Horticulture, Landscaping, and Turf Management

HORT 111 Applied Botany (3 credits) 
Develops a basic understanding of the various parts of a plant, including structure, functions, and interrelationships.  Introduces the major plant growth processes, including germination, photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, and reproduction.

HORT 112 Equipment Safety, Operation, and Maintenance (1 credit) 
Provides an opportunity to learn the safe operation of the diverse types of equipment utilized within the green industry.  Stresses accident prevention, pre-operation checks, and proper equipment selection and operation.  Acquaints students with the routine maintenance of various machines, including adjustments, periodic servicing, repairs, small engine troubleshooting, and developing preventive maintenance schedules.  Students will qualify to operate the various pieces of equipment currently in use on the campus.

HORT 113 Soils and Soil Fertility (2 credits) 
Explains soil structure, soil and material decomposition, water and air cycles, organic matter, soil modifiers, pH controls, fertilizers, and the interrelationships of these different components.  Prepares students to recognize and identify different soil types as well as their corresponding characteristics and properties.

HORT 119 Field Techniques I (4 credits) 
Provides a variety of practical training exercises related to the content of courses in the program, with special attention to safety measures required in field work operations.

HORT 122 Practical Horticulture I (1 credit)  Introduces students to a wide range of horticultural procedures and techniques and to machinery and tools associated with the horticultural industry.  Covers skills essential to the trade, including proper pruning techniques, weed control, and turf care/maintenance.  (This course is pass/fail; the grade will have no effect on the student’s GPA)

HORT 129 Field Techniques II (4 credits)  Offers a variety of hands-on experiences and practical training exercises related to the content of courses in the program, with special attention to safety measures required in field work operations.

HORT 171  Surveying for Horticulture (1 credit)  Combines the principles and theory of surveying methods with practical field application.  Instructs in the use of surveying instrumentation, in the interpretation of topographic maps and contours, and in related mathematical computations.

HORT 172  Field Techniques in the Summer (3 credits)  Involves caring and maintaining the turf and ornamental plantings throughout the campus.  Provides experience in the safe and productive operation of a wide variety of commercial-grade, mechanized equipment.

HORT 221 Woody Plant Identification II (4 credits) 
Continues the topics studied in HORT 117 with expanded attention to woody plant materials, utilizing additional off-campus field trips, available independent collections, prepared specimens, and slide presentations.

HORT 231 Herbaceous Ornamentals I (4 credits) 
Focuses on non-woody, or herbaceous, ornamentals to include annuals, tender-perennials, perennials (early, mid and late season), biennials, and roses.  Through class lectures, field trips, and campus projects students will learn about the culture, habit, origin, native habitat, and design parameters—such as bloom time, color, and texture—of these plants.

HORT 232 Practical Horticulture II (1 credit) 
Building on HORT 124, further introduces students to horticultural procedures and techniques and to machinery and tools associated with the horticultural industry.  (This course is pass/fail; the grade will have no effect on the student’s GPA)

HORT 233 Arboriculture (3 credits)  Introduces students to the vital role that trees play in our everyday lives, using both classroom instruction and field practice to cover tree physiology and maintenance, including ropes, climbing, pruning, bracing, and removal.  Equipment specific to the industry will be demonstrated and hands-on experience provided when possible.

HORT 234 Plant Propagation (3 credits)
Covers the study and practice of various forms of plant propagation and breeding to include seed propagation, division, bulb propagation, soft and hardwood cuttings, layering, grafting, budding, micro-propagation, and hybridization techniques.  Plants propagated in class will be used in landscape projects and the Philadelphia Flower Show.

HORT 235 Turf Establishment and Maintenance (3 credits)
Offers classroom and field work designed to teach the principles and practices required to establish and maintain turf for lawns, athletic fields, golf courses, and sod farms.  Presents turf grass identification, soil preparation and grading, seed/sod selection, and general maintenance routines required for successful turf management.

HORT 239 Field Techniques III (3 credits) 
Provides a variety of training exercises and field experiences designed to increase both understanding and efficiency in applying the various skills required in horticultural operations during the fall season.

HORT 241 Herbaceous Ornamentals II (4 credits) 
Provides a study of flowers, including identification, culture, and propagation, as well as training and practice in the basic techniques and skills required to create floral beds, arrangements, corsages, and other displays.  Includes classroom, greenhouse, and laboratory assignments.

HORT 242 Nursery Management (3 credits) 
Offers a study of the different phases of nursery operations, including container and in-ground nursery techniques.  Also includes detailed information on commercial marketing and management.

HORT 243 Integrated Pest Management I (3 credits) 
Provides training and experience in diagnosing and prescribing treatment for disease, insect, or cultural problems with special emphasis on IPM techniques and the safe handling and proper application of chemicals.

HORT 244 Landscape Design (2 credits) 
Using a process-oriented approach that includes lectures and project assignments,  introduces the student to residential landscape design.  Offers a brief historical survey of the topic and covers site analysis, base map preparation, program development, and design development.

HORT 245  Turf Culture (3 credits) 
Offers a broad understanding of the theories and principles of turf culture, including its establishment and continued maintenance.  Also develops a working knowledge of Integrated Pest Management techniques as applied to turf culture.

HORT 249 Field Techniques IV (3 credits) 
Offers a variety of training exercises and field experiences designed to increase both understanding and productivity in applying the various horticultural practices required during the spring season.

HORT 251 Advanced Landscape Design I (3 credits) 
Offers a survey of the history of landscaping, fundamentals of basic design, drainage principles, and simple landscape schematics.

HORT 252 Integrated Pest Management II (3 credits) 
Affords additional opportunities to diagnose specific plant problems of a disease, insect, or cultural nature and to apply appropriate remedies.

HORT 253  Landscape Construction Theory (3 credits) 
Through classroom discussions and demonstrations, emphasizes the theoretical aspects of landscape construction, including an introduction to plumbing, carpentry, and masonry as they relate to the landscaping industry.  Offers a study of erosion control methods along with other hardscape techniques.

HORT 259 Field Supervision I (5 credits) 
Provides an opportunity to develop supervisory skills while assuming responsibility for directing others in the planning, implementation, and completion of various horticultural projects and assignments.

HORT 261 Advanced Landscape Design II (1 credit) 
Involves working with more advanced design programs, including expanded construction details, cross sections, blowups, elevations, environmental issues, xeroscaping, and an introduction to the use of computer-aided drafting (CAD) in design development.

HORT 262 Horticulture Business Procedures (1 credit) 
Teaches about the competitiveness of the business world by requiring each student to own and operate his own mock company.  Students complete various projects by submitting cover letters and bid proposals which are critiqued for overall clarity, layout, potential profitability, credibility, and marketing effectiveness.

HORT 263 Landscape Construction Practice  (1 credit) 
Uses participation in laboratory exercises and various shop and field projects to develop practical experience in the areas of plumbing, electrical services, carpentry, and masonry as they relate to the landscaping industry.

HORT 269 Field Supervision II (5 credits) 
Provides further opportunities to develop and exercise supervisory skills by assuming responsibility for directing other workers in carrying out and completing various horticultural projects and assignments.