GROWING ANNUALS - Distance Learning Course
This subject has 8 lessons as follows: 1. Introduction • Scope and Nature • Naming Plants • Species, hybrids, cultivars. • Plant Families • Pronouncing plant names • Flower structure and basic botany • Information sources • Caring for Cut Flowers 2. Culture • selection of plants suited to the situation • preparing a site (soils, cultivation etc) • propagation • planting • mulching • protecting and caring for establishing plants • control of problems (eg. pests, diseases, weeds) 3. Propagation • Methods of propagating annuals. • Seed sowing • Pricking out seedlings • Propagation of selected varieties of annuals. 4. Hydroponics. • Annuals in hydroponics • How plants grow • Diffeerent Hydroponic systems explained • When and why to choose hydroponics • Hydroponic techniques for selected annuals o Snapdragon o Aster o Carnation o Chrysanthemum o Gerbera o Stock 5. Pest and Disease • Identifying problems (disease, pest, environmental, nutritional) • Treating problems 6. Irrigation • Irrigation objectives • Soil Moisture • Maintaining water levels • Watering • When to irrigate • Identifying over or under watering 7. Greenhouse Management and Beeding • Greenhouse design and construction • Growing in a greenhouse • Environmental factors that affect growth • Controlling flower production • Heating and coolling • Flower Bed Layouts -pure and impure • Types of plantings • Bedding schemes • Annuals with scent • Annuals with colourful foliage • Selecting annuals according to height • Flower judging 8. Harvest, Post Harvest & Quality. • Harvesting flowers • Flower deterioration • Post harvest • Shelf life • Factors affecting post harvest life • Post harvest treatments • Grading standards • Conditioning for market • Packaging • Harvesting specific annuals (snapdragon, Bellis, Carnation, Calendula, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Larkspur, Delphinium, Cosmos, Gypsophila, Iberis, Marigold, Poppy, Statice, Stock, Sweet Pea, Violet) Find out more at http://www.acsedu.co.uk/Courses/Plant-Varieties/GROWING-ANNUALS-BHT319-152.aspx Or email us at info@acsedu.co.uk for more information