Lesson Structure:  Cut Flower Bulbs BHT317

There are 10 lessons:

1.  Introduction to Cut Flower Bulb Production

• Overview of floriculture
• Information on flower structure
• How plants grow
• Specialised vegetative structure
• Introduction to hydroponics
• Classification of hydroponic systems

2. Cultural Practices

• Understanding soil composition, structure and texture
• Ways to improve soil
• Importance and types of soil water
• Soil pH
• Nutrient availability and pH
• Soil and plant tissue analysis
• Soil degradation and rehabilitation (erosion, salinity, acidification etc)
• The nutrient elements (major and minor)
• Diagnosing nutritional problems
• Fertilisers (types, application, etc)
• Natural fertilisers
• Fertiliser selection
• Weed control methods

3.  Flower Initiation & Development

• Encouraging plants to flower out of season
• Ways to cause controlled flowering
• How to modify plant environment
• Photosynthesis
• Carbon dioxide enrichment
• Response of plants to CO2
• General guidelines of planting bulbs
• Mulching
• Soil mixes and potting media

4.  Pest & Disease Control

• Law in relation to chemical used
• Disease identification and management in bulb crops
• Plant viruses detection and diagnosis
• Pest identification and management in bulb crops
• Environmental Problems and their treatment

5.  Managing Yield, Greenhouse Culture

• Greenhouse growing system
• Components of greenhouse facility
• Types of greenhouse
• Commonly used greenhouse designs
• Shade houses
• Greenhouse benches and beds
• Environmental control in greenhouses
• Measurements of environmental factors
• Heating, cooling and ventilation systems
• Lighting
• Horticultural management in a greenhouse (pest and disease, irrigation etc)
• Plant and water relation
• Growing bulbs in open ground
• Irrigating field grown bulbs
• Types of irrigation system

6.  Management, Harvest & Post Harvest

• Managing market gardens
• Factors in Deciding Which Plants to Grow
• Production and crop scheduling
• Cost efficiency standards
• Quality and quantity standards
• Farm layout (design of a store)
• Marketing bulb crops
• The marketing process (supply and demand, market research etc)
• Aging in cut flowers
• Factors affecting the longevity of cut flowers

7.  Gladiolus and Liliums

• Classification of liliums and gladiolus
• Growing conditions
• Soil and nutrition
• Planting and propagation
• Pest and diseases
• Harvest and post-harvest

8.  Narcissus

• Classification of narcissus
• Growing conditions
• Soil and nutrition
• Planting and propagation
• Pest and diseases
• Harvest and post-harvest

9.  Iris

• Classification of Iris
• Growing conditions
• Soil and nutrition
• Planting and propagation
• Pest and diseases
• Harvest and post-harvest

10.  Other Bulbs

• Scented bulbs
• Alstroemeria
• Amaryllis
• Dahlia
• Freesia
• Hyacinth
• Ranunculus
• Orchids
• Ways of judging flower quality

Please Note:  Each lesson requires the completion of an assignment, which you submit to your tutor for tailored feedback and marking. 

Learning Goals:  Cut Flower Bulbs BHT317

• Describe cultural practices for production of different cut flower bulbs, including the basis of all good Horticulture with understanding of soils, plant nutrition, and weed control.
• Understand the initiation and development of flowers in plants with bulbs, rhizomes, tubers, corms or other specialized parts. A look at the factors affecting the flowering stages.
• Learn how to manage any pests and diseases for a crop of cut flower bulbs or in the home garden.
• Manage the quantity and quality of a crop of cut flower bulbs, both grown in the open and in a greenhouse. In this lesson, we also have a good look at the various systems of growing cut flower bulbs in greenhouses and look at ways to manage the environmental conditions in them.
• Learn about the management and the harvest/post-harvest of cut flower bulbs.
• Explain the production of Lilium and Gladioli cut flower crops.
• Explain the production of Narcissus cut flower crops.
• Explain the production of Iris and Gladioli cut flower crops.
• We look at the comparison of a variety of different cut flower bulb crops.

WHAT GROWERS OF CUT FLOWERS NEED TO KNOW

It may seem obvious but the first thing a cut flower grower needs to know about is flowers. Surprisingly, many people who work with flowers do not understand the basics of flower structure

A flower is made up of the following parts:

The Male Parts: Stamens – a stamen comprises two parts, the filament and the anther.

• Filament – a thin strand or stalk which supports the anther.

• Anther – the top of the filament which produces pollen.

Female Parts: Pistils – a stalk comprising three parts: the stigma, style and ovary.

• Ovary – at the base of the pistil, made up of one or several compartments. These compartments are called “ovules”. Each compartment contains several egg cells, which are the female eggs, waiting to be fertilised by the male pollen (which is equivalent to sperm).

• Stigma – the swelling on top of the pistil which the pollen lands on (the pollen then grows into the stigma and down the style, to reach the ovary).

• Style – the “stalk” between the ovary and the stigma.

Other Parts:

• Pedicle – the stalk which the flower sits on top of.

• Sepals – “scales” which encompass the flower when it is still a bud. When the flower opens, the sepals are left as a small petal or leaf like objects below the flower, extending from the top of the pedicle.

• Petals – the often colourful “bracts” or “sheets” which surround the male and female parts of a flower.

Development of a Flower

Pollen from the top of the stamen is carried by wind or insects (or some other means), to land on top of the pistil (i.e. the stigma).

The pollen then grows through the pistil, to the base of the pistil where it fertilizes the female egg cell (or cells) in the ovary, once fertilised these eggs can begin to grow to produce plant seeds. The walls of the ovary grow around the developing seed to produce the “fruit”.

Complete and Incomplete Flowers

• Some flowers contain all main flower parts (i.e. sepals, petals, stamens and pistil). These are “complete” flowers.

• Some flowers contain no petals; these are called “Apetalous” flowers.

• Some flowers contain stamens which function (i.e. produce fertile pollen); but non-functional pistils (i.e. seed does not form). These are called “Staminate” flowers.

YOUR TUTOR:       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.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

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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.

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A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

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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.

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Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
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Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
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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. 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.