Become a cactus expert with this 100 hr course

You will learn the ins and outs of growing cacti and succulents in this fully tutored course.  Be guided by our expert horticulture tutors and get the most from your plants.

Course Aims:

• Develop knowledge of botanical naming conventions and their application in understanding the horticultural potential of cacti and succulents.
• Evaluate needs then select or improve growing media for cacti and succulents.
• Propagate different types of cacti and succulents.
• Explain a range of uses for cacti and succulents.
• Manage growing conditions for cacti and succulents.
• Explain the cultivation of a range of cacti.
• Explain the cultivation of a range of succulents.

What Will I Study?

There are 8 Lessons in this course:

1. Introduction

• • Review of the system of plant identification
  • Physiology
  • Information sources
  • Three Cacti tribes -Perskia, Opuntia, Cerus
  • Main succulent genera
  • Pronouncing Names

2. Culture A

• • Planting
  • Staking
  • Mulching
  • Soils
  • Feeding
  • Pruning etc.
  • Propagation
  • Methods of propagating cacti & succulent plants
  • Propagation of selected varieties
  • Seed, Cuttings, Grafting

3. Propagation

• • Methods of propagating cacti and succulent plants
  • Propagation of selected varieties

4. Using Cacti & Succulents

• • Edible succulents
  • Garden Design
  • Garden Styles
  • Mexican gardens
  • Using Colour
  • Rock Gardens
  • Growing Cacti or Succulents in containers

5. Culture B

• • Pests and Disease
  • Irrigation
  • Greenhouse growing

6. Cacti Developing Your Plant Knowledge

• • General guidelines for growing cacti
  • Review of Cacti Genera
  • Zygocactus

7. Succulents Developing your Plant Knowledge

• • Review of Succulent Families
  • Bromeliads -featured plants
  • Kalanchoe
  • Sansavieria

8. Project-based Learning

• • Plan the establishment of a collection of different cultivars of either Cacti OR Succulents suited to growing in a specified locality.