Nursery & Landscape

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Purpose

The purpose of the FFA Nursery/Landscape Career Development Event is to promote career interest,encourage proficiency development and recognize excellence in participants of the event which includes allaspects of the industry to produce, market, utilize and maintain landscape plants (woody and herbaceousplants), as well as related production and landscaping products, equipment and services including design.

 

Objectives

1. Nursery/Landscape Principles: To apply nursery and landscape principles and practices as they impact residential, commercial, public and recreational applications.
2. Plant Materials: To demonstrate the ability to identify, select and utilize nursery and landscape plants, landscape materials, and turfgrasses commonly used in the United States.
3. Plant Disorders: To demonstrate the ability to identify unhealthy plant conditions due to pests, nutritional/physiological disorders and mechanical/chemical injury.
4. Beneficial Insects: To demonstrate the ability to identify beneficial insects found in the landscape and garden.
5. Cultural Practices: To demonstrate knowledge of the principles and skills involved in propagation, growth requirements, growing techniques, harvesting, sustainability, marketing and maintenance of landscape plants.
6. Design and Construction: To demonstrate knowledge of the principles and techniques of landscape design and construction.
7. Supplies and Equipment: To demonstrate the ability to identify, select, use and maintain appropriate supplies and equipment for nursery and landscape operations, including equipment and procedures in mechanization and automation.
8. Safety: To demonstrate knowledge of safety practices in nursery and landscape operations.
9. Interpersonal Relations: To demonstrate skills in oral and written business communications.
10. Marketing: To demonstrate an understanding of marketing principles as well as proper sales and service skills.
11. Records and Reports: To demonstrate the ability to prepare accurate and legible records and reports and to interpret business documents

 

Event Rules

1. Coaches may accompany participants to the event site, but must then leave the area at the start of the event. At the conclusion of all event components, the superintendent will announce when participants and coaches may enter the competition area to review the materials and organization.
2. Under no circumstances will any participant be allowed to touch or handle plant materials or other specimens during the event except as expressly permitted in certain practicums.
3. Any participant in possession of an electronic device in the event area is subject to disqualification.

 

Event Format

Team Make-up

Each school may enter only one team, consisting of 4 members, in this event, and only those schools without a team may enter up to three individuals to compete for individual awards. Only those students who are competing will be allowed to participate in the event. The score for a team will consist of a total of all four members.

 

Equipment

1. No personal tools or supplies, except for pencils and pens, may be brought to the event unless specified in the event description.
2. The contest superintendent will supply clipboards, sample scan sheets for marking, identification lists, and an official scan sheet to be turned in.

 

Event Schedule

1. Each contestant shall complete the event in the time allotted:
   1. General Knowledge
   2. Identification of Plants, Pests/Disorders/Beneficial Insects, Equipment and Supplies (30 seconds at each station)
      
      1. Plant Identification
      2. Plant Disorders Identification (ID of diseases, insects and related pests, physiological problems, weeds, and beneficial insects)
      3. Equipment and Supplies Identification
   3. Practicum (Each participant will participate in both activities

 

General Knowledge (150 points)

1. This portion of the event will consist of 50 questions addressing content from Introduction to Horticulture--Third Edition, published by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

2. Each question is worth 3 points.

3. Questions may be of the multiple-choice, true-false, and/or matching format(s).

4. Questions may or may not be written exactly as they are in the core. Although the exam will cover “general horticulture” knowledge, it will focus on nursery/landscape knowledge.

 

Plant Identification (125 points)

1. Each contestant will be required to identify 25 specimens (5 points each) from the Nursery/Landscape Identification list.
2. Contestants will receive an ID Card listing all possible specimens as shown on the attached list.
3. Contestants must place the ID number, representing the appropriate name, next to the number of the specimen to be identified.
4. Duplicate specimens may be used and may be represented by whole plants, stem cuttings, flowers, and/or a leaf or stem sample.

Plant Pests/Disorders/Beneficial Insects Identification (45 points)

1. Each contestant will be required to identify 15 specimens (3 points each) from the attached list.
2. Duplicate specimens may be used and may be represented by the actual organism (insect, fruiting bodies from pathogenic fungi, or weeds for example) and/or by symptoms on plant parts such as leaves, stems or roots.
3. When a problem is presented with an affected plant, a “Disorder” label will be with the item to designate identification of the problem rather than the plant.

 

Equipment and Supplies Identification (30 points)

Each contestant will be required to identify 10 pieces of equipment (3 points each) from the attached list.

 

Practicum (25 points each, 50 points total)

All contestants will participate in all practicums. Each practicum activity will consist of a hands-on task and/or up-to twenty-five questions about the practicum activity.

 

This year’s two practicum activities are as follows:

 

1. Ornamental Garden Plan — A drawing will be provided. Students will be asked 25 questions (2 points each) regarding the plan. Questions may ask the students to calculate quantities and/or costs of materials needed to install and maintain the garden. Students should bring a calculator.
2. Pruning Nursery Stock and Landscape Plants — One or more nursery or landscape plants will be displayed with points marked for possible pruning cuts. No plant will actually be pruned. Participants are to evaluate each labeled point and decide if the plant part should be pruned or not for improvement of the plant’s health, form, and overall quality. The answer choice then will be the combination of cuts that should be made. Some questions may be asked based on line drawings or photographs. Contestants may be outdoors for this portion of the event and should be prepared for inclement weather. Be sure to check OCES Fact Sheet HLA-6409 for the latest pruning recommendations

Scoring

General Knowledge - 150

Plant Identification - 125

Plant Disorder Identification - 45

Equipment and Supplies Identification - 30

Practicums - 50 (25 each)

 

Total Points

Individual - 400

Team - 1600

 

Tiebreakers

If needed in the case of tied individual or team total scores, final placings will be determined by comparing, in order, scores for the following:

1. Phase 2 – Identification Section

2. Phase 3 –Written Exam

 

References

• Introduction to Horticulture - Third Edition, published by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education
• Be sure to check out OSU’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture FFA CDE website for additional FFA-CDE information, including sample exams and photos for identification.
• Always consult OCES Fact Sheets, accessible from the web address above, for the most up-to-date information.

 

Supplemental Materials and Forms

Nursery/Landscape CDE Materials

Universal Form C #705C-1

National Contest Resources

Plant ID

Pests, Disorders and Beneficial Insects ID and Equipment and Supplies ID