Nursery and Propagation Courses

Learn to efficiently propagate a wide variety of plants by Cuttings

This course lays the foundation for a career as a professional propagator; or to start your own production nursery.

This is a particularly valued skill in today's nursery industry, and while no course alone is going to make you into an exceptional propagator, this training provides a necessary foundation needed to build these skills.  Duration: 100 hours

“Here we have an incredibly informative course for anyone seeking to improve their ability to run or manage a garden centre. All aspects of indoor and outdoor plant care are discussed as well as stock selection and optimal plant display techniques. Graduates will also enhance their knowledge of typical garden centre products, marketing strategies, and how to get the most out of their staff.” - Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor.

Learn to run your own garden centre, or be manager of your favourite one!

This course has been very successful in training both staff and managers of retail nurseries and garden centres. Originally designed in 1986, in conjunction with the State Garden Department Manager of a major retail chain store; revised many times since then to keep up with current standards. It is useful for establishing standards in your garden centre and giving direction for the staff and managers.

 “If you are looking to work in a wholesale nursery, or are planning to set up your own, this course provides a good foundation of applicable skills. After this course you will feel confident taking on work in this interesting industry.” - Tracey Morris Dip.Hort., Cert.Hort., Cert III Organic Farming, ACS Tutor.

An introductory course which shows the beginner how to get started in the nursery business.You learn how to propagate plants, decide what to propagate, how to start a small inexpensive operation, and to go about selling what you grow. Part of every lesson is devoted to the important area of building up your knowledge of plants.Through six lessons you will learn how many established nurseries have started out slowlyas a small part time operation, and how youcan follow the same path. (If you intend studying propagation and wholesale nursery management, do not do this course!).

Do you want to work outdoors! “Those who seek to enter the nursery industry or who are currently employed in a nursery will find this course invaluable. From plant identification to propagation, nursery structures to irrigation, this course has it all. Graduates will be accomplished in all aspects of nursery work from the ground up to marketing.” - Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor.

Learn the skills for day to daywork in a production nursery. There are eleven lessons involving: The Nursery Industry - operational flowcharts, 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. This is a course designed in collaboration with nursery hands at the Greening Australia Hamel Nursery,south of Perth; and has been revised many times since. 

“Whether dealing directly with members of the public or with other professionals such as landscape gardeners, it is imperative that nursery sales staff have sufficient plant knowledge to communicate effectively. That’s where this course comes in. A must do course for those wishing to improve their sales skills whilst simultaneously improving their awareness of plant identification, use, and care.” - Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor.

Become a valuable nursery staff member!
Learn about plant identification, plant care and how to really sell plants to customers! This wide-ranging course will teach you all the sales secrets you need to know, plus give you the knowledge to advise customers on plants. This course was developed in response to a request from a retail nurseryperson who was finding it difficult to find staff with appropriate skills. As he put it, job applicants were either over qualified or lacked the basic skills needed: to be able to identify plants, advise customers on their use and to understand some basic sales techniques and procedures.

Plant breeding is a bigger industry than most people realize. In some places, earnings from plant breeding rights can equal or exceed earnings from actually producing plants. Today's nurseryman needs to understand plant breeding and selection; and to this end, this course is a very valuable and unique course for anyone working in the modern industry.

Distance Education Course -Plant Propagation

FOUNDATION COURSE IN PROPAGATING PLANTS

Why not develop your broad skills in plant propagation!  
Plants are propagated both sexually (from two parents eg. seed & spore) and asexually (from two parents eg. cuttings, grafting, layers, division). This course deals with the principles of propagation, and all of these methods; as well as materials and equipment.

This is a module from the accredited RHS Diploma and provides credit toward IARC accredited diplomas offered both through ACS and our affiliate colleges in five countries

Learn the intricacies of propagating plants of all types from seed.

Some seeds germinate easily, and others don't. Discover how should seed be stored and how seeds should be treated to encourage germinateion.

How do you get seedlings to survive? Seed propagation can be complex, but doing this course will lay a foundation for working more effectively with all types of seed, to achieve better results wherever you live.

You can grow just about anything when you know how to propagate your own plants. It is a valuable part of saving money for your landscape and nursery business. A skill you will have for always.

Tissue culture micro-propagation

Tissue culture involves growing plants from very small sections (sometimes microscopic) in a laboratory. It is a propagation method which is being increasingly used. Tissue culture is not appropriate for many plants, but for specialist plants such as orchids, some indoor plants and many new plant varieties, it is a very popular propagation method.

This course gives students a useful overview of the growth of plants, nutrient media, propagation methods, laboratory organisation and other elements involved in the tissue culture process.

“This fascinating course works as a compendium of all you need to know about establishing a nursery and running it to its maximum profitability. Everything from site selection, plant specialisation, irrigation and feeding techniques, to marketing strategies, cost analyses, and employee productivity is covered. Nursery managers and owners alike will benefit tremendously from completing this course.” - Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor.

Learn to Be a Successful Nursery Manager

Managing a production nursery involves more than just propagating and potting up plants. Even the small nursery must be able to not only producer plants, but do it at a pre determined cost, then sustain those plants before and during marketing.. The nursery industry currently has a real need for people with skills and knowledge in managing production plant nurseries! This course provides a solid grounding for developing those skills.