Horticulture Technician

This course is designed for learners to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of the writing process. Planning, organizing, writing, editing and revising are applied through a variety of activities. Students will analyze audience and purpose, use elements of research, and format documents using standard guidelines. Individuals will develop critical reading skills through analysis of various written documents.

In this course, students explore the Gateway Technical College community. They examine college resources and services, investigate skills that lead to academic success, and identify strategies for achieving educational and personal goals.

Learn to identify and care for annual and perennial flowering plants. Visit local gardens and professional sites to study plants and view design styles. Graphic skills used to create professional flower bed designs is also taught. Hands on experience propagating annuals and perennials and working with tropical foliage in the Gateway greenhouse is also included.

Students examine the science and profession of horticulture, including its role and importance of throughout history, current trends, and careers. Learners will identify horticulture crops, crop use and interrelationships among the environment, plant growth, and plant development.

Learn to identify the different lifecycle stages of plant pests in the greenhouse and landscape and how to control them using cultural, physical and biological control methods. Learn about beneficial insects and how to use predators, parasites and pathogens to control insects and diseases of plants.

Students will study physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. Soil conservation practices, plant nutrition and composting will be discussed in detail. Labs involve soil testing and soil improvement.

Following guidelines set forth by the national Sustainable Site's Initiative students will learn how to improve the sustainability of urban landscapes. Identifying soil conditions, capturing storm water, using native plants, composting, waste and energy management are concepts learned in this class. Students have the opportunity to analyze their own property to find ways to improve sustainability while reducing chemical inputs and maintenance needs.

Focuses on growing cut flowers, potted plants and foliage plants in a greenhouse. Provides practical experience in growing/maintaining crops using equipment, and solving problems. Includes field trips to commercial greenhouse operations.

Learn how plants and flowers are marketed locally and internationally. This class offers professional marketing techniques for garden centers, greenhouses and floral shops. Students visit garden centers, flower shops, wholesale suppliers and trade markets to identify trends and meet with managers. Students gain practical experience organizing a plant promotion including identifying the customer, purchasing and pricing plants, advertising.

Learn how to apply pesticides safely and legally. This class prepares students to take the Wisconsin State pesticide applicator exam with the certification exam given during class. Anyone applying chemicals to someone else's property is required to obtain this certification.

This course is intended to develop analytic reasoning and the ability to solve quantitative problems. Topics to be covered may include: construction & interpretation of graphs; descriptive statistics; geometry & spatial visualizations; math of finance; functions and modeling; probability; and logic. Appropriate use of units and dimensions, estimates, mathematical notation, and available technology will be emphasized throughout the course.

Students will study methods of vegetable gardening and become familiar with basic annual and perennial vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. Organic growing methods, composting, pest and disease control, and self-sustaining gardening methods will be discussed in detail. Field trips to local market gardens will be included in the course.