CDE Handbook - Florida FFA Association

Middle School
Floriculture CDE
Purpose
The Floriculture CDE stimulates interest in learning activities
related to the Floriculture industry, including the identification
of plants, business situations and safety issues.
Eligibility
The participant must be an active member of a chartered Florida
FFA Chapter and enrolled in grades 6, 7, or 8. Each middle
school chapter may enter one team of four individuals. Only the
top three scores will be calculated for the team total.
Event Procedures
1. Contestants should bring a clipboard and #2 pencils
2. Absolutely no communication will be tolerated during the
event. Any contestants violating this rule will have their
cards taken up and will be disqualified.
3. No FFA advisors/coaches will be allowed in the area of
the contest, but arrangements will be made to view the
specimens directly following the last rotation.
4. FFA members must be in official dress, appropriate to the
contest, and will be scored accordingly.
Event Format
The contest will consist of:
• 35 Question Written Exam
• Identification (40 specimens)
• Problem Solving Practicum
• Pricing
• Live Practicum
Written Exam
A 35 question written exam will be given to all participants.
Please refer to the reference section for a reference listing.
Questions will cover three of the following areas each year, in
addition to general horticulture:
• Principles of best management practices
• Plant use
• Product displays
• Making sales & other business questions
• Applying for a job
Plant Identification
Each participant will identify 40 plant specimens from the
reference list provided.
Middle School Floriculture CDE
Each year, two of the three practicums will be presented:
Handling a Hazardous Situation (written - 100 points)
Each participant will be presented a hazardous situation that
could develop in a floriculture business. The participant will be
asked to determine the most appropriate solution to the problem
addressing the items below:
• Proper personal safety precautions
• Proper safety procedures in cleaning up the situation
• Properly disposed of materials
• Employed proper follow-up procedures
Identifying and Controlling Plant Disorders (written - 100
points)
Each participation will be presented a situation describing a
nutritional, environmental, disease or insect disorder. The
participant will be asked to determine the most appropriate
solution to the problem addressing the items below:
• Diagnosis of the problem
• Prescription of treatment
• Preparation of treatment
• Application of treatment
• Recommended safety practices were used
Handling a customer complaint (written - 100 points)
Each participant will assume the role of an employee in a
floriculture business. A complaint from a customer will be
described. The participant will then determine the most
appropriate responses addressing the items below:
• Obtained clear understanding of the complaint
• Reformed complaint to less negative terms
• Changed complaint into question
• Explored alternative solutions
• Solved problem
• Exhibited correct grammar and spelling
Pricing
The pricing of a floriculture product will focus on one of the
following products each year.
• Flower arrangement
• Dish garden
• Centerpiece
• Corsage
• Potted plants
• Living Wall
• Interiorscape
Florida FFA Career Development Event Handbook 189