Cacti & Succulents

Are you looking for a career change?  Or just want to learn a new skill?  Growing cacti and succulents can be rewarding, but the correct conditions must be created to produce the most satisfying growth. Succulents are frequently easy to grow, but it can be harder to grow superb specimens. The main requirements of cacti and succulents is strong light, adequate drainage, and to be sufficiently dry during any dormant period. 

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

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.
3. Propagation
   • Methods of propagating cacti & succulent plants
   • Propagation of selected varieties
   • Seed, Cuttings, Grafting
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.
   • Pest & Disease
   • Irrigation
   • Greenhouse growing
6. Cacti developing your plant knowledge.
   • General guidelines for growing cacti
   • Review of Cacti Genera
   • Zygocactus -featured plant
7. Succulents developing your plant knowledge.
   • Review of Succulent Families
   • Bromeliads -featured plants
   • Kalanchoe
   • Sansavieria
8. Special Project
   • PBL - Plan the establishment of a collection of different cultivars of either Cacti OR Succulents suited to growing in a specified locality.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Develop knowledge of botanical naming conventions and their application in understanding the horticultural potential of cacti and succulents.
• Evaluate needs then select or improvie 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.

For more information on this course, please request your free course information pack.