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FALL 2011
HORT 431 - NURSERY PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
Credit hours: (2,2) 3
Instructor: Dr. Fred Davies, Office HFSB 416, 845-4524; e-mail: f-davies@tamu.edu
Webpage: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/index.html
Meeting Place:
Lecture: HFSB 105 M,W 11:30 am -12:20 pm
Lab: Sec 500 HFSB 115 TH 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Prerequisites:
Permission of instructor. Field trip(s) required.
Scope and Objectives:
a. Processes of purchasing, financing and planning a retail, rewholesale or wholesale plant nursery ¾
(Development of an SBA Business Plan – for an SBA guaranteed loan)
b. Nursery Financing – Planning Financial Analysis, Spread-sheets, Cash flow, Pricing, Banking.
c. Principles of marketing and salesmanship of nursery products – Niche-Oriented – Specialty Businesses,
Co-existing, Strategic outsourcing, Vertical Integration- suppliers (wholesale) helping vendors (retailer).
d. Personnel & Labor Management – Personnel Issues, Time management, Incentives, Employment.
e. Principles of nursery production & crop culture.
f. Layout of Retail & Wholesale Nurseries: Design, Structures, Equipment.
Special Project: (Choose one)
1. Retail nursery plan
2. Wholesale nursery plan
3. Mechanization
Grading Scheme:
Exam I 15%
Exam II 15%
Exam III 15%
Special Project (word processed) 25%
Laboratory 20%
Class participation, Attendance!!! 10%
(Maximum 2 unexcused absences in lecture)
[No FINAL EXAM]
Reference:
Nursery Production and Management Lecture Manual. 2006. F.T. Davies, Jr. (Ninth Edition). TAMU
Laboratory Manual: Nursery Management. 2006. TAMU.
- The lecture and laboratory manuals should be purchased at at Copy Corner, 2307 Texas Avenue South, 979-694-COPY-- prior to the 2nd lecture and first lab meeting.
- We will be taking field trips to retail, wholesale and rewholesale nurseries.
1A
American Disabilities Act
The American Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a leaning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities in Room B118 of Cain Hall or call 845-1637.
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Copyrights
Please note that all handouts and supplements used in this course are copyrighted. This includes all materials generated for this class, including but not limited to syllabi, exams, in-class materials, review sheets, and lecture outlines. Materials may be downloaded or photocopied for personal use only, and may not be given or sold to other individuals.
Scholastic Dishonesty
As commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one’s own ideas, work, writings, etc., which belong to another. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst academic sins, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely communicated. If you have questions regarding plagiarism, please consult the latest issue of the Texas A&M University Student Rules, under the section “Scholastic Dishonesty.”
Aggie Honor Code
“An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.”
Upon accepting admission to Texas A&M University, a student immediately assumes a commitment to uphold the Honor Code, to accept responsibility for learning and to follow the philosophy and rules of the Honor System. Students will be required to state their commitment on examinations, research papers, and other academic work. Ignorance of the rules does not exclude any member of the Texas A&M University community from the requirements or the processes of the Honor System. For additional information please visit: www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor/
On all course work, assignments, and examinations at Texas A&M University, the following Honor Pledge shall be preprinted and signed by the student:
“On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work.”
- During the 1st lab, you will need to learn about laboratory safety precautions and sign the combined Safety Acknowledgement form.
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LECTURE SCHEDULE -- FALL 2011
HORT 431-Nursery Production & Management
HFSB 105 M,W 11:30 am -12:20 pm
Week
Aug. 29 I.
Introduction: Overview of the Nursery Industry - History, Size, Distribution, Organization, Product Mix.
Sept. 5 II.
Nursery Site Development, Organization and Structures: (1) Wholesale (2) Retail;
All day field trip Thursday, Sept. 8: Magnolia Gardens Tissue Culture Lab, TreeSearch Farms, Creekside Nursery.
Sept. 12 III.
Nursery Financing -- Planning, Financial Analysis, Spreadsheets, Cash flow, Liquidity, Inventory, Data Acquisition, Pricing, Banking, Developing a Business Plan.
(Dr. Danny Klinefelter lecture in Laboratory, Thurs, Sept 15)
All day field trip Friday, Sept. 16: Greenleaf Nursery, Glenn Flora Farms.
Sept. 19 III.
Nursery Financing (con) -- Planning, Financial Analysis, Spreadsheets, Cash flow, Liquidity, Inventory, Data Acquisition, Pricing, Banking, Developing a Business Plan;
V. Niche-Oriented: Specialty Retail and Wholesale Nurseries
Sept. 26 EXAM 1 (Weds, Sept 28)
Oct 3 No class Mon or Weds. Work on 2-page preliminary synopsis of project.
Oct. 10 IV. Marketing and Salesmanship of Nursery Products;
Oct. 17 VI. Personnel and Labor Management; Time Management, Piecework, Employment Opportunities, Nursery Work Experience.
VII. Lecture during Lab (Thursday, Oct 20): Prod. Cycles and Systems -- Crop Cycles;
Mechanization, Labor Usage, Containerization, Field Prod., Grow-bags, Pot-in-a-pot, Protected Culture;
(2-page preliminary synopsis of project due Thurs., Oct. 20 in Lab). [Business description, Mission statement, Goals, Ownership structure, Products, Services]
Oct. 24 No class on Mon, Weds; Work on Project;
VIII. Propagation Systems; Lecture during Lab (Thursday, Oct 27)
Oct. 31 IX. Media Systems
EXAM II (Weds, Nov. 2)
Nov. 7 X. Fertilization Systems
XI. Irrigation Systems -- Types, Watering, Fertigation, Intermittent Mist, Recycling Systems
(Business Plan due Weds, Nov 9). [II-ExecSummary, III-BusDescript., IV-Operations]
Nov. 14 XII. Weed Control (Sharon Duray - Nov. 14);
XII. Pest and Pathogen Control, "Scouting System", etc.
(Business Plan Weds., Nov 16).[VII Finacial]
Nov. 21 XIII. Digging and Transplanting of Nursery Stock;
XIV. Storage and Transportation of Nursery Stock; (Class on Weds); Thanksgiving (Nov. 24).
Nov. 28 EXAM III (Monday, Nov 28);
XV. The Crop Environment and Nursery Productivity;
XVI. Chemical and Mechanical Growth Modification;
Dec. 5 (All projects due Monday, December 5, 2011 by 4pm). [Detailed I, II, III,IV,V,VI, VII]
No Class; Study for Finals;
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LABORATORY SCHEDULE ¾FALL 2011
HORT 431 - NURSERY PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
Section 500: Thurs 1:00-3:00 HFSB 115
Laboratory Instructor: Dr. Fred Davies E-mail: f-davies@tamu.edu Office phone: 845-4524
Week
Aug 29 Lab #1 Laboratory Overview; Unit Conversion Exercise (take-home)
Lab #2 Introduction to Hort 431 Homepage (Meet at Computer Lab HFSB 206).
Sept 5 Thursday, Sept. 8th; Leave 6:45 am sharp): All day field trip to Magnolia Gardens Tissue
Culture Lab (8:00am), TreeSearch Farms (10:15), and Creekside Nursery (1:30) 2 pg. trip synopsis (word processed). http://www.mgnliners.com/ http://www.treesearchfarms.com/ http://www.creeksidenursery.com/ Þ Unit Conversion Exercises due (Lab 1).
Sept 12 Dr. Danny Klinefelter – Nursery Financial Analysis, Planning & Marketing; Lecture in Laboratory,
HFSB 115 (September 15); (Friday, Sept 16; Leave 6:15 am sharp). All day field trip to
Greenleaf Nursery, El Campo, TX and Glenn Flora Farms, Glen Flora, TX.
http://www.greenleafnursery.com/employment.asp http://www.glenflorafarms.com/index.htm;
(2 pg trip synop).
Sept 19 Lab #8 TAMU Nursery/Floral Crops Research Center -- Tour of facilities and ongoing research projects (Dr. Mike Arnold & Staff); Tree Spade Demonstration (Mr. Tom Dew & Staff);
Sept 26 No Lab.
Oct 3 No Lab.
Oct 10 Local Field Trip - Antique Rose Emporium (Thursday, Oct. 13th), Departure time TBA
(40-minute ride each way); 1 page trip synopsis (word processed). http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/
Oct 17 VII. Lecture during Lab (Thursday, Oct 20): Prod. Cycles and Systems -- Crop Cycles;
Mechanization, Labor Usage, Containerization, Field Prod., Grow-bags, Pot-in-a-pot, Protected Culture;
Oct 24 Lecture during Lab (Thursday, Oct 27) VII. Plant Propagation; Start Computer Financial Program for Retail Nursery Management.
Oct 31 Computer Financial Program for Retail Nursery Management; (Meet in HFSB 115- move to
Computer Lab: HFSB 206).
Nov 7 Lab #4 Dealing with Personalities in the Work Place; Job Factor Analysis & Personal profile.
**Exercise due for Lab #3 Computer Financial Program for Retail.
Lab #5 Calibration Techniques for Field and Lathhouse Production.
Shade Structure Light Measurements.
Lab #6 Fertilizer Calibration Problems ¾ take home problems.
Lab #7 Computer Software for Determining Fertilizer Calculations;
Review Session for Calibration Problems. (Meet at Computer Lab HFSB 206).
Nov 14 Local Field Trip ¾ Martha’s Bloomers Retail Nursery, Navasota, TX (Thurs, Nov 17).
Departure time 12:50 sharp; 1 page trip synopsis (word processed). http://www.marthasbloomers.com/index.php
** Exercise due for Lab 6: Fert Calib. Problems. ** Exercise due for Lab 5: Calibration techniques for field & lathhouse production; shade structure, light measurements.
Nov 21 No Lab; Thanksgiving (Thurs. Nov. 24).
Nov 28 Lab Final Exam (Thurs. Dec 1).
Dec 5 All projects due Monday, December 5th , 2011 by 4pm; STUDY FOR FINALS
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14 July 2011
- Book van rentals
- Process permission
- Paul needs to load computer programs – Retail financial plan
- Get computer retail financial plan in order
- Review personalities in the workplace – Jay Spiers
- Run off Lab & Lecture copies – Copy Corner
- Reserve Computer Rooms
- Phone & Email contacts: Creekside, Martha’s Bloomers
- Contact Chris Weisinger – Heirloom Bulb Company – Oct 10 or 17
- Contact Jed Waltemathe –rewholesale – Circle D. Nurseries
Synopsis: Sept 8 – Mag, Tree Search, Creekside
Sept 16- Greenleaf, Glenn Flora
Oct 13 – Antique Rose Emporium
Nov 17- Martha’s Bloomers
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