Penn State launches ‘Plant Establishment and Maintenance’ course

In October, Penn State Extension launched its newest online course, “Plant Establishment and Maintenance.”

The course is designed to teach participants about planting and maintaining woody and herbaceous plants in ornamental landscapes.

The skill level for this course is beginner to intermediate. The course is intended for green industry professionals.

“Well trained employees can work efficiently and improve a bottom line,” said extension educator Sandra Feather. “And properly planted and maintained plants thrive, which saves the company on replacement costs. Investing in training is a win-win for employers.”

The course is self-paced and will cover techniques for properly assessing site conditions for successful ornamental landscapes, planting woody and herbaceous plants, and pruning or caring for young and established plants.

The seven sections in this course contain educational videos, short readings and end-of-section quizzes. To receive the certificate of completion, participants need to achieve a score of greater than 80 percent on each quiz. The cost is $139, and participants will have access to course materials for one year.