Revised 1/2025

HRT 100 - Introduction to Horticulture (3 CR.)

Course Description

Introduces commercial horticulture industry with emphasis on career opportunities. Examines equipment, facilities, and physical arrangements of production, wholesale and retail establishments. Surveys individual areas within horticulture industry. Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 2 hours. Total 4 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

Ideally taken at or near the beginning of the program, this course combines theoretical principles of horticulture with practical experiences related to those principles. The course assists students with career planning.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Functional literacy in the English language and basic math skills

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

  • Identify the major occupational choices within the field of horticulture.
  • Explain why horticulture is an art and a science, and how it relates to other fields.
  • The impact of horticultural practices on the environment.
  • Identify main anatomical features of angiosperms.
  • Describe the primary physiological processes of plants.
  • Explain how environmental factors affect plants and how horticulturists can manipulate the environmental factors.
  • List and describe the common methods of plant propagation.
  • Correctly identify common trees, shrubs and other ornamental plants by genus, species and common names.
  • Select appropriate plants, both indoors and outdoors, to successfully grow and be aesthetically pleasing in various settings under a variety of environmental conditions
  • Understand a simple landscape plan.
  • Identify common horticultural pests, IPM strategies to control them, and general pesticide safety rules.
  • Access horticultural resource information from diverse resource materials located in the LRC and elsewhere.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Horticulture as an art and a science
  • Plants and civilization
  • Careers in horticulture
  • NVCC Horticulture Technology program
  • NVCC Horticulture Club
  • Greenhouse and science lab orientation
  • Plant structure, function, and classification
  • Plant propagation
  • Environmental factors
  • Insects, diseases, and pest management practices
  • Correct planting procedures and follow-up maintenance of trees and shrubs
  • Common practices in horticulture such as watering greenhouse plants, pruning, fertilizing, and caring for tools and equipment
  • Horticulturists' tools
  • Horticultural safety
  • Woody plants
  • Indoor plants
  • Herbaceous plants
  • Fruit production
  • Vegetable growing
  • Floral design
  • Elements and principles of design and their use in the landscape design
  • Information retrieval