review of tropical fruit families: Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Bombaceae, Bursaraceae, Ebenaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Flacourtiaceae, Guttiferae, Lauraceae, Lecythidaceae, Malpighiaceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae, Musaceae, Myrtaceae, Oxalidaceae, Palmae, Pasifloraceae, Proteaceae,Rhamnaceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae,Sapindaceae. The botany of a fruit Types of Fruits Establishing An Orchard Develop a plan for the establishment of an orchard Site considerations -choosing a site Understanding Soils and Nutrition Soil Testing Several warm climate fruits are then reviewed including: Avocado Banana, Citrus, Cocoa, Coffee, Macadamia and Paw Paw General Cultural Practices Fertilisers and Nutrition Pest and Disease -determining and managing problems What problems occur on what fruit plants Weed control Frost and sun protection Drainage Pruning Tree Fruits Avocado Banana Star Fruit (Carambola) Custard Apple Durian Jackfruit Lychee Mango Mangosteen Rambutan Sapodilla White Sapote Paw Paw Nuts, Vines and Berries Strawberry Solanum Pepino Tamarillo Lilly Pilly Passionfruit Coconut Macadamia Peanut Pecan Pistachio Cashew Brazil Nut Citrus and other Fruits Suitability to different climates. Grapefruit Mandarin Tangelo Sweet Orange Meyer Lemon and other Lemons Limes Figs Olives Guava Pineapple Pomegranate, Persimmon, Quandong etc Cultural Management Of A Fruit Plantation or Orchard Flow charting a crop Marketing Your Produce Considering marketing options Market Research Maintaining marketing standards and selling Aims Identify different types of fruit crops, which can be successfully grown in a specific region. Explain the nature of the fruit industry in a specific region. Determine the cultural requirements for different fruit crops. Develop a plan for the establishment of an orchard. Formulate appropriate methods for marketing specific fruit crops grown in your locality. Develop a calendar for cultural management of a fruit plantation, or orchard. What You Will Do Compile a resource file of different sources of information regarding commercial fruit varieties. Compare the facilities used to produce six different fruit crops, in a specified locality. Determine criteria for selecting a fruit variety to grow as a commercial crop in your locality. Select five different fruit varieties with commercial potential for a specified location. Analyse the physical layout of a specified orchard. Determine the scope of commercial fruit growing in a specified locality. Demonstrate standard soil tests to three different soils to determine: Soil type pH Drainage Water holding capacity Evaluate the different soils tested to determine their suitability for growing different fruit varieties. Analyse the culture Watering Weed control Soil management Pruning Fertilising Pest control Disease control Determine soil management practices, including: Nutrition Soil structure Cultivation Weed control Determine the susceptibility of specified fruit species to pest and disease problems. Explain how to control different specified pests and diseases, on different fruit varieties grown. Develop sets of guidelines for pruning different types of fruits. Determine the factors which are critical to growing fruit trees in the your locality. Determine criteria to select a site for fruit growing in your locality. Compare the physical layout of two different orchards you visit. Prepare a plan for establishing a fruit growing area, in your locality, including: Concept layout plan drawn to scale Materials list (including plants) Cost estimates for establishment. Analyse different marketing systems in the fruit industry, including at local, national and international levels. Explain common reasons for price fluctuations in the fruit industry. Compare different fruit crops in relation to different factors, including: Storage requirements Storage life Harvesting time Shelf life Transport to market Evaluate the presentation and packaging of different fruits, for marketing through different marketing systems. Analyse different marketing strategies used by a specific fruit grower. Develop a marketing strategy, including: Marketing stages Marketing schedule (ie. timetable) Estimated marketing costs Handling procedures Promotions, for a specific fruit crop. Differentiate between the cultural practices undertaken by different growers, on the same crop, grown in two different localities. Determine the cultural practices necessary to grow different fruit crops for a twelve month period, on a specified site. Prepare a monthly calendar, covering a twelve month period, for cultural practices in a fruit plantation or orchard you choose. Scope of this Course There are many hundreds of different species of edible fruits that can be grown in warm climates. This course introduces lots of plants you may never have encountered before - but more than that, it lays a foundation for understanding the cultivation of fruit crops in a warm climate, which can be relevant to even species you may not encounter till after finishing the course. The scope of what you might grow is so immense that this course cannot hope to provide you with a comprehensive guide to growing them all. WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE? Those working in an orchards Those who want to further develop their skills by learning from experts with years of industry knowledge Those setting up an orchard or fruit growing enterprise Those who would like to develop more knowledge for their own backyard production Building skills and knowledge benefits anyone serious about horticulture. If you are looking to set up a fruit growing concern, work in one, or want to find work in that field or want to set up a fruit orchard for your own use, or as a backyard business - then this course is definitely going to help you towards that goal. HOW TO ENROL Click box below on left hand side - follow instructions. IF YOU NEED ADVICE - click here to use our FREE ADVISORY SERVICE