SC Green is thrilled to announce the award of a Specialty Crop Block Grant through the US Department of Agriculture for funding towards the revision of our Certified Horticulture Professional Program (CHP). One of only thirteen projects funded in the state of South Carolina, SC Green used the grant funds to update research, information, and graphics to educate growers, plant nurseries, and their employees on the best practices for producing plants.

The CHP Program, formerly known as the Certified Nursery Professional Program, began in 1985 with the intent of furthering professionalism and knowledge for those in the state’s plant industry. Since its inception, hundreds of industry professionals have passed the test and received their CHP certification. Prior to taking the exam, study material is provided in a manual. The CHP manual, like the exam, is facilitated through SC Green and can be sold to wholesale growers and plant nurseries as training manuals for their employees. The CHP manual has also been used as part of the curriculum for horticulture programs at South Carolina colleges.

The CHP certification exam is typically offered twice a year and has two sections: a written portion of approximately 150 questions covering a variety of topics including plant growth and development, irrigation, pest management, and landscape design. The second section focuses on plant identification by matching the botanical names of approximately 100 plants with a physical lineup of the corresponding plants.