ENROL NOW

Qualification - Certificate in Horticulture (Ornamental Horticulture)

Course CodeVHT002
Fee CodeCT
Duration (approx)700 hours
QualificationCertificate

Work in Amenity Horticulture

The objective of the course is to: 

  • Develop general and broad based skills in horticultural practices and plant identification. 
  • Provide more specific knowledge in areas of ornamental horticulture including garden maintenance, turf care, arboriculture, landscaping and nursery work.

This Certificate in Horticulture involves the areas of work:

CORE STUDIES: this involves at least 300 hours, divided into 15 lessons, approx. half of the course.
ELECTIVE STUDIES: this involves a further 300 hrs of study going into greater depth in the areas of garden maintenance, nursery practices and landscaping.



Note: Course fee does not include exam fees (x 4).

Lesson Structure

There are 29 lessons in this course:

  1. Parts of the Plant
    • Plant Identification Skills
    • How to increase your Plant I.D. Skills
    • Terminology
    • Lead Types
    • Structure and Arrangement of Leaves and Leaflets
    • Common Leaf Shapes
    • Flower Structure
    • Parts of a Flower
    • The Inflorescence
    • Types of Flowers – bisexual, unisexual, monoecious, dioeceous
    • How a Seed Forms
    • Plant Structure
    • Stems and Stem Modifications
    • Leaves and Leaf Modifications
    • Roots and Root Function
    • Root Modifications
    • Morphological Changes as a Plant Matures
    • Cell Structure and Histology
    • Cell Components
    • Plant Cell Types
    • Plant Tissue Comparisons
    • Photosynthesis
    • Factors Affecting Photosynthesis
    • Respiration
    • Rate of Respiration
    • Transpiration
    • Environmental Factors Affecting Transpiration and Water Uptake
    • The Nitrogen Cycle
    • Terminology
  2. Plant Culture – Planting
    • Planting
    • Environmental Influences on Plants
    • Potting Up Plants
    • Potting Shrubs and Trees
    • Introduction to Gardening Basics
    • Terminology
    • Common Mistakes when Planting
    • Plant Selection Criteria
    • Economics of Planting
    • Ongoing Costs
    • Longevity
    • General Hardiness
    • Aesthetic Criteria
    • Basic Planting Procedure
    • Fertiliser
    • Staking
    • Bare Rooted Plants
    • Timing of Planting
    • Considerations, Variety, Time, Locality, Mulching
    • Laying a New Lawn – Soil Prep, Levels, Sowing, Raking in, Watering
    • Turf Grass Varieties – Couch, Fescue, Rye, Bent, Kentucky Blue
  3. Plant Culture – Pruning
    • Fruit or Vegetative Buds
    • Reasons for Pruning
    • Removing Dead or Diseased Wood
    • Controlling Growth Type
    • Controlling Shape and Size
    • Rejuvenation
    • Basic Pruning Rules
    • Home Orchard Pruning
    • Fruit Tree Pruning Styles
    • Before Pruning
    • Considerations while Pruning
    • Pruning Terminology
  4. Plant Culture – Irrigation and Machinery
    • Water and Irrigation
    • Infiltration and Drainage
    • Types of Irrigation
    • Flood Irrigation
    • Sprinkler Irrigation
    • Trickle Irrigation
    • Power Tools
    • Types of Power Tools
    • Power Tool Maintenance
    • Oil
    • Buying Power Tools
    • Chainsaws – Use, Starting, Chain Sharpening
    • Mowers – types. Guidelines for use, Care
    • Brush Cutters/ Strimmers
    • Mulchers
    • Rotary Hoes
    • Hedge Trimmers
    • Irrigation Objectives and Feasibility
    • Understanding Soil, Water and Plants
    • Gravitational, Capillary and Hygroscopic Water
    • Measuring Water Available to Plants
    • Calculations – Field Capacity, Wilting Point
    • Available Moisture Range
    • Root Depths for Different Plants
    • Estimating Plant Water Requirement
    • When to Irrigate
    • Symptoms of Water Deficiency and Excess
    • Types of Sprinkler Systems and Sprinkler Heads
    • Design and Operation of Irrigation Systems
    • Cyclic Watering
    • Pulse Watering
    • Irrigation Scheduling
    • Selecting Surface Irrigation Methods
  5. Soils and Media
    • Potting Mixes
    • Factors Affecting Fertiliser Application
    • Soils
    • Sampling Soils
    • Soil Composition
    • Colloids and Peds
    • Soil Texture and Structure
    • Soil Chemical Properties
    • Improving Soils – texture, structure, fertility
    • Soil Terminology
  6. Soils ad Nutrition
    • Introduction
    • Nutrient Elements
    • Macronutrients
    • Nitrogen
    • Phosphorus
    • Potassium
    • Magnesium
    • Calcium
    • Sulphur
    • Micronutrients
    • Soil pH and Nutrient Availability
    • Soil Ameliorants
    • Total Salts
    • Salinity
    • Sources of Salt
    • Control Methods for Salinity
    • Soil Sodicity
    • Water, Air and Nutrients
    • Soil Temperature
    • Key to Diagnosis of Nutritional Problems
    • Fertilisers
    • Composting
    • Compost Ingredients
  7. Propagation – Seed and Cuttings
    • Introduction
    • Seed Propagation
    • Hygiene
    • How to Sow Seeds in Containers
    • Seed Germination
    • Seed Sources
    • Seed Storage
    • Factors Affecting Seed Storage
    • Germinating Difficult Seeds
    • Seed Dormancy
    • Treatments to Break Dormancy
    • Cutting Propagation
    • Cutting Types – Softwood, Hardwood, Semi Hardwood, Herbaceous, Stem, Tip, Heal. Leaf, etc
    • Factors affecting Rooting of Cuttings
    • Plant Breeding
    • Hybrid Seed Production
    • Maintaining Genetic Identity in Seed
    • Hand Pollination
  8. Propagation – Other Techniques
    • Division
    • Aseptic Micro Propagation
    • Grafting
    • Budding
    • Layering
    • Tip Layering
    • Mound Layering
    • Simple Layering
    • Compound Layering
    • Aerial Layering
    • Natural Layering – Suckers, Runners, Offsets, Crowns
    • Propagation with Specialised Stems and Roots – Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Rhizomes, Pseudobulbs
    • Propagating Bulbs – Bulblets on Scales, Stem Cuttings, Bulbils, Basal Cutting etc
  9. Identification and Use of Plants – Landscape Application
    • Plants in the Landscape
    • Choosing Plants – criteria
    • Inspecting Plants Pre Purchase
    • Trees for Landscaping
    • Factors for Tree Selection
    • Potential Tree Problems
    • Choosing Shrubs for Different Purposes
    • Groundcovers
    • Building Plant Knowledge of Many Tree and Shrub Genera
    • Trees for Different Conditions
    • Planting Techniques
    • Soil Restrictions on Planting
  10. Identification and Use of Plants-Problem Situations
    • Establishing Trees
    • Tree Size & Age at Planting
    • Root Containment at Planting - Container Type, Bare Rooted or Balled
    • What to look for when Buying a Tree
    • Plant Protection at Planting – Staking, Frost Protection, Sun Protection, Cages
    • Controlling Birds
    • Props
    • Cabling & Bolting
    • Quick Reference Plant Directory
    • Container Growing Outside
    • Street Tree Reporting
  11. Identification and Use of Plants – Indoor
    • Introduction to Indoor Plants
    • Why Indoor Plants Die
    • Potting Mixes
    • Drainage holes in Pots
    • How to Pot a small Plant to a Larger Pot
    • Potting up Hanging Baskets
    • Plantscaping with Ferns
    • Fern Families and Genera
  12. Pests
    • Chemical Pest Control
    • Law
    • Chemical Labelling
    • Non Chemical Pest Control
    • Care when Using Chemicals
    • Entomology & Insect Control Methods
    • Types of Insect Poisons – contact, intermediate, stomach, translocated or not
    • Integrated Pest Management
    • Insecticide Use with IPM
    • Preventative Actions in the Garden
    • Understanding Pesticides – Reading the Label
    • Toxicity, Activity Spectrum, LD50. Persistence, Volatility, etc.
    • Chemical Types -Inorganic, Biological, Organophosphates, Organochlorines, Carbamates, etc.
    • Review of Specific Chemical Products
    • Diatomaceous earth, Soaps
    • Fungicides
    • Ways of Applying Chemicals – Spraying, Dusting, Granules, Irrigation injection
    • Safety Procedures when Using Agricultural Chemicals
    • Differentiation of Pests, Diseases and Viruses
    • Review of most Common Pests
  13. Diseases
    • Fungicides
    • Plant Pathology
    • Identifying a Problem – Parasitic, Non Parasitic
    • Treating a Problem
    • Diagnosis of Plant Disorders – Visual Appearance, Possible Cause, Appropriate Treatment
    • Common Diseases
    • Anthracnose
    • Blight
    • Canker
    • Damping Off
    • Galls
    • Leaf Spot
    • Mildew
    • Rots
    • Rust
    • Smut
    • Mould
    • Wilt
    • Other Common Diseases
    • Turf Fungal Diseases
    • Plant Virus Detection and Diagnosis
    • Arboriculture and Tree Health
  14. Weeds
    • What is a Weed
    • Steps to Controlling Weeds
    • Weed Control with Suffocation
    • Weed Control with Burning
    • Cultivation to Control Weeds
    • Other Non Chemical Weed Control Methods – Grazing, Mowing, Flooding, pH change, Biological Controls
    • Weed Control with Herbicides
    • Modes of Action
    • Regulations and Laws - Restricted Use & Supply
    • Avoiding Spray Drift
    • Types of Herbicide Chemicals – Aliphatics, Amides, Ureas, Carbamates etc.
    • Herbicide Resistance and Tolerance
    • Safe Use of Weed killers
    • Safety Guidelines and First Aid in relation to Chemical Use
    • Cleaning Up a Chemical Spill
    • Identifying Weeds
    • Controlling Weeds in Different Places – fence lines, base of trees, garden Beds, Hard Surfaces
    • Types of Weeds
    • Noxious Weeds
    • Environmental Weeds
    • Common Weeds
    • Terminology
  15. Introduction to Landscaping
    • Pre Planning Information
    • Keep the Garden to Scale
    • Importance of Space
    • Garden Features for Small Gardens
    • Framing the View
    • Selecting the right plants
    • Economics of Planting
    • Ongoing Costs
    • Longevity
    • Hardiness
    • Aesthetics
    • How to Treat the Ground
    • Living Plant Colour
    • Mulches
    • Growing in Containers
    • Choosing Containers
    • Materials
    • Using Pots
    • Terminology
  16. Landscape Design Procedure
    • Site Analysis
    • Deciding What You Want
    • Creating a Concept Plan (Macro Design)
    • What's Your Style?
    • How to Design a Garden Room
    • Garden Room Components
    • Garden Effects
    • Bringing the Outside in
    • How to Extend your Garden
    • Learning from Observation
    • Formal, Informal & Natural Gardens
    • Home Gardens
    • Parks
    • Landscape Plans
    • Landscape Symbols
    • Ways to Draw Plants Step by Step
    • Landscape Principles
    • Unity
    • Balance
    • Proportion
    • Harmony
    • Contrast
    • Rhythm
    • Design Elements -Line, Form, Mass, Space, Texture, Colour, Tone
    • Japanese Garden Styles
    • Hill and Pond Garden
    • Dry Landscape
    • Tea Garden
    • Stroll Garden
    • Courtyard Garden
    • Rocks and other Features
    • Mexican Style Gardens
  17. Landscape Construction A
    • Drainage and Erosion
    • Gradients
    • Walling
    • Rock Walls
    • Types of Walls
    • Retaining Walls
    • What to Build Walls from - Brick, Timber, Concrete, Stone
    • How to Build a Brick Wall
    • Timber Retaining Walls
    • Dry Stone Walls
    • Rockeries
    • Steps - riser, tread, construction
    • Healthy Gardens
    • Improving Garden Health - Earthworms, Compost, Attracting Birds, Garden Hygiene, choose Safe Plants
    • Specifications and Contracts
  18. Landscape Construction B
    • Surfacing
    • Gradients
    • Gravel
    • Soft Ground Surfaces
    • Grass/Lawn
    • Paving
    • Where to Pave and How Much
    • Imaginative Designs
    • Bringing New Life to Old Paving
    • Paving Maintenance - slipperiness, Cleaning
    • Edging and Borders
    • Fencing
    • Hedges
    • Playgrounds
    • Furnishings and Features
    • Pergolas
    • Tables and Chairs
    • Poolside Furniture
  19. Plants for Problem Areas
    • Weeds in One Place, Ornamentals Elsewhere
    • Fast in one Place, Slow Growing Elsewhere
    • Uses for Plants
    • Problems to Watch for
    • Fast Growing Plants that Die Young
  20. Flowers, Indoor and Tropical Plants
    • Introduction and Overwatering
    • Tropical Plants
    • Growing Tropicals Elsewhere
    • Flowers
    • Perennials
    • Herbaceous Perennials
    • Using Perennials
    • Bulbs
    • Popular Bulbs - Amaryllis, Gladioli, Narcissus, Dahlia, Hyacinth, Iris
    • Annuals
    • Reasons to Use Annuals
    • Scented Annuals
  21. Herbs
    • What is a herb
    • Botanical features, growing conditions and Uses for five Herb Genera
  22. Different Growing Techniques
    • Containers
    • Comparing materials -terracotta, plastic, fibreglass, etc
    • Aesthetics
    • Care when on Holiday
    • Preventing Moss and Algae Growth
    • Potting
    • Hydroponics - Drip, Ebb and Flow, Wick, Water Culture Systems
    • Advantages and Disadvantages of Hydroponics
    • Two Simple Systems to Make
    • Bonsai
    • Epiphytic Growing
    • Terrariums
    • Watergardens
    • Types of Protective Structures
    • Greenhouses -types, framing materials, covering materials
    • Deciding on Needs
    • Heaters
    • Cold frames
    • Shade houses
  23. Arboriculture
    • Tree Issues
    • How to Keep Trees Healthy
    • Compartmentalisation - How Trees Rot
    • Tree Surgery
    • Cavity Treatments
    • Bracing and Cabling
    • Bolting
    • Tree Wound Treatments
    • How Trees Grow
    • Plant Sculpting - Topiary, Hedging, Pleaching
    • Tools and Terminology
  24. Planning Garden Maintenance
    • Scheduling Work
    • Analysis of Parks Maintenance
    • Departmental Organisation and Staffing in Parks
    • Tools
    • Machinery
    • Mowers and Mowing
    • Other Maintenance Tools
    • Mulchers
    • Tractors
    • Weed Control
    • Mulching
  25. Turf Care
    • Lawns can Benefit the Environment
    • Lawn Shape and Design
    • Selecting Turf Varieties
    • Overview of Varieties
    • Lawn Mixes
    • What to Grow Where
    • Turf Establishment
    • Soil Preparation
    • Seeding
    • Sodding
    • Stolonisation
    • Sprigging
    • Plugging
    • Mowing Turf
    • Mowing Guidelines and Heights
    • Fertilising Turf
    • Aeration & Scarification
    • Topdressing
    • Repairing Turf
    • Turf Varieties in Parks
    • Feature Lawns
    • Picnic Areas
    • Sports Grounds
  26. Introduction to Nursery Management
    • A Growing Industry
    • Industry Organisations
    • Nursery Accreditations
    • Organic Certification
    • Types of Nurseries
    • Organic Certifications
    • Production Nurseries
    • Growing On Nurseries
    • Retail Nurseries
    • What to Grow
    • How to Grow
    • Starting as a Nursery Producer
    • Revamping an Existing Nursery
    • Organisation is Key
    • Time Management
    • Managing Facilities, Equipment, Materials
    • Managing Labour
    • Assessing Opportunities
    • Market Research
    • Nursery Site factors
    • Nursery Design
    • Sheds and Workrooms
    • Effective Environmental Management
    • Selecting and Managing Nursery Stock
    • Garden Centres
    • Wholesale Nurseries
    • Specialist Nurseries
    • Plant Selection for Nursery Stock
    • Nursery Stocklist Development
    • Operational Flow Charts
  27. Nursery Stock Production and Quality Control
    • Nursery Standards
    • Cost Efficiencies
    • Quality Standards
    • Size Standards
    • Propagation Efficiency
    • Disinfectants
    • Potting and Transplanting
    • Removing Plants from Containers for Potting
    • Transplanting Seedlings
    • Transplanting Cuttings
    • Potting other Types of Plants
    • Potting Machines
    • Potting from a Smaller to Larger Pot
    • Growing On
    • Pruning and Training Nursery Stock
    • Growing Areas and Spacing Plants
    • In Ground Productions
    • Soils and Nutrition Management in Nurseries
    • Nursery Pest and Disease Management
    • Identifying Problems
    • Resistant Plants
    • Reducing Pest and Disease Transmission
    • Cultural Controls
    • Physical Controls
    • Biological Controls
    • Chemical Controls
    • Nursery Weed Control
    • Using Chemicals
    • Plant Growth Modification
    • Getting Plants to Flower Out of Season
    • Holding Nursery Stock
    • Clearing Surplus Stock
    • Conducting a Nursery Inspection
  28. Operating a Garden Centre
    • Parts of a Garden Centre
    • Fixtures and Fittings
    • Layout and Signage
    • Design of Component Facilities in a Nursery/ Garden Centre
    • Garden Centre Layout
    • Merchandising
    • Selling
    • Stock Control
  29. Marketing and Management in Ornamental Horticulture
    • Management
    • Work Scheduling
    • Safety and Illness at Work
    • Managing Facilities
    • Productivity
    • Managing Money
    • Calculating Costs
    • Practical Exercise to determine Plant Sale Price
    • Marketing
    • The Marketing Mix
    • Successful Promotions
    • Merchandising Suggestions
    • Making Promotions Cost Effective
    • Promotion Messaging
    • Marketing Legalities
    • Contract Law
    • Consumer Law
    • Guarantees
    • Liability

What You Will Do

  • The following is just an incomplete list of things covered in this course:
  • Landscape design (including pre-planning and drawing plans).
  • Principles and styles of landscape designs.
  • Analysis of garden designs.
  • Graphic skills, materials and techniques.
  • Estimating costs for landscape jobs.
  • Surfacing materials and their effects.
  • Quality and cost of different landscape materials.
  • Plant knowledge, both native and exotic, suitable for local conditions.
  • Plant selection for difficult sites and conditions (including treating degraded sites and interior plantscaping), including
    • Tropical and indoor plants.
    • Environmental factors important for indoor plant culture.
    • Bulbs, perennials and annuals.
    • Planting design for flower beds (annuals and bulbs) suitable for your locality.
    • Herb culture and garden design.
    • Miscellaneous growing techniques including; bonsai, terrariums, pot culture, baskets and hydroponics.
  • Describe the importance of trees to humans.
  • Procedures for the proper and safe removal of a limb from a tree.
  • Tree problems and their treatment.
  • Compartmentalisation, and its effect on the spread of disease in trees.
  • Preparing a detailed maintenance program for a garden.
  • Seed selection, storage, preparation and spreading (sowing).
  • Preparation, planting and establishment of a lawn.
  • Establishing turf on a steep slope.
  • Turf maintenance techniques.
  • Analysis of nursery production systems.
  • Preparing a flow chart for the production of a particular plant, from propagation to marketing.
  • Preparing a maintenance program for green life in a garden centre.
  • Preparing guidelines for the disposal of surplus or below standard stock in a nursery.
  • Write an advertisement for a nursery or garden maintenance business.
  • Basic management procedures for a single person nursery or garden maintenance business.
  • Basic communication skills.
  • Health and safety requirements for a nursery or garden maintenance workplace.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE?

THOSE WHO WORK OR WOULD LIKE TO START OFF THEIR CAREER IN ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE:

  • Gardeners
  • Parks and garden maintenance
  • Arboriculturists
  • Landscapers
  • Nursery workers

 

 

 

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