East Knox FFA competes in state floriculture CDE

Three members of the East Knox FFA recently qualified from an online test to compete in the State Floriculture Career Development Event held at the Pickaway County Fairgrounds in Circleville. The team of Rhyan Williams, Ariel Atkinson and Caylynn Kieber took 60th place overall.

The Floriculture CDE is an educational activity designed as a practical way to teach students how to identify various horticulture plants, disorders, insects, and diseases that impact the floriculture industry. The skills students develop in assessing floriculture products give them opportunities to become better producers and consumers of these items. The written test and the practicum will effectively evaluate the student’s ability to handle real-world situations in the floriculture industry.

The practicums that they completed in the state contest were: Plant Identification for contestants to identify by common names or by their scientific names; identify general supplies and equipment; evaluate floral design containers; identify insects, diseases, deficiencies and toxicity; complete a fertilizer mathematical practicum; placing classes from cut flowers, flowering potted plants, foliage plants; and students also constructed a bud vase with a bow, suitable for an office desk, and complete an itemized list of materials used, including the cost for each item, after completing the bud vase.