Study General Horticulture; then build on that foundation with a deeper study of Viticulture
A 600 hr course for people working, or
intending to work, in the production of grapes.
This course is similar
to other CVHT002 horticulture certificates in its introductory (core)
units, but devotes 50% of the course to topics specifically related to
the production of grapes for wine, drying or as fresh fruit.
Free Student Membership is offered on enrolment to the Australian Institute of Horticulture.
The core units comprise fifteen lessons that are divided into the following sections:
- Introduction to Plants
- Plant Culture
- Soils and Nutrition
- Plant Identification and Use
- Pests, Diseases and Weeds
This is followed by the Stream Lessons listed (after the core lessons) below.
Fees do not include exam fees. There are two exams for the core and two for the stream.
Lesson Structure
There are 31 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
-
Plant Identification Skills
-
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
-
Factors Affecting Photosynthesis
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Respiration
-
Rate of Respiration
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Transpiration
-
Environmental Factors Affecting Transpiration and Water Uptake
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The Nitrogen Cycle
-
Terminology
-
Plant Culture – Planting
-
Planting
-
Environmental Influences on Plants
-
Potting Up Plants
-
Potting Shrubs and Trees
-
Introduction to Gardening Basics
-
Terminology
-
Common Mistakes when Planting
-
Plant Selection Criteria
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Economics of Planting
-
Ongoing Costs
-
Longevity
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General Hardiness
-
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
-
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
-
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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THIS CONCLUDES THE CORE STUDIES AFTER WHICH YOU STUDY THE STREAM LESSONS FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THIS COURSE.
-
STREAM LESSONS:
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Overview of the Viticulture Industry
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Global Viticulture
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Climate Change Impacts
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Major Wine Growing Areas around the World
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The Grape
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Genus Vitus and Muscadinia
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Variety Classification
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Table Grapes, Wine Grapes, Dried Fruit, Juice, Canned.
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Introduction to Grapevines
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Hoe Plants Grow
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Roots, Stems, Leaves
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Reproductive Parts
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Pollination
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Fruit Set, Development and Growth
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Plant Cells & Parts
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Cell Walls
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Types of Plant Cells
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Plant Tissues - Xylem, Phloem, etc
-
Photosynthesis
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Chloroplasts
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Environmental Factors affecting Photosynthesis
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Respiration
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Transpiration
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Water Use in Plants
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Growth in the Grape Vine
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Propagation Of Grapevines
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Introduction to Grafting
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Why Budding or Grafting
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How a Graft Forms
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Factors Influencing Graft Formation
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Carpentry of Grafting
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Types of Grafts
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Grafting Tapes
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Bench Grafting
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Phylloxera
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Characteristics of Commonly Used Rootstocks
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Cutting Propagation
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Hardwood Cuttings
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Softwood Cuttings
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Leaf Bud Single Node Cuttings
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Hormone Treatment
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Terminology
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Improving Grape Quality
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Flower Set
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Second Set
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Girdling
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Berry Thinning - Hand or Chemically
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Pest and Diseases in Grapes
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Integrated Pest Management in Vineyards
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Pests
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Grape Phylloxera
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Management
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Monitoring and Treatments
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Chemical Controls
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Grape Berry Moth
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Mealy Bug
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Grape Leaf Folder
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Nematodes
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Leaf Hoppers
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Rust Mite
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Midge
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Beetles
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Larger Animals
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Grape Diseases
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Fungal - Mould, Mildew, Dieback etc
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Bacterial Disease
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Viruses
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Organic Grape Culture
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Birds
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Climate and Other Factors for Siting Vineyards
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Temperature
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Temperature Index and Degree Days
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Sunlight
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Rainfall
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Soil
-
Soil Types and Wine regions
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Terroir
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Physical Soil Characteristics
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Chemical Soil Characteristics
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Understanding Plant Nutrition
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Soil Water Content
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Simple Soil Tests
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Measuring Soil Water Content
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Grape Varieties & Selection
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Grape Types
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Selection Considerations
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What to Plant
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What is First - Site or Variety
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Matching Variety to Site
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Varietal Characteristics
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Selecting Wine Grapes
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Yield
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Available Clones
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Significant Varieties
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Chenin Blanc
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Chardonnay
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Pinot Blanc
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Semillon
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Muscat Ottonel
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Muscadelle
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Gewürztraminer
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Cabernet Sauvignon
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Vitus rotundifolia
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Wine Grapes
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Raisin Grapes
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Juice Grapes
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Establishing a Vineyard
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Planning
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Making Decisions
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Site Planning
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Vineyard Layout
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Site Preparation
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Soil Preparation
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Shelter Belts
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Planting the Vines
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Vine Spacing
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Cropping Infrastructure
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Sloping and Terraced Sites
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Equipment
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How to Plant a Grape Vine
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Planting Bare Rooted Vines
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Pruning and Training
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Shoot Spacing
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Vine Spacing
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Bud Numbers
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Machine Pruning
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Summer Pruning
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Combination Pruning
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Stages in Pruning a Sultana Vine
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Trellising
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Trellis Construction - End Assembly, Posts, Wire, etc
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Geneva Double Curtain System
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Kniffen Systems
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Head Training System
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Cordoning
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Guyot System
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Umbrella System
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Pergola System
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Harvesting and Post Harvest
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Introduction
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Harvesting
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Ripeness Testing
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The Ripening Process
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Influence of Weather
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Pathogen Life Cycles
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Harvest Techniques
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Selling Grapes
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Guidelines for Selling to a Winery
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Vineyard Resume
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Strategies for Selling Grapes
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Contracts
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Selling Online
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Brokers
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The Salesperson
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Marketing and Economics
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Developing a Marketing Plan
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Advertising
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Publicity
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Market Research
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Market Legalities
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Wine Making
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Fermentation
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White vs Red Processes
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Clearing and Finishing
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Managing a Vineyard
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Work Scheduling
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Health and Safety
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Communication Skills
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Written Communication
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Conciseness
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Preciseness
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Office Functions
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Office Processes
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Flow Charts
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Statistics
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Data Storage and Management
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Financial Records
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Bookkeeping Basics
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Machinery and Equipment
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Equipment Used in Vineyards
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Small Tools
-
Winery Specific Tools
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Secateurs
-
Spades and Shovels
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Wheelbarrows
-
Sprayers
-
Tractors
-
Cultivators
-
Tractor Safety and Maintenance
-
Irrigation
-
Water Management
-
Runoff
-
Water Saving Measures
-
Irrigating and Feeding Grapes
-
Excessive Irrigation
-
Seasonal Effects
-
Irrigation Monitoring and Timing
-
Drip Irrigation
-
Irrigation Design Considerations
-
Soil and Water
-
Gravitational Water
-
Capillary Water
-
Hygroscopic Water
-
Water Deficiency and Excess
-
Timing of Irrigations
-
Cyclic Watering
-
Calculating Field Capacity
-
Calculating Permanent Wilting Point
-
Available Moisture Range
-
Calculating Air Filled Porosity
-
Estimating Water Required
-
Vineyard Drainage
-
Improving Sub Soil and Surface Drainage
-
Plant Nutrition
-
Basic Chemistry and Plant Nutrition
-
Writing Chemical Names
-
What chemicals a Plant Needs
-
Calculating Formulae
-
Plant Nutritional Elements
-
Soil Fertility
-
Type and Timing of Fertilising
-
Fertigation
-
Agricultural Chemicals
-
Chemical Use
-
Herbicides
-
Knockdown, Residual, Contact, Systemic Herbicides
-
Pre emergent herbicides
-
Selective Herbicides
-
Characteristics of Insecticides
-
Chemical Herbicide Control Methods
-
Review of Various Pesticides that may be Used in Vineyards
-
Supervision
-
Management Fundamentals
-
Planning
-
Organising
-
Leading
-
Controlling
-
Supervision Fundamentals
-
Communication Skills for Supervisors
-
Listening Skills
-
Active Listening
-
Organisation Structures
-
Supervision Tasks
-
Supervision Styles
-
Influence in the Workplace
-
Familiarity
-
Giving Directives and Orders
-
Making Instructions Clear
-
Employee Evaluation Systems
-
Job Analysis
-
Increasing Efficiency
-
Production Plan
-
Information Collection for Planning
-
Decisions that May be Required
-
Propagation Production System
-
Organising & Re-organising a Workplace
-
Performance Management
-
Staff Appraisals
-
Labour Wastage
-
Age Profiling
-
Staff Training
-
Improving Efficiency- Vineyard Layout
-
Designing a Store
-
Customer Service
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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Describe the nature and scope of the Viticulture industry throughout the world.
-
Explain the physiology of the grape and the physiological processes of the plant.
-
Outline propagation techniques used for grapevines.
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Describe the processes behind the improvement of grape quality (including pest and disease problems).
-
Outline the climatic and other factors that should be considered in selecting a site for a vineyard.
-
Describe commonly grown grape varieties that would and would not be suitable for growing in your area.
-
Develop a procedure to establish a vineyard.
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Outline the harvesting and post handling procedures for grapes.
-
Outline the management procedures and work program for a vineyard.
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Describe the type of equipment you will need to set and manage a vineyard.
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Outline irrigation equipment and procedures required in a vineyard.
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Explain plant nutritional requirements and outline a fertiliser program for a vineyard.
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Outline the characteristics of pesticides and herbicides and health and safety procedures for their use.
-
Outline the supervisory structure in a vine yard.
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Outline methods of how to increase efficiency in a vineyard.
HOW MIGHT THIS COURSE HELP YOU?
Upon conclusion you can:
- Start up a vineyard.
- Find work in an established vineyard.
- Have improved your knowledge if you are already working in the industry.
- Improve your career options.
- Increase your flexibility within the horticulture industry in general.
WHY CHOOSE US?
Reputation: well-known and respected.
Industry focus: courses designed to suit industry needs and expectations.
Different focus: develop problem solving skills that make you stand out from others.
Hands-on: develop practical as well as theoretical skills.
Lots of help: dedicated and knowledgeable tutors.
Efficient: prompt responses to your questions.
A long track record: established in 1979 with a solid history.
Up to date: courses under constant review.
Resources: huge wealth of constantly developing intellectual property.
Value: courses compare very favourably on a cost per study hour basis.
Student amenities: online student room, bookshop, ebooks.
Contact us by using the link below to ensure that you are choosing the right course for you.
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