Penn State Extension launches “Plant Establishment and Maintenance” course

Penn State Extension launched its newest online course, “Plant Establishment and Maintenance.” The course is designed to teach participants about planting and maintaining woody and herbaceous plants in ornamental landscapes.

The skill level for this course is beginner to intermediate. The course is intended for green industry professionals such as landscape contractors, landscape maintenance professionals and horticulturists. People seeking employment in landscape design, installation and maintenance will benefit from this course. It also offers landscape businesses the opportunity to provide additional training to experienced employees.

“Well trained employees can work efficiently and improve a landscape company’s bottom line,” said extension educator Sandra Feather. “And properly planted and maintained plants thrive, which saves the company on replacement costs. Investing in training is a win-win for employers.”

The course is self-paced and will cover techniques for properly assessing site conditions for successful ornamental landscapes, planting woody and herbaceous plants, and pruning or caring for young and established plants.

The seven sections in this course contain educational videos, short readings and end-of-section quizzes. To receive the certificate of completion, participants need to achieve a score of greater than 80% on each quiz. The cost is $139, and participants will have access to course materials for one year. 

For more information or to register, visit: https://extension.psu.edu/plant-establishment-and-maintenance.