Tropical Plants BHT234

Learn where and how to grow tropical plants. This course provides a valuable instruction for both growing plants in warm places or in protected places such as greenhouses and inside homes or offices. This course concentrates on plants which originate from tropical or sub tropical climates; but there may be some plants covered which fit a looser definition of 'tropical'. Course Structure There are ten lessons in this module as follows:

1. Introduction to Tropical Plants - Plant names/classification (scientific & common), climatic conditions, plants suited to the students locality.
2. Plant Cultural Practices - Understanding soils, naming a soil, propagation, watering, feeding, pruning etc.
3. Tropical Annuals, Perennials, Bulbous Plants, Bamboos & Lawns
4. Ornamental Gingers and Heliconias (and related plants including Alpinia, Hedychium, Zingiber, Musa & Costus)
5. Cordylines, Palms & Cycads
6. Climbers, Shrubs and Trees
7. Orchids, Ferns, Aroids and Bromeliads
8. Tropical Herbs, Vegetables and Fruit Bearing Plants - including Bush tucker, Selected Vegetables, Tea & Coffee, Tropical Fruit trees
9. Growing Tropical Plants outside the Tropics - growing tropicals indoors, in different climates and conditions.
10. Landscaping with Tropical Plants - use of colour & texture, plant selection, planting a courtyard, preparing sketch plans.

A plant collection (either pressings or illustrations with written cultural notes etc) is prepared in each lesson, to build your knowledge of different species and cultivars

Examples of what you may do in this Course

Research the climatic factors and ranges of your district. You may need to contact the Bureau of Meteorology or your local weather station. Record figures such as average monthly temperatures, rainfall, humidity readings, etc.

Walk around your local area. Observe the plants that grow in gardens and on commercial properties. Are these plants typical of tropical landscapes as you would expect? Do you think the planting are suitable for the climate?

Carry out a simple test on the soil of your property to determine it\'s type (e.g. sandy loam, clay). Write up the outcome and submit a description of your soil with your assignment.

Select different tropical plants. Propagate these plants either using cuttings, layering, seeds, or division. Take a photo/s of this set task, or submit drawings of your cuttings/seedlings, showing exactly their size, the amount of stem, and the location and quantity of leaf. Submit a report explaining the techniques you performed.

Do a little further reading into any group of plants that you have an interest in which you know is grown in cooler climates, for example roses. Identify how books and gardeners care for these plants in that climate. Would they be treated differently in a tropical climate? If so, how?

Prepare a brief report on at least two plant types that require different cultural practices in tropical climates compared to when they are grown in cooler districts.

Learn to grow tropical plants in your locality

This course provides valuable instruction for growing plants in warm places or in protected places such as greenhouses and inside homes or offices.
Some people would think a tropical is a plant that comes from the tropics. Others might consider tropical to also include plants from sub tropical places. This course is concentrating on plants which originate from tropical or sub tropical climates; but there may be some plants covered which fit a looser definition of tropicalù.

This course covers: plant names/classification (scientific and common), climatic conditions, plants suited to your locality; cultural practices: understanding soils, naming a soil, propagation, watering, feeding, pruning etc. Growing tropical plants outside the tropics and indoors - in different climates and conditions.

It also covers the following plant types: tropical annuals, perennials, bulbous plants, bamboos, lawns, climbers. shrubs and trees also ornamental gingers and heliconias and related plants; cordylines, palms and cycads, orchids, ferns, aroids and bromeliads; tropical herbs, vegetables and fruit bearing plants.

Discover: how to landscape with tropical plants and how to use colour and texture; how to select appropriate plants; how to plant a courtyard and prepare sketch plans.

A very versatile and comprehensive course!