Basic Landscape Horticulture
Certificate of Achievement Landscape Horticulture · Merritt College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Program Description
The Basic Landscape Horticulture Certificate of Achievement is intended for those students who are limited by time constraints to a one-year program. The curriculum provides students with a strong foundation in basic horticultural principles: plant anatomy, industry standard maintenance skills, common insect pests and diseases and their management, irrigation basics, tool use and safety, and plant identification. This certificate program is designed to prepare students with the skills, knowledge, and training to enter into entry level green industry jobs in fields such as landscape maintenance, park service, and landscape installation.
A Certificate of Achievement will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the certificate requirements specified below.
Career Opportunities
Those who earn the Certificate of Achievement in Basic Landscape Horticulture can find employment at the basic or entry level in green industry jobs in fields such as landscape maintenance, park service, and landscape installation.
Learning Outcome(s)
- Identify and describe plant anatomical structures, life-cycles, and metabolic processes.
- Demonstrate proper use of botanical nomenclature.
- Demonstrate the ability to identify and correctly apply scientific names to a minimum of 20 commonly used plants in the landscape.
- Demonstrate general horticultural maintenance skills, including the following: safe tool use, pruning, planting, pest and disease management, fertilizer needs and irrigation techniques using sustainable practices.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | 20 | |
| Core Courses: | 11 | |
| LANHT 10 | Insect Pests | 3 |
| LANHT 11 | Plant Diseases and Their Management | 3 |
| LANHT 23 | Plant Terminology | 2.5 |
| LANHT 26 | Pruning | 0.5 |
| LANHT 81 | Arborist Equipment Fundamentals | 2 |
| Chose One: | 3 | |
| LANHT 1 | Introduction to Landscape Horticulture with Lab (Day) | 3 |
| LANHT 1E | Introduction to Landscape Horticulture (Evening) | 3 |
| Chose One: | 3 | |
| LANHT 17 | Irrigation with Lab (Day) | 3 |
| LANHT 17E | Irrigation (Evening) | 3 |
| Choose One: | 3 | |
| LANHT 2 | Plant Materials: Tree ID and Culture with Lab (Day) | 3 |
| LANHT 2E | Plant Materials: Tree ID and Culture (Evening) | 3 |
| LANHT 4 | Plant Materials: Shrubs ID and Culture with Lab (Day) | 3 |
| LANHT 4E | Plant Materials: Shrubs ID and Culture (Evening) | 3 |
| LANHT 5A | Plant Materials: Fall Native Plant ID and Culture with Lab (Day) | 3 |
| LANHT 5EA | Plant Materials: Fall Native Plant ID and Culture (Evening) | 3 |
| LANHT 5B | Plant Materials: Spring Native Plant ID and Culture with Lab (Day) | 3 |
| LANHT 5EB | Plant Materials: Spring Native Plant ID and Culture (Evening) | 3 |