Crops Courses

ADVANCED CERTIFICATE APPLIED MANAGEMENT (CROPS) VBS001 900 hours Advanced Certificate 7 modules

Train in both management and horticulture to work in the cropping industry

Opportunities in this industry are likely to grow rapidly over coming years. The Agri Foods Skills Council (Australia) reported an impending shortage of skilled and professional personnel at their 2007 conference in Sydney. These sentiments were repeated again by the council in 2009.

Develop both the skills required to manage a horticultural farm (eg. Market Garden, Orchard), and also to developing knowledge in the identification, growing, processing and marketing crops and crop related products. This course involves eight units, plus a 200 hr workplace project. These are the four core units common to all streams of this Advanced Certificate (ie. Management, Business Operations, Office Practices and Marketing), and three specialist units of study relating to crop production.

Use the link below ('read more') to view more comprehensive details on this course.

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ADVANCED DIPLOMA IN HORTICULTURE (CROPS) VHT009 2500 hours Advanced Diploma 24 modules

Gain a Strong Foundation in Horticulture Cropping

A foundation course for horticultural managers and technicians. This is a very substantial course providing professional training for work at a management or technical level with horticultural crops.

Learn about Horticultural Management, Horticultural Marketing, Soil Management, Plant Protection, Plant Science I, Commercial Vegetable Production, Fruit Production, Cut Flower Production, Organic Plant Culture, Herb Culture, Advanced Hydroponics, Irrigation, Engineering, Permaculture Systems & Organic Plant Culture. Nuts, Berries, Mushrooms, Biochemistry, I.T., Business Studies, Instructional Skills, Workplace Health & Safety.

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BERRY PRODUCTION BHT309 100 hours Statement of Attainment

Study Berry Fruit Production by Distance Education - this course is now available!

Berries are an Important Horticultural Crop

Berries can be grown many different ways: organically, hydroponically, in a greenhouse, in garden beds, or in pots.

Learn about all these options, and the care & cultivation of both common, and uncommon berry fruit (Strawberries, Raspberries, Brambles, Currants, Blueberries and lots more

For the specialist grower there is opportunity to specialise to some degree in one type of berry.

Learning methods available:

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CERTIFICATE IN HORTICULTURE (CROPS) VHT002 700 hours Certificate

A course for people working, or intending to work, in orchards or market gardens.

Covers both cropping and general horticulture - studying both these areas broadens the possibility of employment and advancement in the industry.

This course is similar to other VHT002 horticulture certificates in its introductory (core) units, but devotes 50% of the course to topics specifically related to crop production.

The Core Units are divided into the following sections:

1. Introduction to Plants -Taxonomy, plant families, pressing plants, basic botany.
2. Plant Culture -Planting, potting, plant selection, pruning, irrigation, tools and machinery.
3. Soils and Nutrition -Soil structure, chemistry, nutrition, potting media.
4. Plant Identification and Use -Seed harvest and storage, germination treatments, cuttings, etc.
5. Pests, Diseases and Weeds -Identification and treatment (chemical and non-chemical)

Use the link below ('read more') to view more comprehensive details on this course.

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CERTIFICATE IN HORTICULTURE (VITICULTURE) VHT002 700 hours Certificate

Understand the basics of horticulture before you specialise in viticulture.

This course covers both areas - to develop your skills and be successful in any sector of horticulture you need to understand the basics first. Not many viticulture courses on offer achieve this!

An excellent starting point for a career in the vineyard industry; either as an employee (eg. vineyard worker or manager or owner)

This is a 700 hr course for people working, or intending to work, in the production of grapes.

This course is similar to our other VHT002 horticulture certificates in its introductory (core) units, but with the emphasis upon topics specifically related to the production of grapes for wine, drying or as fresh fruit.

Use the link below ('read more') to view more comprehensive details on this course.

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COMMERCIAL ORGANIC VEGETABLE GROWING VHT241 100 hours Statement of Attainment 12 lessons

The demand for organically grown vegetables is a major growth area in commercial horticulture. Learn about organic certification and marketing, vegetable varieties, herbs, cultivation and planting techniques, natural pest control, seed, soil, nutrition, organic fertiliser, irrigation, mulching, harvest and post harvest, etc.

This course is a good starting point in learning all aspects of organic vegetable production.

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COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE PRODUCTION BHT 222 100 hours Statement of Attainment 8 lessons

Develop skills and knowledge required for commercial vegetable production, whether as a row crop, broad acre crop, greenhouse or hydroponic crop. Learn to produce all types of vegetables -from main varieties like lettuce, tomato, pea, bean, potatoes, carrot, brassicas and corn, to less major varieties such as garlic, rhubarb and parsnip. There is a focus on crops such as Rye, Sorghum and Barley in this too.

This provides a foundation in general vegetable production. (Note: Usually: do not undertake Commercial Organic Vegetable Growing as well as this. The two courses do overlap)

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FRUIT PRODUCTION -TEMPERATE CLIMATE BHT218 100 hours Statement of Attainment

An eight lesson course that starts by introducing the fruit growing industry, and moves through most of the skills needed for successful fruit growing in a serious way. Topics covered include management, soils, planting, irrigation, pruning, cultural practices (including pest control), pome and stone fruits, and various vines, fruit trees and nuts.

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FRUIT PRODUCTION -WARM CLIMATE BHT217 100 hours Statement of Attainment 8 lessons

Learn about a wide range of fruiting plants including Avocados Pineapple, Macadamia, Paw Paw, Mango, Lychee, Citrus, Passionfruit, Cashew, etc.

Learn to plan and manage an orchard, small or large, to select appropriate varieties and all stages of production, from planting to harvest and post harvest. Most of this course relates to tropical and sub-tropical conditions. Many of these fruiting plants can be grown in milder temperate climates or in greenhouses still.

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IRRIGATION - CROPS BHT304 100 hours Statement of Attainment

Irrigation Management Course

Study at home
Start any time
Learn to better manage water in horticulture

Water is a precious and often scarce resource. Using it effectively can make all the difference to whether a crop is profitable or not. This ten lesson course develops an understanding of how plants use water and how to deliver it more effectively to the plant. Learn about the design, installation, maintenance, operation and evaluation of simple irrigation systems. This course is similar to BHT210 (Irrigation (Gardens)) and BAG213 (Irrigation), but focuses on irrigation systems for row crops (eg. vegetables & cut flowers) and orchards.

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MUSHROOM PRODUCTION BHT310 100 hours Statement of Attainment

ONLINE HOME STUDY COURSE - MUSHROOMS

Learn about growing, harvesting, marketing, storage, pest and diseases and even ways of cooking and using mushrooms.

While the Agaricus species (Champignon) is the main focus of this course, other commercially important edible fungi (eg. Straw mushroom, Oyster Mushroom, Shitake, etc) are also studied as a foundation for any scale of serious production.

Many of the principles are similar in growing, spawn production and/or harvest and post harvest treatments. Gaining a foundation with the culture of any type of edible mushroom is in this way a step toward knowing how to approach production of others.

If you want to grow mushrooms seriously, and don’t know where to start: this course is for you!

Learning methods available:

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NUT PRODUCTION BHT219 100 hours Statement of Attainment 8 lessons

Develop a foundation for nut growing including culture, site selection and planning, propagation, soils, pests & diseases, harvesting, post harvest treatment, and more. Learn about both common and uncommon nut varieties including almonds, macadamias, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, etc.

For the enthusiast or commercial grower.

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OUTDOOR PLANT PRODUCTION (CROPS I) BHT112 100 hours Statement of Attainment

Ten lessons cover site, crop selection, soil management, cut flowers, vegetables, berries, nuts, herbs, tree fruits, other crops, managing a market garden and more.

Student comment (M.Simpson): "This course has been excellent.... I would be willing to recommend this course to any of my friends and colleagues"

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PROTECTED PLANT PRODUCTION - BHT223 100 hours Statement of Attainment

Learn how to grow plants in a greenhouse or other protected situation, such as a shade house.

You can grow all sorts of plants in a greenhouse, and achieve all types of things, which you might not be able to achieve otherwise, whether growing as a hobby or commercially.

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SOIL MANAGEMENT - CROPS BHT303 100 hours Statement of Attainment

Good soil conditions are critical to the healthy growth of most plants. This course will develop an understanding of physical & chemical properties of soils, the ability to carry out simple tests and determine soil characteristics, and to decide ways of treating a soil to improve its ability to grow plants. This course is similar to our other soil management courses, but relates specifically to crops.

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VITICULTURE BHT220 100 hours Statement of Attainment 10 lessons

Ten lessons covering the history of viticulture, the current state of the industry, wine and table grapes, dried grapes, cultural practices (trellising, soils, planting, pruning, irrigation, pests & diseases); vineyard design, improving quality, harvest & post harvest procedures, winemaking, marketing and more.

ACS Graduate comment: "[The course] gave me extra knowledge of the industry that I am currently working in. It covered all aspects of the industry. I liked the way you had to work through each lesson/category i received excellent feedback from my tutor. I enjoyed the viticulture course, it has given me extra knowledge that i will use." James McKelvey, Vineyard Manager, Australia, Viticulture course.

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WARM CLIMATE NUTS BHT308 100 hours Statement of Attainment 8 lessons

The content of this course is very similar to the "Growing Nuts" course, except this deals exclusively with nuts grown in the tropics and sub-tropics. There are eight lessons including a special project in this course. This course is designed as a detailed look at identification and culture of nuts in warmer climates. Emphasis is placed on the species that are of horticultural value. There are many nuts that you would not be aware of coming from the various cultures of the tropics, that are of great interest to our use today.

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Home Gardening, Horticultural Resource Management, Horticultural Marketing, Practical Horticulture, Trees For Rehabilitation, Soil Management, Plant Pathology, Amenity Horticulture, Certificate in Horticulture, RHS Certificate II in Horticulture, RHS Certificate III in Horticulture, RHS Diploma in Horticulture, RHS Master of Horticulture, Diploma in Horticulture, Turf Care, Sports Turf Management, Greenkeeping, Turf Repair and Renovation, Arboriculture I, Landscape Styles, Natural Garden Design, Water Gardening, Landscape Construction, Cottage Garden Design, Playground Design, Restoring Established Ornamental Gardens, Diploma in Landscaping Propagation, Cutting Propagation, Wholesale Nursery Management, landscaping, Diploma in Landscping Garden Centre Management, Hydroponics, Certificate in Hydroponics, Weed Control, Permaculture, Self Sufficiency, Tissue Culture, Plant Breeding, Nursery Sales Assistant, Hydroponics, Cut Flower Production, Greenhouse Cut Flowers, Outdoor Plant Production, Commercial Vegetable Production, Protected Plant Production, Mushroom Production, Fruit Production, Nut Production, Viticulture, Berry Production, Culture, Lavender, Medicinal Herbs, Culinary Herbs, Scented Plants, Cacti and Succulents, Roses, Interior Plants, Orchid Culture, Tropical Plants, Australian Natives I, plus many others including ecotourism, ecology, plant ecology, adventure tourism,

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