Landscaping Maintenance

Course Number: 875

This course covers the major features of landscaping maintenance, from the basics of how plants develop to recognizing diseases and parasites. It details the selection and care of trees, ground covers, flowers, and grasses.

Recommended Contact Hours - 10

Chapter 1: Basic Plant Care

Topics:
Plant structure; Organic matter in soils; Acidity, alkalinity of soils; Macronutrients; Micronutrients; Soil temperatures

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the importance of understanding and using a uniform plant identification system, and name the classifications into which plants are grouped.
• List six essentials of plant life.
• Describe the pH scale and tell how the acidity or alkalinity of a soil affects plant growth.
• Tell how to recognize the symptoms of overwatering and underwatering.
• Name at least four nutrients plants need, explain why is needed, and tell how to recognize a lack of overabundance of each.

Chapter 2: Shade Trees

Topics:
Tree shapes, sizes, textures, and colors; Hardiness; Growth rate; Handling and transporting nursery stock; Storing, planting, watering, and pruning trees

Learning Objectives:

• Give examples of the following: course-textured, medium-textured, and fine-textured trees.
• Describe the three ways in which nursery stock is normally offered for sale.
• List and explain the five steps involved in planting a landscape tree.
• Tell why trees may require pruning and describe the two basic pruning cuts.
• Summarize the safety rules that apply when doing tree maintenance work.

Chapter 3: Turf Management

Topics:
Cool and warm season grasses; Mowing, fertilizing, and watering; Light and shade; Seeding, sodding, plugging, sprigging, and stolonizing; Pests and weeds

Learning Objectives:

• Tell how lawns and grass plants differ from other types of landscape plants.
• Define and give examples of cool season grasses and warm season grasses.
• Discuss the importance of proper mowing.
• List three things to keep in mind when watering turf.
• Describe how to establish turf by plugging and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this method.

Chapter 4: Shrub and Flower Care

Topics:
Characteristics and types of shrubs; Hedges; Planting, care of shrubs; Ground cover; Vines; Flowers; Annuals; Biennials; Perennials; Bulbs

Learning Objectives:

• List several things to consider when selecting shrubs.
• Explain the different kinds of pruning required by different kinds of shrubs-for example, spring-flowering shrubs, roses, narrow-leafed evergreens, and hedges.
• Explain how to plant and care for vines.
• Name and define the three classes into which flowers fall.
• Give several examples of hardy bulbs and tender bulbs and compare and contrast the methods of care each requires.

Chapter 5: Pest and Disease Control

Topics:
Viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects, galls, and weeds; Pesticides; Spraying equipment; Other equipment for pest and weed control; Safety

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize fungi and the symptoms of bacteria disease and tell how to control them.
• Identify several living things that help control insects.
• Name several different kinds of pesticides and the ways in which they work.
• Explain the different kinds of pesticides and the ways in which they work.
• List several things to consider when choosing where each is used.
• Describe some of the many forms in which pesticides come and ways in which they are applied.