Tuesday, February 19, 2008 10:12 PM CST
Landscape industry program coming to Lake Land in March
By TONY BRATSCH
A new educational program for landscapers who represent area garden centers, nurseries and grounds maintenance companies will be offered on March 7. The program, “Landscape Industry School for East Central Illinois” is jointly sponsored by University of Illinois Extension and Lake Land College, and will be held at Lake Land College.
“This program was developed for area landscape professionals, in particular small-scale landscape and nursery contractors who install and/or care for commercial and residential landscapes” says Tony Bratsch, program coordinator and horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension. “This new school offers something for everyone in the landscape business, covering key topics to help keep your horticultural skills up to date and your business more profitable.”
According to Bratsch, specialists from the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University will address a wide range of issues related to landscaping and grounds care. Program topics include choosing adapted plants for landscape and nursery sales, turfgrass variety selection and maintenance tips, and landscape pest identification and management.
A new U of I Extension Web site designed to teach garden center and nursery employees about consumer use of pesticides will also be discussed, as well as other university resources. In addition, guest speaker Steve Wolke of Wolke’s Nursery, one of the largest wholesale nurseries in downstate Illinois, will provide insight into nursery and plant material trends and talk about the attributes of selected new plants. Dyke Barkley, Lake Land horticulture program director, and noted ornamental grass expert, will be discussing new ornamental grasses for the landscape.
Pre-registration cost for the program is $35 per person and $20 for each additional registration per company. Each registration includes lunch and session materials, and one copy of the “Commercial Landscape and Turfgrass Pest Management Handbook” per company represented. Registration is offered online at the Coles County Extension Unit Web site: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/coles or call the office at 345-7034 to register by phone. Pre-registrations must be received by Feb. 28 for lunch reservation purposes. Walk-in registration will be accepted on a first come first serve basis on the day of the meeting, depending on seating availability. Day of meeting cost is $40 per person, and will not include lunch.
The program will begin with check-in and registration at 8 a.m. in Webb Hall, room 081 on the Lake Land campus. It will conclude by 4 p.m.
For more information on the program, contact Tony Bratsch, program coordinator, at the Effingham Extension Center, 347-5126 or by email at bratsch@uiuc.edu.
Tony Bratsch is an Extension educator, horticulture, for University of Illinois Extension.
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