Students will be able to: identify and follow all general safety, laboratory safety, and field-site safety practices and procedures and OSHA safety standards for the horticulture services industry; identify and follow procedures written in the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) information system; demonstrate the safe use of horticulture equipment; select the proper protective clothing and equipment; demonstrate basic first aid procedures for injuries; practice safety when controlling weeds, insects, and plant diseases; read and interpret horticulture product labels; properly calculate and mix quantities of horticulture products used in plant health care; define the concept of, “Plant Health Care,” such as disease, nutrients, etc.; distinguish the components of an Integrated Pest Management program including the effects of chemicals and pesticides on the environment; identify various horticultural pests including their signs and symptoms; identify and use equipment for the application of plant health care products; describe the process of photosynthesis, respiration, translocation, and transpiration; identify plant cell structure, organization and explain their functions; identify conditions essential for seed germination; explain the environmental factors that affect the growth and development of a plant; Distinguish between sexual and asexual plant reproduction; Identify plant nutrient requirements; Classify plants and use appropriate binomial taxonomic terminology; develop a horticultural business plan; analyze pricing and mark-up techniques; employ appropriate customer/client relationship attributes; identify and develop various horticulture record keeping systems; analyze business ethics; Identify and describe soil characteristics; identify soil and/or plant nutrients; conduct proper soil sampling techniques; describe factors influencing fertilizer application; identify environmental factors that affect plant growth; describe how weather and climate impact growing conditions and plant selection; identify different methods of sustainable horticulture; compare sustainable watering and fertilizing techniques to conventional techniques and sustainable plant material selection to conventional plant material; recycle horticultural waste; research advanced technologies in horticulture equipment; describe the role horticulture plays in the economy of the state and nation; identify current issues regarding plant and soil management that impact agronomic and horticultural practices; outline the proper use of plant material in various segments of the horticulture industry; determine the impact of environmental factors on plant materials; list the identifying characteristics of various plant categories associated with plants; and identify 100 plants used in horticulture industry by horticultural reference/botanical reference. Performance Component:  Plant Classification and Identification (24%); Integrated Pest Management (12%); Soils (39%); Plant Propagation (16%); and Customer Service (9%).