Course Code | VHT002V |
---|---|
Qualification | Certificate |
Payment Options | Upfront & Payment Plans |
Delivery | Online & Correspondence |
Duration | 700 Hours |
Learning Cloud New Zealand provides students with a range of Horticultural Course majors.
Our world would be nothing without plants. They feed us, keep us warm and dry, clean our air and provide us with a beautiful, green environment to live in. Working with plants, from designing and building a new city park to developing new food crops can be incredibly rewarding and there is a wealth of career options to choose from.
Learning Cloud New Zealand provides our students with a range of Horticultural Majors so that you can specalise and target the Career you want. Below is a list of just some of the Horticultural Course Majors available. Remember to request your free information pack to find out more
CORE UNITS
The core units comprise fifteen modules that are divided into the following sections:
Students must complete and pass all of these core units.
1. Introduction to plants (40 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to explain the binomial system of plant classification and demonstrate identification of plant species through the ability of using botanical descriptions for leaf shapes and flowers.
Aims
2. Plant culture (60 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to demonstrate the ability to care for plants so as to maintain optimum growth and health while considering pruning, planting, and irrigation.
Aims
3. Soils and plant nutrition (50 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to identify, work with, and improve the soil condition and potting mixes, and to evaluate fertilisers for use in landscape jobs to maximize plant growth.
Aims
4. Introductory propagation (40 hours duration)
The purpose of this study area is to improve the student's understanding of propagation techniques with particular emphasis on cuttings and seeds. Other industry techniques such as grafting and budding are also explained.
Aims
5. Identification and use of plants (60 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to improve the student's range of plant knowledge and the plant use in landscaping and the ornamental garden, and the appreciation of the different optimum and preferred growing conditions for different plants.
Aims
6. Pests, diseases and weeds (50 hours)
The purpose of this study area is develop the student’s ability to identify, describe and control a variety of pests, diseases and weeds in ornamental situation, and to describe safety procedures when using agricultural chemicals.
Aims
STREAM STUDIES
The Viticulture stream is divided into the following:
1. Introduction To Viticulture | 2. Introduction To Grapevines |
3. Propagation Of Grapevines | 4. Improving Grape Quality |
5. Climate & Other Factors In Siting Vineyards | 6. Grape Varieties & Selection |
7. Establishing A Vineyard | 8. Harvest & Post-harvest Handling |
9. Managing A Vineyard | 10. Machinery & Equipment |
11. Irrigation | 12. Plant Nutrition |
13. Agricultural Chemicals | 14. Supervision |
15. Increasing Efficiency |
Fees do not include exam fees
There are two exams for the core and 2 for the stream
THE GRAPE
Grapes belong to the Vitaceae family. Within this family, only the genus Vitis is of any great interest to viticulture, although four of the nine genera in this family yield grapes. The Vitis genus includes some 60 to 80 evergreen and deciduous shrubs, mainly of a climbing habit, supporting themselves by tendrils.
Almost all commonly cultivated grapevines belong to the species Vitis vinifera, although other species have some use in viticulture: for rootstocks, materials for hybridisation and, in some circumstances, for actual grape production. The commonly grown grape vine (Vitus vinifera – also known as the European Grape) originated from Asia Minor and has been carried with civilisation for thousands of years throughout history.V. vinifera was taken to Mexico by the Spaniards. English settlers took Old World grapes with them and planted them along the Atlantic seaboard.
These however failed due to the presence of the insect phylloxera, and fungus diseases like Black Rot, Downy Mildew and Powdery Mildew, as well as deleterious effect of low winter temperatures and hot humid summers.
V. vinifera requires a warm temperate climate, with minimum temperatures of -2°C while dormant,
-1°C at bud burst and -0.5°C when in full flower. The root system is deep, and as such can draw water from lower levels of the soil; hence the need for high rainfall or irrigation is only moderate. Effective irrigation methods in suitable climates can, however, improve quality and quantity of yields.
The vine does not tolerate wet soils in summer but will tolerate some wetness in winter.
When on a trellis it will tolerate wind reasonably well, but not strong gale force winds. Though sandy soils are preferred, grapes will tolerate most soils provided they are deep and well drained.
Some other grape species that are of significance to viticulture include:
· Vitis amurensis
· Vitis labrusca
· Vitis riparia
· Vitis rupestris
· Vitis berlandeieri
· Vitis aestivalis
· Vitis cinerea
· Vitis rotundifolia
The Genera Vitis and Muscadinia
Plants from both of these genera are called “grapes”. The world viticulture industry concentrates on growing cultivars of Vitis vinifera. Cultivars of other species from both genera are however grown for edible fruit in various parts of the world.
Vitis has forked tendrils, sheds its bark, has a diaphragm (continuous pith) at the nodes, and elongated clusters with berries that stick to the pedicels at maturity.
Muscadinia has tight bark that does not shed, simple tendrils that do not fork, nodes without a diaphragm, and small clusterlets with berries that detach as they mature.
V. vinifera also have intermittent tendrils, thin, smooth shiny leaves with 3, 5, or 7 lobes. The berry size varies.
Species used for grape production
V. vinifera cultivars produce over 90% of the world's grapes, whether as pure vinifera or hybridised. The most important grape species used in North America are:
· V. labrusca ‑ Concord, Niagara
· V. aestivalis ‑ Norton, Delaware
· V. vulpina ‑ Elvira, Clinton
· V. rotundifolia ‑ Scuppernong, Eden, Muscadine
· V. rupestris ‑ Rupestris St. George
The Concord variety makes about 80% of the total American production. Many grape varieties have been crossbred between species and even other hybrids to produce improved characteristics of the fruit, growth habit or even disease resistance.
Root stocks
Root stocks that exhibit resistance to phylloxera have become invaluable in the industry. Some of the American species used as root stock that have resistance are Vitus riparia, V. berlandieri, V. rupestris, V. aestivalis, V. cordifolia, and V. monticola.
Rootstocks that exhibit resistance to nematodes are also important. These include from America: Vitus rotundifolia, V. champini, V. candicans, and V. longii.
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College Graduate vs. Non-Graduate Earnings
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