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Turf Care
Turf Care 100 Hours Certificate Course
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Learn About Turf Care
Turf Care course online. Produce optimum turf! A comprehensive introduction to the identification, selection, culture and management of turf for commercial, recreational or home use.
Taking approximately 100 hours to complete it is suitable as a basic course for people working with turf, such as on a golf course or bowling green, or for keen amateurs who wish to make the most of their home lawns.
Course Information
Other Categories
Lessons
Lesson Structure:Â Turf Care BHT104
There are 11 lessons:
1 Â Introduction – Turf Varieties
- The Benefits of Turf
- History of Turf
- Turf Varieties: Bentgrass, Bermuda/Couch Grass, Buffalo Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), Carpet Grass, Chewings Fescue, Kikuyu Grass, Perennial Ryegrass, Soft Brome Grass, Sweet Smoother, Tall Fescue, Kentucky Blue-grass, Phalaris
- Lawn Mixes
- Important Lesson Notes
- Turf Varieties Reports: Illustrating the Turf Variety
- How to Lay Out your Turf Variety Report
2 Â Turf Grass Physiology
- Introduction
- Grasses: Structure (Morphology) of a Typical Grass, Flowers, Spotting Other Characteristics, Roots, Shoots, Root: Shoot Ratio, Recuperative Potential
- Ways to Identify Grasses: Identification Key to selected Common Turf Grasses
- Identifying Tips: Rye-grass, Fescue, Bent Grass, Bluegrass, Others
- Description of Major Warm Season Lawn Grasses: Couch, Zoysia, Carpet Grasses, Paspalums
- Grasses Diagrams
3 Â Turf Establishment
- Establishing Turf Grasses: Soil Preparation, Seeding, Sodding/Instant Turf, Stolonizing, Sprigging, Plugging, Drainage, Chitted Seed
- Producing Drawings to Scale
- Work Scheduling
- Costing Guide: Materials, Equipment Costs, Insurance Costs, Wages, Administration etc., Profit
4 Â Soils
- Understanding Soil: Soil Texture, Soil Blends, Soil Structure, Soil pH
- Buffering Capacity
- Improving Soils: What Sort of Areas Do You Need to Buy in Soil For? What Type of Soil Do You Need? Calculating Soil Quantities
- Cation Exchange Capacity
- Plant Nutrition: The Nutrient Elements, The Macronutrients, The Micronutrients
- Fertilising Turf: Choosing the Right Fertiliser
- Drainage: Techniques Used to Improve Soil Permeability During Garden Construction, Improving Surface Drainage after Construction, Layout of Drains, Types of Drains, Laying the Drain
5 Â Turf Weed Problems
- Introduction
- How are Weeds Spread?
- Non – Chemical Control Methods
- Chemical Control Methods
- Herbicide Use in Turf Correct Usage
- Importance or Recommended Concentration: Always Read the Label, How Poisonous is it?
- LD50
- Commonly Used Commercial Formulations: Domestic Range
6 Â Turf Pests & Diseases
- Introduction
- Chemical Control
- Turf Health Problems: Non-Parasitic Problems in Turf, Fungi, Turf Pests, Animals
- A Preview of Commonly Used Chemicals – Pesticides: Pyrethrum, Dipel, Carbaryl, Malathion, Rogor, Derris, Diazanon, Disyston, Nemacur
- Others: Diatomaceous Earth, Soapy Water, Pests
- A Review of Commonly Used Chemicals – Fungicides: Benlate, Fongarid, Mancozeb, Zineb, Maneb, Lime Sulphur or Lime, Copper Sprays
- Spray Equipment: Watch These Points, Sprayer Maintenance and Cleaning
- Domestic Lawn Care Program: Environmental Problems in Turf
7 Â Turf Maintenance Techniques
- Mowing Turf: Turf Mowers, Mowing Guidelines, Length of Cut, Getting a Clean Cut, To Catch or Not to Catch, Direction of Cut or Pattern of Cutting, What about Cutting Steep Slopes? What to Do With Lawn Clippings? After Mowing
- Mower Safety: What to Wear, Other Safety Considerations
- Other Turf Maintenance Techniques: Aeration, Coring, Scarification, Spiking, Drilling, Slicing, Grooving, Topdressing, Rolling Turf, Repairing Turf
- Golden Rules of Laying Instant Turf
8 Â Irrigation – An Overview
- Water and Plant Growth – Why is Water Important to Plants?: Water Loss from Soils, Improving Water Retention
- Understanding the Movement of Soil Water: Types of Soil Water, Field Capacity, A Feel Test for Estimating Soil Moisture Level, A Feel Test for Estimating Soil Moisture Level
- Tensiometer
- Estimating the Water Needs of Turf: Specific Needs, Irrigating Turf, When to Irrigate, Maintaining Appropriate Water Levels, Rate of Watering, Period of Watering, Cyclic Watering, Pulse Watering
- Irrigation Systems: A Note on SI Units, Conventional Sprinkler Systems, Travelling Sprinklers, Methods of Driving Rotating Head Sprinklers, Irrigation System Efficiency
- Irrigation System Design Considerations: Sprinkler Spacing, Designing and Considering Sprinkler Performance, Electrical Considerations, Electric Automatic Systems
9 Â Playing Fields & Bowling Greens
- Gradients and Dimensions for Sporting Facilities: Gradients, Dimensions, More on Gradients
- Construction Procedure for a Playing Field: Sand-based Technology
- General Specifications for Golf Course Preparation: Course Preparation for the Australian Open Golf Championship (greens, Tees, Fairways, Rough, Bunkers), Pin Placements
- Cricket Wicket Table Construction: Size and Orientation, Grass Types
- Laying a Turf Wicket: General Approach to Maintenance and Repair of Turf Wickets (End of Season Maintenance, Off-Season Maintenance, Renovation, Preparation, Marking a Wicket, Treatment After Play
10 Managing Established Turf
- Golf Course Care and Maintenance: Mowing, Watering, Drainage, Renovation, Top Dressing, Changing Pins and Tee Markers, Fertiliser Requirements, Weeds and Pest and Disease Control
11 Establishing Ornamental TurfÂ
- Ornamental Turf: Shade, Establishment
- Planning for the Environment with Golf Courses
- Environmental Assessment: An Environmental Audit
Learning Goals
Learning Goals:Turf Care BHT104
- Determine the range of grasses and other species available for turf culture (Part A)
- Determine the range of grasses and other species available for turf culture (Part B)
- Determine appropriate procedures to establish turf
- Explain the management of soils for growing different types of turf
- Explain the weed management of turf
- Explain the management of problems, including pests and diseases, in turf
- Determine general maintenance practices used in turf management
- Determine irrigation maintenance practices used in turf management
- Plan the development of different sports turf areas
- Develop management strategies for the care of established turf
- Develop plans to establish ornamental turf
Practical (Set Tasks)
Practicals:
- Turf is unlike any other area of horticulture in one major respect: the plants are subjected to traffic!
- Traffic can take numerous forms when we are talking about the wear and tear of turf. The most obvious examples might be vehicular and human movement. This should be extended to include all activity in which the turf surface is subjected to some sort of foreign physical contact.
- Examples of traffic then, include:
- Golf course -golf carts and buggy wheels which compact soils
- human shoes, often with sprigs that rip and tear turf
- golf clubs and ball which cause divots and ball marks or plugs.
- animal grazing (which tends to be more of a rural problem).
- Parkland -human use including walking, laying down, might include erecting temporary structures such as a marquee, tent.
- ball games of all varieties.
- irresponsible vehicle use.
- animal use
- The amount of damage caused by traffic is relative to the amount and type of traffic, but other factors such as environment and turf species are also important factors. The resultant damage that does occur is called turfgrass wear.
Examinations
Program Summary
More Information
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.Â
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)
- Qualification Certificate
- Official Transcript with assignment grades
- Student Manual
Plus FREE
- Academic Writing course (optional - 10 hours only)
- Critical Thinking course (optional - 10 hours only)
- Job Seekers Careers Guide
- Study Tips on How To Study Better
- Career Counselling by ADL Staff
- CV Writing Help, Tips and Advice
There are no hidden extras
Career Opportunities
FAQ - RHS Theory Qualifications
GENERALÂ
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:Â When can I Enrol/Start My RHS Course With ADL?
A: Anytime, Anywhere. There are no enrolment deadlines.
Q:Â 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:Â Are There Any Entry Requirements (Pre-Requisites)?
A:Â 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:Â What Does ADL Course Material Include?
A:Â Includes Power Point Presentations, Videos and written course lessons.
RHS EXAMS
Q:Â 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:Â Where Do I Take My Exams?
A:Â 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.
Q:Â Exam Pass Marks?
A:  Module – pass 50%.  Commendation 70%.
Qualification:Â 50% pass for all modules.
Commendation awarded for all modules.
Each question carries a value of 10 marks.
Q: I’m Not Happy With My Exam Results?
A:Â You have the opportunity to re-sit your exam at the next opportunity.
There are no restrictions on the number of re-sits you can take. The highest mark you achieve will remain.,