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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.


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


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.


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.


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.


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.


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?

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