Home Study Nursery Hands Course
"Learn the skills for working in a production nursery".
"This is the first correspondence course I have done and I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU. I appreciate everyone's effort in such a professionally-run organisation with seamless administration. The office staff's happy can-do attitude, their fast responses to all queries, tutor Shane Gould's quick turnaround in assignment marking and his supportive and motivational feedback and last but not least, the sound subject guides. Most importantly I hope my thanks and appreciation can be communicated to all the staff who have supported me long the way of my learning! I work full time and study on the weekend but really don't stop thinking about what gardening solution I need in order to answer my assignments every day of the week. Thank you for such a great learning experience and I cant wait to start the second half of my course!!"
- Skye
This is a course designed in collaboration with nursery hands at the Greening Australia Hamel Nursery, south of Perth. It teaches the skills for day to day work in a production nursery. There are eleven lessons involving: The Nursery Industry - operational flow charts, nursery standards, plant variety rights, transport regulations; plant identification, nursery structures, buildings, heating & cooling systems; potting mixes, seed propagation, cutting propagation, other propagation techniques, plant nutrition, pest & disease control, other nursery tasks and marketing and sales.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The course is divided into eleven lessons as follows:
1. Introduction to the Nursery Industry: production systems, transport regulations, PVR
2. Plant Identification and Taxonomy: systematic botany, plant families, leaf and flower parts
3. Nursery Structures and Buildings: greenhouse management, structures for nurseries
4. Potting Mixes: U.C. soil mixes, understanding soils, growing media
5. Seed Propagation: quality, sources, storage, germination treatments
6. Cutting Propagation: stock plants, hormones
7. Other Propagation Techniques: tissue culture, division, separation, layering, grafting
8. Plant Nutrition in the Nursery: nutrition management,
9. Pests and Diseases Control: hygeine
10. Other Nursery Tasks: nursery irrigation, modifying plant growth
11. Marketing and Sales: sales methods
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Understand plant propagation techniques and efficiency and quality control measures for the nursery.
Understand means of identifying and naming plants through International Code of Botanical Nomenclature.
Describe pros and cons of different nursery structures and understand effective management techniques.
Describe different types of potting mix, their uses and pros and cons.
Discuss different sources, maintenance of genetic identity, hybridisation techniques, storage and germination; of seeds.
Understand different means of propagating cuttings.
Understand alternative methods of propagation and their appropriate uses.
Discuss the importance of major and minor elements to plant health and the effect of their deficiencies upon plant nutrition.
Understand the effects of pests and diseases on the livelihood of the nursery and the importance of good hygiene standards in their control.
Understand different methods of controlling plant growth.
Duration: 100 hours
EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU MAY DO IN THIS COURSE
Speak with a nurseryman who sells plants to research shipping plants to other localities.
Collect, dissect and observe flowers and leaves from six different plant species belonging to two plant families.
Speak to some of the nurserymen you have contacted throughout the course to date. Find out what you can about their preferences for different types of greenhouses and different shade houses.
Prepare two different types of propagating media; a soil-less potting media for general use in container growing of plants and a general potting mix containing some soil.
Contact and collect catalogues from at least six different seed suppliers.
Collect seed from at least three different plants growing in gardens or bushland and sow this seed.
Contact (by phone) at least six different nurseries to research seed sourcing.
Prepare a pot of cuttings and estimate the cost of production for each cutting produced.
Obtain some pieces of wood and practice preparation of grafts and buds. Prepare three other grafts on a living plant.
Visit or contact a nursery or stock agent who supplies fertilisers. Research the various types of fertilisers available and their appropriate applications.
Obtain a soil-less growing medium (such as vermiculite, perlite, sand and so on or a mixture), which has had no fertilizers added to it at all. Fill 4 pots with this medium and plant 4 seedling plants into the pot. Obtain some different types of fertilizers and feed three of the pots, each with a different fertilizer...do not feed the fourth pot at all. Grow for 2‑3 weeks and then observe the differences in growth between each pot.
Identify as many pest or disease problems as you are able to for a given set of plants.
Contact three irrigation companies to find out what types of irrigation equipment are available for nursery irrigation. Try to get a comparison on prices between the cheaper systems and the more expensive systems which are available.
Visit two different nurseries to research the techniques which are used in modifying plant growth.
More Information on ACS Distance Education and our courses
Who are our tutors?
Our tutors are all highly experienced and professional, knowledgeable in their field of study. We have staff from around the world, enabling us to gain a wide variety of perspectives. We have a school in the UK and in Australia. If you would like to have a look at our tutors, then click on the “The School” in the boxes above and choose “The Staff” option.
Sample Course Notes
Our courses are all written by highly qualified tutors and writers, who also teach on the courses, so know them well. We strive to update our courses and improve them with new information, methods and knowledge on an ongoing basis. If you would like to see examples of some of our courses, then choose the “Enrolment” option above, and then click on “Sample Course Notes”.
What learning method should I choose?
We offer three learning methods – e-learning, correspondence and online. If you are not sure which is the right choose for you, then click on the “Enrolment” box above, then “Learning Methods.”
How Long will it take to complete the course?
This obviously varies from student to student. Some students will have more time for study than others. Some students may work quicker than others, so it is an individual thing. We estimate that most students will take, for example, 4 – 6 months to complete a 100 hour individual module, but we allow up to 12 months for you to complete it.
Longer courses will obviously take longer. You can find more information on the length of time required and so on the “Enrolment” box, then selecting “Terms and Conditions of Enrolment.”
What Do Our Students think of us?
If you would like to read comments from our previous students, then choose the “Enrolment” option above, then “Student Testimonials”.
I don’t think this is the right course for me.
If you’re not sure about this course, then why not look at our wide range of other courses. Click on the “Courses” box above.
You may also wish to design your own course to fit in with exactly what YOU want. To do so, click on the “Enrolment” box, then “Design your Own Course”.
If you would like more advice on a course, then you can contact us and ask a tutor about the courses. You can contact us by calling 0800 328 4723 or +44(0) 384 442752 or emailing info@acsedu.co.uk
Recognition and Accreditation
For more information on our recognition and accreditation, click on “The School”, then “Recognition”.
Who is ACS Distance Education?
If you want to know more about ACS and our history, then please click on “The School”, then “About us.”
Distance Learning Nursery Hands Course
"Learn the skills for working in a production nursery".
Specifically design for nursery hands.
Offers a useful worldwide qualification.
Developed by industry experts.
Taught by industry experts.
Learn about plant identification, nursery structures, heating and cooling systems, plant propagation, marketing, sales and much much more......
