Frequently Asked Questions:

This question is somewhat complex as we offer a basic certificate in Landscape Horticulture as well as several other certificates some of which have an intermediate and an advanced level. The basic certificate can certainly be obtained within two years. The other certificates would require a full load of 12-15 units per semester and a combination of both day and evening classes to complete within two years.

Absolutely not, the certificate is an announcement to potential employers that you successfully completed the program. Since we have been around for a long time many of the potential employers are former students who know the worth of the certificate and the study that was needed in order to obtain a certificate. Therefore, while it is not needed many employers do use it as a standard when hiring new employees. For those students who chose to start their own maintenance business it is often mentioned as a measure of competence when talking to potential clients.

We, at the Horticulture Department strive to continually improve and add to our existing curriculum. To that end we introduce several new classes a year. These classes are intended to both broaden and deepen the students knowledge in Horticulture. So, it is possible to stay in and with the Horticulture Department for as long as you are interested in gardening.

Fee based classes, as these classes are called, are intended for those students who have a particular interest in a subject and would like a short but thorough coverage of a particular topic. While most of these classes are held on Saturday there are some such as our floral design classes which are held during the week both day and evening. These classes are priced according to the length of instruction and are typically $10-$12 per lecture hour. Our most successful classes are our pruning series which is intended for anyone who wishes to prune and really understand what they are doing and how their actions will determine the plants response.

We suggest that most students start with both LH1, our Introduction to Horticulture class as well as LH23 the Plant Terminology class. Some students jump right into a plant identification (ID) class and that can be challenging but doable. Since most of our classes are on a day/night schedule it is best to talk to one of our instructors to see what else might serve you best. Appointments are encouraged.

Since articulation agreements can change the best answer hre is to look at the current college catalog. The transferability of all classes is labeled right next to the class number in the college catalog. If you need help here then the counsellors on campus will gladly be of service. You can also check with http://www.assist.org but the most up to date information can be obtained by making an appointment to see a counsellor.

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These questions are some of the many questions we receive regularly at the Landscape Horticulture Dept. Every month we will choose some of the most commonly asked questions and do our best to answer them for everyone.

Questions should be sent to: landhort@merritt.edu or call 510-436-2418

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