ONLINE COURSE IN GARDEN MAINTENANCE
- Learn to maintain plants and gardens
- Build the skills needed to be an effective gardener
- Increase your employability and opportunities for work in garden maintenance
Comment from a Student:
"This is the first correspondence course I have done and I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU. I appreciate everyone's effort in such a professionally-run organisation with seamless administration. The office staff's happy can-do attitude, their fast responses to all queries, tutor Shane Gould's quick turnaround in assignment marking and his supportive and motivational feedback and last but not least, the sound subject guides. Most importantly I hope my thanks and appreciation can be communicated to all the staff who have supported me long the way of my learning! I work full time and study on the weekend but really don't stop thinking about what gardening solution I need in order to answer my assignments every day of the week. Thank you for such a great learning experience and I cant wait to start the second half of my course!!"
- Skye
Lesson Structure
There are 10 lessons in this course:
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Introduction Planning and managing a garden.
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Cost of Maintenance
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Expensive and Less Expensive areas of a garden
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Planning
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Garden Checklists
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Analyzing Maintenance of Parks and Gardens
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Organising Garden Maintenance Staff
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Garden Furnishings and Machinery
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What Tool for What Job
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Overview of Machinery
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Mowers and How to Mow
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Aerators, Chippers, Mechanised Sprayers, Chain Saws, Brush Cutters, etc.
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Tractors
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Tool Maintenance
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Engine Troubleshooting
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Outdoor Furniture -plastic, timber, metal
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Protecting Furnishings -paints, stains, preservatives
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Feeding Plants
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Symptoms of Nutritional and other Problems
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Conducting an Inspection of Plants
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Soil Characteristics and identification of Soil Issues
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Review of Plant Nutrition
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Choosing the Right Fertiliser
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Diagnosing Nutritional Problems
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Improving soils
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Weed Control
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Nature and Scope of Weed Problems
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Natural Ways to Control Weeds -suffocation, burning, cultivation, etc
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Common groups of weeds and options for treating and recognising different weed varieties.
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Weedicides
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How Weeds Spread
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Types of chemicals found in weedicides and suitable weedicide
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Which chemical would control the weed.
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Chemicals and the Law
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Natural Pest Control
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Scope and Nature of Natural Controls
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Cultural Controls
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Mechanical Control Methods
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Physical Control Methods
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Methods for controlling selected insects
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Companion Planting
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Common Environmental Problems
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Tolerance Levels in different plants
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Biological Controls
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Natural Sprays
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Buffer Zones
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Mulching
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Chemical Pest Control
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
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Ways of Applying Chemicals
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Safety with Chemicals
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Understanding Pesticides -toxicity, LD50, Persistence, etc.
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Specific chemical treatments and a summary of pesticides.
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Turf Management
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Common Turf Problems
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Turf Pests
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Chemical Damage
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Establishment and Maintence of Lawns
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Mowing, Fertilizing, Aeration, etc
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Turf varieties, appropriate turf for specific areas, low and high maintenance turf.
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Irrigation
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Importance of Water
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Water Loss from different soils & Improving Water retention
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Understanding Water Dynamics in soil
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Irrigation -types of systems
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Planning an irrigation system
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Using an irrigation system
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Controlling slippery surfaces
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Maintenance of Plants
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Why Prune
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Before Pruning
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Time of Pruning -does it matter?
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What to consider when pruning
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Removing Dead Wood
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Controlling shape and size
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How to prune different types of plants
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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Select and maintain tools and equipment appropriately for use in garden maintenance.
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Describe maintenance requirements for garden structures such as furniture, gates and fencing.
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Maintain appropriate nutrition requirements for healthy plant growth.
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Control weeds in a garden.
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Use weedicides in a safe and effective way.
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Control pests using non chemical methods.
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Use chemical pesticides safely and efficiently.
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Maintain lawns in a healthy and well maintained condition.
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Describe options for managing water in a garden.
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Determine actions that should be taken to maintain a variety of different plants.
WHY DO PLANTS NEED PRUNING
Pruning involves cutting parts off a plant for one or several of the following reasons:
• To remove dead or diseased wood which could affect other parts of the plant.
• To exercise control over the type of growth which occurs. For example, to promote flowering, fruit or foliage, etc.
• To control the size and/or shape of the plant.
• To rejuvenate an old plant, replacing old wood with new wood.
IF YOU ARE NOT PRUNING FOR ONE OF THE ABOVE REASONS, THEN THERE IS NO REASON TO PRUNE AT ALL.
DON'T PRUNE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF PRUNING (Too many people do!)
The above things are achieved in different ways on different plants:
Removing Dead or Diseased Wood
• Some plants are more susceptible to infection than others when you cut into their living tissue (e.g. Birch trees, some herbaceous plants). Such plants can find it difficult to contain wood rots once they start). Such plants need to have infected wood cut out and burnt before the disease spreads.
• Always cut back into healthy, living tissue. Do not leave any diseased wood on a plant after
pruning.
• Make your cuts sharp and clean. Use sharp tools and don't tear or bruise plants. Use clean tools. If you prune diseased wood you may pick up disease spores which can then be transferred to healthy wood. It is a good idea to dip secateurs in an antiseptic when going from one plant to another.
• No matter what you prune, or for what reason, you should always remove any dead or diseased wood.
Controlling the Type of Growth
• There are three main types of plant growth: roots, vegetative top growth (ie. leaves and stems) and flowers/fruit. Discouraging one type of growth can help redirect the effort of the plant in the other types of growth.
• Removing all flowers and fruit will usually stimulate vegetative growth.
• Removing side shoots will generally cause a plant to grow taller more quickly.
• Removing the growth tips will cause a plant to develop more side shoots and become more bushy.
• Thinning out flowers and fruit will decrease the total number of flowers and fruit, but will usually improve the size and perhaps quality of those remaining fruit.
• Cutting a plant back hard (if it can take it), will cause a flush of lush growth in the next growing season.
• Cutting the roots of a plant, by plunging a spade into the soil or digging a trench, will force a flush of new growth in the roots closer to the base of the plant, for many plants, particularly those with fibrous root systems. This root pruning is used to either prepare a plant for transplanting, or to confine the roots from spreading into areas where they are not wanted). This treatment, however, can cause poor health or death in some plants, particularly if the cuts are made too close to the trunk of the plant.
Flower or Vegetative Buds?
Flower and vegetative buds can usually be told apart by their shape. Flower buds are plumper than vegetative (ie. leaf or stem) buds. Sometimes plants can also have mixed buds, where there are both flowers and shoots within the one bud. This occurs commonly in the terminal buds of the apple.
If you cut a bud open and look at it with a magnifying glass, you can usually see the premature leaves or flowers.
Controlling The Plants Shape & Size
• It is important to remember that different plants have different levels of tolerance to hard cutting. With some plants, you can remove 50% of the foliage and improve vigour and health. With other types of plants, removing 50% of the foliage will commonly cause death.
• Occasionally you will find a plant with low tolerance to hard pruning that will survive a hard prune. There are exceptions to the rule. You can state a plant's tolerance to cutting back as a percentage (e.g. Acacias can be cut back by up to 20%. This means that if more than 20% of the top growth is removed, the Acacia is likely to suffer).
• If large branches are growing in a position where you do not want them, it is valid to remove them.
• If foliage is spreading over a pathway, it is valid to cut that back.
• Frequent light pruning is nearly always better for the plant than irregular heavy pruning.
• If a branch that bears flowers and fruit hangs over a pool then removal of the branch may be
Warranted. If a plant in a garden design is growing out of shape, then pruning to restore the initial design intention is recommended.
Rejuvenating A Plant
• The lifespan of many plants is generally lengthened by regular pruning.
• Removing old wood, while leaving in newer wood will rejuvenate most plants. Roses are typically pruned this way in temperate climates over a period of years, the younger growth emerging from the base of the plant are left if strong, while the older woody stems are cut out. The lifespan of a rose is increased greatly by this method.
• Many annuals can be rejuvenated and given a second or third life at flowering due to pruning.
• An old vigorously growing plant that has become too large can be refreshed and reshaped by rejuvenating pruning.
ENROL IN THIS COURSE AND LEARN ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF PLANT AND GARDEN CARE
Some of our Horticulture Tutors
Diana Cole B.A. (Hons), Higher Dip. (Garden Design), RHS Advanced Cert. Horticulture, Cert Admin.Mgt., Dip. Inst. Personnel Management In addition to her RHS horticulture, garden design, City & Guild construction, NPTC pesticide/legislation and business/management qualifications, Diana has a variety of skills drawn from setting up Arbella Gardens, a landscape gardening business. She also has administrative, management and training delivery experience drawn from her employment in other organisations such as the NHS and other educational institutions such as schools & universities. She has augmented her training expertise having gained the Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector qualification. She also has experience gained through working as a volunteer in a number of different roles including amenity style gardening in parks and practical conservation work.
Maggi Brown Cert.Ed.(Environment)
Maggi is regarded as an expert in Organic Growing throughout the UK, having worked for two decades as Education Officer at the world renowned Henry Doubleday Research Association (now Garden Organic). She has been active in education, environmental management and horticulture across the UK for more them three decades.
Yvonne Sharpe RHS Cert.Hort, Dip.Hort, M.Hort, Cert.Ed., Dip.Mgt.
Over 30 years of experience in horticulture, education and management, Yvonne hastravelled widely within and beyond Europe, and has worked in many areas of horticulture from garden centres to horticultural therapy. She has served on industry committees and been actively involved with amateur garden clubs for decades.
John L. Mason Dip.Hort.Sc., Sup'n Cert., FIOH, FPLA, FAIH, MACHPER, MASA
Mr Mason has had over 40 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Business, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. He has held positions ranging from Nurseryman and Landscape Designer to Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) and magazine editor.
John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over forty books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John has written a number of best selling reference texts used by horticultural courses at universities and colleges internationally. His publishers include Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing
Dr. Lynette Morgan B. Hort. Tech., Ph.D. in Horticultural Science Dr Morgan has a broad expertise in horticulture and crop production, and a keen appreciation of the global scene. She travels widely as a partner in Suntec Horticultural Consultants, and has clients in central America, the USA, Caribbean, South East Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA
Gavin has over 20 years of industry experience in Psychology, Landscaping, Publishing and Education. He was operations manager for a highly reputable British Landscape firm (The Chelsea Gardener) before starting up his own firm. He spent the best part of three years working in our Gold Coast office, partly as a writer for Your Backyard (gardening magazine), and partly as a tutor in both psychology and horticulture.
Martin Powdrill, Bsc (Hons) Applied Science (Resources Option), MSc Computer Studies, Permaculture Design Certificate. Martin’s goal as a catalyst for sustainable change brings together his strengths and experience in his environmental, project management, and business backgrounds. For 25 years, Martin has been involved in Telecommunications, IT, Organisational Development, and Energy Conservation & Efficiency, prior to setting up his own Permaculture consulting business. He wishes to make a real difference to people and the planet, by actively bringing new perspectives to current challenges and exciting opportunities. To realise this, he enables diverse groups of people to flourish and release their untapped potential, by re-igniting their passion and creativity. Additionally, Martin volunteers with many local environmental and community groups, and facilitates discussions on climate change, peak oil, and transition towns. Martin has an allotment, and is currently enrolled in the Scottish Mountain Bike Leader Award programme.
Rosemary Davies Dip Hort Sc. Originally from Melbourne, Rosemary trained in Horticultural Applied Science at Burnley, a campus of Melbourne University. Initially she worked with Agriculture Victoria as an extension officer, taught horticulture students, worked on radio with ABC radio (clocking up over 24 years as a presenter of garden talkback programs, initially the only woman presenter on gardening in Victoria) and she simultaneously developed a career as a writer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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
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