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Horticulture
Horticulture is the culture of vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, turf grass, and ornamental plants. The settings for this culture may extend from the back yard grower to large commercial operations, such as green houses, orchards, vegetable farms, turfgrass operations, forestry seedling nurseries, garden centers, golf courses, municipal parks, landscaping, and landscape maintenance firms.
People working in the horticulture industry should have a strong interest in plants and like the hands on aspect of the work. Depending on the scope of work, many of the positions within the industry involve working outside in a variety of weather conditions.
Where is employment found?
Graduates find employment in a wide range of positions within the industry. These include landscaping and maintenance, retail and wholesale nurseries, garden centers, municipal parks, supply companies, commercial greenhouses, orchards, golf courses, and self employment. Depending on experience and training, positions could be as entry-level workers, lead hands, foremen, supervisors or owner/operators.
Graduate skill set
- Landscape maintenance techniques
- Operation of landscape equipment
- Basic pest management
- Landscape designing and construction
- Plant identification
- Proper pruning techniques
- Plant propagation methods
- Basic irrigation hydraulics
Horticulture Foundation
An integral part of the foundation program is the three-week practicum at the end of studies. This practicum allows students to get work experience in an industry position that they may wish to continue employment with, or to get industry experience to apply to their own situation once the practicum is complete.
Education Requirements
- Grade 12 graduation or equivalent
- Applicants should be in a good physical condition
Required Courses
Fall semester
Horticulture Management Diploma
An interdisciplinary program that combines the core principles of plant science and business management. This program contributes to the knowledge and experience required to create and preserve sustainable urban environments while pursuing careers in landscape design, installation and maintenance, either as an independent entrepreneur or within a horticulture business or municipal parks department.
This diploma is designed for graduates of a recognized one-year horticulture certificate program. It may be taken part-time or full-time, with many of the courses being available by distance learning.
Required Courses
Fall semester
- Financial Accounting
- Management Information Systems
- Organizational Behaviour
- Two electives
Winter semester
- Accounting Software Systems
- Human Resource Management
- Three electives
Choice of electives
- Management Accounting
- Income Taxation 1
- Food Systems at a Local Level and Beyond
- Plants and People
- Commercial Law
- Introduction to Professional Writing
- Greenhouse Production
- Introduction to Marketing
- Professional Selling
- The Science and Management of Natural Resources
- Dendrology 2
- Dendrology 1
- Tropical Field Studies in Natural Resources
Costs for horticulture programs
Fees are subject to change.
Costs include items such as student/ancillary fees, books, personal tools and safety gear, which are kept by students when they graduate from the program.
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