Spraying Fungicide in the Greenhouse!

Our department is known for teaching and learning through hands-on experiences. We thrive on this fact. These students had the opportunity to participate in learning from Brother Barnes the techniques of applying fungicide in the greenhouse. Yes they look goofy, but it is definitely for a good cause! :)

From left to right: Spencer, Stacey, Breanne, Beth, and Joslyn

Hot mamas!

Having a good time doing it!

Poinsettia Crop

The BYU-Idaho Horticulture Department evaluates the preformance of over 50 poinsettia varieties from around the world. Varieties are trialed yearly starting in July with the culmination of color in December. Students participating in the trial develop skills in the scientific process, growing, producing and marketing poinsettia crops. Through this, students build contacts with plant breeders, horticulture companies, and industry leaders.

Stop in to the greenhouse see what we are doing and see the process that we must follow to get the crop ready for Christmas!

Job Opening - Intermountain Farmer’s Association

Greenhouse Manager - Intermountain Farmer’s Association
Riverton, Utah
Full time, Year-round
Requirements: Be able to manage other employees, order product, and conduct trainings
Provides: Good medical benefits as well as a retirement plan

Contact Kory Bertelson at kbertelson@ifa-coop.com for information on how to apply.

Successful Horticulture Internships

This last seminar was great and really fun to attend. We got to hear from four of our very own about the internships they served over the summer break. We learned a lot about how to get internships. One main concept was to be persistant. Most of them had to check back with the various companies a couple of times to make sure they were considered for the job.

First, we heard from Rachel Arnold. She got an internship at Every Blooming Thing in SLC. They were the 2009 National Florist of the Year! They are a high end florist and try to do everything different and unique. Once Rachel would do an arrangement, her supervisors would say, "Now make it different." They always go the extra mile and are really creative. Every design they do is different than anything else they have done before. Rachel learned some great ways to be creative with just moss and to make the design have a totally different feel than before. She said about her experience there, "When I look at my first arrangements compared to now, I can see a tramendous difference. I don't think I would have learned as much if I went anywhere else." You can check out her internship blog at everyrachelsthing.blogspot.com.

Next, Jane McNaught told us of her internship in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia working at Helen Olivia which is also a very high end floral shop. Some of their clients include the Vice President's residence and the State Department of Protocal. Most of their advertising is through word of mouth. The Helen Olivia style is very compact, tight, roundy-moundy arrangements in a square vase wrapped with satin ribbon. You can see some of their designs at their website, http://www.helenolivia.com/. A few things that Jane pointed out that she had learned was to be very personable with your clients and that floral design is a trade and the best way to learn is to do it and learn from advanced designers. She said that no amount of formal education can teach you the art of floral design. You need hands-on experience and that is what she got this summer. You can check out the actual designs that Jane put together at her blog, janelillianflowers.blogspot.com.

Then, we heard from Jackie Nielson who actually had the opportunity to serve two internships throughout the summer. First she worked at Signature Landscapes out of Redmond, Washington. Signature is a big time supporter of our horticulture program. They are actually setting up a scholarship for our students because of the students like Jackie that have been so valuable to them. Signature does large residential landscapes and commercial. One of their trademarks is seasonal color and they love to display that in the landscape. Jackie was a labor hand for them in installing some landscapes but she also learned some managerial techniques. Once she finished up with Signature, she had time left in the summer before school. She got set up with T&L Nursery down the road from Signature. T&L is a wholesale only nursery so they don't sell product to the general public. They use recycled water and propagate a lot of their own product. Here she learned to work in the greenhouse and out in the fields. They gave her a field to care for and grow during the time she spent there. She loved feeling in charge of caring for those plants.

Finally, Kyle Steadman ended the presentations with his internship at Heads Up Landscape out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They are a full service landscape company that does commercial design, build and maintain. The way that he got this internship was when they came to campus to recruit. They had a pizza party and he started talking to them, networking and then following up. Heads Up is an amazing company and they were rated #54 in the Lawn and Landscape magazine. Since the recent 'green' movement and with their location in New Mexico, they have worked a lot with xeric landscaping and drought tolerant material. During his internship, Kyle was given the chance to do an outdoor paver project from start to finish which included designing and installing the area. He had a great experience and was given some great opportunities.

This was a great seminar to learn about what our peers are doing and learning. One main ideato take from this seminar was to "get out of dodge" whether it is New Mexico, Washington, Utah or Virginia. There are great opportunities out there for amazing internships and to be able to be representatives for the school. Great job guys!

Smile . . . This is for you!

This morning during her Interiorscaping class, Kimberlea Edwards, a Horticulture major emphasizing in Production, found a surprise in the Jungle Greenhouse:

In the banana plant, there was a ceramic banana hidden, to be found by some lucky person with an observant eye.

Congrats to Kimberlea for finding the little treasure, and to whomever left it, thanks for the fun!