Greenhouse Short Course slated for Sept. 13 at Reiman Gardens

Inside of a greenhouse. (Photo courtesy of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.)

Cutting-edge information for the greenhouse crop production industry

The eighth annual Greenhouse Short Course will be held Sept. 13 in the Garden Room at Reiman Gardens in Ames. The one-day course will offer greenhouse growers cutting-edge information on greenhouse crop production as well as the opportunity to be re-certified as a commercial pesticide applicator.

The program will be geared for any and all greenhouse growers, including commercial, research and public sectors.

“We are looking forward to an informative day with presentations from industry experts and growers,” said Dan Fillius, commercial vegetable and specialty crops specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “There will be great information for growers with smaller greenhouses who sell hanging baskets and bedding plants, on up to those who produce plugs and liners for wholesale sales.

Speakers include Janna Beckerman, professor of botany and plant pathology at Purdue University, talking about diagnostics and biofungicides; Chad Miller, associate professor of horticulture and natural resources at Kansas State University, discussing new annual and perennial plant materials;  and Neil Mattson, professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section, at Cornell University, on reducing water use and supplemental lighting options.

Evan Alderman, program specialist with the Pesticide Safety Education Program at Iowa State, will discuss personal protective equipment, safe handling/storage/security; and Chris Currey, associate professor of horticulture at Iowa State, will provide an update on new greenhouse research from Iowa State.

Attendees will also have the option to enroll for pesticide applicator recertification for categories 3O and 3G. In addition to morning and afternoon refreshments, lunch will be catered by Hickory Park, and a folder of the presentations for the day and greenhouse-related publications Iowa State from the past year will be provided to each attendee.

Pre-registration is $80 before Sept. 9, and late registration is $95 from Sept. 9-12. Pesticide sprayer recertification is an additional $45. Registration and all the details can be found at https://www.aep.iastate.edu/greenhouse/index.html.

For more information, contact Dan Fillius at [email protected] or 319-551-7200. Those with dietary restrictions should communicate their meal needs to Fillius.

Sponsors include Bartlett Instrument Co., Corteva Agriscience, Plantpeddler, Swift Greenhouses, and the Tessman Co.

Reiman Gardens is located at 1407 University Blvd., Ames.