This course aims to familiarise you with the use and culture of what are traditionally the most common herb plants. It should provide you with a sound framework upon which you will be able to develop your knowledge of herbs. This is a course for the amateur who likes to use herbs at home. If you are serious about growing or using herbs commercially, you are better to do our Herb Culture Course (Ht371).
COURSE STRUCTURE
The course is divided into 6 lessons as follows:
1. Introduction to Herbs. Plant identification, plant names, general characteristics of herbs, the history of herbs, and herb resources (nurseries, seeds, clubs, etc).
2. Herb Gardening. Planting, propagation, soils, plant nutrition, and container growing.
3. Companion Planting. Introduction to companion planting, herb garden design.
4. Growing Herbs to Harvest. Herb products, setting up a herb farm, making compost.
5. Herbs for Cooking. Herb crafts, herb ingredients, cooking with herbs.
6. Herbs for fragrance, health and beauty. Dyes, mordants, oils, other herb crafts.
Duration: 100 hours
LEARNING OUTCOMES
During the course, the student will learn how to:
Define “herb”
Identify herbs suitable for hanging baskets, indoor growing, and appropriate methods of propagation for at least 50 herb species
Define “companion planting”
Give examples of appropriate companion planting
Build an efficient compost heap
Identify appropriate herbs for culinary uses
Identify some medicinal uses for herbs
WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THIS COURSE?
During the course, the student will actually:
Collect and identify 30 different herb specimens
Learn the basics of plant identification
Make contact with herb farms to ask about their operation
Propagate herbs by cuttings
Prepare a soil suitable for growing herbs
Design and plant a herb garden
Visit retailers to investigate the types of herb products available
Prepare food containing herbs
Harvest and dry a herb correctly
Prepare one other type of herb product
