How long does the Certificate in Horticulture Business take?

It's self-paced. The two core modules add up to about 200 study hours, and most students finish in 10–15 weeks studying part-time. You have 12 months' access, and you can apply for an extension of up to 12 months if you need more time (an extension fee may apply).

Do I need a licence to start a nursery or garden business?

It depends on what the business does and where. Most businesses need an ABN, and you may also need to register a business name and for GST. Some activities carry extra rules: spraying chemicals for hire generally needs a state licence, a retail nursery may need council planning approval depending on zoning, and plants sent interstate must meet the receiving state's quarantine entry conditions. Check with your state government and local council before you start.

Can this course help me buy an existing horticulture business?

Yes. Horticulture Resource Management includes a unit on background checks for established businesses, alongside due diligence research and structured decision-making. You'll learn what to look into before you buy, from the physical resources and staff to the business's focus and your professional obligations as the new owner. It won't replace advice from an accountant or lawyer, but it helps you ask the right questions.

Is the Certificate in Horticulture Business accredited?

No. Our certificates are non-accredited short courses focused on practical, job-relevant knowledge. They're not nationally accredited VET qualifications (such as a Certificate III). You don't need a formal qualification to run most horticulture businesses, but if a licence or role legally requires a specific accredited qualification, check with the licensing body first. Our course consultants will be upfront about what this course can and can't do for you.

What will I receive when I finish?

A Certificate of Completion, a Certificate of Attainment and a transcript listing every unit you've completed. They're issued electronically, and you can request a hard copy for a fee.

Horticulture & Landscaping Courses

Certificate in Horticulture Business (Online)

Turn your plant skills into a business of your own.

Planning a nursery, a garden-maintenance round or a market garden? Learn the horticulture basics and the business steps behind them, from due diligence to staff, resources and obligations, online and at your own pace.

100% online
2 core modules
approx. 200 study hours
12 months' access
Tutor support 6 days a week
Certificate + transcript

Download the brochure Speak to a course consultant

Grower kneeling to pot plants in a greenhouse

What is the Certificate in Horticulture Business?

The Certificate in Horticulture Business is a self-paced online course for people who want to start, buy or run a horticulture business. It pairs Horticulture 1 – Introduction to Horticulture with Horticulture Resource Management, so you'll learn plant selection, soils, water and pest basics alongside due diligence, business set-up, staffing, resources and professional obligations.

Course overview

Plants and business, in one course

Thinking of buying a nursery, starting a garden-maintenance business or selling from a market garden? Good plant knowledge won't carry a business on its own, and a business plan won't get far without the plant know-how. This course gives you both: the horticulture foundations and a structured way to research, set up and run the operation.

Check before you commit – Run due diligence on an opportunity, and background checks on an established business before you buy it.
Set it up properly – Work through the steps of starting a horticultural enterprise and defining your market and business focus.
Manage people and resources – Plan staffing, land, equipment, materials and inputs such as herbicides and pesticides, and set up the processes that run the business.
Know what you're selling – Identify and select plants, manage soil and water, and handle pests, diseases and garden care with confidence.

Ready to test your business idea against the facts? Your horticulture business course starts the day you enrol.

Who this course is for

Aspiring nursery or garden centre owners weighing up whether to start from scratch or buy an existing business.
Gardeners and maintenance workers ready to go out on their own with a mowing, maintenance or garden care round.
Market gardeners and small growers who want to run their growing as a business rather than a hobby.
Buyers and new partners in an established horticulture business who want to ask the right questions before signing.

What you'll study

You'll start with a short Student Induction module that sets you up on the learning platform and introduces your tutor. Then you'll work through two core modules.

Module 1: Horticulture 1 – Introduction to Horticulture (approx. 100 hours)

The plant knowledge your business will be selling. You'll cover identification, plant selection, landscapes, water, soil, pests and garden care, the day-to-day work clients will pay you for.

Technical Classifications and Identification of Plants – classify plants, use common and botanical names, and read leaf and flower structure.
Plant Types - Selection Criteria – match plants to local climate, frost, rainfall and wind, and understand the value of native vegetation.
Creating a Plant Landscape – the design, construction and planting steps behind a planted landscape.
Water Management – how the environment shapes water needs, and how irrigation and sprinkler systems work.
Soils – soil structure and classification, soil testing, nutrients and natural soil supplements.
Pests and Diseases – common plant problems, nutrient deficiencies, water-related issues and safe chemical handling.
Growing, Managing and Maintaining Plants and Gardens – propagation from seed, plant and lawn maintenance, and general garden care.
Plant Uses and Plant Conservation – plants for food, windbreaks, stock shelter, habitat and commercial use.
Impact on the Natural Plant Environment – climate extremes, urbanisation, rural land management, soil degradation and waterways.

Module 2: Horticulture Resource Management (approx. 100 hours)

The business half of the course. You'll research opportunities, make structured decisions, set up or assess a business, and plan the people, resources and processes that keep it running.

Research – Due Diligence Checks – researching an opportunity before you commit.
Decision-Making – structured ways to make business decisions.
Starting a New Business – the steps to set up a horticultural enterprise.
Established Business – Background Checks – assessing an existing business before you buy it.
Business Focus – defining your market and business direction.
Physical Resources – land, equipment, materials and inputs.
Human Resources – staffing and managing people.
Professional Obligations – legal, ethical and compliance duties.
Management Processes and Procedures – the systems that run the business day to day.

How you'll learn and be assessed

Online, in your own time – study materials, quizzes and assignments are on the learning platform 24/7, on any device.
Quizzes and written assignments – a short online quiz after each unit, plus tutor-marked assignments with personalised feedback in both modules.
Applied to your business idea – business assignments cover decision-making, building and establishing a horticultural business, resources and business management, so you can work on the business you're actually planning.
Competency-based – if an assignment isn't quite there yet, your tutor tells you what to improve and you resubmit. There are no exams to sit in a centre.

Tailor your course with add-on modules

Make the course fit the business you're planning. Any certificate can be tailored with add-on modules from our catalogue, so you can add the plant, land or marketing skills your business needs.

Horticulture 2 – Plant Data

Go deeper into plants: taxonomy and botanical names, edible and ornamental plant types, propagation, growing environments and the rules behind commercial horticulture. Essential if you'll be propagating, labelling and selling nursery stock.

Horticulture 3 – Health & Welfare of Plants

Diagnose and manage plant health: pests, diseases and weeds, natural and chemical controls, integrated pest management, environmental impacts and safe work practices. Lets you offer plant health diagnosis and treatment as part of your service.

Farm Management

Run the farm as a business: farm and business planning, budgets and cash flow, staff, operations, business structures, WHS, land, water and soil management, and diversification. Adds budgets, cash flow and business structures if your horticulture business runs on its own land.

Soil Management

Get to know your soil: classification, properties and plant nutrition, soil testing, degradation problems like erosion and salinity, and practical soil management, finishing with your own soil investigation. Valuable for market gardens and growing sites where soil is your biggest asset.

Agricultural Marketing

Sell what you grow for a better return: marketing strategy, target markets, produce handling, customer relationships, market research and promotion. Helps you find buyers and price your produce or plants for a better return.

Ask a course consultant about adding modules when you enrol.

Career pathways and earning potential

This course is built for people who want to work for themselves, though the same skills suit supervisory roles in established horticulture businesses. Paths graduates often explore include:

Garden maintenance business owner – running your own round of residential or commercial clients. Income depends on the business.
Nursery or garden centre owner-operator – growing or buying in stock and running the retail or wholesale side. Income depends on the business.
Market gardener or small-scale grower – producing fruit, vegetables or plants for markets, shops or direct sale. Income depends on the enterprise; advertised farmer roles have a median of $78,260 (SEEK).

Figures are advertised salaries (SEEK, Jora) or median full-time earnings (Jobs and Skills Australia), accessed October 2026. Pay varies with experience, location and employer. Figures are a guide only.

Business income also depends on your market, costs and how the business is run.

Course details

Study mode: 100% online, self-paced
Core modules: 2 (plus Student Induction)
Study time: approx. 200 hours at your own pace (most students finish in 10–15 weeks part-time)
Access: 12 months
Support: tutor support 6 days a week, by phone, email or video call
You'll receive: Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Attainment and transcript
Payment: upfront or interest-free payment plan

Download the brochure Speak to a course consultant

Download your Certificate in Horticulture Business brochure

See the full unit list, how assessment works and payment options in one place.

Frequently asked questions

No. Horticulture 1 starts with the basics of identifying, choosing and growing plants, and Horticulture Resource Management walks you through researching and setting up a business from the beginning. You don't need a business, land or a garden. If you already have a business idea, you can use it to work through your assignments.