Plant Selection And Establishment

Learn What Plants to Plant Where

“It’s interesting how much difference the correct establishment of plants can make to the long term health of a garden. Learn how to get it right the first time with this course.” - Tracey Morris Dip.Hort., Cert.Hort., Cert III Organic Farming, ACS Tutor.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction
   • What to plant where, Plant selection, Plant varieties, Colourful year round foliage, Establishment (timing, soil preparation, plant size, planting technique), Maintenance programs, etc
2. Woody plants
   • Selecting woody plants, trees, shrubs, deciduous/semi deciduous/evergreen; flowering shrubs, Establishing woody plants, Planting procedure, Dealing with shade, etc
3. Windbreaks, hedges and screens
   • Plant selection, establishing windbreaks & screens, Trimming a hedge, etc
4. Alpine and water plants
   • Selecting & establishing alpines, Selecting water plants, Establishment & maintenance of water plants
5. Annual and herbaceous plants
   • Selecting annuals, Types of annuals (by height, flower, edge plants, dot plants, groundwork plants), types of bedding schemes, Planting seed or seedlings, Container culture, Selection & Establishment of herbaceous plants (Bulbs & Perennials), Maximizing flowering effect, etc
6. Turf
   • Varieties, Lawn mixes, What to grow where, Wildflower Meadows, Turf establishment, Soil Preparation, Seeding, Sodding, Stolonizing, Sprigging, Plugging, Mowing, Fertilising, etc
7. Maintenance
   • Fertilizing, Managing pH, Replacing plants, Pruning, Irrigation, Humidity, Mulch, Developing a maintenance Program,
8. Pest and disease control
   • Problem prevention, Non chemical control, Chemical control,
9. Weed control
   • Non chemical control, Chemical control, Safety, Alternative strategies.
10. Risk assessment
    • Identifying risk, Duty of care, Workplace safety, Protective clothing, Safety with tools, Significance of illness, etc

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.

Aims

• Develop knowledge of the range of applications for and selection and establishment of horticultural plants.
• Develop knowledge in the establishment and maintenance of a range of woody plants, with different modes of growth, for different situations
• Develop knowledge in selection, establishment, and maintenance of species suitable for hedges windbreaks and screens.
• Describe the cultivation of alpine and water plants.
• Describe the selection, cultivation, and maintenance of herbaceous plants.
• Explain the selection, establishment and maintenance of turf and lawns.
• Explain the maintenance and cultural requirements of herbaceous, woody, and other plants.
• Consider the different pest and disease control implications resulting from the choice of different plant varieties.
• Determine pest and disease control requirements for a new garden.
• Explain the control of weeds in a garden.
• Explain the implications upon weed management that result from selection of particular plants for use in a garden.
• Manage establishment and maintenance of plants in a way that minimizes safety risks to people working in or visiting a garden.

What You Will Do

• This course involves far more than just reading and answering questions. Here are just some examples of other things which you might be doing:
• Visiting different gardens, nurseries and/or parks. These could include home gardens, parks, commercial or any other type of site. The choice is yours.
• If for some reason (eg. Disability or isolation) you are unable to physically visit gardens or other places, you may undertake a "virtual visit" using the internet; and liaise via email.
• Survey or interview industry people.
• Analyse and devise maintenance plants for different areas.
• Research the cause of an incident.
• Prepare a weed collection of either pressings, photographs or illustrations.

WHYCHOOSE US?

• Support:  communicate directly with staff . Answering you is our top priority
• Different:  if your training is different, you stand out
• Resources:  unique collection of people and intellectual property.
• Reputation: A team of a dozen university trained horticulturists led by our principal John Mason, with a 40 year career incl. author of over 50 gardening books, garden editor, landscape, nurseryman and parks director
• Flexibility:  more options for how, where, when and what you study
• Learning is top priority: what you learn changes you for life. Everything else is secondary
• Better value:   Compare our cost per study hour.
• Reliability:  Established since 1979, and being independent means we have avoided the stresses suffered by many other institutions