OR Landscape Contractor study plan

Map the ORS Chapter 671 landscape contracting statute section-by-section, writing a one-line summary of each section that defines licensing, scope of work, and exemptions

Outline the LCB administrative rules by topic area (licensing, bonds/insurance, continuing education, discipline) and flag every rule that cross-references a statute

Define in your own words the boundary between landscape contracting work and work reserved for other licensed trades, and write three borderline scenarios with your reasoning

Build a 40-term flashcard set for legal vocabulary (licensee, specialty contractor, subcontractor, violation, sanction, etc.) and self-quiz to 90% recall

Re-test yourself on Week 1 legal material and rewrite any outline section you scored below 80% on

Summarize the licensing lifecycle - application, exam, issuance, renewal, and disciplinary outcomes - as a single one-page flowchart

Identify 25 regionally common Oregon landscape trees, shrubs, and groundcovers by botanical and common name, and sort them by sun, water, and mature-size needs

Explain the practical difference between hardy/adapted plants and invasive or prohibited species, and list 10 plants you would avoid specifying in Oregon

Draft plant-selection criteria for three site archetypes (full-sun dry, shady damp, narrow foundation bed)

Complete the plant ID table to 40 entries and self-test to 85% accuracy from memory

Write the installation sequence for a planting project: soil prep, layout, planting depth, staking, mulching, and initial watering

Explain the components of an irrigation system (point of connection, backflow protection, valves, zones, heads, controllers) and sketch a labeled diagram from memory

Calculate precipitation rate and run time for two sample zones using given flow, pressure, and area figures

List five water-management practices that reduce waste and describe when each applies

Classify four soil textural types and describe how each affects drainage, compaction risk, and planting technique

Read and interpret a simple grading plan: identify spot elevations, slope direction, and high/low points, then compute percent slope for three segments

Describe the design and installation of three drainage approaches (surface grading, subsurface drain, French drain) and the failure mode of each

Sequence a hardscape installation from excavation through base, compaction, edging, and finish, listing the inspection checkpoint at each step

Identify three common hardscape defects (settling, poor drainage toward structure, inadequate base) and the corrective action for each

Build a simple chart of accounts for a small landscape business covering revenue, direct job costs, overhead, and owner draws

Explain the difference between markup and margin and compute both from two sample job scenarios

Assemble a sample bid: take off quantities, apply labor and material pricing, add overhead and profit, and present a client-facing total

Draft a contract package outline covering scope, exclusions, change-order procedure, payment terms, schedule, and warranty language

Identify five recordkeeping or documentation practices that protect a contractor in a dispute

Write seasonal maintenance calendars for turf and for ornamental beds across all four Oregon seasons, naming the task and frequency for each

Describe mowing height, fertilization timing, aeration, and thatch management practices and the consequence of doing each incorrectly

Apply the IPM pyramid to two pest scenarios: identify, monitor, set threshold, select least-risk control, and evaluate results

Explain pesticide label comprehension - signal word, PPE, restricted-entry interval, and application restrictions - and interpret a label section you write out from memory

List safe handling, storage, mixing, and disposal practices for pesticides and the spill response steps

Perform a job-site hazard walkthrough of a hypothetical site and document 15 hazards with a control for each, ranked by severity

Describe PPE requirements, equipment guarding, and safe operation rules for the tools most used in landscape work

Explain trenching/excavation, overhead utility, and heat-illness protections, and state when work must stop

Re-read your Week 1 legal outline and update it with anything you have since learned or missed

Write a 10-question self-quiz on licensing/discipline rules and score yourself

Take two full-length timed practice exams and record the score by domain area

Rank your domains from weakest to strongest and spend the first half of the week re-drilling only the bottom three

Re-drill all flashcard decks (legal vocabulary, plant ID) to 90% recall

Rewrite any formula, sequence, or rule you missed twice into a one-page "final sheet" and memorize it

Confirm exam-day logistics: test location or platform, ID requirements, and allowed reference materials