From seedling to sale. How students are part of the important process of plant growth

Tuesday, 6 August 2019

Wodonga TAFE Certificate II in Horticulture students are exposed to and taught the process of growing and caring for plants from seedling stage and nurtured right through to the stage where they are sold to good homes. The following are certain steps that need to be undertaken in the process of growth that ensures healthy, strong and prosperous plants.

IDENTIFICATION

The first part for students to learn is by taking a walk around the nursery and learning to identify the differences between each plant. They are also taught the importance and purpose of having plants in the nursery of varying ages.

STORAGE

Moving into the propagation greenhouse, where the newly planted seedlings are stored, students are taught that extra precaution needs to be taken in this greenhouse due to the likelihood of seedlings contracting disease from outside contaminants, including hands and equipment. Storing them in the correct ways ensures their health from root to tips.

ORGANISATION

The second greenhouse they are exposed to is the capillary action green house. This is where students begin to organise the plants by their species, ensuring they have enough space around them for the plant to continue growing and begin spreading. Completing this organisation process is not only for the health and growth benefit of the plants but also for ease of reference when looking for a particular plant.

HARDENING

Finally, the students move on to the warm house to help with the hardening process before they are stored outside. The process of hardening helps to develop the root systems of the plants and ensures that all plants that are up for sale or planted around TAFE grounds have the best chance for survival. This is the last process required before preparing the plants for sale.

Throughout the teachings of plant growth stages, students also spend time at the Market Garden, which is a Nepalese garden which they use as part of the learning in their course.

 “Only two-thirds of the garden space is currently being used for growing goods for the market garden, with the other third covered with a green crop of peas, which allows the soil to remain nutritious for the future when the market garden will rotate along the bays,” student, Dan, explains.

“The Horticulture course is so much fun and extremely interesting. It’s great to be privy to the processes involved in preparing plants from plant sales.”

At the end of their course students are involved in the process of potting and preparing plants for the sales. They are also encouraged to be a part of the sales process so they can practice passing on the skills and knowledge they have learned to customers.

The Certificate II in Horticulture will be available for enrolment in our next intake for 2020. If you are interested in learning Horticulture sooner, there is a Certificate III in Horticulture course that will begin this September! If you want to know more, contact our customer service team 1300 698 233 to find out about eligibility or enquire via our website https://www.wodongatafe.edu.au/courses/AHC30716/Certificate-III-in-Horticulture