Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Covers specific tasks related to maintenance of lawn, natives, ornamental and food producing plants, and general maintenance hardscapes in the landscape . Lab follows with demonstrations of these tasks and student participation. Students learn specific skills through completion of competencies in pruning, transplanting and equipment. Recommended prerequisite is completion of HOR 226 and HOR 227 Plant Materials courses or familiarity with common plant material.

Upon successful completion students should be able to:

? Apply horticultural practices to care for lawns, native, ornamental and food producing beds, and hardscapes.
? Maintain residential, commercial and public institutional sites using current industry standards, tools and equipment.
? Schedule monthly, seasonal and yearly tasks in calendar form suitable for a grounds maintenance business.
? Select sustainable or best management practices (BMP’s) and techniques to reduce costs, resource consumption and environmental impact.

This is a graded course based on the following:

• Attendance and participation in lab
• Competencies completed
• Grounds Maintenance Calendar project based on monthly, seasonal and yearly tasks required to maintain the landscape
• Midterm and Final exams.

1.0 MAINTENANCE SITUATIONS AND CONCEPTS
1.1.0 Residential maintenance
    1.1.1 Types of equipment used
    1.1.2 Employment possibilities
    1.1.3 Self employment possibilities
    1.1.4 Concepts of how residential landscapes are structured and used
        by homeowners
    1.1.5 Low maintenance vs. high maintenance situations
    1.1.6 Lifestyles, pets and special use situations
    1.1.7 Tasks unique to residential maintenance
    1.1.8 Economics and budgets for maintenance
1.2.0 Commercial maintenance
    1.2.1 Types and size of equipment used compared to
        residential maintenance
    1.2.2 Employment and self employment possibilities
    1.2.3 Concepts of design and use of commercial    
        landscapes
    1.2.4 Competitive nature of commercial maintenance
    1.2.5 Costs of services, bidding and contracts
    1.1.6 Tasks unique to commercial maintenance
    1.1.7 Business hours, parking and public safety issues
    1.1.8 Commercial transportation licenses
    1.1.9 Size of landscaped areas
    1.1.10 Codes and standards of maintenance
1.3.0 Institutional maintenance
    1.3.1 City, schools and recreational situations
    1.3.2 Employment opportunities
    1.3.3 Variables in equipment size and type compared to
        residential and commercial situations
    1.3.4 Tasks unique to public areas
    1.3.5 Safety issues of public use areas
    1.3.6 Tasks in addition to horticultural practices
    1.3.7 Maintenance of athletic areas
    1.3.8 Codes and standards of maintenance
2.0 PRUNING PLANTS IN THE LANDSCAPE
2.1.0 Major pruning
    2.1.1 Roses
    2.1.2 Fruit trees
    2.2.3 Vines
2.2.0 Reasons for pruning
2.3.0 Specialty pruning
    2.3.1 Espalier
    2.3.2 Topiary
    2.3.3 Pollarding
    2.3.4 Candling pines
    2.3.5 Disbudding
    2.3.6 Hedges
    2.3.7 Suckering
    2.3.8 Dead heading
    2.3.9 Thinning
2.4.0 Recovery after pruning
    2.4.1 Terminal bud influence
    2.4.2 Lateral vegetative, latent and adventitious buds
    2.4.3 Flower buds
    2.4.4 Location and longevity of buds
    2.4.5 Top pruning after transplanting
    2.4.6 Pruning plants under growth stress conditions
2.5.0 Winter pruning
2.6.0 Spring pruning
2.7.0 Summer pruning
2.8.0 Growth retardants
2.9.0 Pruning tools and equipment
3.0 Transplanting
3.1.0 Reasons for transplanting
3.2.0 Timing of transplanting
3.3.0 Bare root
3.4.0 Balled in Burlap
    3.4.1 Estimated size of root ball
    3.4.2 Techniques and methods
    3.4.3 Plant survival rates
3.5.0 Use of root stimulators
3.6.0 Fertilizer at time of transplanting
3.7.0 Planting recommendations
3.8.0 Use of soil amendments
3.9.0 Root pruning before transplanting
4.0 COLD PROTECTION
4.1.0 Timing of cold protection
4.2.0 Methods of cold protection
4.3.0 Root kill temperature vs. top kill temperature
4.4.0 Plants to cold protect
5.0 DORMANT SPRAY
    5.1.0 Timing of dormant sprays
5.2.0 Materials used
    5.2.1 Hazards of material
5.3.0 Purpose of dormant sprays
5.4.0 Delayed dormant sprays
5.5.0 Growing season use of materials
6.0 SPRING BULBS AND PERENNIALS
6.1.0 Timing of planting
6.2.0 Bloom periods
6.3.0 Examples of types of spring bulbs and perennials
6.4.0 Sources of plant material and ordering
6.5.0 Grades of quality
6.6.0 Timing of division and storage requirements
6.7.0 Planting techniques and care
7.0 MOWING AND EDGING TURF
7.1.0 1st mowing in spring
7.2.0 Mowing frequencies
7.3.0 Mowing height
7.4.0 Mowing quality
7.5.0 Mowing and edging equipment
7.6.0 Establishing an edge
7.7.0 Chemical edge
7.8.0 Edging barriers
8.0 FERTILIZING
8.1.0 Primary nutrients
    8.1.1 Sources of primary nutrients
    8.1.2 Guaranteed analysis or grade
8.2.0 Timing of fertilization
8.3.0 Secondary nutrients
8.4.0 Trace or minor nutrients
8.5.0 Function of nutrients
8.6.0 Application rates
    8.6.1 Variables of individual plant needs
8.7.0 Cost analysis
8.8.0 Factors influencing necessity of fertility
8.9.0 Effects of fertilizer on soil P.h.
8.10.0 Effects of over fertilization
8.11.0 Dry and liquid materials
8.12.0 Root and leaf feeding
8.13.0 Symptoms of deficiencies
9.0 MOSS CONTROL
9.1.0 Moss control in turf
9.2.0 Moss control on walks, patios and structures
    9.2.1 Moss control license
9.3.0 Materials used
9.4.0 Hazards of materials
9.5.0 Timing and rates used
10.0 SUMMER ANNUALS
10.1.0 Timing of planting
10.2.0 Types of summer annuals
10.3.0 Criteria for selection
10.4.0 Primary use situation
    10.4.1 Commercial maintenance
10.5.0 Planting techniques
10.6.0 Reasons for use
10.7.0 Grooming and care
10.8.0 Pest control
    10.8.1 Pre-emergent herbicides safe to use
11.0 WINTER ANNUALS AND PLANTS USED FOR WINTER COLOR
11.1.0 Timing of planting
11.2.0 Types of winter annuals
    11.3.0 Plants with showy leaf or berry color
11.4.0 Situation most used
    11.4.1 Commercial maintenance
11.5.0 Grooming and care
12.0 PEST CONTROL
12.1.0 Weed control
    12.1.1 Pre-emergent herbicides
    12.1.2 Post-emergent herbicides
    12.1.3 Use of mulch
    12.1.4 Hand removal   
12.2.0 Insect and disease control
    12.2.1 Pest monitoring and identification
12.3.0 Pesticide applicator and operator license
     requirements
12.4.0 Timing of use of pest controls
12.5.0 Mole and gopher control
12.6.0 Yellow jacket/wasp control
13.0 SOIL TESTING
13.1.0 P.h. testing and equipment
13.2.0 P.h. modification
    13.2.1 Use of limestone
    13.2.2 Plant types favored by raising soil P.h.
    13.2.3 Acid loving plants
    13.2.4 Use of sulfur to lower soil P.h.
13.3.0 Testing soil for nutrients
    13.3.1 Phosphorus levels
    13.3.2 Detecting low or high nutrient levels
14.0 FALL BULBS
14.1.0 Types of fall bulbs
14.2.0 Timing of planting
14.3.0 Quality of bulbs
14.4.0 Bloom period
14.5.0 Care and planting techniques
14.6.0 Division, replanting and storage
15.0 LEAF AND DEBRIS REMOVAL
15.1.0 Timing and frequency of removal
15.2.0 Trees with long leaf drop characteristics
15.3.0 Shrubs and ground covers trapping leaves
15.4.0 Leaf removal from turf areas
16.0 MULCHES
16.1.0 Types of mulch
16.2.0 Advantages of mulch
16.3.0 Longevity and crusting of surface
16.4.0 Coverage per cu.yd. or unit
16.5.0 Cost analysis
16.6.0 Timing of application
16.7.0 Methods of application
17.0 SPRINKLER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
17.1.0 Spring check and adjustments
17.2.0 Fall winterizing
    17.2.1 License required
    17.3.0 Adjustments through watering season
18.0 WATERING
18.1.0 Frequency based on soil type
18.2.0 Frequency based on plant type
18.3.0 Precipitation rates
18.4.0 Water quality
18.5.0 Wetting agents
18.6.0 Super gels
18.7.0 Watering containers above ground
19.0 ICE AND SNOW REMOVAL
19.1.0 Situation where required
    19.1.1 Commercial and institutional maintenance
19.2.0 Materials used
19.3.0 Methods used
19.4.0 Liability issues
19.5.0 Possible damage to plant material
20.0 RECORD KEEPING
20.1.0 Yard inventories
20.2.0 Yard inspection reports
20.3.0 Record of tasks performed
20.4.0 Time sheets and payroll records
20.5.0 Invoices and statements
20.6.0 Record of purchases
20.7.0 Mileage of vehicles
20.8.0 Equipment repair and maintenance schedules
20.9.0 Job cost analysis
20.10.0 Budget estimates
21.0 EQUIPMENT AND TOOL NEEDS
21.1.0 Tool inventory and location
21.2.0 Storage and winterization
21.3.0 Cost analysis of initial investment and replacement
21.4.0 Maintenance procedures
21.5.0 Theft prevention
21.6.0 Workers safety