NALP Horticultural Tech study guide
NALP Horticultural Tech · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The NALP Horticultural Technician Certification appears under several names in the landscape industry, including Landscape Industry Certified Technician, NALP Landscape Technician Certificate, and Horticultural Technician. It is a professional credential offered through the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), an organization that describes its mission as advancing the landscape industry through inspiring education, expert training, powerful advocacy, and a thriving community. The NALP Horticultural Tech study guide has 5 sections and about 1,644 words.
01Horticultural Practices
Horticultural Practices covers how plants grow and how management decisions affect them: photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, soil texture and pH, cation exchange capacity, essential nutrients, irrigation, pruning, and basic propagation. Expect questions that ask you to predict a plant response rather than recite a definition.
357 words, about 2 min02Plant Identification and Selection
Plant Identification and Selection tests botanical naming, hardiness zones, site assessment, and matching plant traits to site conditions. Questions often give a site description and ask which plant is most appropriate.
317 words, about 2 min03Turfgrass Management
Turfgrass Management covers species selection, mowing, fertilization, irrigation, cultivation, and pest diagnosis for lawns and sports turf. Cool-season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues; they grow most in spring and fall.
318 words, about 2 min04Landscape Installation and Maintenance
Landscape Installation and Maintenance tests planting procedure, soil preparation, mulching, pruning, staking, watering, and seasonal maintenance, including ANSI A300 pruning principles. Dig the planting hole two to three times the width of the root ball and no deeper than the root ball.
331 words, about 2 min05Safety and Equipment Operation
Safety and Equipment Operation covers personal protective equipment, hazard communication, hand and power tool use, mower and trimmer operation, slope limits, fuel handling, and basic tree-care safety under ANSI Z133. Wear PPE matched to the task: eye and hearing protection for power equipment, chaps and a face shield for chainsaws, gloves, and sturdy boots.
321 words, about 2 min