Plant Health Short Course

Plant Health Short Online Course:

It always seems that the more work you do in a garden, the more pest and disease problems seem to appear. For this reason, the keen home gardener and the professional landscaper need to be aware about what pests and diseases they may come in contact with, and how to control them.

This Study Guide will help in the identification of these problems. Without correct identification, it would be very difficult to suggest a suitable method of control. For example, a hole in a leaf may indicate damage by a pathogen such as a fungus, bacterium, or virus, or it could be caused by an insect. If you thought the problem was caused by an insect and sprayed it with an insecticide, but it was actually caused by a virus, then the spray is totally wasted.

This Study Guide will help the home gardener and those working in horticulture at an entry level to identify and control a range of the most common pests and diseases of plants.

We live in an age of heightened environmental awareness where there is an emphasis on caring for our environment through sustainable land management, farming, and horticultural practices which includes reducing the use of chemicals. It is therefore important that plant problems are correctly identified so that an appropriate treatment can be chosen. This will help to prevent useless spraying of possibly harmful chemicals or, perhaps more importantly, the spraying of beneficial insects.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

This course has 6 lessons:

Lesson 1: Identifying problems

• Understanding what can go wrong with your plants
• More than one problem
• Finding out what the problem is
• Conducting an inspection
• Alternative approach
• Still unsure?
• Telltale symptoms
•  The main types of problems
• Pests
• Diseases
• Shortcuts to problem identification
• What insect is it?
• Diagnosis of plant disorders
• Difficult to diagnose problems
  

Lesson 2: Treating problems

• Different ways to control pests and diseases
• Cultural control
• Biological control
• Physical controls
• Chemical
• Legal control
  

Lesson 3: Problems and the plants they affect

• Flowers & bulbs
• Fruit & vegetables
• Indoor, shade & greenhouse plants
• Shrubs & climbers
• Trees
• Lawns
• Australian natives
  

Lesson 4: Pests

• The major types of pests
• Common garden pests
• Millipedes
• Wasps
  

Lesson 5: Diseases

• Disease considerations
• Types of pathogens
• Symptoms
• Understanding diseases
• Stages in the development of a disease
• Common diseases
  

Lesson 6: Environmental problems

• Common environmental problems
• Foliage burn
• Pollution
• Lack of water
• Drainage problems
• Frost
• Hail
• Shade
• Temperature
• Wind
• Plant tolerance levels
• Ways to protect plants
• Protective structures
• Staking
• Tree guards
• Wind breaks
• Mulching
• Environmental problems in lawns
• Appendices
• Spray programmes
• Stages of growth
• Simple conversions
• Further information
• Publications/bibliography
• Diagnosis services
• Glossary

COURSE ASSESSMENT:

This course is completed entirely online, including lessons, self-assessment tests, plus obtaining your certificate at the end, which is immediately downloadable after successful completion. Please note that there is no tutor support, as it is not required. The assessment breakdown is as follows:

1. Study lesson 1.
2. When you are ready, take the self-assessment test. Retake until you reach the required level of learning.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the following lessons.
4. Take the final assessment.
5. Download your certificate of completion, with your name on it.
   

Now you are ready to stand out at a job interview, or put your newly acquired knowledge to use straightaway.