Online Berry Production Course

• This Berry Production program has been developed in response to industry demand and is specifically designed to equip graduates with work-ready skills.  Each participant will be trained and assessed in theory and in practical tasks.  Real-world exercises are used throughout the program. 
• Discover what grows in your locality and how to grow it.
• This course provides a sound broad based training for commercial growers and/or staff of berry farms. It is equally relevant to the enthusiast hobby grower who wants to get more serious about growing berry fruits.

Lesson Structure:

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction
   • Review of the system of plant identification
   • Plant Families, Species, Cultivars, Varieties
   • What is a Berry -Botanical Characteristics (Simple fruits, Compound Fruits)
   • Information contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs etc.)
2. Which Varieties to Grow
   • Site Selection,
   • How much land
   • Site Chjaracteristics
   • Climate
   • Winter Chilling Requirements
   • Biological Considerations
   • Further Considerations affecting what to Grow
   • Review of Significant Berries including
   • Blackcurrant
   • Blueberry
   • Brambleberry
   • Blackberry
   • Other Rubus species
   • Cranberry
   • Gooseberry
   • Grape
   • KiwiFruit
   • Passionfruit
   • Raspberry
   • Strawberry
3. Lesser Grown Varieties of Berry Plants
   • Alpine Strawberry
   • Cape Gooseberry
   • Elderberry
   • Goji berry
   • Guava
   • Hardy Kiwi Fruit
   • Lignoberry
   • Pepino
   • Tree Tomato
   • Mulberry
   • Production Plan for Berry Cropping
4. Culture
   • Soils
   • Planting
   • Staking
   • Mulching
   • Watering
   • Pest & disease
   • Feeding
   • Pruning
   • Protection from wind, salt, air, etc.
5. Propagation
   • Methods of propagating berries
   • Seed, Cuttings, Layering
   • Aids to Propagation
   • Hardening off Young Plants
   • Propagation of selected varieties
6. Weed Control & Irrigation
   • What is a Weed
   • How Weeds Spread
   • Preventative methods of Control
   • Eliminating growing weeds
   • Identifying Weeds
   • Water Infiltration and Retention
   • Drainage
   • Improving water Infiltration
   • Soil Moisture Classes
   • Measuring Water Available to Plants
   • When to Irrigate
   • Irrigating Berry Crops
7. Harvesting & Marketing Berries
   • When and How to Harvest
   • Understanding Fruit Ripening
   • Harvesting Techniques
   • Post Harvest Treatments
8. Commercial Berry Growing
   • Marketing Berries
   • The Marketing Process
   • Understanding Supply and Demand
   • Cost, Quality and Quantity characteristics in a Crop
   • Farm Layout for Better Management

Like more information on this course?  Request your free course information pack today!