Home Study Course Grow Lavender
“Everyone loves lavender! This course is aimed at those you are looking to start their own lavender farm –but equally interesting to the enthusiast. Detailed throughout you should be well equipped to start that new venture by the time you have completed this course.” - Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor
COURSE STRUCTURE
The course is divided into ten lessons as follows:
1. Introduction: Classification and identification of lavender, general characteristics of the group, contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs, etc.)
2. Understand the basis of all good Horticulture with Soils, Fertilisers and Nutrition for Lavender: Soil structure, pH, organic matter, ameliorants and organic growing.
3. look at the Cultural Techniques for Lavender Growing: Pruning, water management (mulching, irrigation, drainage, etc.), planting and establishment methods, crop scheduling, no dig gardening.
4. Learn how to have your own Lavender Propagation: Propagation from cuttings, propagation growth media, other propagation methods,
5. Commercial Alternatives for your Lavender: Managing a Market Garden, standards, mulches, problems and their control, weed control without chemicals, economic outlook for herbs.
6. Look at the various Selection and Breeding of Lavenders: Breeding and selecting new varieties, lavender clone selection for essential oils in Tasmania.
7. Try Building Plant Knowledge: Lavender types and other varieties, advantages and disadvantages of different varieties.
8. An overview of Harvesting, Postharvest Treatment and Storage: Harvesting, distillation and oils, post harvest preservation of fresh herbs, drying lavender.
9. Think about the Processing and Making Lavender Products: Lavender crafts, using herbs in cooking, selling herb products.
10. Learn how to Marketi Lavender Produce: how to market your produce, considering your market, market research, selling successfully.
DURATION: 100 hours
WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE?
There are a number of practical tasks students will carry out in this course. If students have problems accessing facilities or resources for practical tasks, alternative tasks can be set. Practical tasks include:
Prepare a collection of 20 different types of lavender in the form of pressed, dried, labelled specimens
Compile a resource file of contacts relevant to lavender and lavender growing
Contact a number of lavender related organisations for information on their activities in the industry
Collect and test at least three different soil samples
Identify and (optional) manufacture a potting mix suitable for lavender growing
Collect information on organic and inorganic fertilisers from fertiliser companies
Research information on machinery used in horticulture by contacting the companies that produce it
Produce a no dig garden or an organic garden
Manufacture a propagating mix for lavender cuttings
Take lavender cuttings for propagation
Contact a herb nursery to observe their operation
Research irrigation equipment by contacting irrigation suppliers
Cross pollinate lavender and grow the resulting seed
Compare various types of lavender
Harvest a number of different types of lavender
Produce a small quantity of lavender oil
Produce two non edible and one edible product containing lavender
Visit a shop selling lavender products to observe marketing procedures
Distance Learning Grow Lavender Course
Learn from industry experts- our tutors!
Study in your own time and at your own pace.
Understand how to grow lavender well.
A great course for anyone interested in growing lavender for personal and commercial reasons.
"Everyone loves lavender! This course is aimed at those you are looking to start their own lavender farm –but equally interesting to the enthusiast. Detailed throughout you should be well equipped to start that new venture by the time you have completed this course."
Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor.
This 100 hour course is designed for the Lavender enthusiast who is interested in the basics of all good Horticulture. Learn about soils and plant nutrition, growing new varieties of Lavender, methods for commercial production and marketing your products. There are Ten lessons for anyone interested in starting commercial lavender production or for learning more for a hobby in making use of the wonderful fragrance from Lavender.
