Garden Irrigation 100 Hours Certificate Course

1 Introduction to Irrigation

• Introduction
• Objective of Irrigation
• Irrigation: The Wider View
• Sources of Water
• Feasibility of Irrigation
• How to Improve the Quality of Water From Any Source
• Likely Quality Problems in Different Kinds of Water
• Problems of Water Quality and There Remedies:
• Physical Impurities
• Chemical Impurities
• Biological Impurities
• Bacterial Impurities

2 Soil Characteristics and Problems

• Understanding Soils
• Naming the Soil
• Different Soils Suited to Different Purposes
• Improving Soils
• Chemical Properties of Soil: Soil pH (acidity/alkalinity), Sodicity, Salinity
• Physical Properties of Soil: Soil Uniformity, Available soil water capacity, Infiltration, Internal Drainage
• Soil and Water
• Kinds of Soil Moisture: Gravitational Water, Capillary Water, Hygroscopic Water
• Transpiration and Wilting Point
• A Feel-Test For Esimating Soil Moisture Level
• Fertigation
• Different Types of Fertigation Equipment

3 Estimating Plant Needs and Irrigation Scheduling

• When to Irrigate
• Signs to Look For: Symptoms of Water Deficiency, Symptoms of Water Excess
• Checklist For Home Gardeners
• Timing of Irrigations
• Measuring Water Available to Plants: Calculating Field Capacity, Calculating Permanent Wilting Point, Available Moisture Range
• Rooting Depths of Selected Plants
• Water extraction by roots
• Irrigation Calculations
• Estimating Water Needs
• Estimated Water Loss From Soil Under Different Climatic Conditions
• Tensionmeters
• Water Requirements of Turf Grasses
• Imporatance of Schedules
• Scheduling Irrigation
• Water Volumes and Duration

4 Drainage

• Introduction
• Drainage
• Improving Permeability During Constuction: Cultivation, Adding Soil Ameliorants, Chemical Treatments
• Improving Surface Drainage After Construction
• Layout of Drains
• Outlet
• Gradients
• Distance between the Drainage Pipes
• Depth of Drains
• Laying the Drain
• Dams and Water Storage
• Soil Degradation
• Erosion: Water, Wind, Control
• Soil Acidification including Causes
• Soil Compaction
• Chemical Residues
• Waste Water Treatment Using Reed Beds
• Suitable Plants

5 Types of Irrigation Systems

• Introduction
• Flood Irrigation Systems
• Pressurised Irrigation systems
• Conventional Sprinkler Systems: Portable, Permanent, Semi-Permanent
• Mechanised Sprinkler Irrigation Systems
• Fixed Sprinkler Systems
• Quick-Coupling Systems
• Sprinkler Heads
• Mechanisms That Drive Rotating Head Sprinklers
• Design Considerations

6 Trickle Systems

• Trickle Irrigation
• Do It Yourself Micro Irrigation Systems
• Time Length of Watering
• Automatic Systems
• Maintenance of Watering Systems
• Micro-jet Irrigation
• Maintaining Your Trickle Irrigation

7 Design Specifications

• Hydaulics
• Calculating Discharge or Flow
• Velocity
• Friction Loss in Systems
• Water Hammer

8 Pumps and Filters

• Types of Pumps
• Pumps and Pressure Systems
• More on Types of Pumps
• What to do if a Centrifugal Pump Fails to Operate
• Trickle Irrigation: Prevention of Clogging
• Controllers
• Technical Data Sheet - Mechanical Tap Timer

9 Selecting the Right System for a Plant

• Water Saving Measures
• Filtration
• Flood Irrigation
• Sprinkler Irrigation
• Trickle Irrigation
• Example - Putting Greens
• Example Trickle Irrigation in Ornamental Gardens
• Example - Irrigation of Vines
• Set Reading

10 Design and Operation of Systems

• Introduction: Cyclic Watering, Pulse Watering
• Scheduling Irrigation
• Sprinkler Spacings
• Designing and Considering Sprinkler Performance
• Electrical Factors
• Electric Automatic Systems
• Design Considerations
• Set Reading

N.B. Each lesson is followed by a self-assessment test, set task or tasks which could include: further research, networking, plus looking at the advantages and disadvantages of a particular subject and finally written assignments. The final written assignment is marked and graded by your personally assigned mentor and sent back with helpful comments and suggestions.

The quality of this course is second to none, from the in-depth learning you will get to the expert individual mentoring you will receive throughout your studies. The mentors for this course are:

Susan Stephenson

BSc in Applied Plant Biology (Botany) Univ. London 1983.

City and guilds: Garden Centre Management, Management and Interior Decor (1984)

Management qualifications in training with retail store. Diploma in Hort level 2 (RHS General) Distinction.

Susan Stephenson is a passionate and experienced horticulturist and garden designer. She has authored three books, lectures at 2 Further and Higher Education Colleges, teaching people of all ages and backgrounds about the wonders of plants and garden design, and tutors many students by correspondence from all over the world.

Susan studied botany at Royal Holloway College (Univ of London) and worked in the trading industry before returning to her first love plants and garden design. She is therefore, well placed to combine business knowledge with horticulture and design skills. Her experience is wide and varied and she has designed gardens for families and individuals. Susan is a mentor for garden designers who are just starting out, offering her support and advice and she also writes, delivers and assesses courses for colleges, introducing and encouraging people into horticulture and garden design.

In 2010, Susan authored a complete module for a Foundation degree (FDSC) in Arboriculture.

Susan holds the RHS General with Distinction. She continues to actively learn about horticulture and plants and (as her students will tell you) remains passionate and interested in design and horticulture.

Steven Whitaker

Diploma in Garden Design (Distinction) – The Blackford Centre, Gold Certificate of Achievement in Horticulture, Level 2 NVQ in Amenity Horticulture, Level 1 NOCN Introduction to Gardening, – Joseph Priestly College, BTEC Diploma in Hotel, Catering and Institutional Operations (Merit), Trainer Skills 1, & 2, Group trainer, Interview and Selection Skills – Kirby College of Further Education

Steven has a wealth of Horticultural knowledge, having ran his own Design and Build service, Landscaping company, and been a Head Gardener. His awards include five Gold awards at Leeds in Bloom, two Gold awards at Yorkshire in Bloom and The Yorkshire Rose Award for Permanent Landscaping. Steven has worked with TV’s Phil Spencer as his garden advisor on the Channel 4 TV Programme, “Secret Agent”.

He is qualified to Level 2 NVQ in Amenity Horticulture and has a Diploma in Garden Design which he passed with Distinction. Steven’s Tutor and Mentor was the Chelsea Flower Show Gold Award-winning Garden Designer, Tracy Foster. He also works for a major Horticultural Commercial Grower in the field of Propagation and Craft Gardening. Steven lives in Leeds where he is a Freelance Garden Designer and Garden Advice Consultant.