Choose a Plant Science Track
8.
Choose ONE of the following options and complete each requirement:
This is the capstone of the badge. You will pick one branch and follow it all the way through. Each branch gives you a different kind of plant-science experience, so choose the one that best fits your interests, your location, and the time you have available.
Your Options
- Req 8a — Agronomy Roadmap: Study field crops such as corn, cotton, forage crops, small grains, and soybeans. You will learn about seedbeds, germination, pests, crop regions, and one crop-specific project.
- Req 8b — Horticulture Roadmap: Focus on plants grown for food, beauty, and landscaping. You will visit growing spaces, learn horticulture terms, practice hands-on plant care, and complete a seasonal project.
- Req 8c — Option C: Field Botany: Work outdoors in natural areas. You will study plant communities, use identification keys, press specimens, research rare plants, and complete a structured field study.
How to Choose
| Track | Best for Scouts who like… | You will spend most of your time… | Good fit if you have… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agronomy | farming, food systems, maps, crop production | studying how major crops are planted, grown, protected, and harvested | access to a garden plot, farm, or crop field |
| Horticulture | gardening, landscaping, nurseries, plant care | growing and maintaining plants in designed spaces | a yard, containers, or a public garden or nursery nearby |
| Field Botany | hiking, ecology, native plants, nature study | observing wild plants in natural habitats and documenting what you find | parks, preserves, Scout camps, or natural areas nearby |
Agronomy
- Best for Scouts who like…
- farming, food systems, maps, crop production
- You will spend most of your time…
- studying how major crops are planted, grown, protected, and harvested
- Good fit if you have…
- access to a garden plot, farm, or crop field
Horticulture
- Best for Scouts who like…
- gardening, landscaping, nurseries, plant care
- You will spend most of your time…
- growing and maintaining plants in designed spaces
- Good fit if you have…
- a yard, containers, or a public garden or nursery nearby
Field Botany
- Best for Scouts who like…
- hiking, ecology, native plants, nature study
- You will spend most of your time…
- observing wild plants in natural habitats and documenting what you find
- Good fit if you have…
- parks, preserves, Scout camps, or natural areas nearby
Questions to Ask Before You Decide
Pick the branch you can actually complete well
- Season: Which branch matches the time of year? Crop and garden work depend on planting season.
- Location: Do you have access to a field, a garden, a greenhouse, or natural areas?
- Equipment: Will you need plant tags, notebooks, maps, seed trays, or a plant press?
- Time: Some options stretch across weeks or a full growing season.
- What you’ll gain: Agronomy teaches crop systems, Horticulture builds practical growing skills, and Field Botany strengthens observation and identification skills.