Lesson Structure:  Tropical Plants BHT234

There are 10 lessons:

 1  Introduction to Tropical Plants

• What does the term ‘Tropical Plant’ mean?
• What Tropicals can you grow?
• Naming Plants: Plant Divisions, Hybrids, Varieties and Cultivars, Monocotyledons vs Dicotyledons, Plant Families
• Growing Tropical Plants – Climatic Zones: Some climatic variations
• Warm Climate Gardening: Some climatic variations
• Plant Review Worksheets: Naming the Plant, Describing the Plant, Illustrating the Plant, Plan Review Submissions

2  Plant Cultural Practices

• Basic Gardening
• Understanding Soils: Soil Texture, Naming Soils, Soil pH, Nutrient Availability and pH, Improving Soil
• 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, Weeds
• Plant Nutrition: The Nutrient Elements, The Micronutrients
• Deficiencies And Toxicities: Indicators of Deficiency and Toxicity
• Propagation: Sexual (seed), Asexual (vegetative), Types of Cuttings, How to take a cutting, Looking after Cuttings, Propagating Cymbidium Orchids, Cutting Propagation Mixes, How to Sow Seeds in Containers, Seed Mixes, Propagation Equipment and Materials, Simple structures for propagating plants
• Potting Mixes: How to Evaluate a Potting Mix, Different mixes are needed for different jobs, Water Repellence
• How To Pot A Plant: What Does Pot-Bound Mean?
• Taking Care Of Young Plants: Purchasing Young Plants, Planting Out, After Planting
• Pruning: Basic Rules of Pruning, Points to Consider when Pruning

3  Tropical Annuals, Perennials, Bulbous Plants, Bamboos & Lawns

• Bamboos, Grasses And Grass-Like Plants (Including Identifying markers): Some Bamboo and Grass Plants, Bamboos, Bamboo Species, Bulbs and Herbaceous Perennials (note – gingers are included in the following lesson)
• Lawns: The Benefits of Lawns, Lawn Shape and Design, Which Lawn?, Creating a Lawn, Turf Varieties Suited to Tropical and Sub-tropical Conditions, Soil Preparation for Lawns, Sowing Seed, Laying Sod, Rolling a Lawn, Watering a New Lawn, Keeping a Lawn, Scarification, Mowing, Repairing a Lawn

4  Ornamental Gingers and Heliconias (and related plants including Alpinia, Hedychium, Zingiber, Musa & Costus

• Zingiberales: Gingers
• Heliconias: Parrot’s Beak Heliconia
• Canna
• Costus
• Musacaeae

5  Cordylines, Palms & Cycads

• Palms And Palm-Like Plants (Including Identifying Markers): Self Cleaning or Not, Solitary or Clump Forming, Pinnate or Fan-shaped Fronds, Palm Encyclopaedia
• Cordylines

6  Climbers, Shrubs and Trees

• Trees And Shrubs (Including Identifying Markers)
• Conifers (Including Identifying Markers)
• Climbers (Including Identifying Markers)

7  Orchids, Ferns, Aroids 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
• Requirements For A Range Of Orchid Genera: Orchid Pests, Orchid Diseases, Orchid Viruses
• Bromeliads
• Growing Ferns: Classification, Ferns as Indoor Plants, Getting to Know Your Ferns, Some Families of Ferns, Fern Culture, More Hints, Recommended Ferns
• Aroids

8  Tropical Herbs, Vegetables and Fruit Bearing Plants Including Bush tucker, Selected Vegetables, Tea & Coffee, Tropical Fruit trees

• Growing Methods: Organic Growing, No Dig Techniques/sheet mulching, Hydroponics, Permaculture, Container Growing, Greenhouse Growing
• Plant Needs: Choosing the Right Site
• Notes On Selected Vegetables: Cucumber, Melon, Watermelon, Sweet potato, Taro
• Notes On Tropical Herbs: Galangal, Ginger, Lemon Grass, Vietnamese Mint, Coffee, Tea
• Tropical Fruit Trees: Avocado, Banana, Carambola, Coconut, Custard Apple, Guava, Fig, Paw Paw, Pepino, Macadamia, Mango, Pineapple, Passionfruit, Peanut, Pecan, Rosella
• Tropical Fruits: Tables

9  Growing Tropical Plants outside the Tropics

• Introduction
• A Review Of Some Important Indoor Plant Families: Aracea, Asteraceae, Bromeliaceae, Gesneriaceae, Orchidaceae, Liliaceae, Moraceae, Marantaceae, Piperaceae
• Problems With Indoor Plants: Potting Mixes

10 Landscaping with Tropical Plants

• Principles And Elements Of Landscape Design: Landscape Principles, The Qualities of Landscape Components, Creating Landscape Effects, The Characteristics of Garden Styles
• Pre-Planning Information: What do you want from the Garden?, Cooling Effects, Collecting Pre-planning Information
• The Design Procedure
• Producing Drawings To Scale

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

Learning Goals:  Tropical Plants BHT234

• Explain the nature and scope of tropical plants
• Discuss cultural characteristics that are often peculiar to tropical plants
• Describe the taxonomy and culture of a range of soft wooded tropical plants including annuals, perennials and bulbs
• Describe the taxonomy and culture of Heliconias and gingers
• Describe the taxonomy and culture of palms and palm-like tropical plants
• Describe the taxonomy and culture of climber, tree and shrub tropical plants
• Describe the taxonomy and culture of orchids, ferns and bromeliads
• Describe the taxonomy and culture of herbs, vegetables and fruits in tropical conditions
• Determine ways to grow tropical plants outside of the tropics
• Explain the use of tropical plants in landscaping

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.