DTM*2010 The Identification and Care of Landscape Plants in Turf Environments II

course node page

The following description is for the course offering in Winter 2023 and is subject to change. It is provided for information only. The course outline distributed to the class at the beginning of the semester describes the course content and delivery, and defines the methods and criteria to be used in establishing the final grades for the course.

With a focus on teaching in classroom environments this course extends studies in the identification and understanding of biological and physical features of woody and herbaceous plants found in landscapes where healthy turf is a critical factor. Preferred growing requirements of such plants are also reviewed and evaluated. This course further explores the practice of, and the science behind, maintenance techniques for herbaceous and woody plants grown alongside turf.

Instructors:

James (Jamie) Simpson
Mike Van Beek

Teaching Assistant:

Credit Weight:

0.50

Course Level:

  • Diploma

Academic Department (or campus):

Department of Plant Agriculture

Campus:

Guelph

Semester Offering:

  • Winter

Class Schedule and Location:

Please consult WebAdvisor

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this course, you should be able to:
  1. Employ and synthesize plant identification tools and techniques using laboratory environments
  2. Effectively identify a variety of herbaceous and woody landscape plants understanding their unique growing criteria and other critical plant characteristics
  3. Assess soils and site growing mediums and identify their impact on good plant health
  4. Extend problem solving skills in pest diagnosis, pruning and the overall upkeep of plant material to ensure best presentation of aesthetics and function
  5. Develop strategic planning skills appropriate to the long term maintenance of managed landscapes

Lecture Content:

  • The review and identification of plant characteristics including annual and herbaceous perennial plants and their use in the landscape
  • The review and identification of woody plants including deciduous, coniferous and broad-leafed evergreens and their use in the landscape
  • The review and identification of bulbs, corms and tubers and their use in the landscape
  • Ornamental plant materials and the impact on turf health
  • Pest management strategies for woody plants
  • Best pruning and care practices for woody plants
  • Best planting (installation/site preparation) practices for ornamental plant material
  • Developing a tree management program: inventory, tagging and assessment
  • Use of IPM in plant management
  • Fertilizing and water requirements
  • Economic and social impacts of plant communities
  • Risk management and mitigation
  • Determining plant supply sources
  • Tools/equipment for planting and care
  • Impact of construction on tree communities
  • Invasive and alien plants and their impact on the landscape
Labs & Seminars:

Course Assignments and Tests:

Assignment or Test Due Date

Contribution to
Final Mark (%)

Learning Outcomes 
Assessed
Tree Management Plan (Final) End of Semester 30% 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Tree Management Draft Plan Week 9 5% 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3 Tests Every 4 weeks of semester 10% each = 30% 1, 2, 3, 4
Group Work/Oral Presentation End of Semester 20% 1, 2, 3, 4
Project Week 6 15% 2, 4

 

Final examination:

There is no final exam.

Course Resources:

Required Texts: None

Recommended Texts:

  • Trees in Canada, 2007. J.L. Farrar
  • Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs, University of California Pub. 3359
  • Arboriculture: Integrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Vines, Harris, Clark and Matheny

Lab Manual: None

Other Resources:

  • Bedding Plant Favorites, 1996 L.Hole
  • Perennials for Ontario, 2001 A. Beck and K. Renwald
  • Trees and Shrub Gardening for Ontario, 2001 A. Beck and K. Renwald

Course Policies:

DropBox Submissions
Assignments should be submitted electronically via the online DropBox tool. When submitting your assignments using the DropBox tool, do not leave the page until your assignment has successfully uploaded. To verify that your submission was complete, you can view the submission history immediately after the upload to see which files uploaded successfully. The system will also email you a receipt. Save this email receipt as proof of submission.
 
Be sure to keep a back-up copy of all of your assignments in the event that they are lost in transition. In order to avoid any last-minute computer problems, your instructor strongly recommend you save your assignments to a cloud-based file storage (e.g., OneDrive), or send to your email account, so that should something happen to your computer, the assignment could still be submitted on time or re-submitted.
 
It is your responsibility to submit your assignments on time as specified on the Schedule. Be sure to check the technical requirements and make sure you have the proper computer, that you have a supported browser, and that you have reliable Internet access. Remember that technical difficulty is not an excuse not to turn in your assignment on time. Don’t wait until the last minute as you may get behind in your work.
 
If, for some reason, you have a technical difficulty when submitting your assignment electronically, please contact your instructor or CourseLink Support.
 
Late Policy
If you choose to submit assignments to the DropBox tool late, the full allocated mark will be reduced by 5% per day after the deadline for the submission of the assignment to a limit of six days at which time access to the DropBox folder will be closed. Late Graded Homework Assignments will NOT be graded if they are submitted after the solutions have been posted to CourseLink.
 
Extensions will be considered for medical reasons or other extenuating circumstances. If you require an extension, discuss this with the instructor as soon as possible and well before the due date. Barring exceptional circumstances, extensions will not be granted once the due date has passed. These rules are not designed to be arbitrary, nor are they inflexible. They are designed to keep you organized, to ensure that all students have the same amount of time to work on assignments, and to help to return marked materials to you in the shortest possible time. 
 
Grades and Feedback
Unofficial assessment marks will be available in the Grades tool of the course website.
 
Your instructor will attempt to have grades posted online within 2 weeks of the submission deadline, if the assignment was submitted on time. Once your assignments are marked you can view your grades on the course website by selecting Grades from the Tools dropdown menu on the navbar. Your course will remain open to you for seven days following the last day of the final exam period.
 
University of Guelph students can access their final grade by logging into WebAdvisor (using your U of G central ID): https://webadvisor.uoguelph.ca

Other Course Information:

University Policies

Academic Consideration

When you find yourself unable to meet an in-course requirement because of illness or compassionate reasons, please advise the course instructor in writing, with your name, id#, and e-mail contact. See the academic calendar for information on regulations and procedures for Academic Consideration:

Academic Misconduct

The University of Guelph is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and it is the responsibility of all members of the University community, faculty, staff, and students  to be aware of what constitutes academic misconduct and to do as much as possible to prevent academic offences from occurring.

University of Guelph students have the responsibility of abiding by the University's policy on academic misconduct regardless of their location of study; faculty, staff and students have the responsibility of supporting an environment that discourages misconduct. Students need to remain aware that instructors have access to and the right to use electronic and other means of detection. Please note: Whether or not a student intended to commit academic misconduct is not relevant for a finding of guilt. Hurried or careless submission of assignments does not excuse students from responsibility for verifying the academic integrity of their work before submitting it. Students who are in any doubt as to whether an action on their part could be construed as an academic offence should consult with a faculty member or faculty advisor.

The Academic Misconduct Policy is detailed in the University Calenders:

Accessibility

The University of Guelph is committed to creating a barrier-free environment. Providing services for students is a shared responsibility among students, faculty and administrators. This relationship is based on respect of individual rights, the dignity of the individual and the University community's shared commitment to an open and supportive learning environment. Students requiring service or accommodation, whether due to an identified, ongoing disability or a short-term disability should contact the Student Accessibility Services (SAS), formerly Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD), as soon as possible.

For more information, contact CSD at 519-824-4120 ext. 56208 or email sas@uoguelph.ca or visit the Student Accessibility Services website: http://www.uoguelph.ca/csd/.

Course Evaluation Information

Your ratings and comments are important.  Course evaluation data are used to assess and enhance the quality of teaching and student learning at the University of Guelph.  Student course ratings and comments are used as an important component in the Faculty Tenure & Promotion process, and as valuable feedback to help instructors improve their teaching effectiveness and to improve the delivery of the course.

Your responses will not affect your grade.  Course evaluation data are distributed to individual instructors after final grades have been submitted to the Registrar, following the completion of each academic semester.

Please be honest, respectful, constructive and thorough.  Instructors and review committees place great value on student course ratings and read all comments provided in course evaluations. It is helpful to provide comments on the strengths of the course, in addition to the areas for improvement.  Please refrain from personal comments unless they relate to teaching and learning.

Click here for the University of Guelph Course Evaluation System