FRUIT PRODUCTION -TEMPERATE CLIMATE BHT218
“This course is for the serious grower! A great all rounded course that covers all aspects of fruit temperate fruit growing from soil management through to plant selection and marketing. All you need to know to set up that fruit growing farm.” - Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor
COURSE STRUCTURE
There are 8 lessons as follows:
1. Introduction to Temperate Fruit Growing
- Identify different types of fruit crops, which can be successfully grown in your region.
2. Establishing an Orchard
- Develop a plan for the establishment of an orchard.
3. General Cultural Practices
- Determine the cultural requirements for different fruit crops in your locality (Part A).
- Determine the cultural requirements for different fruit crops in your locality (Part B).
4. Tree Fruits
- Determine the cultural requirements for different fruit crops in your locality (Part B).
5. Vines, Nuts & Berries
- Determine the cultural requirements for different fruit crops in your locality (Part C).
6. Citrus
- Determine the cultural requirements for different fruit crops in your locality (Part D).
7. Cultural Management of a Fruit Plantation or Orchard
- Develop a calendar for cultural management of a fruit plantation, or orchard.
8. Marketing Your Produce
- Formulate appropriate methods for marketing specific fruit crops grown in your locality.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
SUMMARY OF COMPETENCIES DEVELOPED
On successful completion of the course you should be able to do the following:
- Identify different types of fruit crops, which can be successfully grown in your region.
- Explain the nature of the fruit industry in your region (locality).
- Determine the cultural requirements for different fruit crops.
- Develop a plan for the establishment of an orchard.
- Formulate appropriate methods for marketing specific fruit crops grown in your locality.
- Develop a calendar for cultural management of a fruit plantation, or orchard.
WHAT THE COURSE COVERS
You will learn a wide variety of things, through a combination of reading, interacting with tutors, undertaking research and practical tasks, and watching videos. Here are just some of the things you will be doing:
- Compile a resource file different sources of information regarding commercial fruit varieties.
- Compare the facilities used to produce different fruit crops, in a specified locality.
- Determine criteria for selecting a fruit variety to grow as a commercial crop in your locality.
- Select different fruit varieties with commercial potential for a specified location.
- Analyse the physical layout of a specified orchard.
- Determine the scope of commercial fruit growing in a specified locality.
- Demonstrate standard soil tests to three different soils to determine:
- Soil type
- pH
- Drainage
- Water holding capacity
- Evaluate the three different soils tested to determine their suitability for growing different fruit varieties.
- Analyse the culture
- Watering
- Weed control
- Soil management
- Pruning
- Fertilising
- Pest control
- Disease control
- Determine soil management practices, including:
- Nutrition
- Soil structure
- Cultivation
- Weed control
- Determine the susceptibility of four specified fruit species to pest and disease problems.
- Explain how to control twenty different, specified pests and diseases, on different fruit varieties grown.
- Develop sets of guidelines for pruning three different types of fruits.
- Determine the factors which are critical to growing fruit trees in your locality.
- Determine criteria to select a site for fruit growing in your locality.
- Compare the physical layout of two different orchards you visit.
- Prepare a plan for establishing a fruit growing area, in your locality, including:
- Concept layout plan drawn to scale
- Materials list (including plants)
- Cost estimates for establishment.
- Analyse three different marketing systems in the fruit industry, including at local, national and international levels.
- Explain four common reasons for price fluctuations in the fruit industry.
- Compare different fruit crops in relation to different factors, including:
- Storage requirements
- Storage life
- Harvesting time
- Shelf life
- Transport to market
- Evaluate the presentation and packaging of three different fruits, for marketing through different marketing systems.
- Analyse different marketing strategies used by a specific fruit grower.
- Develop a marketing strategy, including:
- Marketing stages
- Marketing schedule (ie. timetable)
- Estimated marketing costs
- Handling procedures
- Promotions, for a specific fruit crop.
- Differentiate between the cultural practices undertaken by different growers, on the same crop, grown in different localities.
- Determine the cultural practices necessary to grow different fruit crops for a twelve month period, on a specified site.
- Prepare a monthly calender, covering a twelve month period, for cultural practices in a fruit plantation or orchard.
“This course is for the serious grower! A great all rounded course that covers all aspects of fruit temperate fruit growing from soil management through to plant selection and marketing. All you need to know to set up that fruit growing farm.” - Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor
An eight lesson course that starts by introducing the fruit growing industry, and moves through most of the skills needed for successful fruit growing in a serious way. Topics covered include management, soils, planting, irrigation, pruning, cultural practices (including pest control), pome and stone fruits, and various vines, fruit trees and nuts.
