Floriculture Unit 1

• Greenhouse

  A structure with a glass or plastic roof and walls used to grow plants
• Anvil and Blade Pruner

  • cut by pushing a blade through a material. At the end of the cut, the blade's cutting edge meets the anvil.
• Hook and Blade (Bypass) Pruners

  • have a blade sharpened on the outside edge that slides past a hook. They make clean cuts, close to the stem but can't be used on branches larger than 1/2 inch in diameter.
• Bulb Planter

  • A hand tool that has an open-ended cone sharpened on its bottom edge.
• Cell Pack Container

  • A container made of cellular plastic. Varies in size (width and depth). Used for holding flowers or plants.
• Hanging Baskets

  • A suspended container used for growing decorative plants. Hanging baskets are normally made from wire with an impervious, usually plastic, lining to retain the contents.
• Nursery Container

  • Heavy-duty, wrap-around rims that are easy to handle and strong enough to pick up heavy plant material. Superior drainage is engineered into both side and bottom drain designs. They typically come in black and are a minimum of a half-gallon in size.
• Scoop Shovel

  • Used to scoop and move large quantities of material at once, such as small rocks, sand, soil, etc.
• Square-Point Shovel

  • Can perform many of the same functions as garden spades (ex: lawn edging, transplanting small bushes and trees, cutting sod and small roots, dividing perennials and trenching). Sharp, flat tips of square points are also utilized more for digging in hard-packed soils that demand more force to penetrate.
• Sharpening Stone

  • Used to grind and hone the edges of steel tools and implements.
• Propagation Mat

  • Heated rubber mats made so that planters containing seedlings can be placed on top of the mat. When combined with a lighting system, many plants can be grown indoors using these mats.
• Propagation Trays

  • Provide extra depth for increased soil volume, allowing for a more mature plant and longer shelf life. These are the most economical inserts for growers who do not use plug extractors or transplanters.
• Greenhouse Thermostat

  • Used to detect or control conditions in the greenhouse. Equipment in the greenhouse is turned on and off to reach the desired temperature set on the thermostat.
• Soil Moisture Meter

  • An instrument for determining the percentage of moisture in a material (such as soil), which is commonly found by measuring its electrical resistivity.
• pH Testing Meter

  • A scientific instrument that measures the hydrogen-ion concentration (or pH) in a solution, indicating its acidity or alkalinity. The pH meter measures the difference in electrical potential between a pH electrode and a reference electrode.
• Polyethylene Film

  • A thick, flexible material that comes in sheets of various thickness (measured in mil) that can be used in single or double layers (for better insulation). A quick and inexpensive option for growers. Its translucency diffuses light well, bouncing the available sunlight and reducing shadows, both of which aid plant growth.
• Shade Fabric

  • A commercially available material for hanging over greenhouse glazing to cool it in summer months. They are usually made of loosely woven polyester or aluminum and can be found in varying densities or degrees of shade from approximately 5% to 95%.
• PVC Pipe

  • Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated as PVC, is the third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer. PVC comes in two basic forms: rigid (sometimes abbreviated as RPVC) and flexible.
• PVC Pipe Cutter

  • A type of tool used to cut PVC pipe. Besides producing a clean cut, the tool is often a faster, cleaner and more convenient way of cutting pipe than using a hacksaw.
• Sphagnum Moss

  • Living vegetation gathered from the tops of swamps, bogs and marshes and then dried out. Has a very acidic pH, relatively sterile and lightweight. Excellent moisture-holding capacity.
• Peat Moss

  • Partially decomposed vegetation gathered from swamps, bogs or marshes and then ground up. Found below the living sphagnum moss. Good source of nitrogen with a high moisture-holding capacity.
• Perlite

  • A gray-white material derived from volcanic ash. Usually added to increase aeration in a growing media. Commonly used as media during propagation.
• Sand

  • Not like the sand at a beach, this is finely ground stone. Contains the same elements as the parent material. Example: If the stone had high levels of calcium, the sand produced from that stone will have high levels of calcium. Provides structure to growing media and increases drainage.
• Rice Hulls

  • By-product of rice production. Adds aeration to the growing media. Has a high moisture-holding capacity. Used in combination with other growing media, not to be used independently.
• Vermiculite

  • Derived from heat-treated mica ore. Very lightweight with a neutral pH. Commonly used in media for seedlings. High moisture-holding capacity.
• Coconut Coir

  • Made from the husk of a coconut. Hairy, fibrous material that is high in phosphorous and potassium. Commonly used in hanging baskets. High moisture-holding capacity with little shrinkage.
• Peat Pots

  • Biodegradable plastic containers made from compressed peat moss. Can be transplanted directly into a new container. Reduces root damage or stress. Removes the need for containers.
• Stone

  • High levels of calcium
  • Sand produced from that stone will have high levels of calcium
• Rice Hulls

  • By-product of rice production
  • Adds aeration to the growing media
  • Has a high moisture-holding capacity
  • Used in combination with other growing media
  • Not to be used independently
• Vermiculite

  • Derived from heat-treated mica ore
  • Very lightweight with a neutral pH
  • Commonly used in media for seedlings
  • High moisture-holding capacity
• Coconut Coir

  • Made from the husk of a coconut
  • Hairy, fibrous material that is high in phosphorous and potassium
  • Commonly used in hanging baskets
  • High moisture-holding capacity with little shrinkage
• Peat Pots

  • Biodegradable plastic containers made from compressed peat moss
  • Can be transplanted directly into a new container
  • Reduces root damage or stress
  • Removes the need for conventional plastic containers
• Elle Pots

  • Biodegradable paper containers made from cellulose
  • Can be transplanted directly into a new container
  • Reduces root damage or stress
  • Removes the need for conventional plastic containers
• Rock Wool Growing Cells

  • Made from a mixture of inorganic materials
  • Weathers with time but not fully biodegradable
  • Can be transplanted directly into a new container
  • Reduces root damage or stress
  • Removes the need for conventional plastic plug trays
• Hose Punch


  Tool used to create small holes in plastic hose used in irrigation systems. The hole created by the hose punch is where irrigation heads can be inserted.
• Hose Repair Coupling


  A connector on the end of a hose to connect (or couple) it with another hose or an irrigation sprinkler.
• Hose-End Repair Fitting


  A device attached to the end of the hose to facilitate connection.
• Hose-End Sprayer


  A sprayer that fits on the end of a garden hose. It is used to apply fertilizer or other chemicals to the lawn or garden. The water from the hose mixes with the contents of the sprayer to dilute the contents.
• Hose-End Washer


  Controls the pressure and stream of water coming out of the hose.
• Impulse Sprinkler


  A type of irrigation sprinkler in which the sprinkler head, driven in a circular motion by the force of the outgoing water, pivots on a bearing on top of its threaded attachment nut.