Case studies from Dutch horticulture projects are used to evaluate the concepts of projects, planning, participation, and platforms. The artificiality of project boundaries and shortcomings of planning models and participatory approaches are addressed. Suggestions include choosing intervention boundaries that reflect reality in terms of time,…

Discusses major leaps in knowledge about the production of flowers that have come from studying genes that regulate the flowers of mouse ear cress (Arabidopsis thaliana). Examines the ABC model of flower morphogenesis, commonality of genes, evolution of angiosperms, and agricultural and horticultural potential. (LZ)

Interviews with 32 Finnish greenhouse and nursery owners explored their knowledge-construction processes. Different ways of knowing and the importance of practical wisdom were identified. Implications for extension educators include the need to expand understanding of learning and learning theories and the opportunity to become knowledge managers…

Master Gardener mentors were used to prevent trainees from dropping out of Master Gardener training programs. Dropout was reduced from 26-27% (1995-97) to 2% (1998). Most trainees thought mentors were good to excellent but only 25% felt mentors influenced their participation. However, 73% of mentors thought mentoring was a factor in trainee…

Exotic, captivating, and seductive, orchids have long fascinated plant lovers. They first attracted the attention of Westerners in the 17th century, when explorers brought back samples from South America and Asia. By the mid-1800s, orchid collecting had reached a fever pitch, not unlike that of the Dutch tulip craze of the 1630s, with rich (and…

This guide contains 45 program standards for the environmental horticulture program conducted in technical institutes in Georgia. The standards are divided into 12 categories: foundations (philosophy, purpose, goals, program objectives, availability, evaluation); admissions (admission requirements, provisional admission requirements, recruitment,…

These forty-two learning activity packages, intended for student use, are based on a catalog of performance objectives, criterion-referenced measures, and performance guides for gardening-groundskeeping developed by the Vocational Education Consortium of States (V-TECS). They are organized by four areas of instruction: Organizing and Planning…

This Teacher's Manual is one of a series of instructional aids prepared by the Department of Agricultural Education at the Pennsylvania State University. It includes suggestions and references for the teacher to use with the student manual available as VT 001 637. In addition to the subject matter included in the student manual, pages are inserted…

Developed as part of a larger project to revise the total agricultural education curriculum in South Carolina, this curriculum guide for a 2-year ornamental horticulture course contains six functional units, each with several sub-units, and six horizontal supportive units. Each unit includes behavioral objectives, learning activities, topic…

This student manual is presented in its first revision, providing a current, basic text for those preparing for greenhouse and floriculture work. Its fourteen chapters are: Overview of the Greenhouse Industry; Greenhouse Structures; Controlling the Greenhouse Environment; Greenhouse Equipment and Lighting; Greenhouse Irrigation Systems; Root Media…

This report examines conditions in the California nursery industry and develops a comprehensive baseline of labor force requirements and practices. A telephone survey was conducted with 167 randomly selected nurseries in a 10-county area. Additionally, 455 workers and 85 employers participated in on-site interviews. Workers were classified as…

Developed by the Department of Agricultural Education of the Pennsylvania State University and field-tested by 54 teachers, this guide is for teacher use in planning a unit in greenhouse crop production. The unit is intended for upper high school and post-high school students interested in careers in this field. Teacher suggestions, references,…

This folder contains 12 fact sheets designed to improve the quality of gardens near the Great Lakes. The titles are: (1) "Your Garden and the Great Lakes"; (2) "Organic Gardening"; (3) "Fruit and Vegetable Gardening"; (4) "Composting Yard Wastes"; (5) "Herbicides and Water Quality"; (6)…