Cornell Cooperative Extension of the
~~~Commercial Horticulture Electronic Newsletter~~~
Volume 9, Issue 1
January 29, 2009
Participating Counties: Orange * Dutchess * Putnam *
Editor: Rosemarie S. Baglia
http://www.cce.cornell.edu
In This Issue:
- Pesticide Reporting - Final Reminder
- Arborist Certification Training
- Landscaping in a Changing Climate Returns to SUNY-Rockland
- New Sustainable Landscaping Guidelines Developed in Conjunction
with
- Floriculture Production Survey
- New Online Video Shows Green Practices to Manage Stormwater Runoff
- Pink Hibiscus Mealybug Pheromone Licensed
- 2009
- Cooperative Extension 2008-2009 Horticulture Programs for
Professionals
- Other Professional Horticulture Programs of Interest
- About Pesticide Certification
Pesticide Reporting - Final Reminder
As the New Year begins, we take time to look back on
2008 and make sure we have kept up with our records. Which items or
services did consumers purchase? What plants did we grow particularly
well? Any nutritional problems that we want to avoid next season? What
pests and diseases did we encounter? And of course, what pesticide applications
did we make?
Every COMMERCIAL applicator and technician is REQUIRED to file an
annual report even if they did NOT make pesticide applications. (If you
have a private pesticide applicator’s license, you need to keep records, but an
annual report submission is not required.) If you were commercially
certified during ANY portion of 2008 you must submit a 2008 PRL
report. Every commercial permittee is required
to file an annual sales report, even if they did NOT make sales last
year. Reports are due no later than February 1.
To file electronically, please visit www.nysprl.com
for E-filing options. If you wish to email your report as an attachment,
please email prlfiles@nysprl.com. To download forms that can to be printed,
filled in and mailed back to the DEC, visit www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/27506.html.
Mail your completed reports to NYSDEC, Pesticide Reporting & Certification
Section,
Submitted by Rose Baglia, Cornell Cooperative
Extension Orange County
Arborist Certification Training
Wednesday, February 11th & 18th, 2009, 12:30 – 5 pm
Wednesday, March 4th & 11th, 2009, 12:30 – 5 pm
Certification Exam: Friday, March 27, 2009, 8:30 am (doors open at 8:00 am)
Location: Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess
County - Farm & Home Center, 2715 Route 44, Millbrook, NY 12545
Contacts: Rick Harper 914-285-2622, rwh26@cornell.edu
or Stephanie Mallozzi 845-677-8223 X104, sdm10@cornell.edu
A training program designed to assist green industry professionals in obtaining
the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist
designation. Topics will include tree biology, pruning, pest management,
and safe work practices. Sessions will also offer ISA Continuing
Education Units (CEU's) and NYS DEC Pesticide
Recertification credits for certified arborists & licensed pesticide
applicators.
Hudson Valley Horticulture subscribers may register by opening and completing
the attached flier in pdf format.
Submitted by Rose Baglia,
Landscaping in a Changing Climate Returns to SUNY-Rockland
Back by popular demand, the Landscaping in a Changing Climate conference
returns again to SUNY-Rockland on March 13, 2009. This all day program
will once again bring you the latest in “Green Landscaping” techniques
Benjamin Cook from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory will open the
conference with an with an update on what has happened recently with our
changing climate and how it has affected the flora and fauna here in the Hudson
Valley. He will use data collected at the Mohonk
Preserve in New Paltz. Our second lecture will
be a stormwater regulations update from NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation, followed by Tom Smith of Garden State
Koi discussing a new rainwater reclamation system.
Following a hot buffet lunch we have three popular speakers from
Submitted by Rose Baglia, Cornell Cooperative
Extension Orange County
New Sustainable Landscaping Guidelines
Developed in Conjunction with LEED Green Building Rating System
There is an exciting new initiative under way
that will answer all of your questions on how to do ‘Green Landscaping” in
conjunction with our new green buildings. The initiative is designed to
supplement the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification programs
and those o f other green rating systems. As a major stakeholder in
the Initiative, the
The Sustainable Sites Initiative Guidelines
and Performance Benchmarks – Draft 2008 is the product of more than two
years of work by a diverse group of experts in soils, hydrology, vegetation,
materials and human health and well-being. It is expanded and updated from the
Preliminary Report which was released in November of 2007. This report focuses
on measuring how a site can protect, restore and regenerate ecosystem services
– benefits provided by natural ecosystems such as cleaning air and water,
climate regulation and human health benefits. This report contains over 50
draft prerequisites and credits that cover all stages of the site development
process from site selection to landscape maintenance.
The Initiative worked to develop sustainable
land practices that will enable built landscapes to support natural ecological
functions by protecting existing ecosystems and regenerating ecological
capacity where it has been lost. The guidelines in this report can be applied
right away to support new sustainable practices wherever possiblewith
the understanding that the benchmarks today are still a work in progress.
To read or download the entire 180 page report, go to http://www.sustainablesites.org/report/
Submitted by Rose Baglia,
Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County
Floriculture Production Survey
The National Agricultural Statistics Service began telephoning producers who
had not yet returned their Floriculture Production questionnaire.
Producers who have not yet returned their survey are asked to do so as soon as
possible. Producers who do not mail in their survey and who are unable to
be contacted by telephone will be interviewed in person.
The annual survey of Floriculture Production was mailed in December and January
to all commercial producers of cut flowers, flowering and foliage plants,
bedding plants, or cultivated florist greens in
To maintain accurate information for the industry, the continued cooperation of
commercial producers is necessary. A commercial producer is defined as
one who earns $10,000 or more in gross annual sales.
Any producer with questions about the survey may call Bill Blackson
or Brent Farley at 1-800-821-1276.
Submitted by Teresa Rusinek, Ulster County Cornell
Cooperative Extension
New Online Video Shows Green Practices to Manage Stormwater
Runoff
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Botanic Garden produced
an on-line video , "Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down,
Spread It Out, Soak It In," that highlights green techniques such as rain
gardens, green roofs and rain barrels to help manage stormwater
runoff. The film showcases green techniques that are being used in urban areas
to reduce the effects of stormwater runoff on the
quality of downstream receiving waters. The goal is to mimic the natural way
water moves through an area before development by using design techniques that
infiltrate, evaporate, and reuse runoff close to its source. The video
highlights green techniques on display in 2008 at the U.S. Botanic Garden's
"One Planet Ours!" Exhibit" and at the U.S. EPA in
http://www.epa.gov/greeninfrastructure
Submitted by Rose Baglia, Cornell Cooperative
Extension, Orange County
Pink Hibiscus Mealybug Pheromone Licensed
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has granted an exclusive license to
South Carolina Scientific, Inc., of Columbia, S.C., to produce and market an
ARS-developed insect sex pheromone that can help control the pink hibiscus mealybug, a crop pest that can cause up $750 million in
damage annually to U.S. crops.
Chemist Aijun Zhang at the ARS Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory in
The pink hibiscus mealybug is native to Asia, but
appeared on
The sex pheromone, placed inside sticky traps, effectively monitors and traps mealybug males in the field by drawing them into the traps.
The initial pheromone development was performed under a research agreement
between ARS and South Carolina Scientific, Inc. Work is now under way to
improve the process for chemically producing the pheromone.
By luring males to traps, the sex pheromone would provide a much more
economical, convenient, and useful detection and monitoring tool. There's also
a second potential control strategy. Zhang found that relatively high
concentrations of the pheromone repel males away from the source. In this
scenario, the pheromone could control the pest by disrupting mating.
Another advantage of the pheromone, Zhang found, is that natural enemies, or
biological controls, of the pest aren't lured to the pheromone source. This
allows scientists to chart the effectiveness of the biological controls used to
combat the mealybug without artificially
concentrating these natural enemies near the traps.
Written by Sharon Durham, USDA-ARS, December 16, 2008
To read more, visit: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/081216.htm
Submitted by Rick Harper, Cornell Cooperative Extension Westchester
County
2009 Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Turfgrass
is available
The next title in this year's Cornell Guidelines series, the 2009 Pest
Management Guidelines for Commercial Turfgrass is
available and ready for distribution from the Pesticide Management Education
Program Educational Resources Distribution Center.
Ordering Information:
Item Code: TG-09, List Price: $21.00 (shipping INCLUDED)
Customers may visit their local Cooperative Extension office, submit orders
directly via phone at (607) 255-7282 or via the website at http://hosts.cce.cornell.edu/pmep/shop/.
In addition to the annually updated pesticide and pest management information,
highlighted changes in the 2009 Turfgrass Guidelines
include:
Revised pesticide safety information.
Addition of moss control options.
Addition of plastics recycling information.
Submitted by Rick Harper,
Cornell Cooperative Extension
2008-2009 Horticulture Programs for Professionals
Pesticide Recertification Credits will be awarded at programs marked * pending
NYS DEC approval. In addition, ISA, SAF, and NYS licensed landscape
architect continuing education credits (CEU's) may be
available for certain programs. Please contact the facilitating educator
for more information on specific programs. All dates subject to change.
*Arborist Certification Training
Wednesday, February 11th & 18th, 2009, 12:30 – 5 pm
Wednesday, March 4th & 11th, 2009, 12:30 – 5 pm
Certification Exam: Friday, March 27, 2009, 8:30 am (doors open at 8:00 am)
Location: Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess
County - Farm & Home Center, 2715 Route 44, Millbrook, NY 12545
Contacts: Rick Harper 914-285-2622, rwh26@cornell.edu
or Stephanie Mallozzi 845-677-8223 X104, sdm10@cornell.edu
A training program designed to assist green industry professionals in obtaining
the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist
designation. Topics will include tree biology, pruning, pest management,
and safe work practices. Sessions will also offer ISA Continuing
Education Units (CEU's) and NYS DEC Pesticide
Recertification credits for certified arborists & licensed pesticide
applicators.
*Landscaping in a Changing Climate
March 13, 2009
SUNY-Rockland,
Contact: Rosemarie Baglia 845-344-1234, Marianna Quartararo 845-292-6180, or Jennifer Stengle
845-278-6738
Our changing climate poses some challenges for
landscapers. This program will address the predicted climatic changes and
issues surrounding landscaping for extremes in temperature and moisture such as
stormwater management, drought tolerant and moisture
tolerant plants, building healthy soils, and energy efficient landscaping
techniques.
*Christmas Tree Twilight Meeting
July 2009, date and location TBA
Contact: Stephanie Mallozzi 845-677-8223 x104, Teresa
Rusinek 845-340-3990, or Rosemarie Baglia 845-344-1234
This is a hands-on, in the field program focusing on professional Christmas
tree production issues.
*Sports Turf Program
Spring/Summer 2009, date and location TBA
Contact: Rosemarie Baglia 845-344-1234
Other Professional Horticulture
Programs of Interest
*NYSTA SE Regional Turf Conference
Wednesday, February 24 & 25, 2009
Contact: NYSTA at 800-873-8873, visit www.nysta.org, or email jill@nysta.org
Sponsored by the New York State Turfgrass
Association. There will be a trade show and a number of program tracks
running concurrently, including Building Your Skills, Golf Turf,
Lawn/Landscape.
NYS Releaf Conference
July 16-18, 2009
Pratt Institute,
Contact: Mary Kramarchyk at 518-402-9412
Certified Landscape Technician Training
Contact: NYSTLA at 914-993-9455 or visit www.nystla.com.
An optional national testing program to recognize proficiency
of qualified landscape professionals.
Certified Nursery Professional Training Program
Contact: In Dutchess, Putnam & Westchester:
Scott Olivieri, 914-682-4224;
In Orange, Rockland & Ulster: Mark Masseo
845-658-9148
By passing this exam you can earn the title Certified Nursery Professional
(CNP). Contact your New York State Nursery and Landscape Association,
listed above, for more details.
If you apply pesticides,
including weed-killers, weed and feed products, insecticides, fungicides, or
tick control products to customer's properties for hire, you or someone in your
company must be a New York State Certified Pesticide Applicator through the New
York State Department of Environmental Conservation and have your business
registered. There are now three levels of commercial certification:
applicator, technician, and apprentice.
For Commercial Applicators
To be eligible to take the
exams to become certified, you must meet one of the following requirements:
· 3
out of the past 5 years of verifiable experience as an apprentice working in
the category applicant is seeking certification in; or
· 3
out of the past 5 years as a certified private applicator in a corresponding
private category; or
· Certification
in another State with which New York has reciprocity; or
· if
seeking certification in the Sales Category - At least 3 years experience in
the sale of pesticides, or can demonstrate, through applicable training
certifications or education degrees, that one possesses appropriate technical
background.
Certified Pesticide Technician
· be
at least 17 years of age.
· 2
years of verifiable experience as an apprentice; or
· completion
of a 30-hr. training course, approved by the Department or a baccalaureate or
associate degree from an accredited college or university in the area seeking
certification. These are offered at the following:
Westchester Community College: (914)
785-6830
Dutchess
Community College: (845) 431-8904
ATC: (845) 657-7027
For technicians, once certified, desiring full applicator status the following
documentation is required: a letter indicating 2 yrs. of experience or 1 yr. of
experience plus 12 recertification credits. Experience and recertification
credits must be category or sub-category specific.
Pesticide Apprentice
· Must be at least 16 years of age.
· Must receive 40 hours of pesticide use experience under
supervision of a certified applicator and a minimum of 8 hours of instruction
on topics outlined in Section 325.18 of Part 325 Rules & Regulations
relating to the application of pesticides, before being able to apply general
use pesticides under the off-site direct supervision of a certified applicator.
· Documentation
of the above must be maintained by the certified applicator, and include: name
& address of apprentice; date(s) of instruction or observation; content of
training and certification category; instructor's name and certification
identification number; and an evaluation of the competency of the apprentice.
For Private Applicators:
· Must be at least 17 years old.
· Have
at least one year of full-time experience within the last five years in the use
of pesticides in the category in which certification is requested – OR
· Has completed a 30-hr. training course, or has received an
associate's or higher level college degree in the area of which certification
is requested.
For further information on eligibility rules
and regulations, and fees, contact the NYSDEC Region 3 Pesticide Staff at (845)
256-3097.
Eligible candidates for certification must attend a training session, and pass
two examinations, administered by the NYSDEC and held in conjunction with Cornell
Cooperative Extension. Once you determine you are eligible for certification,
contact your county's Cornell Cooperative Extension office for information on
registering for the training class and exams. Contact your local CCE educator
to find out training and exam dates for your county in the
Cornell
Cooperative Extension County Commercial Horticulture Educators
Dutchess: Stephanie Mallozzi, sdm10@cornell.edu, 845-677-8223 x 104
Orange:
Rosemarie Baglia, rsb22@cornell.edu, 845-344-1234
Putnam: Diane
Olsen, dko3@cornell.edu, or Jennifer Stengle,
jjs95@cornell.edu, 845-278-6738
Rockland:
Donna Cooke, dmc72@cornell.edu, or Paul Trader, pwt2@cornell.edu, 845-429-7085
Ulster: Teresa Rusinek, tr28@cornell.edu, 845-340-3990
Westchester: Rick
Harper, rwh26@cornell.edu, 914-946-3005
Sullivan:
Marianna Quartararo, mdq2@cornell.edu, 845-292-6180 x
112
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mention of trade
names and commercial products is for educational purposes; no discrimination is
intended and no endorsement by Cornell Cooperative Extension or Cornell
University is implied.
Pesticide recommendations are for informational purposes only and
manufacturers' recommendations change. Read the manufacturers' instructions
carefully before use. Cornell Cooperative Extension and
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