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 Plants. Anything you ever wanted to know.From crops to flowers to grasses. Whether you want to grow them, sell them, protect them, improve them, or design spaces with them, we can show you how. |
Growers and research scientists
| Farmers and other growers have been seletively saving seed and cross-pollinating plants for many years to improve the quality of plant strains and to create new breeds with the best properties of two different plants. Research scientists use the same principles but with more sophisticated tools to create new plant varieties that have increased resistance to disease, better nutritional properties, and higher production yields. |
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Farmers, greenhouse and nursery managers
| Like anything plant-based, seeds have a limited lifespan. Preserving heirloom plant varieties requires continually growing the plants so new seeds are generated and the genetic line is not lost. Farmers and nursery managers grow heirloom plants to sustain their lineage. Recently, heirloom varieties have become popular with consumers because of their relatively novel flavors. This interest is helping growers offset the costs. |
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Research and field scientists
| Most of our drugs have evolved from studying the bio-chemical properties of medicinal plants. Field scientists often collaborate with indigenous peoples to learn about plant species with medicinal properties. Research scientists study their bio-chemical properties and create man-made compounds that replicate these beneficial effects. Food scientists study ways to stabilize and incorporate them into foods. |
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Farmers, greenhouse and nursery managers
| Though the vast majority of plants are grown outdoors in fields, an increasing number are grown in the controlled environments of greenhouses. Farmers and greenhouse and nursery managers strive to grow healthy plants in a way that is sustainable for our greater eco-system, and also sustainable for themselves financially. |
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Turfgrass managers, lawn-care professionals
| Many recreational facilities, including public parks, public and private golf courses, and professional sports arenas, require large areas of grasses to be maintained in healthy conditions. Turfgrass managers oversee the care of these facilities. Nearly every home-owner manages their own plot of turfgrass, some with the help of lawn-care professionals. Advances in turfgrass management techniques are creating more sustainable ways to maintain turf areas and lawns. |
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Greenhouse and nursery managers, farmers
| Many greenhouse and nursery businesses focus on growing seedlings to farmers or more mature plants to the general public. As a sideline, some farmers also grow plants for sale to the public. Managers oversee the operational, marketing, and financial functions of these businesses to ensure they are sustainable environmentally and economically. |
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Conservatory managers
| Plant conservatories protect important collections of species. Many conservatories house plants that are not indiginous to the local area, giving the general public an opportunity to view and learn about plants they might not have access to otherwise. Conservatory managers ensure these collections receive proper care, including appropriate sun, water, and nutrient exposure as well as insect and disease management. |
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Research scientists
| How do we give plants the basic nutrients they need without creating harmful concentrations of the same elements in our soils and water bodies? How do we protect plants from insects that stunt their development without doing the same? Scientists study these issues to find new compounds that help grow healthy plants without harming natural resources. |
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Farmers, growers, and turf managers
| At the same time, farmers, greenhouse and nursery growers, and turf managers are experimenting in the field to find better techniques that minimize the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Some use IPM (integrated pest management) techniques, while others opt for entirely organic methods. |
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Research and field scientists
| What happens when a new disease or insect infestation threatens to destroy an entire year’s crops? Research and field scientists immediately begin investigating to identify the cause and figure out the best way to intervene. When no crisis is looming, the same folks work on developing new techniques for alleviating more common-place problems, like worm-filled apples. |
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Landscape architects
| Plant conservatories protect important collections of species. Many conservatories house plants that are not indiginous to the local area, giving the general public an opportunity to view and learn about plants they might not have access to otherwise. Conservatory managers ensure these collections receive proper care, including appropriate sun, water, and nutrient exposure as well as insect management. |
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Federal and state agency officials
| Working in government brings great responsibility along with a great capacity to impact the regulations that eventually effect us all. Agency officials write the rules that everyone else must play by. They strive to base their decisions on the analyses of scientists and economists. However, lobbyists often have an impact on the ways policies are written. |
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