Purdue Extension Service
Purdue Extension Service
Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Subject: HORT ALERT, COMMERCIAL: New web page, upcoming program, Green Industry Working Group
January 22, 2008
Dear Professionals,
I have finally gotten around to creating a page on my website dedicated to local commercial horticulture programs and updates. Please bookmark the following site: http://www.ces.purdue.edu/ces/Vanderburgh/horticulture/comhort/index.htm .
Right now, I have posted links to several articles that were sent to me by one of the speakers at the 2008 Professional Landscape Management School, Dr. Chris Luley. These 4 articles provide detailed information on wood decay fungi. They are in PDF format; you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. Let me know if you have any problems accessing these publications.
On Friday, March 7, I will be hosting a videoconference on Deep Planting and Stem Girdling Root Research, hosted by Dr. Gary Johnson of University of Minnesota. The videoconference will run from 8 am to 11 am (Evansville time). The program is free, but I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know you’re coming, so I can have enough chairs and goodies available.
You can learn more about Dr. Johnson and his research at his website: http://www.forestry.umn.edu/people/facstaff/johnsong/index.html . You can also visit his excellent online publication on A Practitioner’s Guide to Stem Girdling Roots of Trees here: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD7501.html
I have been appointed to a new “Green Industry Working Group”, which is a committee dedicated to looking to identify the needs of professional horticulturists, such as yourself that can be filled through educational programming. This committee is made up of Extension specialists and county educators (such as myself), as well as individuals from various industry groups, including greenhouses, landscapers, nurseries, arborists, and lawn care companies.
The GIWG, as they are calling it, is not meant to replace our current programs, such as the Professional Landscape Management School. Their goal is simply to improve our ability of reach commercial audiences with the type of information they need, whether it’s in printed or electronic format, or in a standard “school” situation.
Why am I telling you this? Well... I was given a “homework” assignment, and I need your help to answer these questions:
1. Starting with the most important issue please list the top 5 BUSINESS ISSUES facing the green industry.
2. Starting with the most important issue please list the top 5 PLANT PRODUCTION AND MAINTENANCE ISSUES facing the green industry.
3. Starting with the most important need please list the top 5 EDUCATION NEEDS for the green industry.
If you have any information or feedback that you can share, please send it to me by March 10, which will give me time to consolidate it and send it up to the rest of the committee.