Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson · GOM4 Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson Unit:...

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GOM4 Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson Unit: Greenhouse Operations Management Lesson Title: Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment Competency: Demonstrate and analyze proper methods for planting seeds, transplanting seedlings, asexual reproduction, potting, and watering plants. Standards PS.01.01. Determine the influence of environmental factors on plant growth. PS.01.02. Prepare and manage growing media for use in plant systems. PS.01.03. Develop and implement a fertilization plan for specific plants or crops. PS.03.02. Develop and implement a management plan for plant production. CCSS.ELA.11-12.RIT.3.D. Read and comprehend informational text independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-11-12.W.3.A.c. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA.11-12.SL.2.A.Speak audibly and to the point, using conventions of language as appropriate to task, purpose, and audience when presenting including fluent and clear articulation, strategically varying volume, pitch, and pace to consistently engage listeners. Student Learning Objectives Slide 3 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment Lesson ObjectiveAfter completing this lesson on Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment, students will demonstrate their ability to apply the concept in real-world situations by obtaining a minimum score of 80% on the Plant Propagation Logbook evaluation. Enabling Objectives As a result of this lesson, the student will…

Transcript of Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson · GOM4 Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson Unit:...

Page 1: Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson · GOM4 Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson Unit: Greenhouse Operations Management Lesson Title: Growing Plants in the Greenhouse

GOM4

Plant Systems

Advanced Foundational Lesson

Unit: Greenhouse Operations Management

Lesson Title: Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Competency: Demonstrate and analyze proper methods for planting seeds,

transplanting seedlings, asexual reproduction, potting, and watering plants.

Standards

PS.01.01. Determine the influence of environmental factors on plant growth.

PS.01.02. Prepare and manage growing media for use in plant systems.

PS.01.03. Develop and implement a fertilization plan for specific plants or

crops.

PS.03.02. Develop and implement a management plan for plant production.

CCSS.ELA.11-12.RIT.3.D. Read and comprehend informational text

independently and proficiently.

CCSS.ELA-11-12.W.3.A.c. Demonstrate command of the conventions of

standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA.11-12.SL.2.A.Speak audibly and to the point, using conventions of

language as appropriate to task, purpose, and audience when presenting

including fluent and clear articulation, strategically varying volume, pitch, and

pace to consistently engage listeners.

Student Learning Objectives

Slide 3 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Lesson Objective— After completing this lesson on Growing Plants in the Greenhouse

Environment, students will demonstrate their ability to apply the concept in real-world situations

by obtaining a minimum score of 80% on the Plant Propagation Logbook evaluation.

Enabling Objectives

As a result of this lesson, the student will…

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Greenhouse Operations Management GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

1. Identify common growing containers and describe the advantages and disadvantages of

each container

2. Provide examples of and describe plant propagation methods utilized in greenhouse

production

3. Follow irrigation guidelines to meet the nutritional requirements for plants through

fertilizer management, analysis, calculations and application

Time: Approximately 250 minutes

List of Resources

Boodley, J. W. (1996). The commercial greenhouse (2nd ed). Albany, NY: Delmar

Publishers.

Crop nutrient deficiency photo library app for iPhone/iPad/iPod touch. (n.d.). Retrieved

from http://www.ipni.net/ndapp

Cooper, E.L. (1995). Agriscience: Fundamentals & applications (2nd ed). Albany, NY:

Delmar Publishers.

DeFacio, P., Pickerel, L., & Rhyne, S. (2002). Greenhouse operation and management.

Columbia, MO: Instructional Materials Laboratory.

Lee, J.S., (2002). Series editor: Introduction to horticulture. (3rd ed). Danville, IL:

Interstate Publishers, Inc.

Missouri certified nursery and greenhouse directory. (2002). [PDF File]. Retrieved from

http://www.mda.state.mo.us/pd/ NurseryBook.pdf

What one bale or bag fills. (n.d.). [Infographic]. Retrieved from

http://www.sungro.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/conversion_tables.pdf

List of Tools, Equipment, and Supplies

GOM4 PowerPoint Presentation

GOM4 Activity Sheet and Evaluation Packet

GOM4 Student Activity Sheet Packet

GOM4 Seed Open Flat Lab Instructions

GOM4 Seed Starting Plug Lab Instructions

GOM4 Irrigation Guidelines Lab Instructions

GOM4 Comparing Nutrients Lab Instructions

Duct tape

3 sizes of bedding plant flats

3 ring binders and loose leaf paper for student log books

Horticultural supply catalogs

4" Pots

Potting soil

Seed starting mix

Popsicle sticks or chopsticks

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Synthetic granular fertilizer

Synthetic liquid fertilizer

Organic granular fertilizer

Organic liquid fertilizer

Flower, vegetable, and herb seeds

Plug flats

Open seed starting flats (with drainage holes)

Key Terms

Slide 4 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

The following terms are presented in this lesson (shown in bold italics):

Dibble

Pricking out

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Interest Approach: Use an interest approach that will prepare the students for the lesson.

Teachers often develop approaches for their unique class and student situations. A possible

approach is included here.

Slide 5 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Observation Walk— Ask students to share their prior experiences with plants, gardening,

greenhouses, etc. Explain that this lesson will explore the fundamentals of raising seedlings in a

greenhouse operation. The factors that will be considered through experiments are related to flat

sizes, watering, fertilization methods, and seed planting techniques.

Students will take a blank sheet of paper and pencil with them on a field trip around the school.

Travel around the campus, classrooms, greenhouse, indoor, outdoors, etc. to evaluate plants.

Students will jot down notes about what they see on the plants. Make comments related to

general appearance and health of the plant and ask students to take a guess on what could be

some potential issues with those plants that look unhealthy.

Gather back in the classroom and discuss the findings of the group. Make the connection that a

plants overall health and success can be controlled through different factors. The class will

complete different experiments to determine what factors will work best in raising seedlings in a

greenhouse environment.

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Summary of Content and Teaching Strategies

Objective 1: Identify common growing containers and describe the advantages and

disadvantages of each container.

Slide 6 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Teaching Strategies Related Content

Introduce the format of the lesson. Students

will complete a set of labs (experiments) and

record them in a logbook. Distribute GOM4.1

and discuss format and expectations of the

logbook.

Slide 7 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse Environment

Show the class a greenhouse flat and ask them

if they know what it is and what it is for.

Slide 8 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse Environment

Logbook Checklist

• Compiled in a 3-Ring binder

• Is labeled with Name, Class, and Unit

on cover

• Contains all experiments

• All experiments have the following:

o Name and group member’s

names

o Name of the experiment

o Date experiment was

completed

o Hypothesis

o Experimental Procedure

o Outcome

▪ Written Summary

▪ Assigned Numerical

Value (if applicable)

▪ Detailed germination

rate (if applicable)

▪ Sketch of results

• PowerPoint presentation printed and

added to the logbook

o Photographs of the

experiments are included

o Logbook data is used to create

and illustrate graphs

• Notes Pages

Flats

• Industry term for the plastic tray that

holds the pots which seedlings are

transplanted into, or started in.

• Many different flat sizes available for

bench top plant propagation in the

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Ask students why they think flat size matters

when growing plants.

Slide 9 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse Environment

If available, show the class two different flats

and ask them to share the differences and

similarities.

Share with students that there are advantages

and disadvantages to using different types of

flats. Explain that we will work together

through a scenario.

Read the scenario together and give students a

chance to think about the answers to the

questions before discussing as a class.

Slide 10 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse Environment

It is common for a particular category or

species of plant to be grown in a standard

size pot. This standardization makes it easier

for customers to compare prices when

choosing between growers or companies.

You are a greenhouse grower and are

considering what flat size to use for a

particular plant pot. You know most area

garden centers (your target customer base)

sell culinary herbs in a 3.5"-4" diameter pot.

Consider the benefits and drawbacks of using

either 1801 flats or 1001 flats.

• Other considerations:

o The size of benches and

shipping racks must be taken

into consideration.

▪ Looking at these two

flats, how would they

fit differently on

racks?

▪ How are the

dimensions different?

Answers to Scenario

• 1801 holds eighteen 3.5" pots

o Pros: Conserves soil (smaller

pot)

o Cons: Smaller pot means

smaller plant, may be seen as

less valuable

• 1001 holds ten 4" pots

o Pros: Smaller number of

plants/flat means more likely

to sell them all

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Monitor and guide students through activity

sheet GOM4.3. In groups of 2-4, students will

practice fitting different flat sizes on a

greenhouse bench. At least 3 different flat

sizes will be provided to each group. If

possible, different groups should have different

flats to work with (example: group 1 –

1801,801,606; group 2 – 1001, 601, 1204). Fit

at least one of each type of flat with pot sheets

or pots so students can see how many plants

will fit into the flat.

When all students have completed GOM4.3,

groups will write their numbers on the board.

Facilitate a discussion about the results.

If desired, the flats can be ranked based on

how many plants were able to fit in the space.

Students should record a summary of the class

results in their logbook. Students can reference

instruction sheet GOM4.1 and template

GOM4.2 for direction on how to fill in the

logbook.

Be sure you have run through GOM4.3 once

before the labs on Open Flats and Plug Trays

with the flat sizes they plan to use.

o Cons: Bigger pots means

more soil, more bench space

for same number of plants

• Even if two types of flats both hold

18 pots, they can have slightly

different dimensions which translates

to major differences in how many

will fit into a given area

o One flat size could allow 9

flats per shipping rack shelf,

with the other only allowing 5

o Leads to fewer flats fitting on

a delivery truck, higher

overall delivery cost

o Most supply companies will

provide samples of flat sizes

so the grower can physically

test them out on their benches

and shipping racks

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Ask students some questions to begin a

conversation about different plants found in

different flats.

• What are some common plants you

buy/see at commercial stores?

• What kinds of containers and flats do

you see?

Slides 13-15 in GOM4 Growing Plants in

the Greenhouse Environment

Explain that students will research 3 common

greenhouse crops. They can think about what

they have seen in different stores or what they

have purchased before.

They will search online or in catalogs to find

out what size plug and pot their three plants are

generally grown and/or sold in. Record

findings on activity sheet GOM4.4.

When activity sheet GOM4.4 is complete,

everyone can stand up and share what they

discovered. Students may record their

classmates’ findings. A summary of the results

should be included in students’ logbooks.

Ask students why greenhouse owners need to

estimate how much soil is going to be used for

a crop.

Slide 16 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse Environment

Ask a volunteer to come up to the board and

have students call out as many reasons as they

can think of. Capture down the responses on

the board.

Slide 17 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Flats

• 606 Flat

o Vinca

o Begonia

o Lettuce

o Marigold

o Pansies

• 1204 Flat

o Kale

o Broccoli

o Cabbage

• 1801 Flat

o Culinary Herbs

o Tomatoes

o Peppers

o Lantana

Why do greenhouse owners need to estimate

how much soil they are going to use?

Why estimate soil?

• Operators work from a budget

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Greenhouse Environment

Distribute reference sheet GOM4.5. Use this

sheet as a reference and to complete the

example with students.

Note: There are many different possibilities for

correct answers in this scenario. The example

on the right is one way the scenario could turn

out. Feel free to change or enhance the

scenario as you see fit.

Slides 18-19 in GOM4 Growing Plants in

the Greenhouse Environment

Students take notes and record calculations in

logbook.

Students will plan what they will grow in their

greenhouse (including growing containers, flat

size, and soil requirement) in activity sheet

GOM4.6. Encourage them to use the example

o They need to know how much

they can spend

• Soil can be ordered at a discount

during year-end sales

• Helps be successful and avoid waste

You are a greenhouse operator working with

a small garden supply store in your

hometown for the first year. The supply

store, Sunny’s, is asking you to supply vinca,

begonia, and azaleas on a trial basis this year.

Sunny’s is asking you to fill one 4’ x 12’

table in their outdoor plant sale. It is up to

you to determine the distribution of plants.

• Useful information:

o Vinca and begonia get planted

in 606 flats that are 8.5” x 20”

o Azaleas are planted in 4” pots.

You have trays that hold 15

4” pots and the dimensions of

the tray are 12 ¼” x 22”

• Complete the following steps in your

logbook:

o Step 1: Sketch out the bench

and determine the best plan to

fit flats.

o Step 2: Determine how many

plants of each variety you will

need.

o Step 3: Use reference sheet to

determine how much soil you

will need.

o Step 4: Use reference sheet to

determine the cost of soil.

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found in GOM4.5 about estimating soil

purchase.

The greenhouse has four 4’x12’ benches.

Students can choose plants from this list:

vinca, begonia, lettuce, marigold, pansies, kale,

broccoli, cabbage, herbs, tomatoes, peppers,

azaleas, gerbera daisies, and geraniums.

They need to take into account:

• What plants are grown in what type of

pots? What size flats?

• How can I arrange the flats on the

greenhouse tables to be most efficient?

• How many of each variety should be

planted?

• How much soil do I need?

• How many bags or bales should I

order?

• How much does the soil cost?

After students have completed activity sheet

GOM4.6, have them share their greenhouse

plans with the class. They will then record

notes from their greenhouse plan in the

logbook. They need to include the following in

their logbook:

• What plants will be grown in the

greenhouse?

• What containers and flats will be used?

Why?

• How much soil is needed?

• What is the cost of soil?

Objective 2: Provide examples of and describe plant propagation methods utilized in

greenhouse production

Slide 20 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Teaching Strategies Related Content

Distribute reference sheet GOM4.7. Students

will read about plant propagation. Instruct

students to underline the key phrases and

words found on the slide.

Plant Propagation Key Phrases

• The correct environmental conditions

for germination

• Breaking seed dormancy

• How to plant seeds

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Slide 21 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse

Prior to the lesson, create posters or flipchart

papers with the questions below (4 total) and

post them around the room. After students

have completed their reading, have them travel

to the flipcharts and answer as many questions

as they can without their paper. Allow students

a few minutes back at their desks to reread the

sections of the handout to be able to answer the

questions. Travel around the flipcharts and

have a discussion based on the responses.

Flipchart Questions

• How do heirloom, hybrid, and

genetically manipulated seed varieties

differ from one another in yield,

uniformity and vigor?

• What are the correct environmental

conditions for seed germination?

• How do you break seed dormancy?

Why is it important to not let the seed

dry out once you do?

• What are the germination differences

between monocots and dicots?

Use the Seed Starting Plug Tray and Seed

Starting Open Flat Lab Instructions to facilitate

labs on starting seeds. Have students break into

groups of 3-4 and chose one type of seed to

plant.

Some quickly maturing species/varieties that

would be well suited to the experiment

timeline for this and the following experiments

include:

• Coleus

• Mustard

• Basil

• Tomato

• Zinnia

• Marigold

• Petunia

• Edamame Soy Bean

• Germination differences between

monocots and dicots

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• Kale

Students will try both methods (Plug Trays and

Open Flat, Pricking Out) for seed starting.

Students will compare their efficacy and

advantages/disadvantages in their lab

notebooks.

Note: Students will need to wait for the seeds

to germinate. During the days required for

germination, continue to the next activity in

this objective, “Asexual propagation and

Cloning.”

Once seedlings are ready to transplant, use Lab

Guide: Transplanting Seedlings to facilitate

that lab.

Have students make entries in their logbook to

reflect this experience.

Introduce to students that another type of

propagation exists – asexual propagation.

Slide 22 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse Environment

Share with students that to ensure successful

propagation, the greenhouse owner needs

adequate supplies and equipment, a suitable

growing environment and an effective tacking

system. Let’s explore those now.

Slides 23-26 in GOM4 Growing Plants in

the Greenhouse Environment

Asexual Propagation

• A new plant is created from the buds,

leaves, stems, or roots of a parent

plant

• Faster process than sexual (seed)

propagation and it produces identical

characteristics of the original plant

General Considerations

• Supplies and equipment:

o Sharp knives to cut parts from

plants, divide plants, and

make wounds in plant

materials

o Dibbles (sticks) are used to

dig holes in the growing

medium

o Puffer dusters and spray

bottles are used to apply the

rooting compound.

o Keep propagation benches

above the floor helps prevent

exposure to pathogens

• Growing environment

o Sanitation

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▪ All tools/knives must

be disinfected before

use, after each cutting

▪ Cuttings should be

placed in sterile

container until ready

for planting

▪ Rooting solutions

must be sterilized after

each use

o Discard excess plant debris

o Soilless growing medium of

vermiculite and perlite

▪ Pathogen-free

▪ Promotes drainage,

aeration

▪ Retains sufficient

nutrients, water

o Lighting

▪ Winter vs summer

o Temperature

▪ 5–10°F higher than air

temperature.

• Tracking system

o Label each plant accurately so

greenhouse owner can

identify plant’s name, variety,

date of propagation, any

special treatments

o Asexually reproduced plants

(except tubers) are federally

protected

o Licensing

▪ Mandatory for those in

Missouri who sell,

transport, or give away

nursery stock

(perennials, woody

stem plants,

perennials, bulbs,

roots, crowns, corms,

rhizomes, and tubers)

▪ Twice a year, a state

entomologist

examines nursery

stock for pests and

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Distribute reference sheet GOM4.8. Divide

students into 6 groups. Assign each group one

of the following topics:

• Budding

• Cuttings

• Division

• Grafting

• Layering

• Tissue Culture

Each group will be responsible for researching

the topic they are assigned. They will use

GOM4.8 and be allowed computer access to

search online. When they have completed their

research, they will create a poster with a step-

by-step guide on how to use the asexual

propagation method they have learned about.

When the posters are complete, students may

hang them and view others poster in a gallery

walk around the classroom.

Facilitate a discussion about the

advantages/disadvantages of starting seeds in

plug flats vs. open flats. Ask, "When might

you choose to use cloning rather than seed

propagation?” Make sure that students

understand that the identical genetic makeup of

clones can make them more susceptible to

pests and diseases, decimating an entire

population at once. A genetically diverse

sexually reproduced crop is more protected.

Students need to record the

advantages/disadvantages between the two

propagation methods in the logbook.

diseases

Objective 3: Follow irrigation guidelines to meet the nutritional requirements for plants

through fertilizer management, analysis, calculations and application.

Slide 27 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Teaching Strategies Related Content

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Distribute reference sheet GOM4.9 on

irrigation.

Divide the room into two groups. Have group

1 read about “Irrigating Greenhouse Crops”

and “Frequency of Crop Irrigation.” Group 2

should read about “Basic Guidelines for

Irrigation” and “Delivering Water to Plants.”

Encourage students to write comments,

underline, and take special note of their

sections.

When each group has completed their reading,

have everyone partner up with someone from

the opposite group. They will then teach each

other about their parts of the content.

Use the Irrigation Guidelines Lab Instructions

to facilitate an irrigation lab.

Have students record their observation and

experiences in their logbook.

If BPS6 has not yet been taught, teach that

lesson so students have an understanding of

plant nutrients.

Project the word nutrient.

Slide 28 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse Environment

Have students do a brain dump about what

they know about nutrients. Share students’

ideas and facilitate a review of macro- and

micronutrients.

Share with students that fertilizer plays an

important role in plant growth. Ask students to

recall what they know about fertilizer.

Ask student about the purpose of a fertilizer

management plan.

Slide 29 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the

Greenhouse Environment

Fertilizer Management Plan

• Prevent and correct nutritional

deficiencies

• Should quantify the amount and

frequency of fertilizer given and

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Recall what students know about organic and

inorganic sources of fertilizer before sharing

the content.

Slides 30-31 in GOM4 Growing Plants in

the Greenhouse Environment

As the forms of fertilizer are discussed, show

actual fertilizer or project the images on the

slide deck.

Slides 32-34 in GOM4 Growing Plants in

the Greenhouse Environment

match specific types of fertilizer to

the unique nutritional needs of each

plant

• Requirements vary per species and

development at key stages:

seedling/cutting, vegetative (foliage

growth), and flowering

Source of fertilizer

• Organic

o From once-living matter

o Natural components

▪ Animal manure,

decayed plants,

decomposed

microorganisms

o Processed elements

▪ Bone meal, fish

emulsion, sewage

sludge)

o Large quantities are required

▪ Costly, need ample

storage, people to

manage

o Rate of decomposition is slow

and variable

• Inorganic

o Synthesized mineral salts

o Concentration is greater than

organic

▪ Be aware of over

fertilization

o Releases nutrients rapidly

o Disseminates evenly

throughout growing medium

Forms of Fertilizer

• Slow- release

o Significant advantages

o Slow-release fertilizer coating

allows for the rate of nutrient

release into the medium to be

prolonged

▪ Plants thus receive a

steady food supply

o Less likely to burn the plant

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Show students a container of fertilizer and

have them look for the contents of that

fertilizer. If they need a hint, direct them to

find the formulation of macronutrients. Ask

questions to determine the level of student

knowledge regarding the fertilizer analysis

before sharing the content.

Slides 35-38 in GOM4 Growing Plants in

the Greenhouse Environment

To find the unknown number of ounces, divide

by the total calibration ration.

• For example, if the calibration ration is

1:13, the denominator is 14

Cross-multiply to solve for the unknown

number of ounces.

• The result represents the number of

ounces of fertilizer to add to 1 gallon of

water in order to create a solution with

• Granular forms

o Can be mixed into or applied

on top of the growing medium

o Some are dissolved in water

before application

o Stakes or tablets and placed

directly into the medium

• Liquid or dry forms of fertilizer can

be injected into the irrigation system

(fertigation)

o Amount used is measured in

parts per million (ppm).

Fertilizer Analysis

• proportion of nutrients in fertilizer

formulation

• helps greenhouse owner select

appropriate fertilizer

• A “complete” fertilizer contains

three macronutrients:

o nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P)

and potassium (K)

o For example, a bag of

fertilizer labeled 20-17-16

denotes 20% nitrogen, 17%

P2O5, and 16% K2O5

Calculating the Amount of Fertilizer

• Concentration rates are calibrated in

parts per million, as calculated by the

following formula:

. Desired ppm . = . #oz .

% active ingredient × 75 100 gallons H20

• To mix smaller amounts of fertilizer,

use a proportion. First determine the

correct number of ounces per 100

gallons, as indicated above. Then use

the following formula:

. #oz = ? .

100 gallons of water calibration ratio

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the correct ppm

Use the Essential Nutrients Lab Instructions to

facilitate the lab nutrient and fertilizer lab.

Signs of Nutrient Deficiency

• Students will do a special case study in

their lab book on the control, Group #1

from experiment #3 (Plant Growth and

Fertilizer Application) assessing what

signs of nutrient deficiency the crop

displays.

• Some examples of deficiencies students

might find can be found online. The

International Plant Nutrition Institute

has an app that is a photo database of

documented plant nutrient deficiencies.

http://www.ipni.net/ndapp

Based on what they learned from their

experiments students will make

recommendations about what types of

Applying Fertilizer

• Follow directions carefully

• Growing medium must be moist

before applying

• Applying low concentrations of

fertilizer with each watering is a

common technique

o When watering, provide a

balanced fertilizer to meet the

needs of each plant

o A constant feed system that

supplies nutrients at every

watering or every other

watering is generally the best

irrigation method.

• Hose-siphoning device

o A siphon is positioned

between the water outlet and

hose. A narrow tube

extending from the siphon is

placed in the fertilizer

solution. Through the force of

suction, fertilizer is drawn

from the solution into the tube

and the stream of water.

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Greenhouse Operations Management GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

watering, fertilization, and deficiency

monitoring plan they would implement in their

own greenhouse operation. Students will write

out the detailed list in their logbook.

Review/Summary

There are several things to consider when growing plants in a greenhouse. These factors include

but are not limited to growing containers, planting and propagation techniques, and plant growth

requirements. Making the connection that a plant’s overall health and success can be controlled

through these different factors is vital to successful production in the greenhouse.

Slide 39 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment Review

Slide 40 in GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Exit cards Students will answer the following questions on a notecard or small slip of paper and

hand to teacher as they exit:

• What did you learn about growing plants in the greenhouse environment?

• What questions do you still have about growing plants in the greenhouse environment?

Make Your Own Students can each create and share the steps for an experiment they would

conduct to learn more about the fundamentals of raising and caring for seedlings in a greenhouse

environment.

Application

Extended Activities

Students may take stem cuttings from the coleus plants grown from seed after

the watering and fertilization experiments are complete. 4 cuttings should be

made per group, one is a control with no rooting hormone. The other three will

have varying concentrations of rooting hormone. After 4-6 weeks, the students

can qualitatively rate the root growth of their cuttings with numbers representing

the size of roots.

Students could practice sexual breeding of plants by trying to hybridize their

own new cultivar.

Page 20: Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson · GOM4 Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson Unit: Greenhouse Operations Management Lesson Title: Growing Plants in the Greenhouse

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Greenhouse Operations Management GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Students should grow and transplant seedlings for a plant sale fundraiser.

Evaluation Project-Based Evaluation (GOM4.10)

This lesson will include a lot of experimental activities. Students will keep a plant propagation

logbook recording their hypotheses, experimental procedures, and outcomes by writing

summaries, assigning numerical values, detailing germination rates, and sketching results. They

will create PowerPoints with photographs of some of their experiments and will use the logbook

data to create graphs. The PowerPoints are considered part of the log and will be printed out and

included in the book. A 3-ring binder is recommended to serve as logbook for this reason. The

logbook will be turned in when the experiments are complete for evaluation.

Paper-Pencil Quiz Evaluation (GOM4.11)

True or False:

1. _____ Sexual propagation uses seeds to produce new plants.

2. _____ A dibble is when water is used to moisture growing media.

3. _____ Pricking out is the process of transferring mature plants from the greenhouse to

the ground.

Short Answer:

4. What four environmental conditions are required for germination?

5. When is the best time to transplant seedlings?

Arrange the steps of transplanting seedlings by number the steps 1-6.

6. _____ After the hardening-off period, the seedling is watered and carefully lifted out of

its present container with a small trowel, fork, or knife.

7. _____ Give the transplanted seedling a final watering to prevent wilting.

8. _____ The seedling is put in a cooler environment and watered less frequently for a

period of time. The length of varies with each plant.

9. _____ Some of the medium should be kept around the roots, and the roots must never

dry out

10. _____ After the container is filled with a moist growing medium, dig a hole in the

middle to receive the seedling. This hole should be slightly larger than in the other pot.

The extra depth in the new pot gives the seedling room to grow.

11. _____ Add growing medium to the container and gently pat around the base of the

seedling.

Answers to Evaluation

Project-Based Evaluation (GOM4.10)

Use scoring guide provided on GOM3.10 to assess student work.

Page 21: Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson · GOM4 Plant Systems Advanced Foundational Lesson Unit: Greenhouse Operations Management Lesson Title: Growing Plants in the Greenhouse

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Greenhouse Operations Management GOM4 Growing Plants in the Greenhouse Environment

Paper-Pencil Quiz Evaluation (GOM4.11 KEY)

1. T

2. F

3. F

4. Moisture, temperature, light, air (oxygen)

5. After the first set of true leaves develop

6. 2

7. 6

8. 1

9. 3

10. 4

11. 5