Florida 4-H Consumer Choices 2010-12:
Teacher Guide
Plants
_________________________________________________________
Objectives for Students
o Describe the ways plants can add value (both aesthetically and economically)
o Select the best plants based on the situation given.
Materials Needed
o
o
o
o
A copy of the youth guide for each participant.
Pencils and calculators for calculating cost problems and for participants to take notes.
Pictures of plants, or actual plants for youth to judge.
The Practice Consumer Situation worksheets enclosed.
Preparation
1. Read the guide provided before hand and research any possible topics that you may think
are relatable and usable in the classroom.
2. Work the problems out on your own to make sure you will have a good grasp on how to
teach and explain them to your audience.
3. Review all worksheets and charts enclosed within this packet.
Recommended Agenda
1. Read the Background Information, Get Smart Before You Buy, and What to Look for
sections first. Discuss and take any questions that students may have about the different
types of plants and their purposes. Then go over the Practice Situation.
2. Pass out the Worksheet 1 – What is Important to You? and have the students fill them
out. Review some of the students’ answers and discuss them.
3. Then review the Plant Information Guide, to view the different types of plants, their
needs, as well as the purposes. Discuss with the students the different features and price
points of each plant.
4. Have the students fill out Worksheet 2 – Rate the Plants. Discuss each category with the
students and why they chose their rating.
5. Finally, engage the students in the Consumer Choice Situations based on the appropriate
ages.
Additional Activities
1. Take a field trip to a local supermarket or garden center to study plant quality.
2. Invite a Master Gardener to speak to 4-H'ers about proper plant selection and judging.
3. Take a field trip to a local garden or park to observe the landscaping and types of plants.
Background Information
Plants can add value and benefits both inside and outside the home. Not only do plants bring
color and texture to our indoor and outdoor environments, but plants have many other proven
benefits which help improve your quality of life. Plants improve air quality by removing
harmful pollutants from the air, help stabilize indoor humidity levels, and have even proven to
increase worker productivity and attendance as well as add to workplace satisfaction.
Plants in the landscape can provide shade, which can reduce energy costs in the home, block
noise from busy streets, and even serve as a wind block or buffer zone. An attractive landscape
can increase your home’s value 7-15%. Purchasing plants for the inside or outside of your home
is an investment. You want to select the best plants in the best condition for the best price. .
What to Look For:
What should you consider when purchasing a plant, here are a few examples:





Budget – How much am I willing to spend?
Type – What type of plant do I want?
Life Span – How long do I want it to live
Use – Is this plant for food, fun, or aesthetics?
Maintenance – How much work will this plant require of me?
Get Smart Before You Buy!
Bedding Plants – bedding plant packs are an excellent way to add seasonal color to flower beds
or container gardens. Most bedding plants are considered annuals, and will need to be replaced
every 3-4 months. When shopping for bedding plants, it is important to consider the following:
 Each pack should contain one plant in each cell. Sometimes an otherwise quality pack
contains empty cells where the original seedling died. This problem can go unnoticed
because the surrounding plants fill in over the vacant cell.
 Plants should be centered in each cell to allow adequate space for even, full growth.
 All plants in a pack should be approximately the same size.
 Plants should not be overgrown. “Leggy” plants may not perform well when planted out.
 Plants in cells should not be root bound. Excessive amounts of roots should not be
growing out of the bottom of the container as this is a good indicator of overgrowth.
 Plants should be free of disease symptoms, insect damage, visible pesticide residue, and
soil on the foliage.
 Plants should be all the same variety in one pack. If the variety is supposed to be a single
color, all plants in that pack should be the same color.
 All cells in a pack should be uniformly filled with potting soil, no more than 1/4 inch
below the rim.
 All plants in a pack should have sturdy stems, balanced arrangement of the leaves,
healthy foliage color and foliage the size and shape characteristic of the plant.
 If the plants have flowers, they should match the label description and be characteristic of
the plant. Note that it is better to buy bedding plants in bud rather than bloom. Nonblooming plants settle in and grow better than blooming plants.
Potted Houseplants – houseplants are an excellent way to enhance your indoor environment.
Houseplants also help add oxygen and help stabilize indoor humidity. Although most plants are
appreciated for their foliage, some have flowers as well. Here are some things to look for when
purchasing houseplants:
 Plants should be free of disease symptoms, insect damage, physical damage, visible
pesticide residue, and soil on the foliage.
 Plants should have sturdy stems, healthy foliage color and foliage the size and shape
 Characteristic of the plant.
 Plants should be full and of balanced shape (not lopsided).
 Blooms should be full and well-shaped. Bloom color should match labels. There should
be no spent blooms on the plant.
 Plants should not be overgrown or “leggy”.
 Plants in should not be root bound. Excessive amounts of roots should not be growing out
of the bottom of the container as this is a good indicator of overgrowth.

All pots should be uniformly filled with potting soil, no more than ½ inch below the rim.
Pots should be unbroken and clean.
Hanging Baskets- hanging baskets are another way to add seasonal color to a porch or patio.
Consider the following when shopping for hanging baskets:
 Plants should be free of disease symptoms, insect damage, physical damage, visible
pesticide residue, and soil on the foliage.
 Plants should be sturdy, have healthy foliage color and foliage the size and shape
characteristic of the plant.
 Baskets should be full and of balanced shape (not lopsided).
 Blooms should be full and well-shaped. Bloom color should match labels. There should
be no spent blooms on the plant.
 Plants should not be overgrown, root bound, or in decline.
 All baskets should be uniformly filled with potting soil, no more than 3/4 inches below
the rim. Baskets should be clean and free from cracks.
Potted Landscape Plants- When judging woody plants, look for a healthy, vigorous plant that
is well shaped, heavily branched, and densely foliated. Density and condition of the plant are
more important qualities than the physical measurement or height. A shrub with a number of
stocky, well shaped branches is of better quality than a shrub with long, thin branches. Check for
the following when shopping for potted landscape plants:
 Plants should be full, sturdy, and have a healthy color.
 Canes or trunks should be strong, fairly straight and free from scars and dead wood.
 Foliage should be uniform in size, shape and color. Check for signs of insect or disease
damage. There should not be dead leaves in the canopy of the plant.
 Roots should be well established, but not root-bound.
 Pots should be filled with soil at least within ¾ inch of the rim of the pot. There should
not be any weeds in the container.
Practice Situation
Ana wants to plant a container garden to enter in her county fair. The container gardens will be
judged on color, texture, and creativity. Ana would like to plant a tall plant in the middle,
surrounded by medium plants and then smaller plants that drape over the edges of the container.
Because the fair is only 4 weeks away, Ana needs plants that are healthy and well established.
Ana has selected all the plants except the one for the middle of the container. She has narrowed
it down to four choices. Help her find the best plant:
Foliage
Shape
Roots
Price
Plant A
Fairly uniform,
some yellowing
Uniform, except
for one stem
Slightly root
bound
$3.95
Plant B
Uniform in shape Straight, upright
and color
branching
Dense root
system, not root
bound
$4.50
Plant C
Uniform in shape Slightly leggy
and color
Dense root
system, not root
bound
$3.90
Plant D
Some yellowing
on one stem
Shallow root
system, most
roots are at the
top of the
container
$3.00
Straight, upright
Answer: Plant B, although the most expensive, is the most healthy and uniform plant. Plant C
would be the next choice, followed by Plant A, then Plant D.
Plant Information Guide
Use the following chart to help you learn more about each plant and its qualities. As discussed in
the ‘Get Smart Before You Buy’ section, you learned about the different qualities and how they
can affect your use of a plant. When reviewing this table take into consideration the qualities as
well as the prices of each plant.
Category
Plants
Price
Type of Plant
39.99
Shrub/Bush
Purpose
Flowers,
Landscaping, &
Aesthetics
Yes, Blue/Purple
Rabbit’s Foot
Fern
18.99
Hanging Basket
Fern
Medicinal,
Decoration, &
Aesthetics
No
No
No
Yes, Tomato
No
Perennial
Perennial
Perennial
Perennial
Deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous
Outdoor
Both
Outdoor
Outdoor
Partial Sun
Daily
Heat Tolerant
Acidic Soil
4ft. by 4ft.
Indirect Sunlight
Lightly Daily
Mild
Potting Soil
10 in. by 8 in.
Full Sun
Daily
Mild to Hot
Potting
6 ft. by 12 in.
Full to Partial
Plant in Moist Areas
Mild to Cold
Adaptable
50 ft. by 35 ft.
Hydrangea
Flowering and
Color
Fruit or
Vegetable
Annual or
Perennial
Evergreen or
Deciduous
Indoor or
Outdoor
Sun Exposure
Watering
Temperature
Soil Type
Maturity Size
Heirloom
Tomato Plant
12.99
Bush
Weeping Willow
Gardening
Yes, Yellow
Shade,
Landscaping, &
Aesthetics
Yes, Purple
49.95
Tree
Worksheet 1
What Is Important to YOU?
Below are listed of 20 different categories that may be important to you when considering which
plant is best fitted for you. Circle the number that corresponds to how important each element of
a plant is to you, by rating it from 1 to 3:



1 means the element is very important to you
2 means the element is of medium importance to you
3 means the element is not very important to you
Category
1. Budget
2. Type of Plant
3. Life Span
4. Purpose
5. Maintenance
6. Flowering
7. Fruit
8. Vegetable
9. Indoor
10. Outdoor
11. Evergreen
12. Deciduous
13. Perennial
14. Annual
15. Amount of Sun Exposure
16. Frequency of Watering
17. Temperature
18. Soil Type
19. Maturity Size
20. Shape
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Rating
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Worksheet 2
Rate the Plants
Use this worksheet to help you decide what is important to you about each plant. Review the
‘Plant Information Guide’ before completing this worksheet. Use this worksheet and the ‘Plant
Information Guide’ when completing the problems your instructor provides. Rate each category
from 1 to 3:



1 means the element is very important to you
2 means the element is of medium importance to you
3 means the element is not very important to you
Category
Plants
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
Rabbit’s Foot
Fern
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
Hydrangea
Price
Type of Plant
Purpose
Flowering and
Color
Fruit or
Vegetable
Annual or
Perennial
Evergreen or
Deciduous
Indoor or
Outdoor
Sun Exposure
Watering
Temperature
Soil Type
Maturity Size
Heirloom
Tomato Plant
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
Weeping Willow
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
1
2
3
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
Consumer Choice Situation 1
Junior Consumer Choice Situation
for Plants
Jenny spent her summer at a camp in Ohio and loved being able to relax and read under the
shade of the trees. She wants to plant a tree in her backyard that reminds her of the relaxing times
at camp. She wants a tree that provides lots of shade so she can relax, read, and enjoy watching it
grow. Jenny has a $100 budget. Can you help her pick out the right plant?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Hydrangea
Rabbit’s Foot Fern
Heirloom Tomato Plant
Weeping Willow
Answer Guide
The correct answer to this problem is choice this Weeping Willow. Below is how to come to this
conclusion. Give the students time to review the answers and do the necessary math. It is
recommended you let the students discuss each answer choice and then read them each of the
following so that they can further grasp making smart consumer choices:
A. Hydrangea – This is not the right choice. While it is well under budget it is not going to
provide all of the shade or be as tall of a grower as Jenny would like.
B. Rabbit’s Foot Fern – This plant is not the right choice. It would not provide any shade or
beauty Jenny would like.
C. Heirloom Tomato Plant – This is a bush and only grows around 4ft! Not even close!
D. Weeping Willow – CORRECT ANSWER!!! This is the correct answer because it is a tree
and it will provide the shade the Jenny is looking for. Also, this choice come in UNDER
budget!!
Consumer Choice Situation 2
Intermediate Consumer Choice Situation
for Plants
Sydney wants to get a plant for her townhome. She is not sure if she wants an indoor or outdoor
plant, but she does know she wants it to serve a purpose. She loves having fresh salads for dinner
and would love to get a plant that she could eat. Unfortunately, Sydney only can spare $20 on a
new plant. Also, if she got an outdoor plant she would have to consider the sunlight it requires.
She does not have any trees in her tiny backyard, so whatever plan she got would have direct
sunlight year round. Can you help Sydney pick out the plant that meets her tight budget?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Hydrangea
Rabbit’s Foot Fern
Heirloom Tomato Plant
Weeping Willow
Answer Guide
The correct answer to this problem is choice this Heirloom Tomato Plant. Below is how to come
to this conclusion. Give the students time to review the answers and do the necessary math. It is
recommended you let the students discuss each answer choice and then read them each of the
following so that they can further grasp making smart consumer choices:
A. Hydrangea – This is not the correct answer. This is because this plant requires partial sun and
it would not serve a direct purpose in Sydney’s everyday life. Also, this plant is almost
double her budget!
B. Rabbit’s Foot Fern – While this plant does have a few medicinal purposes, it is also not the
correct choice. This is because this plant requires indirect sunlight and Sydney would
probably not get enough use out of it to rationalize the purchase.
C. Heirloom Tomato Plant – CORRECT ANSWER!!! This is the correct answer for Sydney
because this plant requires full sun outside and serves a dietary purpose. Since Sydney loves
fresh salads, this plant would be perfect for her to have for home grown tomatoes! Also, this
plant comes in under budget by $7!
D. Weeping Willow – This is not the correct answer. While Sydney may love the shade, she
would not have enough room in her some townhome backyard to plant and grow a tree! Also,
this answer choice is more than DOUBLE her budget!
Consumer Choice Situation 3
Senior Consumer Choice Situation
for Plants
Ben wants to get a new plant to decorate his home with. He is looking for a plant that can go
outdoors and provides some aesthetic beauty to his front porch. He has a budget of $40. Ben is
on a strict budget and he would like for the plant to be one that does not require a lot of water;
that way it will not drive up his monthly water utility bill. Can you help Ben pick out which plant
is best for him?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Hydrangea
Rabbit’s Foot Fern
Heirloom Tomato Plant
Weeping Willow
Answer Guide
The correct answer to this problem is choice this Rabbit’s Foot Fern. Below is how to come to
this conclusion. Give the students time to review the answers and do the necessary math. It is
recommended you let the students discuss each answer choice and then read them each of the
following so that they can further grasp making smart consumer choices:
A. Hydrangea – While this seems like it would be a great choice aesthetically and price wise,
this is not the correct answer choice. This is because this plant requires a lot of watering,
which Ben does not have in his budget.
B. Rabbit’s Foot Fern – CORRECT ANSWER!!! This is the correct answer choice because it
is under half of Ben’s budget and it provides him with the decoration and aesthetics that he
wants. In fact, he is so far under budget that he could get two!!!
C. Heirloom Tomato Plant – This plan is not what Ben is looking for at all.
D. Weeping Willow – This is not the correct answer because it is well over budget!