HERBS (Basic Course) AHT108

Study and learn about herbs
 
A broad based six lesson course for beginners to herb growing, covering the history of herb use, herb culture, and identification of the major herbs. This course involves about 80 hours of study with an emphasis on growing and using herbs as a hobby. Thirty different herbs are studied in detail and a systematic method of identifying herbs is emphasised.

Distance Education Course -Herb Growing and Use for home gardeners

  • Learn to grow lots of different herbs
  • Learn to harvest and use herbs in cooking, crafts, landscaping and more

This course aims to familiarise you with the use and culture of what are traditionally the most common herb plants. It should provide you with a sound framework upon which you will be able to develop your knowledge of herbs.This is a course for the amateur who likes to use herbs at home. If you are serious about growing or using herbs commercially, you are better to do our Herb Culture Course (Ht371).

 

COURSE STRUCTURE

The course is divided into 6 lessons as follows:

1. Introduction to Herbs. Plant identification, plant names, general characteristics of herbs, the history of herbs, and herb resources (nurseries, seeds, clubs, etc).

2. Herb Gardening. Planting, propagation, soils, plant nutrition, and container growing.

3. Companion Planting. Introduction to companion planting, herb garden design.

4. Growing Herbs to Harvest. Herb products, setting up a herb farm, making compost.

5. Herbs for Cooking. Herb crafts, herb ingredients, cooking with herbs.

6. Herbs for fragrance, health and beauty. Dyes, mordants, oils, other herb crafts.

Aims

During the course, the student will learn how to:

  • Define "herb"
  • Identify herbs suitable for hanging baskets, indoor growing, and appropriate methods of propagation for at least 50 herb species
  • Define "companion planting"
  • Give examples of appropriate companion planting
  • Build an efficient compost heap
  • Identify appropriate herbs for culinary uses
  • Identify some medicinal uses for herbs

WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THIS COURSE?

During the course, the student will actually:

  • Collect and identify 30 different herb specimens
  • Learn the basics of plant identification
  • Make contact with herb farms to ask about their operation
  • Propagate herbs by cuttings
  • Prepare a soil suitable for growing herbs
  • Design and plant a herb garden
  • Visit retailers to investigate the types of herb products available
  • Prepare food containing herbs
  • Harvest and dry a herb correctly
  • Prepare one other type of herb product