Have you always wanted to know more about growing your own flowers from bulbs? And would you like to do it commercially? This is a course designed for the flowering bulb enthusiast or the commercial bulb grower supplying the cut flower market. There are ten lessons in this course with loads of practical skills to get you inspired and to get you growing! You will learn the basics of horticultural management covering soil types, plant nutrition, pest and diseases. It also covers the various types of bulbs used for production and in the home garden.

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction to Cut Flower Production
   • To develop a broad perspective on the nature and scope of the cut flower industry.
2. Soils & Nutrition
   • Determine soil and nutrition requirements for cut flower growing
3. Cultural Practices
   • Determine the cultural requirements for commercial production of a cut flower crop
4. Flower Initiation & Development
   • Explain the physiological processes which affect flower development in plants
5. Pest & Disease Control
   • Determine the cultural requirements for commercial production of a cut flower crop
6. Australian Natives & Related Plants
   • Evaluate the suitability of different plants as cut flower crops
7. Greenhouse Culture
   • Determine the cultural requirements for commercial production of a cut flower crop
8. Harvest & Post Harvest
   • Determine harvest and post-harvest management practices for cut flower crops
9. Developing A Production Plan
   • Develop a production plan for a cut flower crop
10. Export Marketing
    • Develop a production plan for a cut flower crop

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school\'s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school\'s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

• Explain the physiological processes which affect flower development in plants.
• Identify plant varieties suitable for commercial cut flower production.
• Evaluate the suitability of different plants as cut flower crops.
• Determine soil and nutrition requirements for cut flower growing.
• Determine the cultural requirements for commercial production of a cut flower crop.
• Determine harvest and post-harvest management practices for cut flower crops.
• Develop a production plan for a cut flower crop.
• Determine export market opportunities for cut flowers.

• Describe the botanical mechanisms involved in the process of flower initiation for different plant genera.
• Explain the effect of carbon dioxide enrichment on flowering for a specified plant species.
• Determine the factors causing aging of flowers in different genera of commercially grown cut flowers.
• Compare three different treatments to preserve cut flowers after harvest, including: *Glycerine *Drying *Pressing.
• Determine procedures to produce cut flowers out of season for different cut flower species.
• Compile a resource file of different sources of information regarding commercial cut flower varieties, including: *Publications *Suppliers of seed and/or planting stock *Industry associations *Relevant government contacts.
• Describe herbaceous perennials suitable to cut flower growing in a specific locality.
• Describe annuals and biennials suitable to flower growing in a specific locality.
• Describe bulbs, corms, rhizomes or tubers suitable for cut flower growing in a specific locality.
• Describe plant varieties commonly used as fillers in the floristry trade.
• Differentiate between twenty different plant varieties suitable as cut flowers, including: *Family, genus, species & variety name (if applicable) *a description of the physical characteristics of the plant *a flower description, flowering season and length of flowering.

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