Cornell Cooperative Extension of the
~~~Commercial Horticulture Electronic Newsletter~~~
Volume 8, Issue 5
May 29, 2008
Participating Counties: Orange * Dutchess * Putnam *
Editor: Rosemarie S. Baglia
http://www.cce.cornell.edu
2008 Cornell Floriculture Field Day
On Tuesday, July 22, 2008,
After a welcome by Pat Hooker, Commissioner of the NYS Department of
Agriculture & Markets; and by John Lincoln, President of NYS Farm Bureau,
the morning educational seminars will feature: Rick Schoelhorn,
Director of New Products, Proven Winners, on Growing and Enjoying New Annuals,
John Sanderson on Insect Wars: Battling Some Big Pests*, and Neil Mattson on A
Prescription for Healthy Plants: avoiding common plant nutrient disorders in
the greenhouse and landscape*. (*= submitted for NYS DEC credits.)
In the afternoon, participants will visit the extensive plant trials which
include over 1,000 different annuals and perennials. Informal tours will
be led in the gardens by Cornell professionals (some provide DEC
credits). The annual beds are sponsored by the following companies: Ball
Flora Plant, Ball Seed, GroLink, Oro
Farms, Pan American, Proven Winners, and Syngenta
Flowers (seed and vegetative). Discover creative uses of plant material
while viewing entries in the 5th Annual Kathy Pufahl
Memorial Container Design Competition, or even better submit a container of
your own! Mixed containers will be displayed and judged with all proceeds
benefiting Crohn’s Disease research, Kathy’s favorite
charity. To enter the container contest; contact Karen Hall,
You may also be interested in attending a hands-on workshop “IPM In-Depth” for
ornamental producers July 21, 2008 from 1:00-5:00 PM on the Cornell
Campus. Would you like to get nose to nose with some thrips?
See what that grey fuzzy stuff on your plants really looks like? Find out
what’s going on inside your pots? You’ll have a chance to get hands-on
practice testing container media and looking at Botrytis and thrips. Warning! Participants will get their
hands dirty! This workshop has been submitted for DEC credits.
To register for these educational opportunities please watch for upcoming
mailings, or the New York State Flower Industries newsletter, or check-out the
Cornell website: http://www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/
(registration forms to be posted shortly). For questions and additional
information, please call Dolores Higareda at
607-255-1789 or email at dh29@cornell.edu.
Submitted by: Neil Mattson, Assistant Professor and Floriculture Extension
Specialist,
Cornell University
2008 Cornell University Landscape
Horticulture Short Course
Wednesday, July 23 – Thursday July
24, 2008, Cornell University Campus, Ithaca NY Note that this course is
scheduled between the Cornell Floriculture Field Day (July 22) and the New York
ReLeaf Conference (July 25-26) to make it easier for
you to attend several programs with one trip to Ithaca.
The program is for Arborists, Landscape Maintenance
Professionals/Designers, and Nursery Operators who wish to receive the latest
research information about topics that pertain to the design, establishment, and
care of landscapes. This day-and-a-half program will consist of classroom
instruction and on-site visitations in the
The cost of the full course is $125; Day 1 only
is $95 and Day 2 only is $60. Recertification credits will be offered for
NYS DEC Pesticide recertification credits; ISA, CNLP, and ASLA Professional
Continuing Education Credits will also be awarded. For more information
contact Paul Westin at 607-255-0165 (Voice) or email paw23@cornell.edu or Nina Bassuk at 607-255-4586 or nlb2@cornell.edu.
Submitted by Rick W. Harper, Cornell Cooperative Extension Westchester
County
CleanSweepNY is Coming Back to the Hudson Valley this
Fall
CleanSweepNY is a term used by state and
local governments to describe in one word any effort to remove cancelled,
unwanted, unusable, or otherwise obsolete pesticides from holders who may have
originally purchased these products during the course of agricultural or
non-agricultural business activities. CleanSweepNY
has also included the removal of mercury manometers and triple rinsed metal or
rigid plastic drums, pails, jugs, or bottles that formerly held crop protection
and other pesticide products. School chemicals are also accepted at CleanSweepNY collection events and are safely and properly
disposed of.
Preregistration is necessary and registration form
packets will be mailed to those wishing to participate.
CleanSweepNY collection events do not target the
general public since home and garden pesticides are accepted in Household
Hazardous Waste (HHW) collections. Commercially applied or larger quantities of
pesticides are usually excluded from local HHW collections. In
CleanSweepNY will be held the week of November 2nd in
three locations in the
For specific dates and more detailed information visit: http://www.cleansweepny.org/index.cfm
Submitted by Stephanie D. Mallozzi,
Combating the rising costs of energy is on everyone’s mind, whether you are a
retail or wholesale grower. The 2008 New England Greenhouse Conference
& Expo (Nov. 5-7 at the
On Thursday, November 6th, Eric Runkle from
improvements to more elaborate options to consider in any new
construction.
Finally, don’t forget that labor costs far exceed energy costs for most
operations! Come hear Lloyd Traven from Peace Tree
Farm speak on Labor Saving Technologies for the Small Grower. The New
England Greenhouse Conference & Expo is the largest nationally recognized
floriculture industry show in
To be added to our mailing list to receive the 2008 New England Greenhouse
Conference Program or for more information, contact: Cindy Delaney, Show
Coordinator, Delaney Meeting & Event Management, 1 Mill Street, Suite
301,Burlington, VT 05404, Phone: 802-865-5202, Fax: 802-865-8066, Email:
info@negreenhouse.org or visit our web site: www.negreenhouse.org
Submitted by Donna Cooke, Cornell Cooperative Extension Rockland County
Creosote Treated Wood
Article 27, Title 25, (27-2501 through 27-2513), of New York State Law,
requires that after January 1, 2008:
*Creosote or products containing creosote shall not be manufactured, sold or
used in this state. Wood treated with creosote that is in use in this state as
of such date may continue to be used in such use.
*Neither creosote nor any wood or other product treated with or containing
creosote shall be disposed of in this state, except in a permitted facility, in
a landfill permitted by the department and approved by the department to accept
this material and properly lined to prevent groundwater contamination, or by
any other method approved by the department.
*Neither creosote or any wood or other product treated with or containing
creosote shall be burned in any manner in this state, including in fireplaces
and stoves, except in a facility permitted to burn the specific type of
creosote waste.
*After January 1, 2008 the law explicitly prohibits creosote or products
containing creosote from being used or sold. Railroad ties, utility poles, or
materials that are treated with or otherwise contain creosote cannot be reused
for other purposes such as landscaping or retaining walls, except as
specifically provided for in the Title.
For more complete information on creosote treated wood go to: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/42394.html.
Submitted by Stephanie D. Mallozzi, Cornell
Cooperative Extension Dutchess County
Survey Projects Increased Vegetable Gardening
Rising gas prices combined with increased food costs
and a fluctuating economy are the likely causes of a significant new trend
developing in the gardening market. As reported in the 2008 Early Spring
Gardening Trends Research Report just released by the Garden Writers
Association Foundation (GWAF), more consumers plan to purchase garden vegetable
and fruit plants as part of their early spring gardening purchases.
In a national survey conducted last month, consumers were asked what types of
garden-related spending they expect to do for spring plants. Lawn and grass
expenditures take the lead (54%), followed by vegetable or fruit plants (39%),
annual flowers (38%), trees and shrubs (35%), and perennial flowers (31%). When
asked the same question in 2007, vegetable and fruit plants were fourth on the
list of priorities for consumer spending plans. Perennial flowers that held the
number two position in consumer spending expectations for 2007 are now in fifth
place for 2008.
While only one percentage point separates vegetable and fruit plants (39%) and
annual flowers (38%) for second place, vegetables leaped from a thirty-two
percent response in 2007 to a thirty-nine percent response in 2008 while annual
flowers increased from thirty-four percent to thirty-eight percent for the same
period.
Other findings from this newly released national consumer survey include:
The new dominance of Garden Centers and Local Retail Stores - first observed in
2007 -continued in 2008, with nearly half (46%) of consumers planning to shop
at these types of locations for most of their spring garden plants.
Since 2005, the "Quality over Price" attitude has been strongly
evident among consumers. In 2008, about half (48%) of consumers said they value
Best Quality as an important plant selection attribute, while about a quarter
valued a Trained and Educated Sales Staff and Best Prices (26% and 23%, respectively).
In the past, Ease of Care and Color - together - dominated several criteria for
spring plant selection, but this year Ease of Care jumped significantly in
importance (from 46% in 2007 to 58% in 2008) in terms of influencing spring
plant selection purchase decisions.
When it comes to garden-related products, consumers are most inclined to buy
products labeled organic or natural Plant Food or Fertilizer (35%), Pest
Control Products (32%), Garden Fruit and Vegetable Plants (31%), Potting Soil
(31%) and Garden Mulch (27%).
This spring, more than a third of consumers will use the Internet to research
plant or product information (38% vs. 34% in 2007). Nearly a fifth (17%) will
use the Internet for garden design inspiration (up from 10% in 2007), while a
tenth will use the Internet to purchase gardening supplies and plant materials
or seeds (11% and 10%, respectively).
The 2008 Early Spring Gardening Trends Research Report was conducted February
4-10 and covers consumer expectations and attitudes for activities and
purchases planned for March through May. The survey was conducted by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, a national consumer
polling organization, and statistically represents the attitudes of over 100
million households with an accuracy of 95% (+/- 3.1 percentage points).
The 2008 Early Spring Gardening Trends Research Report is the first of four
national consumer surveys planned by the GWA Foundation for 2008. It is now
available online free to all GWA members. Visit http://www.gardenwriters.org/Trends/IndexTrend.html
or go to the Garden Writers Association website at www.gardenwriters.org http://www.gardenwriters.org and
select the Gardening Trends Research tab. Choose 2008 reports and follow
the online instructions. For further information, contact the GWA at
703.257.1032 or info@gardenwriters.org.
Submitted by: Elizabeth M. Lamb, New York State Integrated Pest Management
Program Coordinator, Ornamentals IPM
New Interactive Plant Manager
Makes Diagnosing Pests Easy in Northeast
The Interactive Plant Manager, a new online guide from the New York
State Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program, helps you diagnose and deal
with insect pests of ornamental trees and shrubs. Search from the homepage by
pest name, plant name, signs, and symptoms to learn what's eating your plant
and what to do about it. Our easy-to-read fact sheets include range maps,
photos of pests and the damage they cause, and life-cycle charts to help you
time least-toxic controls.
"What a great resource -- a one-stop shop for pest questions," says
Margaret Fox-Jackson, a landscape designer who helped test the website.
"It's a real convenience for the industry." Landscapers,
arborists, nursery growers, landscape architects, extension educators, and
homeowners -- all can use the concise yet comprehensive materials. Also
available: quick links to pesticide guidelines and other resources.
"We anticipate using this website with our clients to help them understand
their landscape problems," says Gary Carbocci,
an arborist with Goldberg and Rodler Tree Care.
"It's something we've all needed."
The Interactive Plant Manager focuses on the most common insects of
Integrated pest management seeks least-toxic ways to deal with pests. To
learn more about IPM, go to www.nysipm.cornell.edu
. Contact: Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann,
jlg23@cornell.edu, 631 420 2022.
Submitted by: Gary Couch,
NYSDEC Office of Invasive Species Newly Formed
With invasive species proliferating throughout
The new Office of Invasive Species will bring together biologists and foresters
to develop ways to combat the problem, and work with universities, other state
agencies and non-profit organizations to support research and raise public
awareness.
The new office will aid efforts to craft an integrated map that pinpoints invasives in and near
Some of the more well-known invasive species in
To find more information, go to DECs Invasive Species
page on the Web: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/265.html.
Submitted by Stephanie D. Mallozzi,
Value of New York Floriculture Production Decreases
The number of commercial growers decreased for the fifth consecutive
year. During 2007, there were 698 growers. The open ground area
used to produce floriculture crops in the state was down 11 percent to 838
acres. Greenhouse space for operators exceeding the $10,000 sales level
decreased 4 percent to total 24.2 million square feet in 2007. This
decrease brought the total covered area (offset by an increase in shade and
temporary structures) down to 24.8 million square feet, 3 percent less than 2006.
Nationally, the total wholesale value of floriculture crops grown by operations
with $100,000 or more of sales in the 15-State program is $3.94 billion for
2007, up 2 percent from the revised 2006 total. These largest operations
account for 96 percent of the total value of floriculture crops, but comprise
only 47 percent of all producers. Bedding and Garden plants wholesale
value of bedding and garden plants, at $1.76 billion, is down 3 percent from
the previous year. Potted flowering plants for indoor or patio use are valued at $661 million, 6 percent more than in
2006. The value of 2007 foliage plant production, at $630 million, is up
19 percent from the previous year. Value of cut flowers, at $416 million,
is up 1 percent, while cut cultivated greens, at $92.5 million, is down 5 percent from 2006.
Additional details are available in The Floriculture Crop Summary - 2007",
released April 24, 2008. It is available on the Internet at www.nass.usda.gov or by calling
this office at the number listed above.
Submitted by Teresa Rusinek, Cornell Cooperative
Extension Ulster County
2008
Winter injury to Japanese red
maple is becoming apparent --scorched leaf margins and wilting, especially in
poorly sited specimens. Lab findings in recent weeks include Pine Spittle
bug, Pine needle scale, Pine bark beetles, Magnolia scale and Spruce needle
miner. We've also seen evidence that some landscapers do not always use
herbicides carefully. Drift and/or overuse may have caused unusual bud
shapes on a mature
Submitted by Dianne Olsen,
Cornell Cooperative Extension
2007-2008 Horticulture Programs for Professionals
Cornell Cooperative
Extension of the
*Christmas Tree Twilight Meeting
July 2008, 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 2008, date and location TBA
Contact: Rosemarie Baglia (845) 344-1234
Other Professional Horticulture
Programs of Interest
Floriculture
Field Day
July 22, 2008, Cornell Campus,
5th Annual Kathy Pufahl Memorial Container Design
Competition
To register for the program or for contact Dolores Higareda
at 607-255-1789 or at dh29@cornell.edu
or visit http://www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/
(registration forms to be posted shortly). To enter the container
contest; contact Karen Hall,
Landscape Horticulture 2008 Short Course*
Cornell campus on
July 23-24, 2008 (starting at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 7/23 and concluding at
noon on Thursday, 7/24). Contact Paul Weston, Woody Ornamentals
Entomologist, Department of Entomology,
NYS Releaf Conference
July 25-26, 2008,
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.
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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