Spring/Summer Preemergent Herbicide Demonstration Workshop

What weeds do you commonly fight to control at your nursery?  Is the herbicide you use the best on your weed spectrum?  Do your folks know how to calibrate a backpack sprayer?  We will help to answer some of these questions at our Spring/Summer Preemergent Herbicide Demonstration Workshop brought to you by UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension and Diamond R Fertilizer. 

On Thursday, May 29, 2014 we will open our demonstration plots of weeds and preemergent herbicides so you can see how well your herbicide measures up against others with extreme pressure.  We used old potting soil with weed seeds and added more commonly found nursery weed seeds in to the mix.  Creating an extreme test for preemrgent herbicides.  We applied 60 days before this workshop so you can see how well they performed over time.  We repeated it four times so you can be certain how well they worked.

At the workshop we will have some weed identification, time to look at and discuss the plots, and we will also go over simplified hands on calibration of a backpack sprayer.  We will also have a great BBQ lunch from Johnson's BBQ to top it off.  2.5 CEUs are available for Private, Orn. & Turf, Lim. Lawn and Orn., Lim. Lawn Maint., and Comm. Lawn and Orn. The cost will be $15.00 plus processing fee.  Click Here To Register!  

 10:00-10:10 Welcome and Opening Remarks

10:10-11:00 Weed id, review weed identification, and weed id resources

11:00-12:00 Calibration of backpack sprayer and review of results

12:00-13:00 Lunch (sponsored by Diamond R Fertilizer)

13:00-14:00 Weed demonstration plot and herbicide discussion

      

Pest and Beneficial Insect Workshop 6/26/14

Have you wondered what type of whitefly you are looking at?   Ever have question about is that a predator mite or a pest?  What does a whitefly parasite look like?  Are those chili thrips or flower thrips?

This workshop is a hands-on workshop for ornamental or horticultural crop growers that will help you properly identify pests and beneficials commonly found in our area. We will have many live samples for you to view.   On-hand we will have the Florida experts on insect pests and beneficials, Drs. Catharine Mannion (Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead), Steven Arthurs (Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, Apopka), and Hugh Smith (Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Balm).  We will be focusing on whiteflies, thrips, mites, scales, and mealybugs.  We will also discuss strategies to conserve pollinators.  Resources for more information on pest and beneficial ID will be presented.  The workshop will be held at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm on June 26, 2014.  Sign in starts at 8:00 am.  The cost will be $25.00.  CEUs and lunch will be available.  Register online by following this link.  http://tiny.cc/pandb_insect_id
Here is the agenda
08:00-08:30 Sign-in

08:30-08:50 Introductions and Welcome (Shawn Steed)

08:50-09:20 Basic entomology review (Dr. Hugh Smith)

09:20-11:20 Hands-on identification of pest, beneficials and management

09:20 – 10:00 Whiteflies and whitefly beneficials (Bondar’s nesting, rugose, ficus, giant, silverleaf) 40 min. (Dr. Catharine Mannion)

10-:00 – 10:10 Break

10:00 – 10:35 Thrips (chilli, flower), mites (spider, two spotted, etc.) aphids and beneficials (Dr. Hugh Smith) 35 min.

10-:35 – 10:45 Break

10:45 – 11:20 Scale and mealybugs and beneficials. (Dr. Steven Arthurs) 35 min.

11:20 – 12:00 Lunch

12:00 – 12:50 Managing Pests and Conserving Beneficials. (Drs. Smith and Mannion)

12:50 – 13:20 Available resources for ID- (Shawn Steed)

13:20 – 13:40 Wrap up and CEUs (Shawn Steed)

Nursery with Used 3 Gallon Pots for Sale

A nursery has hunderds of used 3 gallon pots for sale.  For more information please email Mark Worley at mworley@speedling.com for price and quantities.

Rooting Hormones for Plants

Have you ever wondered what type of rooting hormone to use on certain plants and then how do you mix it at the proper rate.  I remember when I started propagating plants everyone would use technical grade rooting hormones from chemical manufacturers.  These however are not labeled for nursery use.  So where do you get rooting hormones, what kind to you use that are labeled for nursery use, and how do you mix them to the right amount.  Here is a great publication from Cheryl Boyer, J. J. Griffin, B. M. Morales, and Eugene Blythe entitled "Use of Root-Promoting Products for Vegetative Propagation of Nursery Crops"  Here is the link:  http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/MF3105.pdf

Core and Private Pesticide Applicator Exam Training at Seffner

If you are in need of a Private Applicator License we are offering exam training classes.  These classes are  for those wishing to pass the Core and/or Private Pesticide Applicator License Exam (Restricted Use Pesticide License) from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. You also may receive Pesticide CEUs if you already have a license. We will offer 5 CEUs for the trainings. You may register for either training alone or for both. We will offer the Core and Private Exams after each training session. Please contact Shawn Steed for any questions or special needs regarding this event 813-744-5519 ext. 54147.  To register please click on the link below. 

Instructors:
Mary Beth Henry - Small Farms Extension Agent, Polk County
Shawn Steed- Multi-county Ornamental Horticulture Extension Agent, Polk & Hillsborough Counties

Exam Preperations
CORE - 8:30 am to 10:35 am
Topics to be Covered: Pesticide Law, Principles of Pest Control, Pesticide Labels, Environmental Hazards, Harmful Effects and Personal Protection Equipment; Mixing, Loading, and Application, Transportation, Disposal, and Spill Cleanup, and Pesticide Application Procedures.

Break 10:35 am to 11:35 am - Lunch on Your Own

Private Applicator - 11:45 am to 1:50 pm
Topics to be Covered: Licensing Private Applicators, Pests & Pest Control, Fumigants, The Worker Protection Standard, Application Equipment & Calibration, Dilution & Site Sizes, Pesticide Labels, and Calibration & Dilution Mathematics.

Exams administered from 2 pm to 5 pm
To register please click the link below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/private-and-core-pesticide-applicator-training-tickets-11511185265

Experienced Grower Looking for a Nursery Position

An experienced grower/manger is looking for a wholesale management position at a nursery.  Email ststeed@ufl.edu for a resume.

FNGLA Event Supports the Future of Our Local Green Industry

The FNGLA Tampa Chapter keeps our local growers and landscapers growing in their professionalism.  The Chapter also informs and rewards youth in our area who are potentially interested in careers growing ornamental plants and landscaping.  The Tampa Chapter has rewarded many local college students in environmental horticulture and agricultural related fields with money to attend college.  In fact, the scholarships are given to local youth as a priority.  The Chapter also helps fund the youth plant show and sale and the landscape, nursery, and floriculture career development event awards as well as Ag-Venture program to educate third graders about environmental horticulture.

The Tampa Chapter is having a fund raising Corn-Hole Tournament event that will help to replenish the coffers to keep our youth projects going forward.  You can help by attending, participating, or becoming a sponsor.  Email tampachapter@gmail.com to attend.  More details can be found at http://www.tampafngla.com/


When: May 30th, 2014

Check-In and Warm-ups Start @ 11:30pm

Tournament Begins @ 1:00 pm

Cash Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place!!

Where: Keel & Curley Winery

5210 Thonotosassa Rd, Plant City, FL 33565

Entry Fee: $50 per 2-man team (non-refundable)

Spectator Bands available for $10

Entry into tournament includes food and non-alcoholic beverages

Beer &Wine available for purchase