Flower and Foliage Crop Production

TPSS 402

Faculty:

Teresita Amore

Semesters taught:

Fall 2015

Goals:

  • To familiarize the student with some of the systems used in production of cut flowers and potted flowering plants, from propagation, to crop management/scheduling, harvest and through post-harvest.

  • To provide the student with requirements the main floricultural crops, with an emphasis on crops important to Hawaii.

  • To provide the student with some practical hands-on experience in the lab on crop production; and to see production in action on field trips to commercial nurseries and florists on Oahu.

  • To provide domestic and global perspectives of the industry

Skills and knowledge to be acquired:

The student will acquire a strong knowledge foundation on which to build one's own production practices; for those who may end up in marketing, this course should provide a better appreciation of what goes into the product you are trying to get a consumer to buy. Skills: oral, written, computer, etc.

Computer skills to be acquired:

None

Pre-requisites:

TPSS 300 or consent

Films and videos:

Flower auctions, rose production, orchid pests, anthurium blight

Guest Speakers:

Floriculture county extension agent; business management specialist; floriculture researchers..

Field Trips:

Commercial nurseries on Oahu Retail/wholesale florist on Oahu Watanabe Floral Tropicals at Waimanalo Leilani Nursery

Course organization:

  • Introduction to floriculture

  • Latin American Floriculture

  • The floriculture industry: USA, Hawaii

  • The floriculture industry: Global

  • International Auctions (videos)

  • Control of growth and flowering

  • Lab: Poinsettia and snapdragon

  • Production systems

  • Structures, beds, benches

  • Lab: Chrysanthemum

  • Structures, beds, benches

  • Field trip: Chrysanthemums of Hawaii

  • Post-harvest handling

  • Roses; Lab experiments and Student projects

  • Chrysanthemums / Cut chrysanthemums

  • Carnations

  • Lab: Bulbs and Lab experiments

  • Heliconia

  • Bird of Paradise, Gingers

  • Flower farm management (Guest: Dr. Kent Fleming, Ext. Specialist)

  • Poinsettia

  • Orchids

  • Anthuriums

  • Protea (Guest: Dr. Ken Leonhardt, Ext. Specialist)

  • Bedding plants; video

  • Flower pest videos