Course Descriptions

This course covers landscape principles and practices for residential and commercial sites. Emphasis is placed on drafting, site analysis, and common elements of good design, plant material selection, and proper plant utilization. Upon completion, students should be able to read, plan, and draft a landscape design.

This course covers information and skills necessary to analyze a property and develop a management schedule. Emphasis is placed on property measurement, plant condition, analysis of client needs, and plant culture needs. Upon completion, students should be able to analyze a property, develop management schedules, and implement practices based on client needs.

This course covers nursery site and crop selection, cultural practices, and production and marketing methods. Topics include site considerations, water availability, equipment, irrigation, fertilization, containers, media, and pest control. Upon completion, students should be able to design and implement a nursery operation and grow and harvest nursery crops.

This course covers the principles and procedures involved in the operation and maintenance of greenhouse facilities. Emphasis is placed on the operation of greenhouse systems, including the environmental control, record keeping, scheduling, and production practices. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate the ability to operate greenhouse systems and facilities to produce greenhouse crops.

This course covers the history, development, and basic techniques of horticulture. Topics include propagation techniques, planting procedures, watering and fertility, plant growth, pest and disease control, and garden design and history. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles of horticulture.

This course covers identification, culture, characteristics, and use of plants. Emphasis is placed on nomenclature, identification, growth requirements, cultural requirements, soil preferences, and landscape applications. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the proper selection and utilization of plant materials.

This course is also available through the Virtual Learning Community (VLC).

This course provides a supplementary opportunity to cover identification, culture, characteristics, and use of plants in a sustainable landscape, giving students a broader knowledge of available landscape plants for utilization in landscapes and plant production. Emphasis is placed on nomenclature, identification, growth requirements, cultural requirements, soil preferences, landscape applications and expansion of the plant palette. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the proper selection and utilization of plant materials, including natives and invasive plants.

This course introduces the basic concepts of botany as they apply to horticulture. Topics include nomenclature, physiology, morphology, and anatomy as they apply to plant culture. Upon completion, students should be able to apply the basic principles of botany to horticulture.

This course covers the identification and control of plant pests including insects, diseases, and weeds. Topics include pest identification and chemical regulations, safety, and pesticide application. Upon completion, students should be able to meet the requirements for North Carolina Commercial Pesticide Ground Applicators license.

This course covers the physical and chemical properties of soils and soil fertility and management. Topics include soil formation, classification, physical and chemical properties, testing, fertilizer application, and other amendments. Upon completion, students should be able to analyze, evaluate, and properly amend soils/media.

This course is a study of sexual and asexual reproduction of plants. Emphasis is placed on seed propagation, grafting, stem and root propagation, micro-propagation, and other propagation techniques. Upon completion, students should be able to successfully propagate ornamental plants.

This course covers residential and commercial landscape design, cost analysis, and installation. Emphasis is placed on job cost estimates, installation of the landscape design, and maintenance techniques. Upon completion, students should be able to read landscape design blueprints, develop cost estimates, and implement the design.

This course introduces basic irrigation design, layout, and installation. Topics include site analysis, components of irrigation systems, safety, types of irrigation systems, and installation techniques. Upon completion, students should be able to design and install basic landscape irrigation systems.

This course covers plant selection, design, and management for interior settings. Topics include tropical plant identification, cultural requirements, insect and disease identification and control, and design and management requirements for interior plants. Upon completion, students should be able to design, install, and manage plants in interior settings.

This course introduces various strategies for marketing horticulture products and services. Topics include wholesale, retail, and consignment sales; advertising media; costing products and services; preparing estimates, bids, and proposals; and consumer relations. Upon completion, students should be able to develop a marketing strategy for various horticulture products and services.

This course introduces starting and/or managing a horticulture business operation. Emphasis is placed on types of business ownership, legal aspects of licenses, worker safety and facility criteria, and creating inventories, schedules, and financial statements. Upon completion, students should be able to prepare appropriate schedules and financial statements and demonstrate knowledge of legal standards for equipment and personnel.