Title: Manage nutrition to optimize plant growth.
Course: Floriculture (18052-II) > Section: Applying Science to Plant Production

Management should include

- identifying and adjusting micronutrients for selected crops
- identifying and adjusting macronutrients for selected crops
- identifying soil and soilless media
- interpreting soil test results
- identifying and applying sources of nutrients, such as organic and inorganic fertilizers
- identifying the level of soluble salts in the soil and soilless media
- identifying deficiency and toxicity symptoms of nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, sulfur, magnesium)
- explaining fertilizer recommendations
- recommending methods of fertilizer application, including
  - pre-plant fertilization with controlled-release fertilizers
  - fertigation
  - surface application of water-soluble fertilizers.

Process/Skill Questions:

- Which major elements are necessary for healthy green plant growth?
- What information can be obtained from a soil test?
- What are the differences between granular and water-soluble fertilizers?
- Which organic fertilizers can be used in floriculture crop production?
- Why is it important for a grower to develop a fertilizer schedule?
- How is the fertilizer analysis interpreted?
- What are the advantages of using pre-plant fertilizers?
- How do controlled-release fertilizers work?
- What are the differences between micronutrients and macronutrients?
- How can using fertilizers responsibly maintain soil health and mitigate environmental contamination?