Horticulture Technician-2025/2026
| Level 1 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| WRIT-1036 | Reason & Writing 1-Art & Design | 3 | ||
| This course introduces students to essential principles of reading, writing, and reasoning at the postsecondary level. Students will identify, summarize, analyze, and evaluate multiple short readings and write persuasive response essays to develop their vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking. | ||||
| LAND-1027 | Landscape & Garden Design | 4 | ||
| This course is designed to provide the student, through a series of projects, the design principles and practical skills necessary to develop a landscape plan. The student will be introduced to the process of assessing a site to determine the various elements that will impact on the development of an effective landscape solution, as well as learn basic drafting and technical skills. Surveying techniques and measuring tools will be used to inventory existing site conditions. | ||||
| MTNC-1031 | Landscape Maintenance 1 | 3 | ||
| Landscape and garden maintenance is a very profitable and often under utilized section of the landscape industry. This course offers an orientation to tools and equipment used in landscape maintenance and examines safety in the workplace of landscape/horticulture. Students will begin exploring practical, hands-on landscape maintenance principles to prepare for more specific training in future classes. | ||||
| HORT-1072 | Horticulture & Soils | 3 | ||
| A foundation course in horticulture in which the basics of plant anatomy, plant physiology, plant propagation, plant growth and production will be studied. In addition, students will develop an understanding of the proper management and sustainable conservation of soils and various media that constitute the root environment essential for the successful cultivation of plants. | ||||
| HORT-1075 | Botanical Garden | 3 | ||
| Students will learn the history of botanical gardens and their importance in conserving and documenting diverse plant species. Students will learn specific record keeping techniques while they explore the Fanshawe College Botanical Gardens. Fanshawe College Botanical Gardens is a living library with an internationally recognized plant collection. The Botanical Gardens are home to over 4,000 plant species. Located at the Oxford St Campus in London and The Mac Cuddy Botanic Garden in Strathroy, Ontario, these unique gardens are part of Botanic Gardens Conservation International and maintain associations with botanic gardens across the globe. | ||||
| HORT-1071 | Woody Deciduous Plant Identification | 3 | ||
| This course will provide the student with an introduction to plant naming systems and taxonomy as an aid in plant identification. Through woody plant walks, plants will be viewed and studied on site, either in a cultured or natural environment. At the conclusion of the course the learner will be able to identify and give basic cultural information on over 150 hardy deciduous trees, shrubs and vines for a USDA Zone 5 landscape. | ||||
| COOP-1020 | Co-operative Education Employment Prep | 1 | ||
| This workshop will provide an overview of the Co-operative Education consultants and students' roles and responsibilities as well as the Co-operative Education Policy. It will provide students with employment preparatory skills specifically related to co-operative education work assignments and will prepare students for their work term. | ||||
| Level 2 | ||||
| Gen Ed - Take a 3 credit General Education elective course. | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| COMM-3074 | Communications for Design | 3 | ||
| This course, designed for students who plan to work in the field of art and design, focuses on professional written and verbal communication skills. Students learn to prepare a variety of work-related documents. In addition, students learn about research methods and documentation formats. The principles of effective writing - organization, grammar, style, clarity, and tone - are reinforced throughout the course. The goal of the course is to prepare students for the communication tasks and considerations they will encounter in the workplace in order to meet the needs of employers and/or the communities they will serve. | ||||
| HORT-1053 | Plant Health Care | 2 | ||
| This course will prepare the student to write the Ontario Provincial Ministry of Environment landscape pest exterminator licensing exam. Topics of study include basic information on common pests of the landscape in Ontario, general information on plant protectants, integrated pest management techniques, plant protectants and the environment, plant protectant application technology, current legislation governing pesticides, and human health and safety issues relating to plant protectants. | ||||
| MOTP-1001 | Equipment Maintenance | 2.5 | ||
| Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to identify and protect themselves from the safety hazards presented by powered landscaping equipment. Students will also have demonstrated the ability to set up, maintain, and perform minor repairs to outdoor power equipment used in the landscaping industry. | ||||
| MATH-1159 | Trade Calculations for Hort Tech | 2 | ||
| Numeracy skills are considered a skill in the horticulture/landscape industry. In this course students will learn to accurately perform calculations typically used in the horticulture/landscape industry with particular attention to the way these concepts apply to problems encountered by horticulture technicians in job situations. | ||||
| HORT-1032 | Arboriculture 1 | 2 | ||
| Urban forests are an integral part of the everyday landscape. Arboriculture will focus on our interaction with trees in this environment. Topics discussed will include tree structure and function, site evaluation and planting and tree placement, species selection, transplanting and after care management. Topics will be demonstrated through in-class lectures, labs, site visits and project demonstrations. | ||||
| CONS-1083 | Landscape Construction 1 | 3 | ||
| Through a series of lectures and hands-on workplace simulations the student will begin to learn the basics of construction principles in landscaping. This course introduces the student to the materials they will encounter when designing and constructing landscape projects. The learner will be able to identify, describe and understand how each material could be used in various landscape projects as they prepare for more specific training in future classes. | ||||
| HORT-1073 | Greenhouse Plant Production 1 | 3 | ||
| In this course students will participate in the production and marketing of a greenhouse crop. Students will learn how to control the environmental conditions within the greenhouse using the PRIVA Computer Control System. Learners will apply plant production techniques, maintain the greenhouse facility, and perform sales and marketing activities in practical sessions including a weekend learning practical assignment. | ||||
| HORT-1074 | Woody Evergreen Plant Identification | 3 | ||
| This course will provide the student with an introduction to plant naming systems and taxonomy as an aid in plant identification. Through woody plant walks, plants will be viewed and studied on site, either in a cultured or natural environment. At the conclusion of the course the learner will be able to identify and give basic cultural information on over 100 hardy evergreen trees, shrubs and groundcovers for a USDA Zone 5/6 landscape. | ||||
| Level 3 | ||||
| Gen Ed - Take a 3 credit General Education elective course. | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| ENVR-3005 | Integrated Pest Management | 2 | ||
| At the conclusion of this course students will have a working knowledge of integrated pest management (IPM). Students will learn about pests and diseases and monitoring, implementation and evaluation of IPM programs in greenhouses and landscape settings. Current pest problems will be examined from an IPM perspective utilizing a series of student led panel presentations and discussions. Horticultural principles for ornamental maintenance dealing with pest management, plants and planting, and tree and shrub maintenance will be examined. | ||||
| MTNC-3009 | Landscape Maintenance 2 | 3 | ||
| Through intensive practical hands-on sessions, students will be involved in actual landscape installations and maintenance of existing landscapes and gardens. The practicum will cover: site preparation for new landscapes, irrigation, perennial care, tree transplanting and planting of containerized nursery stock, bulbs, wrapping shrubs and general winterization of the landscape. | ||||
| CONS-3051 | Landscape Construction 2 | 3 | ||
| Through a series of lectures and project-based learning students will be exposed to precast concrete, natural stone and wood products and their use in the landscape industry. Industry standards set out by The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI), and The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) will be used as guidelines for proper installations. | ||||
| HORT-3034 | Greenhouse Plant Production 2 | 3 | ||
| In this course students will build on the knowledge and experience attained in Greenhouse Plant Production 1. Learners will apply new/different plant production techniques, maintain the greenhouse facility, and perform sales and marketing activities in practical sessions including a weekend learning practical assignment. | ||||
| HORT-3030 | Herbaceous Plant Identification | 3 | ||
| Developing and maintaining complex and intricate plantings requires a comprehensive knowledge of the various herbaceous plants such as perennials, annuals and weeds and their association with the woody species in the landscape. Learners will explore herbaceous plant identification, taxonomic detail, culture and maintenance through lectures and plant walks. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| Take 2 of the following courses: COMP-1013 HORT-3031 HORT-3032 | ||||
| COMP-1013 | Dynascape for Garden Design | 3 | ||
| This course provides instruction in the fundamentals of AutoCAD with a focus on Landscape Design. Students will demonstrate their ability to prepare two-dimensional drawings as well as file management, drawing setup layers, line types, dimension styles, text and plotting. Students will be introduced to aspects of AutoCAD's three dimensional drawing. | ||||
| HORT-3031 | Arboriculture 2 | 2 | ||
| Students will continue to learn arboriculture practices and focus on hands-on training. Through lectures, labs and practical field exercises students will gain experience utilizing the various pieces of specialized arboriculture equipment, and implementing tree maintenance techniques in the safest possible manner. | ||||
| HORT-3032 | Turf Management | 3 | ||
| This course will explore the importance of turf and its culture in a horticulture/landscape environment. Topics will include turf use, establishment, and maintenance practices such as mowing, aerating, fertilizing, irrigation components and principles and pest control. The theory behind good turf quality will also be explored through discussion topics such as methods of preventing turf weeds, environmental factors on turf grass diseases, decisions affecting the selection of turf grass species and turf renovation versus re-planting. | ||||
| Level 4 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| HORT-3035 | Trends in Sustainable Horticulture | 3 | ||
| Through a series of lectures and labs students will explore environmentally friendly methods of practicing gardening, including garden maintenance, plant propagation and carbon footprint. Learning will focus on sustainable horticulture, organic agriculture, community development, and sustainable resource management. Students are introduced to horticultural tasks with an approach that emphasizes caring for people, the environment and the existing landscape. | ||||
| BUSI-1208 | The Business of Landscaping | 3 | ||
| This course focuses on developing techniques of business management including financial management, document control, marketing, asset acquisition and management, people management, compliance and a professional approach. | ||||
| HORT-3033 | Annual & Tropical Plant Identification | 3 | ||
| Tropical houseplants, gift plants, bulbs and annual plants will be identified through growth habits, foliage, flower and fruit characteristics. Plant use and culture will also be explored as the crop production cycle progresses in the greenhouse. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| Take 2 of the following courses: MTNC-5009 CONS-5037 HORT-5008 | ||||
| MTNC-5009 | Landscape Maintenance 3 | 3 | ||
| This course will concentrate on the advanced levels of garden and landscape maintenance and site preparation. Topics will focus on site evaluation, development of a maintenance schedule and tender document, equipment needs and evaluation, spring garden maintenance and landscape preparation. This course will be delivered through a series of practical sessions and lectures with a portion of the practical evaluation done at Landscape Congress. | ||||
| CONS-5037 | Landscape Construction 3 | 3 | ||
| Through a series of lectures and project-based learning students will be exposed to landscape features constructed with wood, concrete, and natural stone. To supplement the practical experiences the students will be involved in a major landscape display project at Landscape Ontario's Congress Trade Show held in January. | ||||
| HORT-5008 | Greenhouse Plant Production 3 | 3 | ||
| In this course students will build on the knowledge and experience attained in our first two Greenhouse Plant Production courses. Learners will apply new/different plant production techniques with a focus on food based crops, sustainability and a focus on the business of operating a greenhouse facility. Students will continue to help maintain the greenhouse facility, and perform sales and marketing activities in practical sessions including a weekend learning practical assignment. | ||||
| Gen Ed - Electives | ||||
| Take 6 General Education Credits - Normally taken in Levels 2 and 3 | ||||
| Program Residency | ||||
| Students Must Complete a Minimum of 21 credits in this program at Fanshawe College to meet the Program Residency requirement and Graduate from this program | ||||