National Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture
This course develops your ability to plan plant production using appropriate propagation, crop care and resource management.
About the course
This course develops your ability to plan plant production using appropriate propagation, crop care and resource management. Learning combines technical study with practical tasks relevant to Southern African organisations and communities.
What you'll learn
Select crops or ornamental plants for the intended environment and market.
Plan propagation, soil, water and crop-care operations.
Evaluate production results and maintain accurate enterprise records.
Requirements
Review your English, numerical skills and introductory knowledge of the subject. Prepare to follow technical instructions, record results and complete supervised practical work. Check the provider's published admission requirements for this certificate before enrolment.
Course content
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
3 learning stages 12 subjects
1Specialist subjects7 subjects
2Foundations and shared practice4 subjects
3Practical integration1 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
12 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Specialist subjects
- Post-Harvest Technology. Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
- Fruit And Plantation. Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
- Crop Protection. Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
- Amenity Horticulture. Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
- Horticultural Crop Propagation. Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
- Vegetable Production. Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
- Horticultural Technology. Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Foundations and shared practice
- Communication And Computer Applications. Study the use of digital tools to organise information and produce reliable work records. Practice centres on a linked set of documents, calculations and presentation files, drawing on files, folders, naming and version control and word-processing layouts and structured documents. You will record findings, justify decisions and check formula accuracy, consistency, readability and recoverability.
- National Studies. Study the relationship between citizenship, public institutions and working life. Practice centres on a local public-service case review, drawing on constitutional principles and public institutions and citizenship and civic responsibilities. You will record findings, justify decisions and check the distinction between fact, opinion and unsupported claims.
- Safety Health Environment And Quality Management. Study the prevention of harm and the control of quality during vocational work. Practice centres on a task risk assessment, inspection record and improvement plan, drawing on hazard identification and exposure routes and risk assessment and control hierarchy. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether controls address the identified hazard rather than relying on labels alone.
- Entrepreneurial Skills Development. Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Practical integration
- Skills Proficiency. Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate post-harvest technology, communication and computer applications within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Assessment and practical learning
- Suggested learning checks: applied questions, calculations or short cases linked to the learning areas.
- Suggested practical assessment: demonstrate a procedure and submit a portfolio showing your method, results and quality checks.
- Explain your decisions to the assessor and use feedback to improve the completed work.
Practical application
Develop a nursery or crop-production plan for local conditions, with planting schedules, input estimates and records of supervised practice.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Specialist subjects
Post-Harvest Technology
Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Learning outcomes
- Prepare a plant-production plan suited to local conditions.
- Carry out supervised establishment or crop-care tasks.
- Evaluate plant performance and maintain production records.
Main topics
- Plant requirements and site conditions
- Propagation and establishment
- Soil, water and nutrient management
- Crop care, pests and disease observation
- Harvest, presentation or landscape maintenance
- Production records, costs and quality
Practical task
For Post-Harvest Technology, prepare a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Fruit And Plantation
Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Learning outcomes
- Prepare a plant-production plan suited to local conditions.
- Carry out supervised establishment or crop-care tasks.
- Evaluate plant performance and maintain production records.
Main topics
- Plant requirements and site conditions
- Propagation and establishment
- Soil, water and nutrient management
- Crop care, pests and disease observation
- Harvest, presentation or landscape maintenance
- Production records, costs and quality
Practical task
For Fruit And Plantation, prepare a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Crop Protection
Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Learning outcomes
- Prepare a plant-production plan suited to local conditions.
- Carry out supervised establishment or crop-care tasks.
- Evaluate plant performance and maintain production records.
Main topics
- Plant requirements and site conditions
- Propagation and establishment
- Soil, water and nutrient management
- Crop care, pests and disease observation
- Harvest, presentation or landscape maintenance
- Production records, costs and quality
Practical task
For Crop Protection, prepare a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Amenity Horticulture
Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Learning outcomes
- Prepare a plant-production plan suited to local conditions.
- Carry out supervised establishment or crop-care tasks.
- Evaluate plant performance and maintain production records.
Main topics
- Plant requirements and site conditions
- Propagation and establishment
- Soil, water and nutrient management
- Crop care, pests and disease observation
- Harvest, presentation or landscape maintenance
- Production records, costs and quality
Practical task
For Amenity Horticulture, prepare a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Horticultural Crop Propagation
Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Learning outcomes
- Prepare a plant-production plan suited to local conditions.
- Carry out supervised establishment or crop-care tasks.
- Evaluate plant performance and maintain production records.
Main topics
- Plant requirements and site conditions
- Propagation and establishment
- Soil, water and nutrient management
- Crop care, pests and disease observation
- Harvest, presentation or landscape maintenance
- Production records, costs and quality
Practical task
For Horticultural Crop Propagation, prepare a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Vegetable Production
Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Learning outcomes
- Prepare a plant-production plan suited to local conditions.
- Carry out supervised establishment or crop-care tasks.
- Evaluate plant performance and maintain production records.
Main topics
- Plant requirements and site conditions
- Propagation and establishment
- Soil, water and nutrient management
- Crop care, pests and disease observation
- Harvest, presentation or landscape maintenance
- Production records, costs and quality
Practical task
For Vegetable Production, prepare a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Horticultural Technology
Study the establishment and care of plants for a defined production or landscape purpose. Practice centres on a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio, drawing on plant requirements and site conditions and propagation and establishment. You will record findings, justify decisions and check plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Learning outcomes
- Prepare a plant-production plan suited to local conditions.
- Carry out supervised establishment or crop-care tasks.
- Evaluate plant performance and maintain production records.
Main topics
- Plant requirements and site conditions
- Propagation and establishment
- Soil, water and nutrient management
- Crop care, pests and disease observation
- Harvest, presentation or landscape maintenance
- Production records, costs and quality
Practical task
For Horticultural Technology, prepare a crop, nursery or landscape-care portfolio in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of plant suitability, timing, resource use and evidence of growth or quality.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Foundations and shared practice
Communication And Computer Applications
Study the use of digital tools to organise information and produce reliable work records. Practice centres on a linked set of documents, calculations and presentation files, drawing on files, folders, naming and version control and word-processing layouts and structured documents. You will record findings, justify decisions and check formula accuracy, consistency, readability and recoverability.
Learning outcomes
- Create and organise files for a defined work task.
- Use a spreadsheet or document tool to process information accurately.
- Check outputs and protect the underlying information.
Main topics
- Files, folders, naming and version control
- Word-processing layouts and structured documents
- Spreadsheet calculations and charts
- Presentation of findings and supporting evidence
- Data entry, validation and checking
- Access controls, backup and responsible information use
Practical task
For Communication And Computer Applications, prepare a linked set of documents, calculations and presentation files in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of formula accuracy, consistency, readability and recoverability.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
National Studies
Study the relationship between citizenship, public institutions and working life. Practice centres on a local public-service case review, drawing on constitutional principles and public institutions and citizenship and civic responsibilities. You will record findings, justify decisions and check the distinction between fact, opinion and unsupported claims.
Learning outcomes
- Explain the role of public institutions in a community issue.
- Compare perspectives using identifiable evidence.
- Prepare a reasoned civic or workplace contribution.
Main topics
- Constitutional principles and public institutions
- Citizenship and civic responsibilities
- Zimbabwean history and national development
- Cultural diversity and community participation
- Work, enterprise and public services
- Evidence, public debate and responsible participation
Practical task
For National Studies, prepare a local public-service case review in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of the distinction between fact, opinion and unsupported claims.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Safety Health Environment And Quality Management
Study the prevention of harm and the control of quality during vocational work. Practice centres on a task risk assessment, inspection record and improvement plan, drawing on hazard identification and exposure routes and risk assessment and control hierarchy. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether controls address the identified hazard rather than relying on labels alone.
Learning outcomes
- Identify hazards and select controls appropriate to the task.
- Follow an agreed safe-work and quality-check procedure.
- Record an incident or defect and recommend corrective action.
Main topics
- Hazard identification and exposure routes
- Risk assessment and control hierarchy
- Safe work preparation and protective equipment
- Environmental impacts and waste handling
- Incident reporting and emergency communication
- Inspection records and corrective action
Practical task
For Safety Health Environment And Quality Management, prepare a task risk assessment, inspection record and improvement plan in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether controls address the identified hazard rather than relying on labels alone.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Entrepreneurial Skills Development
Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Learning outcomes
- Define a customer need and a practical enterprise response.
- Estimate resources, costs and cash requirements.
- Revise a business proposal using evidence from a small market test.
Main topics
- Customer problems and enterprise opportunities
- Products, services and value propositions
- Startup resources and operating costs
- Pricing, cash flow and basic records
- Market testing and customer feedback
- Business risks, responsibilities and growth choices
Practical task
For Entrepreneurial Skills Development, prepare a small-enterprise plan and test record in a ornamental horticulture setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records.
Practical integration
Skills Proficiency
Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate post-harvest technology, communication and computer applications within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Learning outcomes
- Plan and complete an integrated task to agreed criteria.
- Demonstrate safe and consistent practical performance.
- Explain the result and correct identified weaknesses.
Main topics
- Interpreting an integrated work brief
- Preparing tools, information and resources
- Demonstrating the required technical skills
- Checking output against agreed criteria
- Responding to faults and assessor feedback
- Presenting evidence and explaining decisions
Practical task
Develop a nursery or crop-production plan for local conditions, with planting schedules, input estimates and records of supervised practice.
Assessment
Direct observation, the completed output, a quality-check record and oral questions provide the evidence for this subject.
Instructors
