Nursery Growers Course VHT101

The basics of plant growing in the nursery business! An introductory course which shows the beginner how to get started in the nursery business. You learn how to propagate plants, decide what to propagate, how to start a small inexpensive operation, and to go about selling what you grow. Part of every lesson is devoted to the important area of building up your knowledge of plants.

Through six lessons you will learn how many established nurseries have started out slowly as a small part time operation, and how you can follow the same path. (If you intend studying propagation and wholesale nursery management, do not do this course!).

Course Structure The course is divided into six lessons as follows:

1. Plant Identification and Culture - How plants are named, scientific and common names, watering, weed control, when and how to use a glasshouse/shadehouse.
2. Plant Propagation - Overview of propagation techniques, propagating mixes, pots, hormones, propagating structures and aids.
3. Soils and Nutrition Soil structure, soil additives, major nutrients, minor nutrients, nutrient deficiencies, salt toxicity, soil mixes, fertilisers.
4. Seed Propagation and Nursery Business - Handling seed, pre-germination treatments, handling seedlings, propagating selected species.
5. Cutting Propagation - Stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, leaf bud cuttings, propagating selected species by cuttings.
6. Pest and Disease - Identifying a problem, insects, fungal diseases, nursery hygiene.

Learning Outcomes

• At the completion of this course you should be able to:
• Understand plant identification and culture.
• Describe a range of growing structures including a greenhouse, glasshouse and shadehouse.
• Understand the differences between sexual and asexual plant propagation.
• Have and understanding of basic nursery management principles.
• Understand the uses of a range of different materials used in plant propagation.
• Explain the main components of common potting mixes and how they contribute to the final product.
• Describe seed sources and how to store a range of different seeds for maximum viability.
• Explain how to overcome dormancy in seeds.
• Understand a range of cutting techniques including hardwood cuttings, softwood cuttings, semi hardwood cuttings, tip cuttings, heel cuttings, nodal cuttings, can cuttings and basal cuttings.

What you will do in this course

• Develop a budget for a hypothetical nursery operation
• Name a soil based on criteria given in the course
• Create a potting mix using a given recipe
• Assess a number of plants for growing profitability
• Prepare a pot of cuttings and estimate the cost of production for each cutting produced
• Prepare a range of different types of cuttings
• Find two plants with insect damage and determine the problem and possible remedies.
• Collect information on various chemicals used in the nursery industry.
• Assess plant ill health caused by agents other than insects.
• An introductory course which shows the beginner how to get started in the nursery business. You learn how to propagate plants, decide what to propagate, how to start a small inexpensive operation, and to go about selling what you grow. Part of every lesson is devoted to the important area of building up your knowledge of plants. Through six lessons you will learn how many established nurseries have started out slowly as a small part time operation, and how you can follow the same path. (If you intend studying propagation and wholesale nursery management, this course is not necessary).