Plant Propagation

Course Capstone Project

Compared to the relatively temporary and shallow "just in time" understanding suitable for performing well on quizzes, exams, etc., that we all (yes, that includes me) rely on to "get by" so we can get on to the next thing on our (want) to-do list, learning science research shows that repeatedly putting information together in different ways, similar to repetition in the arts and competitive sports, reinforces the understanding of concepts and ultimately strongly supports a foundation for deep, life-long learning.

"Learning by teaching" is also very supportive of deep learning. I can attest to this as it wasn't until I started teaching this course in 2009 that I really learned the intricacies associated with the many techniques and strategies for propagating plants - despite having taken a course in plant propagation as an undergraduate student, working as a professional propagator at a large nursery near Chicago, and focusing much of my graduate work on the aseptic micropropagation of trees and shrubs.

Therefore, in support of your learning in this course, this semester-long capstone effort will require you to put information on a propagation topic of your choice together several times in different ways including a short (roughly five minute) instructional video and a popular magazine-style manuscript suitable for submission to "Fine Gardening" magazine. With a partner, you will also prepare and deliver (i.e., teach) a roughly twelve minute lesson on your topic to ESF and SU students, staff and faculty during the week of April 24th - last full week of the semester.

Goals of this "deep dive" into a course-related topic include reinforcing your understanding of course content, providing you with an opportunity to practice a variety of public presentation techniques and creation of artifacts that will demonstrate your critical thinking and presentation skills to potential employers.

To help you pull together your plans for this project, I've pulled together the following resources:

The development of this assessment tool will be a collaborative effort among all of us. As with every assessment in this class, the focus will be on how effectively the effort supports your learning.

In addition to the magazine's website, I have placed two "hard copies" on reserve at the Moon library reference desk. I strongly recommend spending some time reviewing both the website and hard copy to get a sense of the magazine's "voice," its use of graphics, etc. I do think you'll be surprised by how brief many of the articles are as most people prefer looking at pretty pictures, flashy infographics, drawings, etc., versus reading a bunch of boring words!

Students in the spring 2017 Plant Propagation course conducted a full day workshop for Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener trainees (turned out to be the same Saturday as "Redfest" - much to the dismay of several students in the class:-(

As part of that effort (which really is the inspiration for this capstone project) students had to prepare short videos in support of their presentations/hands-on demonstrations. You can find their videos further down this page. I have also uploaded a number of LSA 433 (Planting Design) student videos for inspiration, too (note that a number of them are sort of "tongue-in-cheek" swipes at my candid comments - which is fine with me if it helps reinforce a learning opportunity). And, for something a bit more informal (which, for me can work really well - if the information presented is accurate and relevant), here is a video clip I recorded of one of my fomer "Plant Propagation" students, Drew Starkey, explaining his pepper grafting final project.

Meanwhile, for a "technical" thought on setting up your video recording, the picture at right, above, shows how cellphones on inexpensive tripods (I've got a couple you can borrow) can be arranged to capture a "three-shot" video interview. Click here to view a full size image of this cellphone set up.

The goal of the public presentation is not to inflict painful levels of anxiety, but rather to provide you with a structured opportunity (among friends) to hone your public presentation skills. (If it's any comfort - and though you may find it hard to believe - by the end of the semester it's likely you will be more "expert" on your topic than anyone else here at ESF!)

While your presentation will address the same content as your "Fine Gardening" article, consider “wrapping” it up in a compelling story. While your presentation needs to be factual, helpful, clear, concise and compelling, it doesn’t need to be boring!

To that end, while a Powerpoint presentation is fine, I encourage you to think of this presentation as a “safe” place to try out other presentation technologies such as Sway, Prezi, etc. Or, maybe even consider incorporating video components into your presentation using Techsmith’s Jing, Camtasia, or Snagit, Apple's IMovie, the Photos app in Windows 10, etc.

Below are links to the presentations delivered to Master Gardener trainees. (Note that despite my encouragement to try something new and different, almost everyone relied on Powerpoint . . . . . sigh.)

Budding and Grafting (Powerpoint link)

Introduction to Clonal Propagation (.pdf link)

Propagation by Layering (Powerpoint link)

Seed Propagation (Powerpoint link)

Seedling and Clonal Life Cycles (Powerpoint link)

Stem Cutting Activity (.pdf link)

The Beauty of Modified Stems (Powerpoint link)

Budding and Grafting (Powerpoint link)

As part of their effort, students in the Spring 2017 class also prepared short video presentations in support of their presentations that can be viewed by clicking on these links. (Note: these files are quite large so it may take a minute or two for them to download before they'll play.)

Propagation by Modified Stems (Video link)

Air-Layering a Rubber Tree (Video link)

Creating a Low-Cost Humidity Chamber (Video link)

Cutting Propagation Techniques (Video link)

Introduction to Budding and Grafting (Video link)

Introduction to the Cone of Juvenility (Video link)

Below are a list of the presentations students in the Spring 2018 Plant Propagation class delivered as part of a campuswide workshop.

Fern Propagation - Allison DeSario

African Violet Propagation - Jessie Brown

Hops in Central New York - Brenden Welch

The Versatility of Succulents Leads to Different Methods of Propagation - Kelsey McLaughlin

The Grafting of Fruit Trees - Elizabeth Sammons

The Hows and Whys of Apple Rootstocks - Marissa Lanzatella

How to Propagate Aquatic Plants - Rachael Christman

Propagation of Plants via Stolons/Runners - Tucker Schnaars

Saving Fruit Trees by Bridge Grafting - Gabriel Sanchez

Propagation or Trichocereus (Echinopsis) Cacti - Markus Lopez

Design and Construction of a DIY Propagation Chamber - Hunter Longenberger

Lilac Propagation - Porter Lesiv

Starting Pansies from Seed - Orena Wong

DIY Versus Synthetic Rooting Compounds - Emily Heifferon

Tips and Tricks for Propagation by Tissue Culture - Haley Sussman