Learn to select, plant and grow beautiful tropical plants, whether in the garden, greenhouse or indoors, for yourself or your clients in this comprehensive tropical gardening course.
Certificate of Gardening (Tropical Plants) is an online professional development course that will teach you to create beautiful, sustainable tropical gardens.
In this tropical gardening course, you will learn about the taxonomy and culture of a range of tropical plants, including palms, bulbs, shrubs, orchids, ferns, bromeliads, herbs, vegetables, fruits and more.
You will also learn how to prepare sketch plans and consider colour, texture and plant type to landscape indoors, outdoors, in courtyards.
On completion of this course, you will feel confident to create sustainable tropical gardens and landscapes for yourself or your clients.
Course Structure
Unit - Gardening with Tropical Plants
Unit 1 – Introduction to Tropical Plants
- What does the term ‘tropical plant’ mean?
- What tropical plants can you grow?
- Naming plants
- Plant divisions
- Hybrids, varieties and cultivars
- Monocotyledons vs dicotyledons
- Plant families
- Growing tropical plant – climatic zones
- Climatic zones
- Tropical
- Subtropical
- Temperate
- Arid
- Climatic variations
- Warm climate gardening
- The good and the bad news about tropical gardens
- Common hot garden areas
Unit 2 – Plant Cultural Practices
- Basic gardening
- understanding soils
- Soil texture
- Naming soils
- Nutrient availability and pH
- Improving soil
- Improving fertility
- Water and plant growth – why is water important to plants?
- Symptoms of water deficiency
- Symptoms of water excess
- Water loss from soils
- Improving water retention
- Planting the garden
- Plant establishment methods
- Light requirements
- Mulches
- Tree guards
- Common problems
- plant nutrition
- What nutrients do plants need?
- The nutrient elements
- The micronutrients
- Deficiencies and toxicities
- Propagation
- Sexual (seed)
- Asexual (vegetative)
- Types of cuttings
- How to take a cutting
- Looking after cuttings
- Cutting propagation mixes
- How to sow seeds in containers
- Seed mixes
- Propagation equipment and materials
- potting mixes
- How to evaluate a potting mix
- Different mixes are needed for different jobs
- Water repellence
- How to pot up a plant
- Taking care of young plants
- Purchasing young plants
- After planting care
- Pruning
- Removing seed/diseased wood or soft tissue
- Controlling the type of growth
- Controlling shape and size.
- Rejuvenating
- Basic rules of pruning
- Points to consider when pruning
Unit 3 – Tropical Annuals, Perennials, Bulbous Plants and Grasses
- Bamboos, grasses and grass-like plants
- Arundinaria
- Bambusa
- Carex
- Cortaderia
- Dianella
- Imperata
- Liriope
- Ophiopogon
- Pennisetum
- Phyllostachys
- Saccharum
- Some bamboo and grass plants
- Landscape use of bamboos
- Table of bamboo species
- Bulbs and herbaceous perennials
Unit 4 – Ornamental Gingers and Heliconias
- Zingiberales
- Related families
- Gingers
- Heliconias
- Parrot’s beak heliconia
- Canna
- Costus
- Strelitzia
Unit 5 – Cordylines and Palms
- Palms and palm-like plants
- Self-cleaning or not
- Propagation
- Palm encyclopaedia
- Cordylines varieties:
Unit 6 – Climbers, Shrubs and Trees
- Trees and shrubs (comprehensive list)
- Conifers (comprehensive list)
- Climbers (comprehensive list)
Unit 7 – Orchids, Ferns and Bromeliads
- Orchids
- General guidelines for orchid culture
- Specific guidelines for orchid culture
- Epiphytes
- Orchid varieties
- Cattleya
- Crucifix orchids (epidendrum sp.)
- Cymbidiums
- Dendrobium
- Odontoglossum
- Oncidium
- Paphiopedilum (slipper orchids)
- Phalaenopsis (moth orchids)
- Pleione (indian crocus)
- Vanda
- Orchid pests
- Orchid diseases
- Orchid viruses
- Bromeliads
- Growing ferns
- Ferns as indoor plants
- Getting to know your ferns
- Some families of ferns
- Fern culture
- More fern hints
- Recommended ferns
- Aroids
Unit 8 – Tropical Herbs, Vegetables and Fruit-Bearing Plants
- Growing methods
- Organic growing
- No dig techniques/sheet mulching
- No dig raised beds – one method
- Hydroponics and permaculture
- Container growing
- Greenhouse growing
- Choosing the right site
- Cucumber (cucumis sativus)
- Melon (cucumis melo)
- Watermelon (citrullus lanatus)
- Zucchini (cucurbita pepo)
- Sweet potato (ipomoea batatas)
- Taro (colocasia esculenta)
- Yam (dioscorea spp.)
- Notes on tropical herbs
- Ginger (zingiber officinale)
- Lemon grass (cymbopogon critatus)
- Vietnamese mint (persicaria odorata syn.Polygonum odorata)
- Coffee (coffea sp.)
- Tea (camellia sinensis)
- Tropical fruit trees
- Avocado (persea americana)
- Banana (musa acuminata)
- Carambola (averrhoa carambola)
- custard apple (annona cherimola or a. Reticulata)
- Guava (psidium guajava)
- Fig (ficus carica)
- Paw paw (cariaca papaya)
- Pepino (solanum muricatum)
- Macadamia (macadamia integrifolia and tetraphylla)
- Mango (mangifera indica
- Pineapple (ananas comosus)
- Passionfruit (Passiflora spp.)
- Peanut (arachis hypogaea)
- Pecan (carya illinoensis)
- Table of tropical fruits
Unit 9 – Growing Tropical Plants Outside the Tropics
- Growing tropical plants
- A review of some important indoor plant families
- Indoor plants which adapt to low light
- Indoor plants which require bright light
- Plants which must be moved outside occasionally, depending on which country you are living in
- Indoor plants which grow well with no heat in winter if inside in a temperate or warm climate
- Indoor plants for a dry atmosphere
- Problems with indoor plants
- Potting mixes
- The ideal potting medium
Unit 10 – Landscaping With Tropical Plants
- Principles and elements of landscape design
- Landscape principles
- The qualities of landscape components
- Creating landscape effects
- Formal and informal gardens
- Natural gardens
- Pre-planning information
- What do you want from the garden?
- What are your priorities?
- Cooling effects
- Collecting pre-planning information
- The design procedure
- Producing drawings to scale
Study Hours
Estimated duration 50 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
About Us
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrol Online: Enrol Now
Enrol via Live Chat (Business Hours)
Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
Enrol via Purchase Order/Tax Invoice
Enrolling Multiple Staff?
To enrol multiple staff, please complete the Employer Enrolment Form. We’ll be in touch within 60 minutes during business hours!
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and EFT/Direct Deposit. Please allow 1-2 Business days for processing for EFT and BPAY.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no course or subject pre-requisites for entry into our programs. However, our professional development programs are generally intended for people over the age of 18. In some circumstances, enrolments from younger people may be considered. Please complete the AOC Parent Guardian Consent Form prior to enrolling and submit here.
Are there any computer requirements?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional Development for:
- Gardener
- Hobby gardener
- Horticulturalists
- Landscapers
- Nursery (retail)
- Flower farmer
- Plant hire business
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