NZQA registered unit standard
20555 version 3
Page 1 of 4
Title
Prepare and use soil-less growing media
Level
3
Credits
5
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: identify soilless growing media constituents; mix soil-less media; fill
containers with media; and dispose of unwanted media.
Classification
Horticulture > Nursery Production
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Definitions
Workplace procedures refer to oral or written instructions to staff on procedures for
the worksite and equipment.
Nursery Crop refers to a crop of no less than 50 plants.
2
Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to the Health and
Safety in Employment Act 1992, the Resource Management Act 1991, and their
subsequent amendments.
3
Work may involve exposure to chemical, dangerous, or hazardous substances.
Safety procedures are observed in accordance with NZS 8409:2004 Management of
Agrichemicals, available from Standards New Zealand http://standards.co.nz, or the
NZ Agrichemical Education Trust http://growsafe.co.nz/.
4
When handling soil-less growing media use of PPE (personal protective equipment)
such as gloves, goggles, dust masks, and other body coverings are recommended to
avoid Legionella, a bacteria that can cause Legionellosis or Legionnaires disease.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Identify soil-less growing media constituents.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Common constituents of soil-less media are identified, and their effects on the
media physical properties are explained.
Range
may include processed bark, pumice, sand, peat, perlite, coir fibre,
rockwool, hydroponics, nutrient film technique (NTF), organic mix.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
1.2
Common fertilisers and additives of soil-less media are identified, and their
purpose in the media explained.
Range
1.3
may include controlled release fertilisers, single element fertilisers,
compound fertilisers, trace element mixes, dolomite, lime, wetting
agents, water crystals, mycorrhizae, pest and disease control
agents.
The properties of soil-less media are explained in general terms.
Range
1.4
20555 version 3
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physical, chemical, biological.
The media requirements of a range of plants are identified, and media are
selected to meet these requirements.
Range
for five different nursery crops;
evidence of at least three different types of soil-less media is
required.
Outcome 2
Mix soil-less media.
Range
two of – seed or cutting propagation medium, short-term (2-3 months use)
growing medium, long-term (6-9 months use) growing medium.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Ingredients are selected and quantities measured in accordance with the media
use and recipe.
2.2
Ingredients are mixed to achieve even distribution of ingredients and in
accordance with workplace procedures.
Range
2.3
Prepared soil-less media are stored or moved to area of use.
Range
2.4
one of – hand mixing, front-end loader, mechanical media mixer.
stored media clearly identified.
Potential sources of growing medium contamination are identified during
preparation, mixing, storage, and movement stages and contamination control
methods are described in accordance with workplace procedures.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
20555 version 3
Page 3 of 4
Outcome 3
Fill containers with media.
Evidence requirements
3.1
The correct medium is selected in terms of use.
two of – seed or cutting propagation medium, short-term (2-3
months use) growing medium, long-term (6-9 months use) growing
medium.
Range
3.2
Plant containers are filled and firmed or levelled, in accordance with workplace
procedures, and placed ready for use.
three of – root trainers, seedling trays, cell or plug trays, paper
pots, tubes, pots, potting bags, punnets.
Range
Outcome 4
Dispose of unwanted media.
Evidence requirements
4.1
Any unwanted or used media is disposed of in accordance with workplace
procedures, sustainable practices and any local authority environmental
requirements.
Planned review date
31 December 2017
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
23 February 2004
31 December 2014
Revision
2
24 February 2006
31 December 2014
Review
3
19 April 2012
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0032
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
20555 version 3
Page 4 of 4
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation standards@primaryito.ac.nz if
you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016