Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the process of providing information to clients and others about plants and their cultural requirements and defines the standard required to: confirm client brief and request for information; consider the growing environment (soil, climate and aspect, pests and diseases, and weed competition); develop product knowledge through in-house and online sources; incorporate client aims and preferences into developing options for plantings; determine the optimal solution for the client needs; provide recommendations on plants, plantings and/or plant treatments, with supporting information to the client.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to the wide range of horticultural and client service skills used in interacting with clients to meet their needs and recommend a solution to a plant or plant cultural issue. This standard involves working within routines, methods and procedures where some discretion and judgement is required.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify the issue

1.1. Contact is initiated with the client when appropriate.

1.2. The client is assisted in explaining the issue by the use of attentive listening and questioning techniques.

1.3. The nature of the issue is clarified by gathering all relevant information from the client.

1.4. The issue is defined as closely as possible according to the amount of information gathered.

1.5. The client is advised that expert advice may be required to assist them further with their issue.

2. Decide on preferred solution

2.1. Options and/or strategies are identified and developed using available in-house and online reference material, product information, own experiences and sharing collective workplace knowledge.

2.2. Options and/or strategies are examined and evaluated according to sound problem-solving techniques.

2.3. The optimal solution is determined based on reasoned argument, appropriate evidence and sound cultural principles.

3. Provide the preferred solution

3.1. The recommended solution, method of application and probable outcomes are clearly explained to the client.

3.2. The original source of the plant and its cultural requirements is referred to where necessary.

3.3. Client requests for clarification or expansion are responded to by the use of attentive listening and questioning techniques.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• interpret information sheets, labels, horticultural literature, specifications and design symbols
• utilise proforma reporting and work procedure documents
• estimate treatment and product requirements, material sizes and quantities
• interpret site designs, ground plans and specifications
• calculate ratios, proportions and application rates
• coordinate own work activities to gain knowledge about plants, products and treatments
• investigate client requests for information, identify and evaluate options, decide on a solution, and deliver recommendation and information to the client
• select appropriate plants for the client from a wide range of available plants
• provide customer service to satisfy the clients need for information
• develop product knowledge through research and access to in-house and online information
• inform the client of any recommended solution using verbal explanations, available audio-visual or multimedia materials, literature, and demonstrations of the solution offered by a plant, product or treatment
• communicate with clients, work team members, supervisors, suppliers, contractors and consultants
• use interpersonal skills to work with and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• broad range of plant species and their cultural requirements
• awareness of legal issues, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues and requirements, and environmental implications, regulations and cultural sensitivities of clients
• problem-solving techniques
• plant identification techniques, plant selection, plant physiology, habit and growth characteristics of the plants
• soil characteristics particularly in relation to the local region
• pest and disease symptoms, basic physiology and life cycle of pests and diseases, vulnerable plant growth stages, treatment thresholds, treatment products, effective application procedures and environmental implications
• weed species, growth stages, treatment thresholds, treatment products, effective application procedures and environmental implications
• local plant suppliers, consultants, services, products and contractors
• awareness of duty of care in provision of advice and recommendations to retail, commercial and private clients.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• confirm client brief and request for information
• consider the growing environment (soil, climate and aspect, pests and diseases, and weed competition)
• incorporate client aims and preferences into developing options for plantings
• provide recommendations on plantings and/or plant treatments, with supporting information, to the client.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Information may include:

• information on weeds, pest and disease control measures
• selection and use of plant materials
• basic garden design and maintenance
• soils, irrigation, plant nutrition, products and services
• local geographical variables
• habitat and conservation use
• bush restoration
• other plant cultural information.

Plants may include:

• all plant species and cultivars.

Unit sector 

Plants

Co-requisite units 

Competency field