Green House...Greenhouse
What’s the difference?The green house is down the street. The Smith family painted the
outside of their house last summer. It’s green.
The greenhouse is in Bobby’s yard. Bobby’s mother wanted
to grow tomatoes all year. She bought the small building
that sits in the backyard. There was only one place in the
yard where the winter sun could shine on the building. This
greenhouse has glass walls. (Bobby no longer gets to play
baseball in that part of the yard!) Solar radiation can shine
through the glass. The heat is absorbed by plants, soil and other things inside the
building. The roof and walls capture and contain the heat. This is a heating
process called convection. If it gets too warm in the greenhouse, Bobby’s mom
can open a window near the ceiling. The hot air will circulate out and be replaced
with cooler air. The warm temperature, combined with proper watering and nu-
trients from the soil help the plants grow and produce fruit and flowers.
Bobby’s mom has special lighting in the greenhouse. It’s on an
automatic timer that turns the lights on before dusk and turns them off late in the evening. She
has created an environment that encourages tomato plants to produce fruit all winter. When it’s
summer again, the windows in the greenhouse can be opened to allow air to circulate. The green-
house makes a sheltered area for growing more vegetables and flowers.
The tomatoes and lettuce and radishes and carrots are growing in the greenhouse. Bobby gets
to water the plants and pick them when they’re ready to eat. He’s discovered he really likes
home-grown vegetables!
The name “greenhouse”comes from what isgrowing in the structurerather than the color of the structure. The purpose of greenhousebuildings is to allow lightinto the building soplants can grow. A greenhouse structureallows controlling the environment and conditions so plants can thrive.
www.growingyour future.com Colorado Foundation For agriCulture 1
GREENHOUSE ~ March 2011
AG IN THE CLASSROOM ~ HELpING THE NExT GENERATION uNdERSTANd THEIR CONNECTION TO AGRICuLTuRE
2 Colorado Foundation For agriCulture www.growingyour future.com
The Green Industrythe green industry (greenhouse growers, nurseries, sod growers,plant care professionals, retail garden centers, golf course manage-ment, arborists and landscape contractors) contributes a great dealto the agriculture revenue in Colorado.
in addition to food crops, the green industry grows and sells flowers,trees, ornamental plants, sod and turf (grasses) and other plants.
the green industry also encompasses professionals who manage,maintain, design and provide support to maintain green spaces.Members of the green industry provide information and services,both retail and wholesale.
Members are committed to water conservation and industry-widebest management practices.
Plants are necessary for the survival of animal life as we know
it today. Plants provide us with food to eat and oxygen to
breathe. Plants that lived when dinosaurs roamed the earth
turned into fossil fuels (coal and oil) that we use to run cars,
trucks and other motors.
Plants are the energy source for entire ecosystems. The roots,
stems and leaves of plants help prevent topsoil from being lost
to wind and rain.
Throughout history we have used
wood and wood products for
building shelter, making paper
and more. Medicines, spices,
oils, and many other important
and useful materials come from
specific plants.
The
agriculTure
indusTry is
diverse.
There are many
ways To earn
a living in
agriculTure.
we ofTen Think
of agriculTure
as producing
food and fiber,
however,
agriculTure
also produces
many oTher
Things we enjoy
each day.
Select two words that canbe used to say diverse:
o variedo similaro versatileo differento diving
k
WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT PLANTS?
wordS
MEANINGS
arborist _____________________________________ornamental __________________________________encompass __________________________________retail _______________________________________
wholesale ___________________________________fossil fuels ___________________________________conservation _________________________________ecosystem___________________________________
a selling items to the public a one who has knowledge of and works with trees a using a resource wisely without wasting a selling items to businesses for resale to the publica like an umbrella: includes a an ecological community and its environment a old, decayed plants that changed into oil and minerals a a plant grown for its beauty
Choose the most likely meaning (below) for each word (above). Write your answer on the line following the word...
CoLorado greenhouse vegeTabLes are grown
under miLLions oF square FeeT oF gLass or
pLasTiC. oTher Crops inCLude FLowers suCh as
pansies, snapdragons, marigoLds and oTher
annuaL ouTdoor pLanTs. poTTed FLowering
pLanTs Like aFriCan vioLeTs, easTer LiLies, roses
and poinseTTias, hanging baskeTs, herbs and
FLowers ThaT are TranspLanTed inTo gardens
are among The Crops grown. The vaLue oF
These Crops in 2005 in CoLorado was $292
miLLion. The vaLue in 2007 was $299 miLLion.
nursery Crops are grown aLL over CoLorado.
The CounTies wiTh The mosT greenhouse
growers are adams, bouLder, ChaFFee,
dougLas, eL paso, JeFFerson, La pLaTa, Larimer,
mesa, monTezuma, morgan and weLd.
nursery, greenhouse, FLoriCuLTure and sod
produCTion, aT The LasT Census in 2007, was
5Th in The sTaTe For ToTaL agriCuLTure saLes.
greenhouse growers createan environment for plants
that provides the best ofthe elements needed by
plants. Whether indoors orout, plants need nutrients,light, air, water, space and
the right temperature.
Soil contains nutrients andminerals plants use for food.
Water delivers the food to plants.Plant roots take in the water. dissolved nutrients and mineralsin water reach the plants by using the roots. light, water and airare needed for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis cannot takeplace if the temperature is too cold or too hot.
www.growingyour future.com Colorado Foundation For agriCulture 3
the Colorado reader publication and ag in the Classroom are projects of the Colorado Foundation for agriculture. educational projects are produced in cooperation with the Coloradodepartment of agriculture, other state and federal agencies, Colorado commodity groups, Colorado agricultural associations, state universities and colleges and interested individuals.Colorado readers are provided free to educators requesting them. For more information contact: Bette Blinde, director, Colorado Foundation for agriculture, P.o. Box 10, livermore,Co 80536 or phone (970) 881-2902. Web site: www.growingyourfuture.com Financial support for this reader has been provided through a specialty crop grant from the Colorado de-partment of agriculture. Colorado Content Standards addressed in this Colorado reader include Math, reading & Writing, Science and Social Studies.
colorado grows a large variety of crops in greenhouses.
Which is which?____ AGRiCULTURE
____ HORTiCULTURE
____ fLORiCULTURE
Read the definitions. Decide which definition goes with which word. Writethe number of the definition on the line
next to the word!
1 2 3From Latin words that mean land
and cultivation. The science, art
and business of cultivating the soil,
producing crops and raising live-
stock useful to people.
From Latin words that mean
garden and cultivation. The
science or art of cultivating plants,
especially for ornamental use; the
cultivation of a garden.
From Latin words that mean flower
and cultivation. The cultivation of
flowering plants.
Fill in the circle for each of the things plants need to grow:
o nutrients o spaceo water o the right temperatureo light o air
4 Colorado Foundation For agriCulture www.growingyour future.com
Break the code!
plants take energy from the sun. They
change it to a chemical energy. animals
(including us!) can use the energy made
by plants.
we can get our food directly from plants
in the form of grains, fruits, vegetables
and nuts. we can also get food indirectly
from plants. an example of getting food
indirectly is when a chicken eats grain,
lays an egg and we eat the egg.
we breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon
dioxide. plants breathe in carbon dioxide
and exhale oxygen. This is a mutually
beneficial process.
Light energy from the sun is captured by
chlorophyll in the green parts of plants.
The light energy is used to change carbon
dioxide from the air and water from the
soil into carbohydrates.
The process of changing the sun’s energy
to a food source is called photosynthesis.
plants need the right temperature for this
chemical reaction to take place. They also
need air, water and nutrients. plants
change these materials into sugars and
amino acids. when they do this, they
grow. The bigger they grow the more
energy they can make.
The shorthand for writing water is h2o.
That means water is made up of two
hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
The formula for what happens during
photosynthesis uses chemical shorthand
for the following “ingredients”:
h = hydrogen
o = oxygen
C = carbon
h2o = water
Co2 = carbon dioxide
C6h12o6 = glucose (a sugar)
The numbers in front of the ingredients
say how many molecules of each element
are used.
6Co2 + 12H2o + sun’s energy = C6H12o6 + 6o2 + 6H2o
PHOTOSYNTHESIS =
PHOTOSYNTHESIS =
PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS A PROCESS THAT
GIVES PLANTLEAVES THEIRGREEN COLOR.
IT CREATES ACHEMICAL REACTION.
The chemical formula for photosynthesis
is provided. write out the formula on the
lines below. you will need to use the
“ingredients” list and another clue you
find in the article.
plants are grouped together based on their life cycles. The life cycle of a plant is measured by how long
it takes the plant to grow from a seed to producing seeds.
an annuaL runs through the entire cycle in one growing season. seeds are planted.
germination takes place. The plant grows and blooms. seeds are made, then the original
plant dies.
a bienniaL plant needs two growing seasons to complete the life cycle. an important part
of a biennial plant’s seed production is the cooler temperatures in winter. a biennial does not bloom
during the first growing season. biennial plants bloom during the second summer
season. seeds are produced, then the original plant dies.
a perenniaL plant’s roots and shoots can stay alive indefinitely. even when the plant
dies back in winter, shoot growth resumes each spring.
www.growingyour future.com Colorado Foundation For agriCulture 5
annual = one year = 1biennial = two years = 2
perennial = forever (with proper care-taking) = 1 +1 +1...A tomato plant is an annual
Making seedsplants reproduce by using flowers to lure bees into
the flower. bees fly into the flower and rub against
the pollen spores to collect pollen on their legs.
when bees fly into another flower the pollen gets
knocked off. This pollinates, or fertilizes, the plant.
The fertilized plant will then start to grow pods or
other seed casings containing seeds. The seeds get
transported by wind, water, animals or humans to a
new location.
Label the flower parts:
Word Bank
Petal, Stamen, Pistil, Sepal, ovary, Seeds
stamen: the tall thin part of a flower with a knobbed tip that
holds pollen
pistil: the large center stalk, shaped like a water bottle
ovary: the ball shaped lower part of the pistil holding young
seeds
petal: brightly colored part of a flower
sepal: the green part that surrounds the flower bud and
extends from the base of a flower
seeds: the contents of a fertilized plant ovule
when you have one
beautiful plant, you might
want more plants just like it.
what do you do?
There are some time-
tested ways to reproduce
plants. The term used for
reproducing plants is
propagation.
greenhouse growers sell
plants for many reasons.
Their customers like a color,
or the height is just right.
some plants are hardy and
grow regardless of the
conditions; other plants may
bloom all summer long.
greenhouse growers can
take a “perfect” plant and
choose the best method to
reproduce hundreds more
with the same characteristics.
one way to mass produce
plants that share the same
desired characteristics is to
plant seeds. seeds are
planted in small containers.
They germinate and start to
grow. The small container
that holds the seedling is
called a plug. This method of
propagation is called plug
production.
some plants can be
reproduced by taking cuttings
of leaves, stems or roots. a
piece of the plant is cut off
using shears or pruners. The
cutting is sometimes placed
in water to allow it to make
roots and grow. once the
plant has grown roots, it can
be planted into soil or a soil mixture.
some plants do not need to be rooted in
water, they can be placed directly into
soil or a soil mixture.
a third way to propagate plants is
by dividing. one plant is split apart into
several smaller plants. Think of iris. iris
grow from bulbs that multiply each year.
after a few years the bulbs are dug from
the ground, divided then replanted.
These are just three ways to propagate
plants. There are more. in addition to
plug production, cutting and dividing,
plants can be propagated by grafting,
budding, layering, runners, suckers,
separation...
which of the following is not a form of
the word propagation?
o propagate o propagated
o propagating o propagatatron
I have a green thumb...There are many careers in the green industry. The trick to working in an industry
that has so many opportunities is narrowing things down so you can find a career
that suits your interests and abilities.
if you like to be outdoors and enjoy physical work, you might consider landscaping.
entry level jobs include running equipment to mow, trim and keep plants and lawns
looking their best. if you like designing things you might want to consider being a
landscape designer. To work in this field you will need to know about plants - both
their colors, their growing habits and how much water and nutrients they need. it
will also help if you like jigsaw puzzles. you will take a space and fill it with the plants
that compliment or minimize the existing physical structures.
if you like getting dirty you might enjoy working in the growing rooms at a green-
house. it will help to study science and learn how plants grow and what they need
to thrive. plug propagation requires care and attention to detail. you will learn how
to germinate and grow seedlings then harden them off to transplant to larger pots
or outdoors.
greenhouses and other green industries operate as businesses. They often need
retail sales people (great job for people who like to work with other people!) and of-
fice staff. sales people and office staff need to be able to work with numbers.
6 Colorado Foundation For agriCulture www.growingyour future.com
CareerskDo you have a green thumb?
kDo you have an eye for design?
kMaybe you like to be around the
smell of freshly mown lawns?
kDo you like playing in dirt?
kAre you interested in developing
something new that’s never been
done before?
kDo you like science?
kDo you like plants?
PR
OP
AG
AT
IO
N
use a separate sheet of paper. Write a description of a job you
would like to have in the green industry segment of agriculture and
explain why you think you will be good at it and enjoy the job.
www.growingyour future.com Colorado Foundation For agriCulture 7
Ranking for Colorado of Market Value of Ag Product Sold Sales Rank Percent of U.S.
Item Farms ($1,000) Sales Total Sales Rank
Total sales 37,054 6,061,134 (X)0 1000.00 19
Cattle and calves 14,963 3,156,346 10 52.100 5
grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas 5,304 1,049,754 20 17.300 17
milk and other dairy products from cows 447 456,076 30 7.500 16
other crops and hay 9,415 318,285 40 5.300 10
nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod 564 299,585 50 4.900 16
vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes 738 289,345 60 4.800 13
poultry and eggs 2,515 151,320 70 2.700 29
hogs and pigs 1,230 159,808 80 2.600 16
sheep, goats, and their products 2,273 84,730 90 1.400 2
horses, ponies, mules, burros, and donkeys 3,324 29,304 100 0.500 12
Fruits, tree nuts, and berries 767 23,192 110 0.400 25
other animals and other animal products 1,052 20,890 120 0.300 19
aquaculture 55 11,258 130 0.200 23
Cut Christmas trees and short rotation woody crops 122 1,238 140 (z)00 28
The agriculture census is conducted every five years. The information here shows the information from the 2007 census. There
will be a new census taken this year (2011). The new census will reflect the changes that have taken place since 2007.
Refer to the table to answer the questions!
Colorado raises more nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod
products than how many other states?
o 16 o 5 o 34 o 45
SHoW tHe StePS You uSed to Find Your anSWer
What was the total sales of nursery,
greenhouse, floriculture and sod products in 2007?
o $56,400o $299,585
o $2,995,850 o $299,585,000SHoW tHe StePS You uSed to Find Your anSWer
Make the tomato into a pie chart that shows the top five Coloradocommodity groups and their share of the market. Make the sixthslice of tomato “other” to reflect the remaining commodity groups.label the groups and write the percent of total sales.
8 Colorado Foundation For agriCulture www.growingyour future.com
CROSS
W
R
DPUZZLE
CLUES
ACROSS
01. a special building in which the environment can be controlled so
plants can easily be grown.
05. The chemical process, performed by plants, of changing the sun’s
energy to a food source.
07. a type of business sale where items are sold to a business which will
then sell the items to the public.
09. one of the conditions that can be controlled in a greenhouse. plants
do best when it is neither too hot nor too cold.
10. This is one of several ways to propagate plants. you can take your
scissors and cut off stems, place them in water and watch roots
grow. when the plants have rooted, you can transplant them.
11. a shorthand way to write “water.”
DOWN
02. The science or art of cultivating or
growing plants.
03. a general term that stands for the
food that plants need. plants get
these goodies by absorbing them,
along with water, by their roots.
04. h2o
05. This plant propagation method,
using seeds, results in little contain-
ers holding seedlings. it is called __
__ __ __ production.
06. Take one plant, split it apart and
start several more plants. This prop-
agation method works well with cer-
tain types of plants.
08. a plant that completes its life cycle
in one growing season.
10. Carbon dioxide, as it is written in the
photosynthesis formula.
1 2
3 4
5
6 7 8
9
10
11
How many tomatoes canyou find in the reader?
__ ___
Did you find a o prime number of tomatoes or a
o non-prime number of tomatoes?