Cornell Cooperative Extension of the
~~~Commercial Horticulture Electronic
Newsletter~~~
Volume 8, Issue 12
December 18, 2008
Participating Counties: Orange * Dutchess * Putnam *
Editor: Rosemarie S. Baglia
http://www.cce.cornell.edu
In this Issue:
Hudson Valley Nursery /Greenhouse School, January 14, 2009
Cornell Turf Grass Short Course and Advanced Turf Grass Courses offered January
19-23, 2009
Urban and Community Forestry Conference, January 28, 2009
Pesticide Reporting- Beginning of the Year Reminder
New Fungal Finding Could Mean Better Bio-Insecticide
Reflective Particle Films Improve Apple Quality
ARS Scientists and Cooperators Surveying for Rare Ladybugs
2009 Cornell Guideline Series Tentative Release Dates and Price List
Cornell Cooperative Extension 2008-2009 Horticulture Programs for Professionals
Other Professional Horticulture Programs of Interest
Pesticide Certification Information
County Commercial Horticulture Educators and Contact Information
Hudson Valley Nursery /Greenhouse School, January 14, 2009
This year’s Nursery/Greenhouse program includes a mix of topics to help growers
get through the 2009 growing season profitably. Learn how to manage crops
to save on heating costs and watch a demo of Virtual Grower, a computer
software program that allows you to design a virtual greenhouse and then
estimate the heating costs to grow different crops in it. Marketing and
pest management issues will be addressed by specialists from
Written by Teresa Rusinek,
Cornell Turf Grass Short Course and Advanced Turf Grass Courses offered
January 19-23, 2009
The week-long Turf Short Course is designed to provide
an overview of the latest research-based information regarding the art and
science of turfgrass management. World-renowned
This course has historically been attended by new professionals or for those
seeking to refresh their knowledge. However with the volume of new information
regularly coming on-line even the most seasoned professional will benefit from
hearing new ideas on fertilization, mowing, irrigation as well as the latest
IPM strategies
The half-week long Advanced Turf Short Course is designed for experienced
professionals in lawn, sports and golf turf, with particular emphasis on
managing turf on sand dominated systems and nutrient management to preserve
water quality.
Questions: Maxine Welcome at mw45@cornell.edu or call 607-255-5439
For more information and registration visit www.hort.cornell.edu/turfshortcourse.
Written by Jennifer J Stengle, Cornell Cooperative
Extension Putnam County
Urban and Community Forestry Conference comes to Westchester County Center,
White Plains, NY , Wednesday, January 28, 2009
This program is designed to give municipal specialists, community groups and
tree care professionals an update on various tree establishment and maintenance
practices in the urban landscape. A number of professional continuing
education credits will be available. This year's featured speaker will be
well-known researcher and teacher Dr. E. Thomas Smiley from Bartlett Tree
Research Laboratories and
Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of the
For further information, contact Stephanie Mallozzi
at sdm10@cornell.edu or (845) 677-8223 x 104; Rick Harper at rwh26@cornell.edu
or (914) 285-2622.
Written by Rick Harper, Cornell Cooperative Extension Westchester County
Pesticide Reporting- Beginning of the Year 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
New Fungal Finding Could Mean Better Bio-Insecticide
A method of culturing the beneficial fungus Metarhizium
anisopliae so that it churns out billions of tightly
bundled cells, called "microsclerotia,"
could mean even more moldy mayhem for soft-bodied ticks, termites and crop
pests including sugar beet root maggots.
Until 2004, Metarhizium wasn't known to produce the microsclerotia--among the toughest forms this fungus can
take to tolerate adverse conditions. Indeed, only plant-disease fungi were
thought to produce these sturdy cells. But now that the "secret" is
out, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists aim to exploit the
information to develop new, improved bio-insecticide formulations containing
the fungus.
Written by Jan Suskiw, USDA-ARS, September
4, 2008. To read the entire article, visit www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080904.htm
Submitted by Rick Harper, Cornell Cooperative Extension Westchester County
Reflective Particle Films Improve Apple Quality
Spraying apple trees with films that contain microscopic mineral particles may
improve the color of the fruit and increase its weight.
That's according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) research leader D.
Michael Glenn, who is studying these sprayable films
at the ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville,
W.Va.
Glenn and entomologist Gary Puterka, formerly at Kearneysville and now at the ARS Wheat, Peanut and Other
Field Crops Research Laboratory in Stillwater, Okla., conducted a multi-year
study in which sprayable particle films were
installed strategically in an orchard of Empire apple trees. The particle
film's microscopic layer of mineral particles allows water and carbon dioxide
to pass through the film.
With some trees, an aluminized plastic film (ALF) was applied to the grass
strip between the apple rows. With other trees, a sprayable
particle-based reflective film (PF) was applied to the trees as well as the
grass between the tree rows. A third group of trees received no treatment.
The ALF consistently improved apple color, while the PF increased red color in
apples in two of the three years of the study. When PF was applied to the grass
between tree rows, the average fruit weight was increased in all years of the
study, compared to the untreated trees and those that received the ALF
treatment.
Written by Sharon Durham, USDA-ARS, September 16,
2004. To read the full article, visit: www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080916.htm
Submitted by Rick Harper, Cornell Cooperative Extension Westchester County
ARS Scientists and Cooperators Surveying for Rare Ladybugs
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and cooperators are seeking the
public's help in surveying for once-common ladybug species that are now hard to
find.
Researchers with ARS,
These beetles were common 20 years ago, but have become harder to find in the
past few decades. There are more than 400 ladybug species native to
Written by Don Comis, USDA-ARS, September
18, 2008. Read the entire article at www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080918.htm
Submitted by Rick Harper, Cornell Cooperative Extension Westchester County
2009 Cornell Guideline Series Tentative Release Dates and Price List
The following is the FINAL price list and TENTATIVE release dates for titles in
the 2009 Cornell Guidelines series: (Note that prices INCLUDE shipping.)
Berry Crops
Release Date: Early January
Final Price: $25.00
Field Crops
Release Date: NOW AVAILABLE
Final Price: $21.00
Grapes
Release Date: Mid January
Final Price: $21.00
Greenhouse Floral Crops
Release Date: Late December
Final Price: $25.00
Herbaceous Perennials
Release Date: Late December
Final Price: $25.00
Tree Fruit
Release Date: Late January
Final Price: $35.00
Tree and Shrubs
Release Date: Late December
Final Price: $25.00
Turfgrass
Release Date: Late December
Final Price: $21.00
Vegetable Crops
Release Date: Mid December
Final Price: $30.00
To order these Guidelines online, please visit http://hosts.cce.cornell.edu/pmep/shop/.
For more information, or to order by phone, please call 607-255-7282.
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.
*Nursery/Greenhouse Grower's School
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Ulster BOCES Conference Center, New Paltz, NY
Contact: Teresa Rusinek 845-340-3990 or Rosemarie Baglia 845-344-1234
Nursery/Greenhouse Grower's School has been expanded to include a wider variety
of ornamental crops including perennials, shrubs and bedding plants. Get
the latest information on pest control, cultural controls, and other hot topics
from industry experts. Spend the day networking with professionals and
other growers.
*Urban & Community Forestry Conference
Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 8:15 am 3 pm
Location: Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY
Contacts: Stephanie Mallozzi 845-677-8223 X104, sdm10@cornell.edu
or Rick Harper 914-285-2622, rwh26@cornell.edu
This program is designed to provide tree care professionals, municipalities and
community groups with cutting edge research on tree planting, care and
maintenance in the community and urban landscape. This year's featured
speaker with be Dr. E. Thomas Smiley, Arboriculture Researcher from the
Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory and Adjunct Professor at
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/April 2009, date and location TBA
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
*2009 Empire State Green Industry Show
January 7-9, 2009
Rochester Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, NY
Contact: NYSTA at 800-873-8873 or visit www.nysta.org
*41st Annual Professional Turf and Landscape Conference
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY
Contact: NYSTLA at 914-993-9455 or visit www.nystla.com
Sponsored by the New York State Turf & Landscape Association. One of the largest
programs for the green industry in
*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.
Cornell Turfgrass Short Course
January 19-23, 2009
Cornell University Campus,
Questions and Registration: Maxine Welcome at mw45@cornell.edu or call
607-255-5439
For more information and registration visit www.hort.cornell.edu/turfshortcourse.
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
Pesticide Certification in
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
Some of the links provided are not maintained by Cornell Cooperative Extension
and
You have received this email because you indicated an interest in hearing about
the information included in