Catalog Description
- Transfer Status
- CSU
- Unit(s)
- 3.00
- Lecture: 34.00 Contact hours/68.00 Out of class hours/102.00 Total hours/2.00 Unit(s)
- Lab: 51.00 Contact hours/0.00 Out of class hours/51.00 Total hours/1.00 Unit(s)
- Total: 85.00 Contact hours/68.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
Course Description: This course is an introduction to plant propagation and production practices with emphasis on nursery operations including sexual and asexual reproduction, planting, transplanting, fertilizing, plant pest and disease control; structures and site layout; preparation and use of propagating and planting mediums; use and maintenance of common tools and equipment; regulations pertaining to plant production. (C-ID AG-EH 116L).
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- Describe the principles of plant reproduction, sexual and asexual.
- Demonstrate plant propagating methods including seed, cuttings, budding, grafting, layering, division, micro-propagation (tissue culture).
- Determine the proper timing for the various propagation and production techniques appropriate to the plant specie and propagation method.
- Formulate planting and propagating media as specified in a recipe.
- Measure and mix fertilizers and applying them following label directions.
- Plant and transplant a variety of plants into appropriate containers.
- Exhibit the personal skills (attitude, work habits, etc.) for successful employment in the wholesale nursery business.
- Discuss control procedures for at least ten common garden, landscape, and greenhouse pests.
- Identify, use, and maintain common propagation, nursery and landscape tools and equipment.
- Plan and design a nursery layout given a set of parameters.
- Develop a poster of, and provide a demonstration of a selected propagation method.
- Describe the various types of wholesale plant production industries locally and in California.
Course Content
Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic
Lecture
| Topics | Lec Hrs |
|---|---|
Wholesale plant production operations | 2.00 |
Introduction to plant environmental requirements | 2.00 |
General aspects of plant propagation | 3.00 |
Use and maintenance of common propagation and nursery tools and equipment | 2.00 |
Sexual propagation | 4.00 |
Asexual propagation | 3.00 |
Cuttings | 4.00 |
Grafting and Budding | 3.00 |
Other common propagation methods | 2.00 |
Micropropagation/tissue culture | 2.00 |
Cultural considerations of nursery stock production | 4.00 |
Propagation structures | 3.00 |
| Total Hours: | 34.00 |
Lab
| Topics | Lab Hrs |
|---|---|
Seed Propagation of Annual Plants | 3.00 |
Transplanting Plugs | 3.00 |
Budding- Utilizing T-Budding and Chip Budding Techniques | 3.00 |
Soil Mixes for Propagation, and Sanitation of Equipment, Containers and Facilities | 4.00 |
Propagation by Division | 4.00 |
Propagation by Separation | 4.00 |
Making Herbaceous Cuttings | 3.00 |
Propagation of Evergreen Species by Using Softwood and Semi-Hardwood Cuttings | 4.00 |
Seed Scarification and Stratification | 3.00 |
Techniques of grafting and budding | 3.00 |
Layering- Ground and Air Layering | 3.00 |
Propagation of Deciduous Species by Using Hardwood Cuttings | 4.00 |
Propagation of Ornamental Trees by Seed | 4.00 |
Crop scheduling | 3.00 |
Fertilizers | 3.00 |
| Total Hours: | 51.00 |
Methods of Instruction
- Class Activities
- Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
- Laboratory Experiments
- Lecture
- Nursery evaluation visits, hands on laboratory work, oral reports and field trips.
Methods of Evaluation
- Exams/Tests
- Quizzes
- Homework
- Lab Projects
- Written Assignments
Examples of Assignments
Reading Assignments
- Read the textbook chapter on seed propagation and prepare for an in class discussion on proper seed scarification methods.
- Read a journal article from American Society of Horticultural Science about sexual or asexual propagation. Discuss your article's findings in small groups in class.
Writing Assignments
- Write a 3-5 page research paper on plant hormones and wound-induced roots. Cite your sources and write the paper in the format of American Society of Horticultural Science.
- Keep a weekly lab journal of two different nursery crops (shrub, vine, groundcover or tree). Include weekly cultural management practices and quantitative crop data (e.g., quantity, height, number of flowers, length, etc.)
Out-of-Class Assignments
- Create a design and bill of materials for a mist propagation system that includes a controller, mist nozzles, pipe, electrical components, and supplies.
- Develop a database for organizing and scheduling cutting and seeding data. Include at least 10 different categories with 10 example crops listed for each.
Recommended Materials of Instruction
Hartmann and Kester. (2010). Plant Propagation Principles and Practices. Prentice Hall, 8th.
Minimum Qualifications
Agriculture (Masters Required)
Ornamental Horticulture