Join in with other garden lovers!
Two virtual half days: Tuesday, April 27, and Wednesday, April 28, 2021. REGISTER TODAY. Registration closes April 21
Open to the public via Zoom. Registered participants will receive a USB flash-drive containing all resources mentioned during the conference upon completing an evaluation after the meeting.
WELCOME MESSAGE- Christopher Watkins, Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science, Horticulture Section, and Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension. Chris conducts a post-harvest science research program with a major focus on apple production. His research and extension activities are statewide and include development and conduct of harvest maturity management, post-harvest handling, and storage technology from both basic and applied aspects. Besides being Director for Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), he is Associate Dean in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and College of Human Ecology.
KEYNOTE: PLANT HEALTH AND IPM: CREATING A LENS FOR GOOD HORTICULTURE – Don Gabel, Director of Plant Health, New York Botanical Garden. Don recommends and supervises implementation of plant health care activities and integrated pest management strategies. He’s responsible for diagnosing plant diseases, pests and cultural problems, and is responsible for prescribing treatments and maintaining an environment for optimum health of plants and trees throughout the Garden. These treatments include nutrient management, soil amendments, soil management, induced systemic resistance, mechanical, biological and chemical pest control. Don develops pest and cultural management schedules and keeps all participants notified of events. He educates staff on proper scouting and application techniques, and he maintains equipment and facilities used for the IPM program according to regulations.
Title: Plant Health and IPM: Creating a Lens for Good Horticulture
Over the next two days, you will learn about various aspects of growing vegetables. Join Don for a look at plant health and IPM as it relates to growing veggies, or any plant. Learn how to create a Plant Health/ IPM lens to help guide you in the creation and management of your vegetable and flower gardens.
Conference Session 1 – IPM AND ORGANIC: WHAT DO THEY MEAN FOR HOME GARDENERS? – Abby Seaman, Vegetable IPM Coordinator, NYSIPM Program.
Abby collaborates with researchers, extension educators, growers, and consultants to support and encourage the adoption of IPM practices by vegetable growers.
Virtual Table: DON’T GET TICKED NEW YORK: Resources from NYSIPM – Joellen Lampman, School and Turfgrass IPM Extension Support Specialist, NYSIPM Program. Joellen provides support for planning, conducting, and evaluating a comprehensive IPM educational outreach program within communities with an emphasis on IPM for schools and turfgrass settings. She is a regular contributor to the NYS IPM Program blogs ThinkIPM and The ABC’s of School and Childcare Pest Management. Joellen has also collaborated on research projects related to turfgrass pests, ticks, and pollinators.
Virtual Table: GARDENING THROUGH THE SEASONS – Jennie Cramer, Horticulture Program Director, CCE Tompkins County
Conference Session 2 – SETTING UP THE GARDEN (Planning for Success!) – Steve Reiners, Professor and Horticulture Section Chair, School of Integrative Plant Science, Horticulture Section, Cornell AgriTech. Steve Reiners is Professor and Chair of the Horticulture Section of Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science. Steve is a native of New Jersey and received his BS and MS from Rutgers University and went on to pursue his Ph.D. at Ohio State in Horticulture and Weed Science. He worked for five years as the Statewide Vegetable Specialist at Rutgers and came to Cornell in 1994. His research and extension efforts are designed to maintain and enhance the profitability and sustainability of New York vegetable farmers, both for the short and long term.
Steve will be discussing the 10 biggest mistakes people make when planning and planting their vegetable gardens and how simple changes will guarantee success.
Conference Session 3 – FROM THE GROUND UP – SOIL IS KEY – Joseph Heller, Urban Conservationist, USDA. Joseph Heller, Urban Conservationist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in New York provides on the ground collaborations with landowners, local and regional government and non-profit organizations to carry out USDA programs and policy on emerging and priority conservation issues such as urban agriculture, organic and sustainable farming methods and environmental justice.
Virtual Table: COMPOSTING- Adam Michaelides manages the Compost Education Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County (ccetompkins.org/compost). The Program encourages county residents to compost food scraps, yard waste and garden trimmings in ways that are easy, cost effective and environmentally and socially responsible. Every year, 15+ new Master Composter volunteers are recruited, trained and empowered to multiply efforts. These volunteers educate the public about home composting, help groups, engage people at events, and grow the next generation of composters (youth). The Compost Education Program is funded by the Tompkins County Department of Recycling and Materials Management.
Conference Session 4 – CHOOSING RESISTANT VARIETIES, SEED STARTING, BUYING TRANSPLANTS – Sharon Bachman, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, CCE Erie County
Watch for MORE GREAT TOPICS on Day Two!
And thank you to our Cornell Collaborators for their assistance in holding this year’s IPM Conference: Gemma Osbourne, Kim Paul, Elizabeth Lamb, Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, Mary McKeller, Jen Lerner, Karen J English, Debra Marvin, Amanda Grace.