Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers planning a growing-on program and defines the standard required to: determine requirements for growing-on program; schedule potting program; develop budgets and plans for a growing-on program; and monitor the implementation of the program.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to production nursery managers.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify issues affecting the growing-on program

1.1. Production requirements are determined in consultation with management.

1.2. Factors that could limit the production of nursery plants are identified.

1.3. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards are identified, risks assessed and controls implemented.

1.4. The environmental implications in relation to a growing-on program are considered.

1.5. Sustainable practices are incorporated into the plan.

2. Develop the growing-on plan

2.1. Activities involved in the growing-on program are identified.

2.2. Labour, materials, tools and equipment needs are identified.

2.3. Environmental parameters are selected and altered to meet plant needs and production plans.

2.4. Growing media requirements are determined according to the needs of the plant and production plans.

2.5. Planting dimensions and layout are determined according to production plans.

2.6. Treatments required for the growing-on program are identified.

2.7. Hygiene requirements for the growing-on program are identified according to industry best practice.

3. Document the growing-on plan

3.1. The growing-on plan is documented, including all information identified in the development stage.

3.2. A budget supporting the plan is documented and approval sought by management.

3.3. A schedule of activities is organised according to production plans.

3.4. The growing-on plan and schedule of activities are communicated clearly to staff.

4. Oversee and monitor the growing-on program

4.1. The health of the plants is monitored to ensure they are at optimum growth.

4.2. Treatments are modified as required to maintain optimum growth.

4.3. Plants ready for dispatch are checked to ensure they meet customer specifications.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• conduct literature and consultative research to obtain information about production requirements, growth conditions and marketing implications
• negotiate, budget and document plans
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record information collected accurately and legibly, and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• Worksafe Australia criteria for the labelling and handling of hazardous substances
• enterprise and industry hygiene standards required for growing-on activities
• environmental implications of the disposal of chemicals or chemical containers, and the drainage of high nutrient effluent
• optimal growing requirements of nursery plants
• enterprise and industry quality standards of nursery plant production
• common problems that may occur while performing growing-on activities in a controlled environment and preventative/corrective actions that may apply
• processes and techniques for preparing, costing and documenting plans for and scheduling growing-on activities
• testing methods applied to propagation media
• preferred types of propagation media for different species
• chemical, cultural and biological pest, weed and disease control techniques
• application techniques for chemical and non-chemical intervention or treatments.

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:

• determine requirements for growing-on program
• schedule potting program
• develop budgets and plans for a growing-on program
• monitor the implementation of the program.

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.

Nursery plants may include:

• seedlings
• bulbs
• divisions
• containerised plants
• field-grown plants
• flowering plants
• foliage plants
• grafted plants
• tissue culture plants
• stock plants.

Unit sector 

Nursery

Co-requisite units 

Competency field