ONLINE STUDY AFRICAN VIOLETS
- Indulge a passion for African Violets, Gloxinias and other Gesneriads
- Learn how to Grow and Use African Violet Plants
- Work in or start a nusery or expand your skills in the horticulture trade
- For the enthusiast or commercial grower.
Lesson Structure
There are 8 lessons in this course:
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Introduction
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What is an African Violet
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Plant name pronunciation
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Review of the system of plant identification
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Introduction to Gesneriads
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Classification of Gesneriaceae
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Introduction to most commonly grown African Violet Species
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Information contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs etc.)
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Culture
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Understanding how plants grow
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Soils ad nutrition
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African Violet potting mixes
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Other cultural practices -Planting, watering, feeding, etc.
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Review of Gesneriad Genera -Columnea, Streptocarpus, Episcia, Aeschynanthus etc
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Propagation
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Sexual and asexual explained
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Propagation aids -greenhouses, hotbeds, cold frames, misting etc.
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Cuttings
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Seed
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Division
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Pests & Disease
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Plant maintenance and health
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Identifying problems
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Controlling problems
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Reviewing pest, disease and environmental issues that can confront African Violets
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Light and its Affects
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Understanding light affects on african violet flowering
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Artificial lighting
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Greenhouse Culture
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The greenhouse system
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Components of a greenhouse (floor, structure, ventilation, heating, etc)
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Types off Greenhouses
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Shadehouses
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Coldframes
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Heated propagators
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Environmental controls
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Heaters, Ventilators, etc
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Ways to Use African Violets
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Containers, in the ground, in greenhouses, growing for profit (to sell etc.)
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Review of popular cultivars
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Special Assignment
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PBL Project: Planning the establishment of a collection of Gesneriads, for a specific (real or hypothetical) location.
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 how African Violets and related plants are classified and the plant naming system
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Describe the cultural requirements of African violets
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Select appropriate propagating materials and using them, propagate African violets.
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Identify and control pest and diseases of African violets
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Discuss the role that light plays in the growth of African violets
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Describe greenhouses and other environmental control equipment used for growing African violets.
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Describe the various ways in which African violets can be grown
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Demonstrate the knowledge acquired for a specific group or individual plant in the Gesneriaceae family through research.
What are African Violets?
African violets belong to the genus Saintpaulia. They are native to Tanzania and adjacent south eastern Kenya in tropical Africa. The common name African violet is a description that came about due to their resemblance to a flowering violet.
There are approximately 21 species of Saintpaulia and they have the following characteristics:
• They are all terrestrial (ie. growing in soil), perennial, herbaceous plants.
• Leaves are hairy and usually arranged either opposite or caulescent.
• Leaf blades are petioled.
• Leaf shape is orbicular to elliptic.
• Leaves are commonly fleshy.
• Flowers occur either individually or several.
• The calyx is divided into two parts.
• There are 2 stamens.
• The anthers are yellow.
• The ovary is superior.
African violets can be classified into broad groups according to different obvious characteristics such as:
Flower shape:
• Single flowers have five petals
• Semi double flowers have six to nine petals
• Double flowers have two or more complete rows of petals
(With five petals to a row this means more 10 or more petals).
• Petals can also have shape variations (eg. frilled, fringed, picot, waved edge etc).
Leaves
Can vary in size, colour and shape
Growth Habit
• Standards are the common rosette forming plants
• Miniatures are plants smaller than 15cm diameter
• Semi Miniatures are plants 15-18cm in diameter
• Trailers are plants which develop several crowns or growing points, as such they can become much larger plants than standards.
What qualification will I achieve for completing this course?
This is an individual module course. The individual module courses are 100 hour long usually and can be taken on their own or as part of a larger program of study.
If you wish to take an individual module course as a stand alone course, you can elect to sit an optional exam at the end of it.
If you successfully pass the exam and all assignments, you will receive a Statement of Attainment. You can take examinations at a time and location to suit you. If you enrol, you will be sent further information on how to arrange examinations at the end of the course.
If you do not wish to take the exam, you will receive a Course Completion letter when you have passed all assignments.
There is an assignment at the end of each lesson. So for example, if an individual module course contains ten lessons, you will need to complete ten assignments. Assignments can be sent to us via email, post or fax.
Other qualifications, such as certificates, diplomas etc may require examinations to be taken as part of the overall assessment process.
You can find further information on the examinations process by clicking on the “Enrolment” link above.
You can find further information on other courses by clicking on the “Courses” link above.
More Information on ACS Distance Education and our courses
Who are our tutors?
Our tutors are all highly experienced and professional, knowledgeable in their field of study. We have staff from around the world, enabling us to gain a wide variety of perspectives. We have a school in the UK and in Australia. If you would like to have a look at our tutors, then click on the “About Us” in the boxes above and choose “The Staff” option.
Sample Course Notes
Our courses are all written by highly qualified tutors and writers, who also teach on the courses, so know them well. We strive to update our courses and improve them with new information, methods and knowledge on an ongoing basis. If you would like to see examples of some of our courses, then choose the “Enrolment” option above, and then click on “Sample Course Notes”.
What learning method should I choose?
We offer three learning methods – e-learning, correspondence and online. If you are not sure which is the right choose for you, then click on the “Learning” box above, then “Learning Methods.”
How Long will it take to complete the course?
This obviously varies from student to student. Some students will have more time for study than others. Some students may work quicker than others, so it is an individual thing. We estimate that most students will take, for example, 4 – 6 months to complete a 100 hour individual module, but we allow up to 12 months for you to complete it.
Longer courses will obviously take longer. You can find more information on the length of time required and so on the “Enrolment” box, then selecting “Terms and Conditions of Enrolment.”
What Do Our Students think of us?
If you would like to read comments from our previous students, then choose the “About Us” option above, then “Student Testimonials”.
I don’t think this is the right course for me.
If you’re not sure about this course, then why not look at our wide range of other courses. Click on the “Courses” box above.
You may also wish to design your own course to fit in with exactly what YOU want. To do so, click on the “Enrolment” box, then “Design your Own Course”.
If you would like more advice on a course, then you can contact us and ask a tutor about the courses. You can contact us by calling 0800 328 4723 or +44(0) 384 442752 or emailing info@acsedu.co.uk
Recognition and Accreditation
For more information on our recognition and accreditation, click on “The School”, then “Recognition”.
Who is ACS Distance Education?
If you want to know more about ACS and our history, then please click on “The School”, then “About us.”
