There are many types of greenhouses – do you know how to choose the right one for your nursery or garden? If you’d like to learn how to manage a greenhouse, this online course is perfect for you.
Certificate of Greenhouse Management is a professional development course that will show you how to manage a greenhouse for successful crop production.
In this greenhouse management course, you’ll learn about climate control, disease and pest management, growing systems and equipment, irrigation techniques and lighting and greenhouse automation systems.
On completion of this course, you’ll feel confident to grow nursery stock, edible crops and other horticultural plant products in a greenhouse.
Course Structure
Unit - Greenhouse Management
Unit 1 – Types of greenhouses
- Types of greenhouses
- Greenhouse designs for commercial nursery production
- Venlo
- Wide-span or multi-span
- Mansard
- Plastic clad tunnels/igloos
- Sawtooth
- Single-span greenhouses
- Retractable roof greenhouse
- Greenhouse construction methods and materials
- Framing materials
- Covering materials
- What type of greenhouse is appropriate for your nursery?
- Siting greenhouses
- Greenhouse benching
- What can you grow?
- Environmental control in greenhouses
- Plant needs
- Environmental factors affecting plant growth
- Environmental controls
- Natural light
- Growing media
- Temperature of air
- Moisture and misting
- Moisture and fog
- Computerised environmental control
- Intelligent environmental controllers
Unit 2 – Growing systems and equipment
- How to grow plants
- Soil culture
- Soilless culture
- Nutrient formulations
- Fertiliser salts for formulations
- Formulas for different systems
- Types of formulations
- Measuring conditions inside a greenhouse
- Weather sensors
- Climate sensors
- Water sensors
- Nutrition sensing
- Environmental control systems
- Thermostats and timers
- Analog ‘step’ controller
- Computer zone controllers
- Integrated computer control (ICC)
- Getting plants to flower out of season
- Types of flowering response to temperature
- Ways to cause controlled flowering
- Principles affecting rates and progress of flowering
- Applied flowering control
Unit 3 – Pest and disease management in greenhouses
- How to stop pests & diseases entering the greenhouse
- Greenhouse hygiene
- Methods of disease introduction
- Detecting and controlling pests & diseases in the greenhouse
- Scouting and recording
- Action threshold
- Sanitation
- Disease-free plants
- Screening
- Weed control
- Cultural control
- Biological control
- Chemical control
- Insect growth regulators
- Biorational pesticides
- Root media pasteurisation
- Common greenhouses diseases
- Fungi, bacteria and viruses
- Disease control
- The root environment
- The aerial environment
Unit 4 – Temperature management
- Temperature influence on growth and development.
- Sensing temperature
- Cooling
- Heating
- Temperature control in a greenhouse
- Methods of temperature control
- Temperature control using natural ventilation
- Temperature control using heating
- Heat loss
- Calculation of heat loss
- Leakage loss
- Heating systems
- Localised heating systems
- Unit heaters
- Convection heaters
- Electric heaters
- Radiant heaters
- Solar heaters
- Composting organic matter
- Soil or bench warming units
- 2) centralised heating system
- Ventilation systems
Unit 5 – Water management
- Greenhouse irrigation and objectives
- Soil and water types
- Gravitational water
- Capillary water
- Hygroscopic water
- Estimating water
- Irrigation systems
- When to irrigate
- Nursery irrigation program
- Irrigation practices
- Plants and water
- Water deficiency symptoms
- Equipment and methods
- Automatic systems
- Sprinklers and overhead spray lines
- Flood benches
- Capillary benches
- Capillary watering
- Trickle irrigation
- Watering container plants
- Pulse watering
- Seep hose and watering cans
- Precision application techniques
- Cyclic watering
- Scheduling irrigation
- Water supply and quality
- Maintenance of watering systems
Unit 6 – Nutrition management
- Irrigation and nutrition control
- Liquid feed systems
- Injection and displacement liquid feed systems
- Nutrient management
- Considerations for fertilising greenhouse crops
- Controlled-release fertilisers (CRF)
- Water soluble fertiliser
- Slow release fertiliser
Unit 7 – Managing light
- Importance of lighting in a greenhouse
- Quality of light
- Light intensity
- Length of the day (photoperiod)
- Artificial lighting
- Measuring light
- Controlling light in the greenhouse
- Light increase
- Reducing light intensity
- Blackout and shading
- Paint-based shading compounds
- Reflectors
- Photoperiod manipulation
- Growth rooms
- Efficient lighting control
Unit 8 – Managing gases
- Airflow
- Carbon dioxide enrichment
- Supplemental co2
- Sources of co2
- Control of co2 level
- When to start supplementation
- Pollutant gases
- Temperature control systems (ventilation)
- Mechanical ventilation
- Natural ventilation
- Fans and vents
- Evaporative cooling
- Air circulation
- Humidity control
- Fog systems
Unit 9 – Automation and robotics applications for greenhouse production
- Automation in vegetable nurseries
- Automation systems
- Remote sensing
- Direct method
- Computerised environmental controls
- Robots
- Drones
- Cloud IOT-based monitoring system
- Wireless sensor network
- Components of wireless sensor networks
- Structure of wireless sensor network
- Star (single point-to-multipoint) network
- Mesh network (advantages and disadvantages)
- Hybrid network
- Data logging
- Data gathering in WSN
- Automating irrigation techniques
Study Hours
Estimated duration 50 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrol Online: Click Add to Cart/View Cart on the course page.
Enrol via Live Chat (Business Hours)
Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
Enrol via Purchase Order/Tax Invoice
Enrolling Multiple Staff?
To enrol multiple staff, please complete the Employer Enrolment Form. We’ll be in touch within 60 minutes during business hours!
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and Direct Deposit.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no course or subject pre-requisites for entry into our programs. However, our professional development programs are generally intended for people over the age of 18. In some circumstances, enrolments from younger people may be considered. Please complete the AOC Parent Guardian Consent Form prior to enrolling and submit here.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional Development for:
- Retailer – Nursery
- Wholesaler – Nursery
- Gardener
- Horticulturalist
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