Advanced Certificate In Horticulture (Grounds Management) VHT002

Develop your skills and knoweledge in the care and maitenance of parks, gardens and turf facilities. A 400 hour course that provides initial training for gardeners, groundsmen and others involved in the care and maintenance of parks, gardens and turf facilities. This course is similar to other horticulture certificates in its introductory (core) units, but devotes 50% of the course to topics specifically related to grounds maintenance.

The Advanced Certificate in Horticulture (Grounds Management) is a vocationally-oriented course comprising core studies (general horticulture) and stream studies in the maintenance of golf courses, parks and other large scale gardens.

The objective of the course is to:

• develop general and broad based skills in horticultural practices and plant identification.
• develop skills and knowledge in diagnosis and treatment of pest, disease and weed control problems.
• develop knowledge and skills in turf selection and maintenance to a required standard.
• develop skills and knowledge in the establishment and maintenance of ornamental trees and shrubs.
• develop skills and knowledge in the management and improvement of soils for growing plants.
• develop knowledge and skills about the selection and operation of a variety of watering systems suitable for the irrigation of plants and turf in amenity horticulture.

Advanced Certificate in Horticulture involves the areas of work:

1. CORE STUDIES - involves around 350 hours, divided into 15 lessons, approx. half of the course.
2. STREAM STUDIES - a further 50 to 100 of study specific to irrigation, soils, plant care, pest, disease and weed controland turf care.

Tution Fee: Cost per 100 hour module is £295 (total for the Advanced Certificate is £1180). Modules may be paid by instalments at £160 per 60 days.

Course Structure

The core units consist of the following lessons:

1. Introduction To Plants
2. Parts Of The Plant
3. Plant Culture - Planting
4. Plant Culture - Pruning
5. Plant Culture - Irrigation & Machinery
6. Soils & Media
7. Soils & Nutrition
8. Seeds & Cuttings (Propagation)
9. Other Techniques (Propagation)
10. Identification & Use Of Plants - Landscape Application
11. Identification & Use Of Plants - Problems
12. Identification & Use Of Plants - Indoor & Tropical Plants
13. Pests
14. Diseases
15. Weeds

1. INTRODUCTION TO PLANTS (40 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to explain the binomial system of plant classification and demonstrate identification of plant species through the ability of using botanical descriptions for leaf shapes and flowers.

AIMS

• Describe the relevant identifying physical features of flowering ornamental plants.
• Demonstrate how to use prescribed reference books and other resources to gain relevant information.
• Dissect, draw and label two different flowers.
• Collect and identify the shapes of different leaves.
• Demonstrate how to identify between family, genus, species, variety and cultivar.

2. PLANT CULTURE (60 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to demonstrate the ability to care for plants so as to maintain optimum growth and health while considering pruning, planting, and irrigation.

AIMS

• Describe how to prune different plants.
• Demonstrate how to cut wood correctly, on the correct angle and section of the stem.
• Describe how to plant a plant.
• Demonstrate an awareness of different irrigation equipment, sprinklers, pumps and turf systems available by listing their comparative advantages and disadvantages.
• Demonstrate competence in selecting an appropriate irrigation system for a garden, explaining the reasons why that system would be preferred.
• Define water pressure and flow rate and how to calculate each.
• Explain the need for regular maintenance of garden tools and equipment.
• List factors that should be considered when comparing different types of machinery for use in garden maintenance.

3. SOILS AND PLANT NUTRITION (50 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to identify, work with and improve the soil condition and potting mixes, and to evaluate fertilisers for use in landscape jobs to maximize plant growth.

AIMS

• Describe the soil types commonly found in plant culture in terms of texture, structure and water holding and nutrient holding capacity.
• Describe methods of improving soil structure, infiltration rate, water holding capacity, drainage and aeration.
• List the elements essential for plant growth.
• Diagnose the major nutrient deficiencies that occur in ornamental plants and prescribe treatment practices.
• Describe soil pH and its importance in plant nutrition.
• Describe the process by which salting occurs and how to minimise its effect.
• Conduct simple inexpensive tests on three different potting mixes and report accordingly.
• Describe suitable soil mixes for container growing of five different types of plants.
• List a range of both natural and artificial fertilizers.
• Describe fertilizer programs to be used in five different situations with ornamental plants.

4. INTRODUCTORY PROPAGATION (40 hours duration)
The purpose of this study area is to improve the student\'s understanding of propagation techniques with particular emphasis on cuttings and seeds. Other industry techniques such as grafting and budding are also explained.

AIMS

• Demonstrate propagation of six (6) different plants by cuttings and three from seed.
• Construct a simple inexpensive cold frame.
• Mix and use a propagation media suited to propagating both seed and cuttings.
• Describe the method and time of year used to propagate different plant varieties.
• Describe and demonstrate the steps in preparing and executing a variety of grafts and one budding technique.
• Explain the reasons why budding or grafting are sometimes preferred propagation methods.

5. IDENTIFICATION AND USE OF PLANTS (60 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to improve the student\'s range of plant knowledge and the plant use in landscaping and the ornamental garden, and the realization that plants have optimum and preferred growing conditions.

AIMS

• Select plants appropriate for growing in different climates.
• Select plants appropriate to use for shade, windbreaks, as a feature, and for various aesthetic effects.
• Categorise priorities which effect selection of plants for an ornamental garden.
• Explain the differences in the way plants perform in different microclimates within the same area.
• List and analyze the situations where plants are used.

6. PESTS, DISEASES AND WEEDS (50 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to introduce and help the student in identifying, describing and controlling a variety of pests, diseases and weeds in ornamental situations and safety procedures when using agricultural chemicals are explained.

AIMS

• Explain in general terms the principles of pest, disease and weed control and the ecological (biological) approach to such control.
• Explain the host-pathogen-environment concept.
• Describe a variety of pesticides for control of pests, diseases and weeds of ornamental plants in terms of their active constituents, application methods, timing and rates, and safety procedures.
• Photograph or prepare specimens, identify and recommend control practices for at least five insect pests of ornamental plants.
• Photograph, sketch or prepare samples, identify and recommend control practices for three non-insect ornamental plant health problems (e.g. fungal, viral, bacterial).
• Describe the major ways in which diseases (fungal, viral, bacterial and nematode) affect turf, the life cycle features that cause them to become a serious problem to turf culture and the methods available for their control.
• Identify, describe and recommend treatment for three different weed problems.
• Collect, press, mount and identify a collection of ten different weeds, and recommend chemical and non-chemical treatments which may be used to control each.
• List and compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of different weed control methods.

STREAM MODULES

The three specialist units include:

1. Outdoor Plant Production

2. Protected Plant Production

3. Another Crops Module chosen from the following options:

• Cut Flower Production
• Fruit Production Temperate Climate
• Fruit Production Warm Climate
• Commercial Vegetable Production
• Nut Production
• Mushroom Production
• Berry Fruit Production
• Viticulture

Fees do not include exam fees

There are two exams for the core and 3 for the stream (one for each stream module)