Study for Practical Skills and a Career in Herb Production
This course teaches is half focused on learning about general horticulture; and the other half, focused on herbs. As a graduate; you have the skills to work in or start a business in any sector of horticulture; but in addition, you have a specialised training with herbs. This added, specialist learning, is designed to set you apart from your competition and give you an edge over others in industry. In today's world, you need that little "extra" thing that others don't have, and this course gives you exactly that.
QUOTES
“This is beyond what you would learn in a Trade Certificate in Horticulture. It teaches you everything a tradesman would learn about plant culture; and more science, plus more plant identification than what an average tradesperson would know” - John Mason Dip.Hort.Sc., Cert.Supn, FIOH, FPLA, Professional Horticulturist for over 40 years, Garden Author and educator
“Learn to grow plants first! This may sound simple but in reality a herb is a plant like any other, and to be truly successful in this field you will need the general horticultural knowledge offered through this terrific course. The second half of the course focuses on the diverse aspects of herb growing from medicine to farming. A wonderful course in an exciting field.” - Adriana Fraser Cert.Hort., Cert.Child Care, Adv.Cert.App.Mgt., Cert 1V Assessment and Training, Adv.Dip.Hort, ACS Tutor.
COURSE STRUCTURE
This course is made up of the following two PARTS:
1. CORE STUDIES - at least 350 hours of study, or half the course. The student completes 15 lessons on GENERAL HORTICULTURE.
2. STREAM STUDIES - a further 300-350 hrs of study SPECIALISING IN HERBS.
Lesson Structure
There are 30 lessons in this course:
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Plant Identification
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Introduction
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Botanical/Horticultural Nomenclature
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The Binomial (Taxonomic) System
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Botanical Classification
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Plant Families and Species
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Hybrids, Varieties, Cultivars
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Plant Family Names
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Pronunciation of Plant Names
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Significant Genera and Families they belong to
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Meanings and origins of Plant Names
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Pressing Plants (to create a herbaria collection for reference)
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Introduction to Amenity Plants
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Flowering Plants
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Lower Plants – Conifers, Ferns
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Rhododendrons and Azaleas
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Roses
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Bulbs
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Practical – Plant Review Worksheets
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Parts of the Plant
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Plant Identification Skills
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How to increase your Plant I.D. Skills
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Terminology
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Lead Types
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Structure and Arrangement of Leaves and Leaflets
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Common Leaf Shapes
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Flower Structure
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Parts of a Flower
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The Inflorescence
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Types of Flowers – bisexual, unisexual, monoecious, dioeceous
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How a Seed Forms
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Plant Structure
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Stems and Stem Modifications
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Leaves and Leaf Modifications
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Roots and Root Function
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Root Modifications
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Morphological Changes as a Plant Matures
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Cell Structure and Histology
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Cell Components
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Plant Cell Types
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Plant Tissue Comparisons
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Photosynthesis
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Factors Affecting Photosynthesis
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Respiration
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Rate of Respiration
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Transpiration
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Environmental Factors Affecting Transpiration and Water Uptake
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The Nitrogen Cycle
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Terminology
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Plant Culture – Planting
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Planting
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Environmental Influences on Plants
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Potting Up Plants
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Potting Shrubs and Trees
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Introduction to Gardening Basics
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Terminology
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Common Mistakes when Planting
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Plant Selection Criteria
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Economics of Planting
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Ongoing Costs
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Longevity
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General Hardiness
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Aesthetic Criteria
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Basic Planting Procedure
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Fertiliser
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Staking
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Bare Rooted Plants
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Timing of Planting
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Considerations, Variety, Time, Locality, Mulching
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Laying a New Lawn – Soil Prep, Levels, Sowing, Raking in, Watering
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Turf Grass Varieties – Couch, Fescue, Rye, Bent, Kentucky Blue
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Plant Culture – Pruning
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Fruit or Vegetative Buds
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Reasons for Pruning
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Removing Dead or Diseased Wood
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Controlling Growth Type
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Controlling Shape and Size
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Rejuvenation
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Basic Pruning Rules
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Home Orchard Pruning
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Fruit Tree Pruning Styles
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Before Pruning
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Considerations while Pruning
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Pruning Terminology
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Plant Culture – Irrigation and Machinery
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Water and Irrigation
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Infiltration and Drainage
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Types of Irrigation
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Flood Irrigation
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Sprinkler Irrigation
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Trickle Irrigation
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Power Tools
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Types of Power Tools
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Power Tool Maintenance
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Oil
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Buying Power Tools
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Chainsaws – Use, Starting, Chain Sharpening
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Mowers – types. Guidelines for use, Care
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Brush Cutters/ Strimmers
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Mulchers
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Rotary Hoes
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Hedge Trimmers
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Irrigation Objectives and Feasibility
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Understanding Soil, Water and Plants
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Gravitational, Capillary and Hygroscopic Water
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Measuring Water Available to Plants
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Calculations – Field Capacity, Wilting Point
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Available Moisture Range
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Root Depths for Different Plants
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Estimating Plant Water Requirement
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When to Irrigate
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Symptoms of Water Deficiency and Excess
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Types of Sprinkler Systems and Sprinkler Heads
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Design and Operation of Irrigation Systems
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Cyclic Watering
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Pulse Watering
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Irrigation Scheduling
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Selecting Surface Irrigation Methods
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Soils and Media
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Potting Mixes
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Factors Affecting Fertiliser Application
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Soils
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Sampling Soils
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Soil Composition
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Colloids and Peds
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Soil Texture and Structure
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Soil Chemical Properties
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Improving Soils – texture, structure, fertility
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Soil Terminology
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Soils ad Nutrition
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Introduction
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Nutrient Elements
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Macronutrients
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Nitrogen
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Phosphorus
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Potassium
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Magnesium
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Calcium
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Sulphur
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Micronutrients
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Soil pH and Nutrient Availability
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Soil Ameliorants
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Total Salts
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Salinity
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Sources of Salt
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Control Methods for Salinity
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Soil Sodicity
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Water, Air and Nutrients
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Soil Temperature
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Key to Diagnosis of Nutritional Problems
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Fertilisers
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Composting
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Compost Ingredients
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Propagation – Seed and Cuttings
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Introduction
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Seed Propagation
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Hygiene
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How to Sow Seeds in Containers
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Seed Germination
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Seed Sources
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Seed Storage
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Factors Affecting Seed Storage
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Germinating Difficult Seeds
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Seed Dormancy
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Treatments to Break Dormancy
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Cutting Propagation
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Cutting Types – Softwood, Hardwood, Semi Hardwood, Herbaceous, Stem, Tip, Heal. Leaf, etc
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Factors affecting Rooting of Cuttings
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Plant Breeding
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Hybrid Seed Production
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Maintaining Genetic Identity in Seed
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Hand Pollination
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Propagation – Other Techniques
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Division
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Aseptic Micro Propagation
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Grafting
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Budding
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Layering
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Tip Layering
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Mound Layering
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Simple Layering
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Compound Layering
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Aerial Layering
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Natural Layering – Suckers, Runners, Offsets, Crowns
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Propagation with Specialised Stems and Roots – Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Rhizomes, Pseudobulbs
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Propagating Bulbs – Bulblets on Scales, Stem Cuttings, Bulbils, Basal Cutting etc
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Identification and Use of Plants – Landscape Application
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Plants in the Landscape
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Choosing Plants – criteria
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Inspecting Plants Pre Purchase
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Trees for Landscaping
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Factors for Tree Selection
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Potential Tree Problems
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Choosing Shrubs for Different Purposes
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Groundcovers
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Building Plant Knowledge of Many Tree and Shrub Genera
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Trees for Different Conditions
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Planting Techniques
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Soil Restrictions on Planting
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Identification and Use of Plants-Problem Situations
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Establishing Trees
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Tree Size & Age at Planting
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Root Containment at Planting - Container Type, Bare Rooted or Balled
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What to look for when Buying a Tree
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Plant Protection at Planting – Staking, Frost Protection, Sun Protection, Cages
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Controlling Birds
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Props
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Cabling & Bolting
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Quick Reference Plant Directory
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Container Growing Outside
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Street Tree Reporting
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Identification and Use of Plants – Indoor
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Introduction to Indoor Plants
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Why Indoor Plants Die
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Potting Mixes
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Drainage holes in Pots
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How to Pot a small Plant to a Larger Pot
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Potting up Hanging Baskets
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Plantscaping with Ferns
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Fern Families and Genera
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Pests
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Chemical Pest Control
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Law
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Chemical Labelling
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Non Chemical Pest Control
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Care when Using Chemicals
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Entomology & Insect Control Methods
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Types of Insect Poisons – contact, intermediate, stomach, translocated or not
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Integrated Pest Management
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Insecticide Use with IPM
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Preventative Actions in the Garden
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Understanding Pesticides – Reading the Label
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Toxicity, Activity Spectrum, LD50. Persistence, Volatility, etc.
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Chemical Types -Inorganic, Biological, Organophosphates, Organochlorines, Carbamates, etc.
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Review of Specific Chemical Products
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Diatomaceous earth, Soaps
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Fungicides
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Ways of Applying Chemicals – Spraying, Dusting, Granules, Irrigation injection
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Safety Procedures when Using Agricultural Chemicals
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Differentiation of Pests, Diseases and Viruses
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Review of most Common Pests
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Diseases
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Fungicides
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Plant Pathology
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Identifying a Problem – Parasitic, Non Parasitic
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Treating a Problem
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Diagnosis of Plant Disorders – Visual Appearance, Possible Cause, Appropriate Treatment
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Common Diseases
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Anthracnose
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Blight
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Canker
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Damping Off
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Galls
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Leaf Spot
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Mildew
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Rots
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Rust
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Smut
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Mould
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Wilt
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Other Common Diseases
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Turf Fungal Diseases
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Plant Virus Detection and Diagnosis
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Arboriculture and Tree Health
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Weeds
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What is a Weed
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Steps to Controlling Weeds
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Weed Control with Suffocation
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Weed Control with Burning
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Cultivation to Control Weeds
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Other Non Chemical Weed Control Methods – Grazing, Mowing, Flooding, pH change, Biological Controls
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Weed Control with Herbicides
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Modes of Action
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Regulations and Laws - Restricted Use & Supply
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Avoiding Spray Drift
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Types of Herbicide Chemicals – Aliphatics, Amides, Ureas, Carbamates etc.
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Herbicide Resistance and Tolerance
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Safe Use of Weed killers
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Safety Guidelines and First Aid in relation to Chemical Use
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Cleaning Up a Chemical Spill
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Identifying Weeds
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Controlling Weeds in Different Places – fence lines, base of trees, garden Beds, Hard Surfaces
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Types of Weeds
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Noxious Weeds
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Environmental Weeds
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Common Weeds
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Terminology
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Lavenders
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Introduction
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Lavender Species
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Lavender Classification – 5 sub groups
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Varieties/Cultivars
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Lavandin hybrid
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English Lavenders
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Italian Lavender
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How to Grow Lavender
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Transplanting
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Buying Plants
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Harvesting and Using
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Lavender Crafts
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Edible Lavender Products
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Mints
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Mint Production
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Disease Control
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Mint Species
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Lamiaceae Herbs
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Introduction
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Thymes
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Propagating Thymus
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Thyme cultivars
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Salvia (Sages)
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Garlic
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Introduction to Garlic
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Appearance
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Propagation
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Culture
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Harvest and Processing
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Asteraceae(Compositae) Herbs
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Chamomile
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German Chamomile
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Roman Chamomile
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Artemisia
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The Apiaceae Family
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Angelica
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Fennel
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Parsley
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Dill
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Anise
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Cumin
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Other Herbs
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Rosa (Rose) Types
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Rose Culture
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Strawberry
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Scented Geraniums
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Fragrant Australian Indigenous Plants
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Ginger
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Topiary & Hedges
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Introduction
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Pruning Techniques
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Removing dead wood
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Controlling growth type
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Controlling shape and size
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Plant Rejuvenation
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Pruning Rules
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Rosemary Topiary
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Hedges
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Producing Herb Products A
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Ointments
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Using Fats
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Using Oils and Beeswax
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Infusions
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Decoctions
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Syrups
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Tinctures
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Sprays
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Potpourri
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Herbal Paper
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Making Herbal Paper
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Distillation and Oils
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Producing Herb Products B
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Ointments
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Using Fats
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Using Oils and Beeswax
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Infusions
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Decoctions
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Syrups
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Tinctures
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Sprays
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Potpourri
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Herbal Paper
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Making Herbal Paper
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Distillation and Oils
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Producing Herb Products C
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Getting your Plants
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Propagation
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Production Systems
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Managing Greenlife
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Production and Propagation Nurseries
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Stock Plant Management
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Seed Sources
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Collecting and Storing Seed
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Types of Seed Storage
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Improving Production Efficiency
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What herbs to Grow in What Soil Conditions
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Safe Pest and Disease Control in the Herb Nursery
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Watering Herbs
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Hydroponic Herbs
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Lavender Propagation
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Herb Nursery Standards
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Marketing in the Herb Industry
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Knowing the Customers
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Marketing Tips
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Market Research
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Considering Optional Markets
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Gathering Information
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How to Sell Successfully
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Budgeting & Business Planning
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Making the Farm Profitable
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Economic Principles
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Law of Supply and Demand
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Law of Substitution
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Law of Diminishing Returns
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Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility
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Scale of Economies
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Planning Procedure
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Other Planning Approaches
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Production Plan
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Finance & Financial Planning
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Land Care and Management
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Cash Flow and Budget
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Problem Solving
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Borrowing
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Buying
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Reducing Costs
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Self Evaluation
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Workforce Design & Management
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Introduction
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Giving Directives & Introducing Change
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Orders and Instruction
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Supervision Styles
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Work Programming
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Organising the Workplace
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Organisational Structures
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Bookkeeping Needs
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Record Keeping
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Communications in Writing
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Work Scheduling
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Major Research Project
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
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Use the binomial system of plant classification
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Develop a resource file for information about herbs
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Identify a wide range of herb species and varieties, their culture and uses, and their availability
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Study in depth the most commonly grown herb varieties, their culture and uses
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Use herbs in a different herb crafts and foods
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Identify medicinal and toxic chemical properties of herbs (both in general and specific terms)
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Describe work procedures involved in operating a herb farm, including harvesting herbs and use of post-harvest treatments
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Plan and prepare to manage a maintenance program in an garden or herb enterprise
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Design and implement a marketing program for a business operating in the herb industry.
HOW ARE HERBS USED?
Herbs are used in all sorts of ways; from providing flavour in our foods to fragrance in cosmetics and toiletries. Herbs are important garden plants and the source of materials for crafts. Some are used as medicines, and others to bring a fragrance inside as an indoor pot plant or cut flower.
This course will expand your perception of what herbs can be used for what purposes, as well as how to identify and grow them.
Is This What Should You Study?
This certificate is different to our Certificate in Herbs in that:
a/ It covers more general, broad based horticulture. You learn more about landscaping, propagation and growing plants beyond just herbs (and that keeps your options for work in the future a bit broader).
BUT
b/ In teaching you about things beyond herbs, there is less time to specialize in herbs; so the pure herb studies are reduced. The second half of this course now teaches you specifically about herbs; and with the underpinning knowledge you covered earlier, you will find that understanding and remembering this second part of the course will become easier, and your knowledge of herbs will strengthen beyond what may have been possible without first covering those underpinning topics.
In the grand scheme of things though; the difference between this certificate and the Certificate in Herbs is not huge. Your direction and level of success after you complete either course will depend more upon your motivation and enthusiasm and the experience you strive for after graduation.
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