Dartington Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture

Course Level: Level 2 Course Duration: 1 year Days at College Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Course Description

The Dartington Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture is a one year course for those wishing to gain essential skills and knowledge in horticulture, linking into the future when cheap fossil fuel products and energy will be scarce. It will involve a mixture of theory sessions with ‘hands on’ practical application. It is recommended for school leavers and mature students.

To book a place on this course, or to make an enquiry, either call 01395 562408 or email Claire.Birchett@bicton.ac.uk.

Entry Requirements

You need to be either 16 years of age and have a minimum Grade C GCSE in English and a keen interest in horticulture within a sustainable context, or be aged 17 and over and have at least a years experience within a horticultural setting and a good level of literacy.

What You Will Study

The Level 2 course covers the following modules:

204 Undertake related experience in the land-based industries: The aim of this unit is to give you the skills needed to identify, participate in and review work experience in a land-based environment for a period of 4 weeks

205 Establish and maintain plants outdoors: The aim of this unit is to give you the skills to prepare an area for planting and maintain an area of established plants including, perennials, trees and shrubs

201 Understand the basic principles of plant science: The aim of this unit is to develop the knowledge required to understand how plants function, reproduce, grow and develop, plus explore their internal and external structures

202 Understand the basic principles of soil science: The aim of this unit is to equip you with an understanding of the basic principles of soil science. Their structure and texture, interactions with plants to improve plant growth

221 Introduction to the principles of land-based machinery: The aim of this unit is to give you an understanding of the principles of land-based machinery and how these can be applied in practice, plus operating machinery in a safe manner

223 Introduction to plant nomenclature, terminology and identification: The aim of this unit is to give you an understanding of the principles plant nomenclature, terminology and identification and how these can be applied in practice by identifying a range of plants

228 Understand the principles in sustainable horticulture: The aim of this unit is to give an understanding of the principles of sustainability in horticulture, and how these can be applied in practice. Their impact on society and uses of alternative sources of energy

232 Undertake techniques in organic horticulture: The aim of this unit is to give you an understanding of the principles of techniques in organic horticulture, and how these can be applied in practice in terms of successful cropping including pest and disease control

245 Contribute to vegetable production by organic methods: The aim of this unit is to give an understanding of the principles of vegetable production by organic methods, and how these can be applied in practice. This is achieved through growing of a range of crops from sowing to harvest and then storage.

How do you study the course?

Students attend three days a week for a Level 2 which combines a theoretical and practical education. You will spend at least three half-days a week in supervised practice, working alongside experienced horticulturalists who are leaders in their field. Residential options are available for two to three nights of the week in the Dartington and Totnes area.

Teaching Sites

School Farm is a community-focused market garden that is developing low carbon growing technology according to a minimum tillage and low-mechanisation policy and working to bring land back into organic certified status. Growing food and flowers for a local market by engaging the local community as apprentice volunteers and customers is an essential part of the business model and is paving the way for many emerging market gardens across the country.

The nationally renowned 21st Century Dartington Hall gardens are set in a splendid medieval landscape. They have been the centre of an experiment in rural regeneration and horticulture since the 1930s and attract thousands of visitors a year. Wildflower meadows and regenerating orchid populations are among the many features of these gardens that make them an excellent place to learn the skills that will be required by heritage gardeners of the future as we build biodiversity back into our managed landscape and develop ways to grow with less dependence on fossil fuels.

The gardens at the internationally acclaimed Schumacher College are successfully demonstrating the potential for ecological land management practices including forest gardening and permaculture in commercial and domestic horticulture. The importance of forest gardening has recently been the focus of national media attention as it has potential to significantly increase the productivity and biodiversity of our food production systems whilst massively reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

Courses will be delivered at the following address:

Dartington Estate, Totnes, South Devon, TQ9 6EL

What Next?

How to grow food in an oil-scarce world is possibly one of the most useful set of skills anyone could be learning and a significant rise in demand is anticipated in the job market. Similarly, there is an increasing demand for ways to manage heritage gardens that are less dependent on fossil fuels and promote biodiversity. Successful students of ‘The Dartington Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture’, Level 2 or 3, will have employable skills and recognised qualifications fit for horticulture in the 21st Century.