Plant Science
Elements plants need to grow, develop, reproduce, and remain healthy.
What is nutrients
Recutting flower stems appropriately, often with a clean, sharp tool, to maximize water uptake and avoid crushing the stem.
What is proper flower cutting
Ideal greenhouse temperature for flowers.
What is 65-75 degrees F
A floral designer creates an arrangement with most of the large flowers concentrated on one side. The arrangement looks like it could tip visually even though the container is stable. What design principle needs to be corrected?
What is balance
A florist purchases 50 roses from a flower wholesaler at a lower price and then sells the roses individually to customers at a higher price. What are the two types of pricing levels represented in this situation?
What is Wholesale and retail
The process of producing new plants.
What is propagation
Preparing freshly cut flowers so they can absorb water effectively and have a longer vase life.
What is conditioning
An environmental factor for plants to produce their own sugars but can affect growth if there isn't enough.
What is light.
A designer places a tiny, delicate vase on a table and fills it with extremely large sunflowers that overwhelm the container. Which design principle is being violated?
What is proportion
A florist purchases a vase and flowers for a total cost of $20. The florist applies a 50% markup to the $20 cost. What is the selling price before tax?
Answer: $30
Calculation:
$20 × 50% = $10 markup
$20 + $10 = $30 selling price
The process plants use to break down stored sugars to release energy for growth and other life processes.
What is respiration
Exposure to this can cause flowers to age faster, drop petals, yellow, or otherwise lose quality.
What is ethylene
The controlled application of water to plants
What is irrigation
A wedding arrangement contains roses, lilies, baby's breath, and greenery. The designer wants the viewer's attention to immediately go to the large focal roses. Which design principle determines which element attracts the most attention?
What is dominance
A customer orders a floral arrangement. The flowers and supplies cost $25, labor is $15, and the florist charges $50 before sales tax. The customer then pays the required sales tax. What three business factors must the florist consider when determining whether this sale is actually profitable?
Product/material costs, labor costs, and taxes — while also tracking the inventory used to create the arrangement.
The proper pH level for nutrients to properly absorb.
What is 6.0-7.0
Water uptake, temperature, humidity, stem blockage, and handling can lead to this
What is wilted flowers
Practices used to keep the greenhouse, tools, containers, plants, and growing areas clean and reduce disease and pest problems.
What is sanitation
A designer creates an arrangement using flowers that are nearly identical in color, size, shape, and texture. The arrangement looks flat and lacks visual interest. Which design principle could the designer use to create more visual interest?
What is contrast
A florist receives an order for a wedding bouquet. The flowers were not properly refrigerated or hydrated, several stems are damaged, and the bouquet wilts before the wedding. The customer complains and requests a refund. Identify three business areas the florist should have managed properly to prevent this situation.
Flower handling, product quality, and customer service.
A greenhouse grower notices that her flowering plants are growing slowly, the leaves on some plants are yellowing, and several plants wilt quickly after being moved into the greenhouse. A soil test shows the growing medium has an incorrect pH, making some nutrients difficult for the plants to absorb. The greenhouse is also very warm and dry, increasing transpiration. The plants are using stored sugars for respiration, and the grower wants to produce more plants from her healthiest specimens using propagation. What are the five plant-science concepts involved, and explain how each one relates to the problem?
pH: needs to be slightly acidic (6.0-7.0); nutrients:can't absorb properly because of pH level; transpiration:greenhouse is too dry;respiration: not getting proper nutrients in order to create sugars to break down; propogation: need good seeds to make more
A florist receives a shipment of fresh-cut roses for a large event. The flowers are placed in a warm area near ripening fruit. When the florist begins preparing the arrangements, several roses are already beginning to wilt. The florist recuts the stems with a dull tool, leaves several leaves attached below the water line, and places the flowers directly into arrangements without properly conditioning them. The next day, some flowers have drooping heads, yellowing foliage, and cloudy vase water. Name two problems in this scenario.
A greenhouse grower notices that her flowering plants are growing slowly and unevenly. The greenhouse is too warm during the afternoon, several plants are not receiving enough light, and the irrigation system is giving some plants too much water while others receive too little. The grower has also been applying fertilizer without checking the plants' nutrient needs. Finally, dead leaves and plant debris have been accumulating around the greenhouse benches. What factors could be changed?
A floral designer creates an arrangement using roses, baby's breath, eucalyptus, and large glossy leaves. The designer intentionally combines smooth, soft, delicate, and coarse surfaces to make the arrangement more visually interesting. Which design element is being demonstrated?
What is texture
A floral shop purchases flowers and supplies from a wholesaler for $40 to create a large centerpiece. The designer spends 30 minutes creating it and must account for labor. The shop uses proper flower handling and sanitation to maintain product quality. The owner wants to sell the centerpiece for a retail price of $85, but must also account for labor, applicable sales tax, inventory used, and other business expenses. The customer receives the centerpiece, but one flower wilts prematurely because it was already poor quality when purchased. What business factors must the florist consider to determine whether this $85 sale is truly profitable and whether the customer received a quality product? Explain how each factor affects the business.
Students should discuss: