Gain Skills for a Career in Grounds Management
This is a comprehensive course for people wanting to develop a sound understanding of maintaining garden and turf areas. You'll learn about fundamental horticulture principles and practices before studying more specialised areas like tree care, turf care and irrigation systems.
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, Urea, 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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Pests and Diseases
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Managing Pest & Disease Problems
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Lifecycle of a Disease
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Six Main Ways to Control Pests & Diseases
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Diagnosis of Problems
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Symptoms of Disease
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Conducting an Inspection
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Viruses
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Fungal Biology
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Major Fungal Threats
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Insect Biology
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Life Cycle of Insects
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Insect Feeding Habits
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Molluscs, Nematodes, Crustaceans
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Pesticides -Legal Requirements
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Keeping Records
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Your Spray Machine
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Mister/Duster Blowers
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What Damage is Being Done to the Environment?
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Definitions of Pesticide Terms
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Weeds
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Steps in Controlling Weeds
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Legal Compliance with Pesticide Use
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Types of Weed Management
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Safety with Chemicals
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Weeds in Turf
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Weeds in Nurseries
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Common Groups of Weeds
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Case Study - Knotweed
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18. Cultural Problems
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Plants and Water
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Symptoms of Nutrient Deficiency
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Maintenance in Parks
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Natural Gardening Techniques in Nature Parks
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Hardy Pest Free Plants
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Succession Planting
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Working with rather than Against Nature
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Breeding Plants for Resistance
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Analysis of Parks Maintenance
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Departmental Organisation and Staffing in Parks
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Equipment
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Parks Waste Management
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Avoiding Problem Materials
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Spray Equipment
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Pest/Disease Reviews
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Turf Grasses
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Factors for Choosing Species/Cultivars
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Grass Physiology
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Turf Shoot Systems and Top Growth
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Turf Varieties and Selection Criteria
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Common Turf Species
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Seed Mixtures and Blends
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Identifying Grasses
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Warm Season Lawn Grasses
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Establishing Turf Grasses
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Flower Meadows
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Turf Glossary
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Turf Culture
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Mechanical Aeration
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Topdressing
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Rolling Turf
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Repairing Turf
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Turf Nutrition and Fertilisation
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Integrated Weed Management in Turf
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Non Chemical Weed Control
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Herbicide Selection and Legal Frameworks
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Turf Health Problems & Diagnosis
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Non Parasitic Problems
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Parasitic - Fungal Diseases
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Turf Pests and Integrated Control
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Pesticide Management Framework
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Chemical & Salinity Damage
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Turf Maintenance and Treatment Calendars
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Laying a New Lawn
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Cultural Management
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Mowing
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Types of Mowing Equipment
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Mowing Action Types
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Best Practice Mowing Operations
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Before & After Mowing
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Changing Blades Safely
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Mowing Sports Turf
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Managing Risks of Scalping
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Mowing Frequency & Patterns
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Sports Turf Mowers
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Mower Challenges & Risk Management
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Deciding What You Need
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Edging
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Leaf Rakes & Vacuum equipment
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Tree & Shrub Maintenance
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Importance of Trees in Landscape Management
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Ecological & Environmental Functions for Trees
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Commercial Tree Products and Resources
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Positioning Trees
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Choosing Trees
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Nursery Checklist
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How to Plant a Tree
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Relocating & Transplanting Trees
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Tree Guards
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Timing of Planting
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Introduction to Arboriculture and Canopy Care
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Tree Surgery Safety and Managing Risk
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Safety & PPE
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Canopy Support & Wound Care
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Tree Pruning
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Tree Removal and Risk
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Arboriculture Terms
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Tree Injection - Endotherapy
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Tree Physiology
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Photosynthesis
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Respiration
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Vernalisation & Winter Chill
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Four main Structural Parts of a Tree
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Shoot & Bus Development
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How Trees increase Height & Girth
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Compartmentalisation - How Trees Fight Rots
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Tree Health Disorders and Diagnosis
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Field Identification of Insect Pests
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Plant Maintenance
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Commercial Maintenance Programme Design
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Plant Lifecycle and Succession Planning
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Financial Management and Cost Categories
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Managing High Cost Landscape Zones
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Weed Identification and Structural Control
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Strategic Pruning
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Plant Growth Principles
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Fruit Tree Management in Amenity Landscapes and Private Estates
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Specialist Bud Anatomy and Canopy Manipulation
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Professional Pruning and Hedging Equipment
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Environmental Microclimates & Plant Selection
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Physical protection for Young Vegetation
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Soil Degradation
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Properties of Managed Soils
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Soil Texture & Nutrient Storage
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Types of Soil Degradation
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Erosion
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Soil Salinity
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Soil Acidification
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Soil Compaction
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Chemical Residues
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Handling Builders Rubbish and Disturbed Soils
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Dry Soils
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Human Causes of Erosion
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Soil Characteristics
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Texture Effect on Plant Growth
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Consistence & Effect on Plant Growth
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Measuring Wet Soil Characteristics
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Profile Depth
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Porosity
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pH
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Cation Exchange Capacity
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Salinity Build up
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Vital Role of Organic Matter
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Denitrification
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Nitrogen Fixation
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Benefits of Legumes
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Nodule Field Test
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Applying Seed Inoculants
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C/N Ratio Management
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Mycorrhizal Fungi
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Soil Testing
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Soil Management
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Cultivation Techniques
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Bare Earth Cultivation
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Controlling Over Cultivation
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Mechanised Cultivators
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Hand Tools
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Different Composting Methods
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Mulching
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Living Mulches
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Irrigation Equipment
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Water categories
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Modern Irrigation Management
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Measurement Systems in Irrigation
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Conventional Irrigation Systems ...portable, permanent, semi permanent
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Irrigation Efficiency Ratings
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System Design Considerations
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Sprinkler Spacing and Uniformity
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Control Options for Turf Irrigation
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Types of Sprinkler Systems
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Maintenance of Water Systems
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Understanding Water
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Plants & Water
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Mechanisms of Soil water loss
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ways to Improve Soil Water Retention
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Symptoms of Water Extremes
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Understanding Movement of Water in Soil
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Types of Soil Water
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The Hand Feel Test for estimating Soil Moisture
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Understanding Water Impurities and Quality Testing
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Chemical Impurities
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Water Hardness
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Alkalinity & Corrosion
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Managing Iron Impurities
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Field Treatments of Impurities
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Physical Impurities in Irrigation Water
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Pumps & Pressure Systems
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Managing Tastes & Odours
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Biological Impurities in Landscaper Water Supplies
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Irrigation Design and Operation
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Estimating Water Requirements
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Calculating Available Soil Moisture
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Modern Water Management Principles
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Principles of Irrigation & Water Management
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When to Irrigate
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Managing Appropriate Soil Water Levels
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Cyclic & Pulse Water
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Drip Irrigation
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Managing Irrigation on Greens
What You Will Do
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*Design a plant assessment sheet to be used in the field to record information about plant health problems.
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*Diagnose nutrient, pest, disease and environmental problems of plants.
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*Dissect, draw and label a range of pest/disease problems.
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*Explain ten alternative weed control methods including chemical and non chemical treatments.
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*Collect, press, label and mount a weed collection and a pest/disease collection.
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*Explain aeration, spiking, coring, dethatching and topdressing.
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*Describe selective weed control in turf.
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*Select turf species suitable for a range of different situations (eg: for shade, wet and windy sites).
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*Describe the steps in preparing an area for turf.
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*Demonstrate the ability to prepare for, and sow a new lawn.
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*Explain how to establish turf on a steep slope.
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*Prepare labelled sketches of three gardens created using different growing methods.
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*Review and select plants suitable for use in each situation.
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*Describe the importance of trees to humans.
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*Describe the correct procedures for the proper and safe removal of a limb from a tree.
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*Describe simply the processes of photosynthesis, respiration & transpiration.
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*List the environmental factors which affect photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration.
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*Explain compartmentalisation, and it's effect on the spread of diseases in trees.
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*Develop contact with local people involved in garden maintenance.
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*Describe maintenance procedures for a variety of different ornamental garden situations.
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*Explain soil (seedbed) preparation treatments for a range of soil types.
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*Explain soil degradation problems in terms of soil chemistry and structure, and how to deal with them.
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*Explain different ways of preparing virgin or farmland soil for tree planting.
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*Explain different ways of treating a soil using soil ameliorants.
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*Collect samples of or literature describing products which can be used to assist with the improvement of soils.
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*Explain situations where cultivation can be used to improve a soil.
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*Explain a situation where cultivation can be detrimental to a soil.
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*Classify different soils using simple hand feel tests.
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*Explain pH and conductivity (EC) and their affect on plant growth.
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*List the comparative advantages and disadvantages of different types of irrigation systems.
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*Explain the operation of different sprinkler heads, different microjets and different drippers.
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*Explain the way water moves through soil and the mechanisms which affect the soils water holding capacity.
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*Select an appropriate irrigation system for a selected garden, and explain the reasons why it is preferred.
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*Explain the operation of a timer used in irrigation systems.
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*Design a micro irrigation system.
