3/14/2025 7:13:54 AM	HORT 51 Course Outline as of Fall 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  HORT 51	Title:  INTRO HORTICULTURE
Full Title:  Introduction to Horticulture
Last Reviewed:2/10/2025

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	3.00		8 min.	Lab Scheduled	52.50
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	5.00			Contact Total	87.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

In this class, students will explore the art and science of environmental horticulture. The course emphasizes applied plant science including plant propagation, landscape management, and specialty crop production. Topics include: basic botany; plant identification and classification; horticultural practices; propagation; structures and layout; pest management; planting; container gardening and houseplants; landscape design; floral design; turfgrass installation and care, and a survey of career opportunities in the industry. This course may include field trips.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

In this class, students will explore the art and science of environmental horticulture. The course emphasizes applied plant science including plant propagation, landscape management, and specialty crop production. Topics include: basic botany; plant identification and classification; horticultural practices; propagation; structures and layout; pest management; planting; container gardening and houseplants; landscape design; floral design; turfgrass installation and care, and a survey of career opportunities in the industry. This course may include field trips.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2018	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Understand basic plant morphology and how it applies to plant identification, reproduction, propagation, and maintenance.

2. List various horticultural careers and their employment requirements.

3. Describe and compare common tools and equipment used for various horticultural operations and occupations.

4. Examine horticultural context of Sonoma County and California in terms of economy, environment, and society.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Describe the major agricultural commodities of Sonoma County and California and their relative economic importance

2. List ways that the field of Environmental Horticulture contributes to a more sustainable environment

3. Demonstrate safe use of common tools and equipment used for plant propagation and landscaping

4. List and describe the major structures of plants and their functions

5. Formulate soils and container media following a given recipe

6. Propagate plants utilizing both sexual and asexual methods

7. Explain the requirements needed for healthy plant growth, including watering, fertilization, and pest control

8. Explain fertilizer analysis, ratios, and applications following label directions

9. Compare the various types of horticultural structures used for growing crops

10. Describe and compare various horticulture occupations, their employment requirements, and their basic business structure and operations

11. Demonstrate how to plant and care for given horticultural crops

12. Demonstrate an understanding of basic plant morphology, identification and nomenclature

13. Perform common landscape maintenance practices such as: weeding, mulching, pruning, soil preparation, and planting

Topics and Scope

I. The Environmental Horticulture Industry in Sonoma County and California

    A. History

    B. Current scope: major commodities

    C. Future growth/employment

II. Awareness of Environmental Issues and Sustainable Solutions

    A. Waste

    B. Water

    C. Fertilizers

    D. Pesticides

III. Horticultural Occupations and Their Employment Requirements

    A. Nursery

    B. Landscape

    C. Turf

    D. Floral design

    E. Education

    F. Public service

IV. Tools, Equipment, and Safety Practices

    A. Use of tools, specialized equipment, and nomenclature

    B. Safety in handling equipment

    C. Safety in handling pesticides

V. Plant Structures and Functions

    A. Stems

    B. Leaves

    C. Flowers

    D. Fruit/Seeds

    E. Roots

VI. Soils and Container Media

    A. Types of soils

    B. Soil reactions

    C. Amending soils

VII. Plant Propagation

    A. Seeds

    B. Cuttings

VIII. Requirements of Plant Growth

    A. Light

    B. Air

    C. Water

    D. Mineral

    E. Anchorage

IX. Irrigation and Fertilizing

    A. Plant needs

    B. Deficiency symptoms

    C. Methods of application/techniques

    D. Application Rates

    E. Fertilizer schedules

X. Pest and Disease Overview

    A. Pests/disease identification

    B. Damage assessment

    C. Control measures

XI. Horticultural Structures

    A. General layout

    B. Greenhouses

    C. Propagation units

    D. Systems - heating/cooling, irrigation/mist

XII. Environmental Horticulture Business Types

    A. Retail nursery and garden centers

    B. Wholesale production nursery

    C. Landscape contractor

    D. Landscape designer/Landscape architect

    E. Landscape maintenance/gardening company

    F. Flower shop

    G. Interiorscape company

    H. Arboriculture company

XIII. Nursery and Greenhouse Crops - Planting and Care

    A. Planting - propagation by sexual and asexual means

    B. Transplanting larger sizes

    C. Pruning and maintenance of container stock

XIV. Plant Identification and Nomenclature

    A. Basic plant identification, terminology, and techniques

    B. Grouping of plants according to horticultural characteristics, e.g., size, rate of growth, ideal environmental

    C. Shrubs, trees, ground covers, vines, annuals-perennials, house plants

XV. Common Turf and Landscape Practices

    A. Lawn planting

    B. General care

XVI. Basic Floral Design

    A. Introduction to floristry

    B. Various types of floral arrangements

 

All topics covered in lecture will also be covered in lab.

Assignments:

Lecture-Related Assignments:

1. Research paper or presentation on a topic related to a specific horticultural career path (3-5 pages)

2. Reading (20-30 pages/week)

3. Homework assignments (6-14)

4. Quizzes (2-10), Exam(s) (1-3)

 

Lab-Related Assignments:

1. Field trip report(s) (0-6)

2. Lab reports (6-12) related to plant structure and function, requirements of plant growth, irrigation and fertilization, pests and diseases, horticultural structures, and horticultural business types

3. In-class exercises requiring demonstration of plant identification and nomenclature, plant propagation, and safe and appropriate use of landscape tools and equipment

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 20%
Homework, field trip report(s), research paper/presentation
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 40%
Lab reports
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 30%
In-class exercises
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 20 - 40%
Quizzes and Exam(s)
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 20%
Class participation, including field trip(s)

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Principles of Horticulture. 6th ed. Adams, Charles and Early, Mike. Routledge. 2011. (classic).

Plant Science: Growth, Development, and Utilization of Cultivated Plants. 5th ed. McMahon, Margaret and Kofranek, Anton and Rubatzky, Vincent. Pearson. 2011. (classic).

Practical Horticulture. 7th ed. Rice, Laura and Rice, Robert Jr. Pearson. 2010. (classic).

Introduction to Horticultural Science Lab Manual. SRJC Agriculture & Natural Resources Department. 2024.

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