Sneak Peek
Short Course Starting a Backyard Nursery
Understand more about GROWING PLANTS.
Course Code: SGH12
Course Duration: 20 hours (minimum, self paced study, commonly 2 to 8 weeks, less or longer as you need)
This short course is a guide for the person attempting to start or run a small nursery, herb or flower growing
enterprise as a backyard operation on their larger property. It endeavours to cover the most important topics you need to know to get you started.
Use this course as a starting point. Study the nursery industry and its sectors in your region and see what is and isn’t feasible. Look at what plants and related products are currently in demand.
Consider opportunities open to you:
- You may start small, propagating, growing potted plants and selling at a local market.
- You may start by propagating herbs for sale, but also harvesting and producing some herbal products.
- You may propagate flowers, selling potted flowering plants; or growing in the ground, then harvesting and selling bunches of flowers to a florist or at a market stall.
Nurseries, herb or flower farms that have humble beginnings on just a few dozen square metres of land can eventually develop into a large, full-time business.
People who start a backyard nursery can become part of a sustainable future by using recycled materials like plastic pots, sourcing local supplies, reducing energy inputs, composting green waste, and using eco-friendly packaging.
Our 20-hour courses are self-paced and will help you understand a topic in a short amount of time. You can work through the course when you like and test yourself with mini-tests along the way. There are extra case studies or research you can undertake if you would really like to get into the topic. Once you have completed the lessons and self assessment tasks, there is a final exam undertaken online, and you can then download your personalised certificate.
CONTENTS
This short course covers eight lessons:
Lesson 1 introduction and possibilities
- Introduction
- Form of product
- Growth stage
- Quantity
- Selling
Lesson 2 Management and organisation
- Management and organisation
- Selecting the site
- Choosing what to grow
- Layout
- Managing manpower, equipment and materials
- Developing a nursery stock list – an example
- Nursery stocklist worksheet
Lesson 3 Propagating techniques and equipment
- An overview
- Sexual propagation
- Treatments
- Asexual propagation
- Propagating structures and equipment
- Nursery irrigation techniques
- Propagating beds
- Shade houses
Lesson 4 Propagating materials
- Containers
- Containers
- Potting mixtures
- Labels
Lesson 5 Plant health problems
- Diagnosing problems
- Minimising the likelihood of problems
- Treating a problem
- Chemical controls
- Minimising chemical use
- Biological controls
Lesson 6 Propagation - seeds and cuttings
- Where to plant
- Pre-germination treatments
- Handling seedlings
- Pricking out seedlings
- Propagating ferns
- Cuttings
- Practical exercise
- Budding and grafting
- Layering
- Propagation of specific plants
- Ornamentals
- Annuals, bulbs and perennials
- Fruit and nut plants
- Herbs
- Growing on
- Potting up plants
Lesson 7 Starting a small herb or flower farm
- Herb growing
- Herbal products
- Growing flowers for profit in your backyard
Lesson 8 Management
- Starting a nursery
- Market research
- Planning
- Work scheduling
- Operational flow charts
- Nursery profile
- Costing your production
- Practical exercise
- Hypothetical case study
- Bibliography
- Other books
- Useful contacts
How does this course work?
You can enrol at any time.
Once you have paid for the course, you will be able to start straight away.
Study when and where you like. Work through at your own pace.
You can download your study-guide to your smart phone, tablet or laptop to read offline.
There are automated self-assessment tests you can complete at the end
of each lesson. You can attempt these as many times as you wish and
each time, upon completion, you can see your results. You will need
internet access to complete the self assessment tests.
At the end of the course, you are presented with a large assessment
which can be attempted online, anywhere, anytime. If you achieve a 60%
pass in the exam; you immediately receive a downloadable certificate of
completion with your name on it.
Who This Course is For
Horticulturists, gardeners, market gardeners, and others who currently work with plants who wish to try their hand at something different.
Entrepreneurs who want to work with plants and run a sustainable business.
People who may wish to transition from a current job or profession into something greener.
Thinking of Enrolling? Get in Touch
Our friendly staff understand the importance of making the right choices when it comes to studying.
We want to help you choose the right course whether it is for personal interest, upskilling, professional development, a new career, or a career change.
Contact us and let us guide you on your learning pathway.
Email us at admin@acs.edu.au | Call us on (07) 5562 1088