Application
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.
Elements and Performance Criteria
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 |
Evidence of Performance
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
Evidence of Knowledge
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
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Nursery (NSY)