GROWING LAVENDER BHT228

Distance Education Online Course for anyone with a Passion for Lavender

• Start a Lavender Farm or Nursery
• Learn to Grow & Use Lavender
• Enrol anytime, wortk at your own pace

Students are supported by a team of professional horticulturists, with decades of experience working with Lavender and other herbs across different climates and lcountries around the world.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction
   • Classification and identification of lavender
   • general characteristics of Lanendula
   • resources, contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs, etc.)
2. Soils, Fertilisers and Nutrition for Lavender
   • Soil structure
   • pH
   • organic matter
   • ameliorants
   • organic growing.
3. Cultural Techniques for Lavender Growing
   • Pruning
   • water management (mulching, irrigation, drainage, etc.)
   • planting and establishment methods
   • crop scheduling
   • no dig gardening.
4. Lavender Propagation
   • Propagation from cuttings
   • propagation growth media
   • other propagation methods,
5. Commercial Alternatives
   • Managing a Market Garden
   • standards
   • mulches
   • problems and their control
   • weed control without chemicals
   • economic outlook for herbs.
6. Plant Variety Selection and Breeding
   • Breeding and selecting new varieties
   • lavender clone selection for essential oils in Tasmania.
7. Building Plant Knowledge
   • Lavender types and other varieties
   • advantages and disadvantages of different varieties.
8. Harvesting, Postharvest Treatment and Storage
   • Harvesting
   • distillation and oils
   • post harvest preservation of fresh product
   • drying lavender.
9. Processing and Making Lavender Products
   • Lavender crafts
   • using herbs in cooking
   • selling herb products.
10. Marketing Lavender Produce
    • how to market your produce
    • considering your market
    • market research
    • selling successfully.

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

• Describe the plant naming system and classification of plants
  • Discuss the nature and scope of the Lavender genus.
  • Describe the nutritional requirements of the lavender species.
  • Explain the cultural requirements of the lavender species.
  • Explain propagating techniques specific to lavender
  • Describe commercial lavender growing operations.
  • Select species appropriate to the climatic and soil conditions of a chosen locality.
  • Describe of a variety of lavender species and cultivars.
  • Describe the production processes on a lavender farm.
  • Describe various lavender products and discuss the way in which they are processed.
  • Explain the processes used in the marketing of lavender products.

What You Will Do

• Prepare a collection of 20 different types of lavender in the form of pressed, dried, (or illustrations) labelled specimens
  • Compile a resource file of contacts relevant to lavender and lavender growing
  • Contact a number of lavender related organisations for information on their activities in the industry
  • Collect and test at least three different soil samples
  • Identify and (optional) manufacture a potting mix suitable for lavender growing
  • Collect information on organic and inorganic fertilisers from fertiliser companies
  • Research information on machinery used in horticulture by contacting the companies that produce it
  • Produce a no dig garden or an organic garden
  • Manufacture a propagating mix for lavender cuttings
  • Take lavender cuttings for propagation
  • Contact a herb nursery to observe their operation
  • Research irrigation equipment by contacting irrigation suppliers
  • Cross pollinate lavender and grow the resulting seed
  • Compare various types of lavender
  • Harvest a number of different types of lavender
  • Produce a small quantity of lavender oil
  • Produce two non edible and one edible product containing lavender
  • Visit a shop selling lavender products to observe marketing procedures

REASONS TO STUDY WITH ACS DISTANCE EDUCATION

• Reputation:
    -teaching Horticulture since 1979
    -exceptional faculty staff (see below)
• Hands on: develop practical as well as theoretical skills
• Uniqueness:
    -successful people are always those who can offer a skill or service that others can't
    -this course is different; our graduates have different skills to set them apart.
• Relevance -curriculum developed in response to industry needs
• Lots of help: personal, prompt attention from tutors
• Holistic Courses: We teach more than just "facts"
    -success is only 20% about intelligence (and what you know)
    -you also need to build networking, problem solving & communication skills, and more!
    -this course helps you develop all of these things and more
• Value: courses compare very favorably on a cost per study hour basis
• Up to date: courses under constant review
• Student amenities: This school is backed by over one of the most unique and comprehensive private collections of intellectual property in the horticultural industry. The principal and staff have written and published over 50 books and 150 gardening magazines, as well as 20,000 hours horticultural study programs. A team of 5 horticultural writers continue to develop and update new material continually. These resources together with web sites, an online student room, social media etc. provide a unique and comprehensive facility to support students studying with the school.