Articles
Focus groups of California nursery managers identified education priorities for irrigators
Article number
1468_3
Pages
17 – 22
Language
English
Abstract
Two focus groups were held to understand education priorities as part of a project to provide free irrigation management training to California’s nursery and greenhouse industry.
Focus groups consisted of nursery managers who produced a variety of containerized crops and were divided geographically into northern and southern California groups.
The two focus groups identified similar needs, including that overwatering was a significant problem in the industry and basic plant physiology and soilless substrate science education could help irrigators improve irrigation application practices.
They identified specific concepts to teach, including transpiration, evapotranspiration, container capacity, and hydrozoning (i.e. arranging plants together that had similar water requirements). The focus group participants requested that the training be simple and easy for irrigators, who may have limited plant science education, to understand.
The southern California focus group placed greater emphasis on teaching irrigators to utilize available technology to make irrigation management decisions.
Along with overwatering, the focus groups identified systemic problems in the industry, including lack of hydrozoning, workforce retention, and time for irrigators to evaluate plants’ irrigation needs.
The results were used to develop comprehensive irrigation training that was delivered at nurseries throughout California.
Focus groups consisted of nursery managers who produced a variety of containerized crops and were divided geographically into northern and southern California groups.
The two focus groups identified similar needs, including that overwatering was a significant problem in the industry and basic plant physiology and soilless substrate science education could help irrigators improve irrigation application practices.
They identified specific concepts to teach, including transpiration, evapotranspiration, container capacity, and hydrozoning (i.e. arranging plants together that had similar water requirements). The focus group participants requested that the training be simple and easy for irrigators, who may have limited plant science education, to understand.
The southern California focus group placed greater emphasis on teaching irrigators to utilize available technology to make irrigation management decisions.
Along with overwatering, the focus groups identified systemic problems in the industry, including lack of hydrozoning, workforce retention, and time for irrigators to evaluate plants’ irrigation needs.
The results were used to develop comprehensive irrigation training that was delivered at nurseries throughout California.
Authors
B.J.L. Pitton, N. Levy
Keywords
best management practices, container media, potting soil
Groups involved
Online Articles (70)