A course to develop all the practical skills that you learn when working under the supervision of an horticultural expert. The course contains all the tips to develop excellent practical skills in the management of a variety of horticultural situations.
Learn Practical Skills by Home Study:
Distance education can be VERY practical -more than most people think!
Lesson Structure
There are 11 lessons in this course:
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Materials and Equipment
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Introduction
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Power Tools
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Hand Tools
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Nursery Tools and Equipment
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Weed Bags
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Materials
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Hard Landscaping Material
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Fences
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Statues, Sundials & Figurines
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Soft Landscaping Materials
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Horticultural Planning
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PBL Project: Horticultural Equipment, Materials and Sundries
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Horticultural Calculations
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Horticultural Mensuration
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Calculating Areas and Volumes
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Measuring And Calculating Soil Properties
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Understanding Soil Analysis
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Soil Sampling
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Soil Colour
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Soil Fertility
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Tissue Analysis
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Calculating Fertiliser Requirements
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What Does a Plant Need?
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Irrigation Requirements
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When To Irrigate
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Types Of Soil Moisture
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Measuring Water Available to Plants
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Available Moisture Range
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Rooting Depths of Selected Plants
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Estimating Water
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The Water Needs of Turf Grasses
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Deciding When, What and How to Test
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Temperature Control in A Greenhouse
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Practical Risk Management
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Work Safety
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Conducting A Safety Audit
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Audit Forms/Checklists
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Using Tools
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Safe Use of Chemicals
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Safety Procedures When Using Agricultural Chemicals
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Machinery and Equipment Assessment and Maintenance
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General Maintenance of Tools And Equipment
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Power Tool Maintenance
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2-Stroke And 4-Stroke Engines
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Common Problems with Petrol Engines
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Oil
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Chainsaws
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Mowers
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Hedge Trimmers
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Manual Sprayers
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Maintenance Of Watering Systems
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Propagation Management
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Propagation: Media, Facilities and Locations
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Ph
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Conductivity
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Salinity Build Up
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Types Of Media
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Propagation Facilities and Locations
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Containers For Propagation
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Nursery Irrigation
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Sexual Propagation
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Asexual Propagation (Vegetative Propagation)
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Budding
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Whip & Tongue Graft
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Leaf Petiole Cuttings
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Growth Control: Chemical and Cultural
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Efficiencies In Cutting Production
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Practical Exercise
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Propagation Aftercare
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Operational Flow Charts
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PBL Project: Propagation Management
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Hard Landscape Maintenance
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Protecting Outdoor Furniture
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What Can Go Wrong with Outdoor Furniture?
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Better Furniture Lasts Longer
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What is UV Stabilised?
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Painting Outdoor Surfaces
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What is the Difference between Paint, Stain and Sealer?
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Oxygenating Plants
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Troubleshooting
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Problems
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Re-Pointing
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Pond Management
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Maintenance Of Play Areas
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Maintaining Stone and Brick Walls
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Soft Landscape Maintenance
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Pruning
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Mulch
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How To Aerate, Scarify, Top Dress and Fertilise a Lawn
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Fertilisers
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Minor Elements
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Fertilising
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Diagnosis of Nutritional Problems
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Irrigation
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Herbaceous Borders
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Wildflower Meadows
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Determine Harvesting, Grading and Packing Procedures of Crops
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Environmental Control of a Protected Plant Production System
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Environmental Factors
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Problems With Greenhouses
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Heating & Ventilation Systems
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Thermal Screens
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Insulation
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Lighting Equipment
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Day-Length Manipulation
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Irrigation & Nutrition Control
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Terminology
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Practical Plant Identification Techniques
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Flower Structure
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Different Types of Flowers
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The Flower
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The Inflorescence
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Fruits
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Seed Diagrams
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Botanical Keys
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Floral Keys
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Leaf Structure and Arrangement
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Terminology
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Pest, Disease and Weed Control
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Weeds
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Pesticides
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Types Of Herbicide Chemicals
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The Main Ways of Controlling Pests or Diseases
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IPM (Integrated Pest Management)
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Non-Chemical Pest Control Methods
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Pests And Diseases
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Law In Relation to Chemical Use
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Diseases
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Plant Viruses: Their Detection and Diagnosis
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Virus Control
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Pests
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Birds
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Bugs
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Caterpillars
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Leafhoppers
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Leaf Miner
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Mealy Bug
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Millipedes
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Mites Including Red Spider Mite
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Nematodes
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Scale Insects
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Slugs & Snails
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Thrips
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Whitefly
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Environmental Problems
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Definitions Of Pesticide Terms
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Identifying Plant Tissues
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Plant Cells
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The Cell Wall
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The Nucleus
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Types Of Plant Cells
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Plant Tissues
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Plant Parts
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Stems
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Root Systems
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Roots
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Leaves
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Planning - Identifying Needs for Management of Horticultural Sites
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Pre-Planning
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Managing Risk
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Quality Management Systems
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Work Scheduling
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Planning A Nursery Operation
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Nursery Standards
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Production Systems
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Production Plan
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Production Methods
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Efficiencies In Cutting Production
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Practical Exercise
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Developing A Nursery Stocklist
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Criteria For Selecting Plants
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Quarantine Issues When Selecting Stock
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PBL Project: Horticultural Planning
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.
WATERING SYSTEM SELECTION AND INSTALLATION
Every garden is different, so every garden has different irrigation requirements. Here we show you how to choose and install a watering system that is right for you.
WHAT TYPE OF SYSTEM?
The type of irrigation fitting you use depends upon the type of plant you wish to irrigate.
For example, if you have a plant that is likely to develop fungal problems if the leaves get wet, you need to water at ground level using drippers or a soaker hose. Sprays and sprinklers are not suitable. Alternatively, if you have a large lawn to irrigate, you will need sprinklers that can cover a wide area; a micro-spray is not adequate.
THE DESIGN
It is advisable to get help with the design, so that you can compile a list of parts.
The type of irrigation system you need will help you to decide whether or not to install it yourself or call in an expert.
Sometimes you can do a combination of both. Many irrigation supply shops are happy to help with the design of your irrigation system. They will show you how to collect the information you need, as well as how to calculate the equipment you require.
If you have a large job, with many different garden areas, you may have to call upon an irrigation designer.
FITTINGS
The following table is a guide for selecting suitable irrigation fittings.
TYPE OF GARDEN
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TYPE OF FITTING
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Hanging baskets
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Drippers
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Small planter boxes
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Drippers or micro-sprays
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Vegie garden
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Sprinklers, micro sprays, soaker hoses or drippers
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Fernery
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Misting sprays or drippers
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Large trees
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Sprays or sprinklers
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Rose garden
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Micro-sprays
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Small lawn
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Sprinklers
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Large lawn
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Pop up sprinklers
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Shrubberies
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Sprinklers, sprays, or soaker hoses
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OTHER EQUIPMENT
Once you know what type of fitting you need, you then have to calculate how many you need and how much pipe and other parts are required.
Then make up a list of parts needed.
PIPE
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PVC, is very strong, but inflexible - To install pipes, dig a trench where they are to go. If they have to pass over paving or up walls, you can secure the pipe with electrical cable ties. Always make it as discreet as possible.
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HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) is more flexible- With HDPE pipe, uncoil it and let it lie in the sun. Once soft, place it in the trench, connect the pipe to the tap and run water through. This takes any twists out of the pipe before you install the fittings.
JOINERS
This will depend upon the type of pipe you use. PVC has to be joined with a special adhesive. You should wear rubber gloves when using this material. HDPE pipe is joined with plastic inserts that are secured with clamps.
These methods are also used to install bends and T junctions.
FILTERS
Should be installed where they can be easily accessed and regularly replaced. This is normally at the beginning of the system so as to avoid a build-up of impurities in the sprinklers, drip-ends and so on.
MANIFOLD
If you need to run more than one irrigation pipe from a tap, you will need to install a manifold. This allows you to run more. A two-way tap connector will allow you to have a hose or fill a watering can without interfering with your system.
You should never put more than one type of fitting on the same pipe. If you need more than one type of fitting to do the job, add another pipe from the manifold.
TIMERS
The choices are:
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Manual
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Computer operated - ensure you choose one with a battery back-up
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Solenoids (these will need to be installed by an electrician, and are the type used for pop-up sprinklers).
BENEFITS OF THIS COURSE
This course adds to knowledge gained through studying Practical Horticulture I. But it also has an emphasis on assessment, planning, and management of horticulture operations. It is therefore geared more towards people working in supervisory roles and positions of greater responsibility. Graduates of this course will make themselves highly desirable to employers seeking staff who are ready to take on responsibility and show initiative on the job.
This course will suit people looking to work in:
Site foreman roles
Horticulture management
General horticulture
Garden maintenance
Parks & gardens
Landscaping
Nursery & propagation
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