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Home Fruit Growing
Home Fruit Growing 100 Hours Certificate Course
Course Code:
AHT104
Level:
3
Start:
Anytime
Finish:
Anytime
Study From:
Anywhere
Tutor Support:
Unlimited Access
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Learn About Home Fruit Growing
Growing your own quality fruit to pick and eat fruit from your own garden is a wonderful, healthy and satisfying experience with our Home Fruit Growing online course.
Expand your capacity to do just that on this course. From the outset, the course notes provided are only part of what you will potentially learn. The experiences you have through your set tasks can provide you with a range of varied learning experiences according to your own specific needs.
The course includes cool and warm climate fruits. You are given the flexibility to concentrate your study on the types of fruits you that appeal to you the most.
This course will help you learn the basics of fruit growing. Set-up your home for fruit growing and see the reduction in your food bills. See the lesson content to gain a better understanding on what the course covers.
An overview of the different types of fruits & nuts:
Citrus
Berry Fruits
Nuts
Vines
Pome Fruits
Stone Fruits
2. Soils, site preparation & planning.
Understanding soil nutrition
Fertilising fruit & nut plants
Managing soil for your fruit & nut plants
3. General Cultural Practices
Learning about fruit trees to produce more & better fruit
Identifying pests and diseases
Watering requirements
Pruning
4. Tree Fruits
Problem solving issues with fruit trees
Fruit trees ideal for your area
5. Nuts and Vines
How to grow in selected areas
Description of different nut trees and various vines
6. Berries
Ideal areas for growing berries
Timeline for growing berries
Conditions for growing berries
Please Note: Each lesson culminates in an assignment submitted to the academy, marked by your tutor and returned to you with relevant suggestions, comments, and extra reading where required.
Learning Goals
Learning Goals: Home Fruit Growing AHT104
To develop an understanding of the possibilities for growing fruit at home.
To better manage soil for growing fruit crops.
To manage the growth of fruiting plants in a way that will produce better fruit.
To select and grow tree fruit plants in a home situation.
To select and grow vines and nuts in a home situation.
To select and grow berry fruit plants in a home situation.
Practical (Set Tasks)
Practicals:
Select part of a home garden where the owner would like to grow fruit. Consider the good and bad points about the site and the suitability of different types of fruits to the situation.
Take a sample of soil from an area you might consider growing fruit in. Using the method set out in the gardening manual provided with the course, name the soil.
Look at the buds on the wood of three different species of fruit. Draw what you see, and label where you think the buds are fruit buds, and where you think they are vegetative buds.
Observe the way in which fruit trees are trained or pruned in your locality.
Visit a local hardware store, nursery or irrigation shop and look at drip and micro irrigation equipment which is for sale. Take note of the various components of these systems, how they fit together and how they work.
Identify pests and diseases in a garden which you have visited.
Select 4 different fruits from those you have read about which are grown in your area.
For each one, research which varieties of that fruit are commonly grown, and why they are grown.
Plan the development of a berry growing area for a backyard. Contact companies, visit nurseries and check the availability, quality and prices of berry plants you would like to grow on your site (or proposed site). Work with an imaginary site if you do not have a real life situation to deal with.
Contact Department of Agriculture to obtain relevant information (eg: leaflets, booklets, details about advisory services etc) which relates to fruit growing.
Examinations
Program Summary
More Information
UNDERSTANDING PLANT NUTRITION
The soil is the foundation of all that you grow. If you understand your site and soil, select plants appropriate to that situation, and manage the soil for optimum plant health, then your crop productivity will be maximised and with healthier plants, your fruit crops will better resist pests and diseases that might attack them.
Most plants will perform better if fertilised. As plants burst into spring growth, (in particular) they will draw heavily on nutrients in the soil. If inadequate nutrients are present, plant growth can become stunted.
This effect is subtle and not usually noticed until it becomes severe.
The nutrient level in the soil may drop as low as 30 per cent below the optimum, before deficiency symptoms (such as discolouration) appear in the leaves. By this time, the overall growth rate and general health of the plant has been affected significantly.
Most soils have ample supplies of calcium and magnesium; hence fertilisers used in horticulture are usually almost completely made up mostly of the other major nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium).
Every nutrient has its purpose, and a deficiency or oversupply of even a minor nutrient can have a major effect on the plant. Deficiencies can be difficult to detect, but as time passes symptoms will appear.
Signs are stunted growth, unhealthy leaves that may be mottled, stunted and dying off, distorted stems and undeveloped root systems.
If a nutrient is easily dissolved, the older leaves will be affected first, otherwise the growing tips, i.e. the new leaves, will be affected.
An over-supply of nutrients may initially cause extra growth, but may then become toxic, and plant growth will be reduced. Deficiencies are not always a result of the nutrient not being present; it may be the nutrient is being held in some form which prevents the plant taking it up, for example it could be attached to an insoluble material (known as “immobilisation” or being “locked up”), or be affected by pH.
What Nutrients do Plants Need?
There are three major nutrients plants need for healthy growth: Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Nitrogen is responsible for green leafy growth; phosphorus is needed for roots, shoots, flowers and seed development; potassium promotes stem growth and helps plants resist disease.
Plants also need smaller amounts of calcium, magnesium and sulphur, as well as minute quantities of a group of nutrients called trace elements (such as iron, zinc, magnesium and boron).
Your tutor for this course is:
Susan Stephenson
BSc in Applied Plant Biology (Botany) Univ. London 1983. City and guilds: Garden Centre Management, Management and Interior Decor (1984) Management qualifications in training with retail store. Diploma in Hort level 2 (RHS General) Distinction.
Susan Stephenson is a passionate and experienced horticulturist and garden designer. She has authored three books, lectures at 2 Further and Higher Education Colleges, teaching people of all ages and backgrounds about the wonders of plants and garden design, and tutors many students by correspondence from all over the world.
Susan studied botany at Royal Holloway College (Univ of London) and worked in the trading industry before returning to her first love plants and garden design. She is therefore, well placed to combine business knowledge with horticulture and design skills. Her experience is wide and varied and she has designed gardens for families and individuals. Susan is a mentor for garden designers who are just starting out, offering her support and advice and she also writes, delivers and assesses courses for colleges, introducing and encouraging people into horticulture and garden design.
In 2010, Susan authored a complete module for a Foundation degree (FDSC) in Arboriculture.
Susan holds the RHS General with Distinction. She continues to actively learn about horticulture and plants and (as her students will tell you) remains passionate and interested in design and horticulture.
Assessment
Assessment is based on a combination of completing all assignments and sitting for a final short one and a half hour exam, in your own location.
If you don’t cope well with exams then you may elect to undertake a project instead. This is a popular option.
In addition, most modules have a Set Task at the end of each lesson placed before the assignment. This is an opportunity to undertake practical work to help you acquire knowledge and skills and practical experience. This ADL feature is an added bonus not found at most online schools. Set Tasks are not required for assessment.
Some courses also have optional Self-Tests which are available on our online learning platform. These are not available by correspondence or by USB, and do not form part of your overall grade.
How our courses work
Choose Your Learning Method You choose how you would like to receive your course material, i.e., Online, USB or Correspondence. The choice is yours. You may also work on online or offline.
Tutor Allocation Every student is assigned their own dedicated tutor who is an expert in their subject area. They provide as much or as little individual contact as you require. You can contact your tutor whenever you need – your hours are not limited.
Feedback and Assignments Tutor Feedback is an essential component in helping you understand the subject matter. Tutor feedback is given in the form of notes written on the assignment. We encourage you to contact your Tutor where help with clarification and understanding of course material may be required.
Your assignments are located at the end of each lesson. You submit them for marking whenever you are ready. There is no time limit.
Set Tasks and Self-Tests Most modules have a Set Task at the end of each lesson before for the assignment. This is where you get the opportunity to undertake practical work to help you acquire knowledge, skills and practical experience. Many modules also have short Self-Tests.
Exams Once all assignments have been completed you may then elect to sit for a one and half hour exam in your own location. If you prefer not to take the exam you do have the option to undertake a project instead. Once the exam or project part of the course is completed, your Certificate is then processed. Please allow approximately 4 weeks for this.
Design Your Own Qualification ADL offers students the flexibility to self-design their own qualification – bundling together a combination of 100-hour modules into a qualification higher than a certificate.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.
General
Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning? A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.
Q. Do I need to buy text books? A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.
Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc) A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.
Q. Is there an age limit? A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.
Q. Are your courses up-to date? A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.
Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy? A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.
Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students? A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.
Enrolment
Q. When can I enrol/start? A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.
Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world? A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.
Q. How long do I have to complete the course? A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.
Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take? A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.
Assessment
Q. Assessment – how does it work? A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.
Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do? A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.
Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work? A. Yes –
Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module? A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.
Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done? A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.
Qualifications
Q. What qualification will I receive? A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.
Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification? A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.
Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript? A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.
Tutors
Q. Our tutors – who are they? A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.
Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time? A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.
Q. Practical work – How is this done? A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.
Career Options
What's Included
What your tuition fees include
All Course Material via Online, USB or Correspondence
Assignments Marked
Professional Tutor Feedback
Set Tasks - Practical Exercises to help you develop skills
Self-Tests – multiple choice questions at the end of lessons in most modules
Unlimited Personal Tutor Support – via our student classroom
Committed and Friendly Admin Support – vital to your success
All ADL Exam or Project fees (exception RHS exams)
If you require further details about any of the RHS industry recognised qualifications please, call one of our friendly RHS Course Advisors on +44 (0)1227 789 649 or email: [email protected]
Q: When can I Enrol/Start My RHS Course With ADL? A: Anytime, Anywhere. There are no enrolment deadlines.
Q: I live Overseas. Can I Study From Overseas? A: You can study any of the RHS theory qualifications overseas. All courses are offered in English. You will need to email RHS Qualifications direct to arrange sitting for your examination overseas.
Q: Is There a Time Limit for Completing an RHS Qualification? A: At present there are no time limits. However, RHS is contemplating in the future, the introduction of course time-lines.
Q: Are There Any Entry Requirements (Pre-Requisites)? A: The RHS Theory courses do not require prerequisites, previous experience or any knowledge of horticulture. You just need passion for all things horticulture.
Q: What Course Should I Start With First? I Am New To RHS Qualifications. A: We highly recommend that you start with Level 2 – Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance.
Q: What Does ADL Course Material Include? A: Includes Power Point Presentations, Videos and written course lessons.
RHS EXAMS
Q: When Do Exams Take Place? A: Exams are held on fixed dates in February and June of each year. You should register as a candidate at least 3 months before these dates, so please do not leave exam registration to the last minute
Q: Where Do I Take My Exams? A: UK: You take the exams at the RHS Wisley Centre, located between Cobham and Ripley in Surrey or at other authorised RHS centres around the UK. Overseas: please email RHS qualifications direct for centre information.
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By submitting this form, I provide my consent to ADL to contact me via email or telephone, regarding the course I selected. All information provided is protected in conformity with our Privacy Policy.
Susan Stephenson