RHS Royal Horticultural Society Certificate II In Horticulture

Accreditation

Description

This vocationally-oriented course comprises core studies in general horticulture plus specialised elective studies. The course is designed to lay a foundation for a long-term career in horticulture by developing the ability to identify a large range of plants, knowledge of essential horticultural principles and practices and practical skills in plant propagation, growth and care. This course provides certification from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) UK.

DURATION

Nominally 120 hours (as indicated by the RHS), though we believe only students who already have some prior experience could complete it within this time frame. Most students should budget on spending 150 hours or more doing this course if they hope to be successful when sitting final exams through the RHS (irrespective of whether they study with us or elsewhere).

THE EXAMS

To be awarded the UK accredited certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society, you need to sit two exams set by the RHS. These are offered twice annually, and sitting of these exams can be generally be arranged without too much difficulty in most regions around the world. If you choose to sit these RHS exams, additional exam fees are payable to the RHS.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. The Plant Kingdom (part a)
2. The Plant Kingdom (part b)
3. The Plant Kingdom (part c)
4. Plant Propagation
5. Outdoor Food Production
6. Garden Planning
7. The Root Environment and Plant Nutrition
8. Protected Cultivation
9. Horticultural Plant Selection, Establishment and Maintenance
10. Horticultural Plant Health Problems

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Demonstrate a broad range of horticultural knowledge; communicate clearly and coherently in writing on horticultural matters; and relate horticultural science to its practical application.
• Understand the classification of higher plants and appreciate the internal structure of higher plants.
• Understand the external structure of higher plants
• Develop an understanding of the principles and main practices of plant propagation in horticulture.
• Understand the fundamental physiological processes within the plant including photosynthesis, respiration, water movement, pollination, fertilisation, seed formation and germination.
• Develop an understanding of the principles and main practices of plant propagation in horticulture.
• Understand basic cultural operations and production methods necessary to obtain outdoor food crops.
• Understand basic surveying and design principles and apply them to basic garden design and planning requirements.
• Develop an understanding of the constituents, properties and management of soils and growing media.

What You Will Do

• Draw and label a diagram of a plant cell.
• Draw a diagram showing where active cell division is located within plants.
• Draw two diagrams (one of a monocotyledon, the other a dicotyledon), showing the external differences between a monocotyledon and a dicotyledon.
• Identify plants with botanical keys.
• Dissect two different flowers and identify their parts.
• Collect and identify different types of fruits.
• Collect different leaves, draw and describe them.
• Sow different types of seed, draw and describe the changes occurring to the seed.
• Try to find as many examples of modified plant parts that you can.
• Compare different pollination methods
• Define botanical concepts and terms
• Develop a crop rotation system for a vegetable garden - submit with your assignment.
• Visit an orchard and discuss suitable cultivars and root stocks selection, fertilisation, certification schemes available for fruit plants, pests and diseases control, crop production and harvest methods
• Find articles, plans or real life gardens that represent the following five styles (one garden for each style): formal, informal, productive vegetable and fruit garden, greenhouse or conservatory garden and walled garden (or courtyard).
• Study and compare different landscapes
• Identify the soil layers (soil horizons) of the soil profile.
• Take a soil sample for later analysis.