Plant Science Exam 4 Flashcards
Floriculture
Floriculture is a branch of horticulture that specializes in the cultivation of flowering and ornamental crops for gardens and the floristry industry.
What crop has best wholesale value?
Annual bedding/Garden plants
Floriculture crops include:
Bedding plants
Houseplants/tropical’s
Potted plants
Cut flowers
Vegetable and herb starts
Ornamentals for the landscape industry, including perennials
Career paths in Floriculture
Research
Education
Production
Writing/Communication
Sales/Marketing
Public space
Owner/Entrepreneur
Floriculture Starts
- Sexual – Seeds
- Asexual – cuttings or starts
Light
Artificial light
Natural light
Floriculture Inputs
Light
Water
Temperature
Chemicals
Light Requirements
Plants are often listed under one of the following types of light requirement:
Full sun
Partial sun
Partial shade
Full shade.
Design Process
The design process starts when the idea for a landscape project is first conceived, and can be broken down into five phases:
Research
Design
Installation
Maintenance
Evaluation.
Wind
Newly planted trees in exposed, windy areas may require staking to help establishment.
In windy areas, herbaceous plants may be shorter or go dormant earlier.
Staking might be required to keep flowers on tall plants from falling over.
Types of Irrigation
Types of Irrigation
Flood
Drip
Mist
Hose
Plant Selection
Right plant, right place” is a phrase horticulturists use frequently when discussing landscape plants
How plants will be utilized & functions they will have in the landscape play a vital role in plant choice.
Many environmental factors must be considered before choosing any plant.
Landscape History
The earliest gardens recorded contained plants for foods & medicines—in pleasing arrangements.
Landscapes for beatification and recreation began very early in human history, even if reserved for the wealthy & powerful
Functions of Plants
Plants serve aesthetic, architectural & environmental protection/modification purposes in the landscape
Most often the aesthetic purpose of plants is what people think of when selecting plants
Architecturally plants create space.
Walls, ceilings and even floors of outdoor rooms can be formed by plants
Protection- modify flow of traffic
Also serve as a screen or fence, or as a barrier to keep pedestrians away from traffic right-of-ways
Moisture
Moisture requirements vary in landscape plants from water lovers to xeriscape plants
Irrigation can be added to landscaping
Most landscapes once established can survive on normal rainfall
Landscapes with high water use are often commercial plantings with harsh surrounding environments
Sustainable Landscape Practices
Conservation of water, energy, and soil is somethingthat can be accomplished in any landscape.
Soil conservation in landscaping includes using plants to control water and wind erosion
Plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife increase biodiversity of the landscape ecosystem.
Edible plants in the landscape reduce the energy and material consumption that comes from the shippingand packaging of store-bought produce.
Added benefits to edible landscapes are fresh, healthy foods
Perennials
Herbaceous Plants that have a life expectancy of several years.
Often die back in the winter, then re-growing from the roots or crown in the spring
Used to add color and interest to landscapes
Landscape Plants
Woody Plant- bark covering the older stem- expand in girth
Ex. Trees, Shrubs
Herbaceous Plant- lacks wood and bark
Ex. Perennials
Evergreen Plant- retains foliage year round
Ex. Pine, Holly
Vines- can either be woody or herbaceous
Trees
Woody plants are permeant plantings in the landscape
Providing depth, vertical lines, and character.
It is imperative to choose trees properly & consider their lifelong characteristics
Shrubs
Woody shrubs are the base of any landscape and add color, texture and form to plantings
Often grown in containers
Annuals
Herbaceous Plants that only have a life of one year or season
Used primarily in landscapes to add color
Most have been bred or selected to grow rapidly
Landscape Maintenance
Once the landscape is installed, regular maintenance chores must be performed.
Mulching, weeding, checking for diseases &insects, staking, pinching, deadheading, and dividing arecommon garden chores for various times of the year
Climate- Available Water
Fruit plants require adequate soil moisture in the growing season to maintain vegetative growth & to produce a full crop of quality fruits
Rainfall history has to be evaluated
Location of irrigation wells or irrigation ponds
High water tables are usually unsuitable, as only the soil mass above the water table is available for root development
Irrigation Water
Water shortages in the last 30 days before harvest can significantly reduce fruit size & quality, and increase fruit disorders.
For some fruit crops, irrigation systems are also necessary as a means to avoid spring frosts during flowering.
Establishment Costs
Certain costs are to be considered in establishing & maintaining an orchard, vineyard, or berry planting.
Many occur during the planting’s establishment
Time from planting to first production can be one season for annually produced strawberries.
Or greater than four or five years for apples, pears, cherries, and many nut crops.
Climate- Temperature
Evaluate minimum recorded temperature
Length and timing of the growing and dormant seasons
They may influence accumulation of heat or chilling units
They determine likelihood that maturing fruit or flowerswill experience damaging temperatures.
Wind- Damage, bees, windbreaks
Flowering- Fruiting Process
Four steps critical to production of large quantitiesof high-quality fruits and nuts.
Initiation of flower buds in the summer, followed by development of a physiological “resting” condition.
Flower opening and pollination in the spring.
Fertilization of the egg in the flower - fruit
Maturation of fruit and seed (nuts).
Cultivar Selection
Factors that influence cultivar selection
Flowering and fruiting characteristics- abundance of flower buds can result in small fruit
Dormancy or chilling requirements
Cross Pollinated vs. Self- Pollinated
Disease resistance
Insect resistance
Winter hardiness
Ripening period
Post harvest holding/maturing
Flower Initiation
Horticultural practices that optimize the physiological condition of the plant during the initiation period ensure adequate fruit production for the nextfruiting season
Pollination and Pollinators
Fruit species with large, showy flowers generally depend on insects to transfer pollen.
Some fruit plants, especially those with nonshowy flowers, are wind-pollinated.
Temperature is important factor during all stages of pollination, pollen tube growth, fertilization & fruiting.
60°- 80°F is considered optimum for deciduous fruits
Temperatures dropping to 27°F can kill ovules in open flowers of most fruit species
Pollen grains themselves are quite stable at low temperatures—when dry, they can be kept viablefor years at 0°F