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The Rutgers Organic Land Care Certificate Program provides education to landscapers and land care providers on organic practices for promoting healthy soil, enhancing biodiversity, and reducing polluted runoff from managed landscapes. The OLC program is a comprehensive, on-demand online course designed for professional landscapers, property managers, public works employees, groundskeepers, and landscape architects and Master Gardeners.
Whether you’re looking to enhance organic landcare offerings, successfully transition a landscape to organic management, or add organic services to a business, our course offers:
Program Overview
Course 1 : Introduction to Organic Land Care and Soil Health
Course 1 begins with an overview of organic land care principles. The remainder of the course focuses on soils, covering soil science fundamentals, proper soil management, the impact of soil quality on plant health, and the importance of soil testing. It also includes methods for making and applying compost and compost tea as soil amendments.
Course 2: Turf and Plant Care
Course 2 covers best management practices for turf, including establishment, renovation, fertilization, nutrient management, and cultural techniques to control or mitigate disease and insect damage. It also explores using native plants within the landscape as an alternative to traditional lawns, creating sustainable landscapes that are less dependent on pesticides. The session concludes with guidance on proper tree and shrub selection, genetics, nursery stock, and planting techniques to promote plant health and reduce mortality.
Course 3: Pest and Disease Management
Course 3 explores the risks associated with pesticides and how they interact with the environment. This session covers the identification of common diseases and pests affecting ornamental trees and shrubs in New Jersey, and explains organic control options.
Course 4: Protecting Water Resources, Rain Gardens, and Bringing it All Together for Practical Application
The final course covers the impact of landscaping practices on water quality, stormwater management, and water conservation, emphasizing organic land care techniques. It includes a detailed module on designing and installing rain gardens in residential, corporate, and public landscapes. The last session synthesizes information from all previous modules to provide practical applications and best practices for transitioning to organic land care.
The certificate exam is administered after taking all 4 courses.
Live Class
A live, online discussion with experienced practitioners will be held for participants to learn more about practical application. We’ll review best practices to start transitioning to organic land care. We’ll hear from panelists on how their business got started and different company approaches. We’ll discuss business goals, assess infrastructure, resources, and profits, the importance of customer communication, marketing strategies, and how to adapt your business to be successful with organic land care.