MS. GUIDOENVIRONMENTAL HORTICULTURE - 2013

Specialty Growers

Vocabulary

Specialty Grower: grower that raises a unique group of plants within the bedding plant industry (ex. vegetable, color, hanging baskets)

Bedding Plant Breeder: a person who develops unique bedding plant characteristics. (ex. fragrance, color, long bloom period, disease and pest resistance)

Bedding Plant Grower: a nurseryman who raises bedding plants in pony packs, 4” pots, and #1 nursery containers

Vocabulary

Bedding Plant: An annual flowering or edible plant grown in small containers for outdoor use.

Annual: Plants that perform their entire life cycle from seed to flower to death within one growing season.

Transplanting: When a plant is shifted from one container to another container, typically of larger size

Vocabulary

Propagation: to reproduce a plant sexually or asexually

Plugs: seedlings grown in a plug tray, in a controlled environment

Cuttings: asexually propagated plant

Introduction: What is a bedding plant?

An annual flowering or edible plant grown in small containers for outdoor use.

Bedding Plants

Fastest growing segment of the horticulture industry

Best Sellers (% of US Market) Impatiens (44%) Geraniums (20%) Petunias (14%) Begonias Marigolds Pansies

Specialty Growers

Specialty Grower: grower that raises a unique group of plants within the bedding plant industry

Examples: Vegetables, Hanging Baskets, Colors Bowls

Bedding Plant

Breeder

a person who develops unique bedding plant characteristics.

FragranceColorLong bloom period Disease and pest resistance

QUESTION:

Identify at least 3 different kinds of specialty growers

Plant Breeders:

Genetically cross species to create new plants

Come up with unique plant names Aloe ‘Guido

Increase consumer interest with new colors

Bedding Plant Grower:

a nurseryman who raises bedding plants in 6-packs, 4” pots, and #1 nursery containers

Bedding Plant Growers

Grow plants from seed plug cell pack

Specialize in one specific genre or mix several together ( ie. Vegetables, or color bowls and hanging baskets)

Choose which new and improved varieties you would like to grow

Ultimately decide what kind of product the consumers are getting

Think-Pair-Share

What is a specialty grower?

What is the difference between a bedding plant breeder and a bedding plant grower?

Why is the horticulture industry reliant on both the breeders and the growers?

Exit Slip: Choose one of the following menu items to complete before the end of class!

1. Bedding Plant Grower: Decide what kind of bedding plants you are going to specialize in and explain why you chose that crop. How are you going to

market it? What will make you different than your competitors?

2. Bedding plant breeder: Create your very own bedding plant for next season. It must be different

than anything already on the market

Be sure to specify your plant’s name, color, size, flower shape, and other distinguishing characteristics