Assessor Resource

AHCNSY301
Maintain nursery plants

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024


This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to maintain and care for nursery plants.

It applies to individuals who take responsibility for their own work and for the quality of the work of others. They use discretion and judgement in the selection, allocation and use of available resources. All work is carried out to comply with workplace procedures.

No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)


Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Prepare to work

1.1 Select and use appropriate materials, tools and equipment

1.2 Identify work health and safety hazards, assess risks and implement suitable controls

1.3 Select, use and maintain suitable safety and personal protective equipment (PPE)

2. Monitor and maintain the nursery environment

2.1 Monitor environmental parameters against the needs of the plants

2.2 Alter environmental parameters, as required, to meet the needs of nursery plants and market requirements

2.3 Service irrigation system components for basic operational use and repair or replace basic user serviceable parts

3. Determine daily water requirements

3.1 Determine water requirements according to the needs of the plant and environmental parameters

3.2 Apply water to meet the needs of the plant group

3.3 Monitor water requirements of the plant

4. Promote plant growth by intervention

4.1 Test potting media in production areas to ensure quality specifications are met

4.2 Monitor the health of the plant

4.3 Undertake plant interventions as required

4.4 Dispose of waste with full consideration of the environmental implications

5. Complete work

5.1 Clean and store equipment, tools and equipment

5.2 Maintain records on all maintenance activities

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

prepare for nursery plant maintenance activities

calculate daily water needs

implement a range of plant maintenance activities

monitor plant health

operate irrigation systems

recognise stages of plant growth

record workplace information

repair or replace user serviceable irrigation components

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

the principles and practices of nursery plant maintenance

botany and plant physiology as it applies to plant maintenance

characteristics of various types of potting media

common problems that occur with nursery plants and their treatment

effect of different pruning and intervention methods

effects of environmental parameters on plant growth

factors affecting the growth of nursery plants

methods of calculating daily water needs

optimum growing conditions for a range of plants in a nursery

principles and operations of a range of irrigation systems used in nurseries

processes for modifying environmental parameters

relationship between plant water needs and environmental parameters

symptoms of unhealthy plants

treatments required by plants at different stages and environmental parameters

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Prepare to work

1.1 Select and use appropriate materials, tools and equipment

1.2 Identify work health and safety hazards, assess risks and implement suitable controls

1.3 Select, use and maintain suitable safety and personal protective equipment (PPE)

2. Monitor and maintain the nursery environment

2.1 Monitor environmental parameters against the needs of the plants

2.2 Alter environmental parameters, as required, to meet the needs of nursery plants and market requirements

2.3 Service irrigation system components for basic operational use and repair or replace basic user serviceable parts

3. Determine daily water requirements

3.1 Determine water requirements according to the needs of the plant and environmental parameters

3.2 Apply water to meet the needs of the plant group

3.3 Monitor water requirements of the plant

4. Promote plant growth by intervention

4.1 Test potting media in production areas to ensure quality specifications are met

4.2 Monitor the health of the plant

4.3 Undertake plant interventions as required

4.4 Dispose of waste with full consideration of the environmental implications

5. Complete work

5.1 Clean and store equipment, tools and equipment

5.2 Maintain records on all maintenance activities

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

prepare for nursery plant maintenance activities

calculate daily water needs

implement a range of plant maintenance activities

monitor plant health

operate irrigation systems

recognise stages of plant growth

record workplace information

repair or replace user serviceable irrigation components

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

the principles and practices of nursery plant maintenance

botany and plant physiology as it applies to plant maintenance

characteristics of various types of potting media

common problems that occur with nursery plants and their treatment

effect of different pruning and intervention methods

effects of environmental parameters on plant growth

factors affecting the growth of nursery plants

methods of calculating daily water needs

optimum growing conditions for a range of plants in a nursery

principles and operations of a range of irrigation systems used in nurseries

processes for modifying environmental parameters

relationship between plant water needs and environmental parameters

symptoms of unhealthy plants

treatments required by plants at different stages and environmental parameters

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Select and use appropriate materials, tools and equipment 
Identify work health and safety hazards, assess risks and implement suitable controls 
Select, use and maintain suitable safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) 
Monitor environmental parameters against the needs of the plants 
Alter environmental parameters, as required, to meet the needs of nursery plants and market requirements 
Service irrigation system components for basic operational use and repair or replace basic user serviceable parts 
Determine water requirements according to the needs of the plant and environmental parameters 
Apply water to meet the needs of the plant group 
Monitor water requirements of the plant 
Test potting media in production areas to ensure quality specifications are met 
Monitor the health of the plant 
Undertake plant interventions as required 
Dispose of waste with full consideration of the environmental implications 
Clean and store equipment, tools and equipment 
Maintain records on all maintenance activities 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

AHCNSY301 - Maintain nursery plants
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessment Record Sheet

AHCNSY301 - Maintain nursery plants

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: