Mathematics for the Green Industry: Essential Calculations for Horticulture and Landscape Professionals

A comprehensive guide to the use of math in the Green Industry

Designed for both students and practitioners in the Green Industry, this book offers full coverage of the calculations necessary to effectively, safely, and economically manage a Green Industry operation.

Following clear explanations of all relevant mathematical principles, the authors cover calculations inherent in all aspects of the Green Industry, from determining area and volume, to the application of fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators, to preparing design and installation cost estimates.

Coverage includes computations for:

Landscape installation and maintenance

Greenhouse, nursery, and interior landscape operation

Parks and recreation maintenance

Turf management, including lawn care, sports turf, and sod production

Proper application of fertilizers, pesticides, and plant–growth regulators

Proper calibration of application equipment

Additional features include multiple computations for readers to work through, appendices with units of measure and equivalents, and a table with conversion factors.

Preface.

About the Authors.

Part 1: Mathematical Principles.

Chapter 1. Basic Math Skills.

Chapter 2. Measurement and Calculations with Measured Values.

Chapter 3. Geometry.

Part 2: Green Industry Applications.

Chapter 4. Calculating the Area of Landscape Features.

Chapter 5. Fertilizer Calculations.

Chapter 6. Pesticide and Plant Growth Regulator Calculations.

Chapter 7. Calibration of Application Equipment.

Chapter 8. Mathematical Applications for the Turfgrass Industry.

Chapter 9. Mathematical Applications for the Landscape Industry.

Chapter 10. Mathematical Applications for the Greenhouse, Nursery, and Interior Landscape Industries.

Appendix A. Metric System Prefixes.

Appendix B. Tables of Equivalents.

Appendix C. Table of Conversion Factors.

Appendix D. Squaring–Up Gardens and garden Structures.

Appendix E. Solutions to Practice Problems.

Index.

Michael L. Agnew, PhD, is Senior Field Technical Manager for Syngenta Professional Products, Greensboro, North Carolina. He is coauthor of Mathematics of Turfgrass Maintenance, Fourth Edition (Wiley).

Nancy H. Agnew, PhD, is Student Programs Instructor at Longwood Gardens, Inc., Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. She teaches a course in horticulture mathematics.

NICK E. CHRISTIANS, PhD, is University Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. His previous books include Mathematics of Turf–grass Maintenance, Fourth Edition, and Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management, Third Edition (Wiley).

Ann Marie Vanderzanden, PhD, is Associate Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. She is coauthor of Landscape Design: Theory and Application.