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Propagation

Taught by Dr Noel Kingsbury

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Course Description

Propagation is about making more plants. Propagation is crucial to the nursery industry, and therefore to the whole garden and landscape business. There are many different ways to propagate plants. Different methods are used for different species – which method you use depends very much on the form of the plant, its lifecycle and its own natural ways of increasing itself. A method that might work well with one species may not work at all with another. With some plants, several different methods might work, but one may be more popular because it is easier to do on a large scale, gives quicker results, or may be cheaper. Different methods of propagation may also give different outcomes, in terms of plant size or vigour, so there may be very good reasons as to why one method might be chosen rather than another.

Course outline

  • The outlines of propagation: seeds, collecting and storing

    An introduction to the basic biology of how plants can be propagated – understanding core principles is a real help here as it will enable you to make informed decisions about the way you work with plants. We then move on to nature's highly effective 'first method of choice' – seed, collecting seed yourself and storing it to keep it viable for as long as possible.

  • Sowing seeds and hybridisation

    We continue our exploration of growing plants from seed: sowing it both inside under protected conditions and outside. We look at the reluctance that some seed has to germinate, why this is so, and how we can deal with it. Finally, there is a brief outline of hybridisation, which is important to understand if we want to ensure that we get what we want from the seed we sow.

  • Vegetative propagation, cuttings and layering

    Vegetative propagation is very different to growing from seed, and in many cases gives quicker results. Here we look at the basic principles, and then at the most important method for many of us – taking cuttings, at different types of cuttings and how to get the best results. We also look at layering techniques, useful for certain shrubs and climbers.

  • Division and grafting

    Division is a very easy method of propagation for perennials; here we look at how to make the most effective use of it. We also take a quick look at grafting, which is a specialised technique, but it helps to have an outline understanding of it, and why it is used in many circumstances.

Choose how you want to learn

  • The Expert option

    Recommended

    Develop your learning further with marked assignments and personal tuition from Dr Noel Kingsbury

    • Start course whenever you like
    • 4 weeks tutor access for personalised assignment feedback & coaching
    • 4 assignments marked by Dr Noel Kingsbury
    • Certificate of completion from Dr Noel Kingsbury
    • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
    • 4 lessons with expert videos & notes
    • Group chat & direct message with tutor & classmates
    • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
    Learn more
    $299.00

  • The Peer option

    Discover the benefits of group learning in an online interactive classroom of no more than 20 people. Get the most from shared knowledge and community study

    • Start course whenever you like
    • Practise what you learn with your peers
    • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
    • 4 lessons with expert videos & notes
    • 4 course assignments
    • Group chat & direct message classmates
    • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
    Learn more
    $99.00
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About Dr Noel Kingsbury

Kingsbury's garden writing is among the best you will find in the English language.

From the blog View from Federal Twist, James R. Golden
Dr Noel Kingsbury is an acclaimed garden designer, best-selling author of numerous books and long-time collaborator of the renowned designer Piet Oudolf. With a doctorate from the University of Sheffield he is a leading figure in naturalistic planting design and the New Perennial Movement.

Noel Kingsbury is an international garden designer and writer on gardening, plant sciences and related topics. He is best known for his promotion of naturalistic planting design in gardens and designed landscapes (e.g. the 1996 publication of 'The New Perennial Garden', pub. Frances Lincoln, London), and his 25 year collaboration with Dutch garden and landscape designer Piet Oudolf on books on planting design. He writes sometimes for The Daily Telegraph, Gardens Illustrated magazine and The Garden - the membership magazine of the Royal Horticultural Society. He has worked with Prof. Nigel Dunnett, of the University of Sheffield on the first book in English on green roof and related 'green architecture' technologies. In collaboration with Tim Richardson Kingsbury has edited Vista, the Culture and Politics of Gardens and co-chairs events at the Garden Museum in London under the title 'Vista'. He has worked with several notable garden photographers, such as Marianne Majerus and Andrea Jones.

Kingsbury earned a doctorate from the University of Sheffield in 2009, for a thesis on the Long term performance of ornamental herbaceous vegetation. He continues to research in this area.

Kingsbury has also written a history of plant breeding, Hybrid, The History and Science of Plant Breeding (2009).

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