Chesapeake Green 2010
Session Information
Day 1 - February 3
Registration
7:30 – 8:10 a.m.
Jumpstart Continental Breakfast, Registration, Networking and, Silent Auction
Symposium Opening
8:10 – 8:25 a.m.
Welcome
Jack Ford and Bernie Kohl
MGGGA Scholarship Presentation
Keynote
“Woman Speak” – The Differences between Selling to Women and Men”
8:30 - 9:40 a.m.
Holly Buchanan
Men and women have different brains, different communication styles, and different decision making processes. Are women being persuaded or turned off by your marketing messages and selling style? 80% off all purchases are influenced by women, so you want her on your side. No matter your particular niche in horticulture – be it grower, landscaper, or retailer - you need to understand how to appeal to women who, for the most part, control where money will be spent. Learn how to “speak woman” to connect with and grow your women customer base. We’ll look at which sales messages and channels are particularly effective for reaching women including the Internet.
Retail Garden Center Track
“Organic or Conventional? – What to Sell and Why”
10:00 - 10:55 a.m.
Carrie Engel
Brian Brannan
Valley View Farms
We are fully entrenched in the “green movement,” which means different things to different customers. Organic fertilizers are increasingly becoming popular, but some other traditional fertilizers appear to be permanent mainstays. So, what is the proper balance between organic and traditional to be selling in today’s garden center? And what are the pros and cons of each? Responsible garden centers don’t just sell a product because its “hot.” You have to know how and why it works, and in what situations. Join in this session, led by Carrie Engel, and learn what new organic products are available, understand their reduced impact on the Chesapeake Bay, and why some products are marketed as being better for the environment. Then compare these new products to traditional fertilizers to round out your overall product offerings.
“Using Personas to Create Personalized Customer Experiences”
11:00 - 11:55 a.m.
Holly Buchanan
News Flash! Not all your customers are alike. But you already knew that. So do you have to reinvent your sales process with every single customer? And what about those demanding, difficult customers? The good news is, almost everyone falls into one of the “four types.” We’ll look at the profiles of four different types of customers and have an interactive session to generate ideas for messages, products and experiences each one will love.
“Increasing Sales and Opportunity in the Garden Center”
1:00 - 3:10 p.m.
Scott Daly
Homestead Gardens
Join us in this two-hour interactive session as we study the basics of display design and then apply that knowledge and skill to increasing sales in the garden center. Scott Daly, merchandise manager at Homestead Gardens, will initiate this session with discussion and hands-on modeling of how to transfer a basic two-dimensional display into an attention grabbing three-dimensional “silent sale” presentation. This will be an interactive program, please come energized to actively participate.
Once these basics are mastered, Scott will add further depth to the discussion to advise on how to take down departmental boundaries in your garden center, to cross merchandise products from various departments to increase overall sales.
Note: this is a two-hour session, but a break will be offered mid-way. Also, Scott encourages attendees to bring photos, minimum size 10 x 12, to enable you to share and discuss your own display questions, ideas, and masterpieces!
“The Advent of the Edible Landscaper”
3:15 - 4:10 p.m.
Terry Freed
Hollybrook Orchards
The old-fashioned ‘victory garden’ is making a comeback, but is tagged with a new name – “the edible landscape.” This new landscape certainly incorporates traditional vegetable gardening, the mainstay of the victory garden, and common fruit trees, such as apple, pear and peach, but has kicked it up a notch to include some non-traditional products such as fig, pomegranates, and banana. And yes, these items can be grown in our Mid-Atlantic climes. Learn from local expert, Terry Freed, what products can be grown in our region, how to incorporate them into the landscape, and last but not least, how to take care of them so they will thrive. Don’t miss your chance to learn about these products and bring them into your company’s product line. Consumers are asking for them.
Greenhouse Track
“Water and Nutrient Management for Greenhouses - Getting the Biggest Bang Out of Your Fertilizer and Water”
10:00 - 10:55 a.m.
Cari Peters
J.R. Peters, Inc.
Fertilizer is a valuable tool in the production of quality plants. Cari Peters grew up in the world of nutrient management and will discuss the best types of fertilizer and methods for monitoring to make sure you are getting the maximum benefit for your quality plants. She has the knowledge and technical skills to help you improve the production quality of your plants.
"Strategic and Tactical Business Approaches in an Ever-Changing Business Environment"
11:00 - 11:55 a.m.
Ed Kiley
The Perennial Farm
The greenhouse business is in a state of flux. This session illustrates how to view your business strategically as well as tactically. The need to differentiate yourself in the marketplace has never been more important than today. Discover how to reinvent yourself and positively differentiate yourself to improve profitability and product demand.
“What is Hot and Making Money in Color Bowls, Hanging Baskets and Other Novelty Containers”
1:00 - 1:55 p.m.
Kerry Kelley
Homestead Gardens
Do you need a little more insight on how to clinch additional sales from your container plants? Kerry Kelley of Homestead Gardens will share her insights on how to grab the customer’s attention with great plant arrangements. Learn how to refine your talents in planning out and creating perfect display containers that will catch the public eye and help increase sales.
“Greenhouse Plants: What is New, Exciting, and Sure to Turn Your Customers’ Eyes in Your Direction?”
2:15 - 3:10 p.m.Brett Karp, Syngenta Horticulture Services; Chris Corwin, Ball Horticultural Company; Mike Montler, Pleasant View Gardens; Brad Kuklinski
New and repeat customers like to be inspired. Encourage and motivate your customers’ enthusiasm with new, stimulating plant selections that are guaranteed to enliven their senses and encourage sales. Four speakers will share their experience, expertise, and a lot of new material that your customers are sure to love.
“Fear Not the Tougher Crops”
3:15 - 4:10 p.m.
Angela Storm
Ball Horticultural Company
Now is the time to set your goals high and grow those really gorgeous plants that you have been shying away from growing. A more competitive market and economic climate is an opportunity to stand apart and grow that challenging plant that could increase your revenues in 2010, and that other growers do not have in their marketplace. Angela will soothe your worries and steer you through the maze of growing the beautiful but tough-to-grow plants that may be able to help bolster sales.
Nursery Track
“Forget the Nuts and Bolts – Re-examining and Renovating Your Nursery Business”
10:00 - 10:55 a.m.
Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery, Inc.
Starting a business from scratch is certainly a weighty chore, unbounded by countless decisions, operational scenarios, and sometimes even luck. But what do you do once your business is off the ground and running? Even successful businesses with years behind them in service need to evaluate what they are doing and how it’s being done, on a routine basis. Taking success for granted is usually not a wise way to manage. Join us in this session as Mr. Tony Avent focuses on the management specifics of today’s production nursery. Mr. Avent will get you thinking about the details often overlooked once a business is up and running successfully. From the decision making process of what to produce, how to produce it, and with what resources, Mr. Avent will ask you to challenge your notions and conceptions and make you think forward to actively protecting the future of your business. Engage in real thought process and actions to make a difference in how your business is run and managed.
“Off the Beaten Path - Plants to Delight and Plants to Excite”
11:00 - 11:55 a.m.
Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery, Inc.
Join us in this session where Tony will lead us through exploration of some of the more unusual and lesser known, but wonderful niche perennials, that make great garden specimens. Get a leg up on what varieties to add to your product mix now.
“Bringing Nature Home - Biodiversity in the Landscape”
1:05 - 2:00 p.m.
Dr. Doug Tallamy
University of Delaware
Achieving “biodiversity” in the landscape setting is one of the new buzzwords floating through the horticulture industry these days. But what does this term mean, and what does it entail for nursery growers, landscapers, and even retailers? How exactly does one achieve synergy between the planned landscape and natural ecosystem? Local authority, Dr. Doug Tallamy will introduce us to the concept of biodiversity and what it entails. Dr. Tallamy will discuss how landscapers can achieve synergy in the landscape environment, following the principles of biodiversity. This session will be of interest to our growers, landscapers, and retailers, as well, to achieve understanding of a new driving force in the commercial landscape and consumer markets. Don’t be caught off-guard. The nature of our business, literally, is changing right before us. We need to be on board as an industry, to provide for and be educated in the market demands of tomorrow.
“Root Management – Achieving the Healthiest Plants”
2:15 - 3:10 p.m.
Tracy Brieger, Hampton Roads Ag Research and Ed Ctr and Kristina Salzman,
City of Virginia Beach/ Dept Parks & Rec
Through her research, Dr. Bonnie Appleton has identified best management practices in the production nursery to produce plants with optimal root structures. It is reported that landscape architects are now not only judging the quality of a plant by looking at its trunk and foliage, but are also looking below the dirt surface, through air excavation, to see a plant’s root structure, before purchase. Can your plants survive such scrutiny? In this session, Tracy Brieger and Kristina Salzman, grad students studying under Dr. Appleton, will cover best management practices for optimal root health in a variety of scenarios, including the field nursery and container nursery.
“Oxygen Footprint – The Big Picture”
3:15 - 4:10 p.m.
Stan Sersen
EnviroCenter
For many years now, we’ve heard about our carbon footprint, and how each mile we drive, air flight we take, or bottle of water we drink contributes “X” carbon imprint on the world environment. As members of the original “green” industry, we all inherently know the value of the work we do and of the plants we produce, sell, install, and maintain. But how is it that we are now the perceived followers in the green movement? How do we change this perception and become the recognized leaders? And then – how do we bring our end-user customers on board to understand the value of plants? Consumers understand the value of hybrid cars, recycling, purchasing Energy Star appliances, but there seems to be a missing link between the value plants give to the environment and the value to which end-users (homeowners, developers, etc) attribute to them. We need to build the concept of “oxygen footprint” as common knowledge. Join in our discussion with Mr. Stan Sersen of the EnviroCenter, as we explore the opportunities to be proactive leaders and stewards not only of our environment, but our industry’s future.
Landscape Track
“Permeable Paving - Understanding and Using This Media to Achieve Efficiency in Water Flow”
10:00 - 11:55 a.m.
Pam Rowe, Montgomery County Dept of the Environment and Ken Cook, Ernest
Maier Block
Use of on-site runoff reduction practices, including permeable paving, is growing in the region, yet it is still uncharted territory for some landscapers. There are numerous benefits to managing stormwater runoff from a holistic landscaping perspective, but the landscaping practices must be carefully designed and installed (and maintained!) to achieve stormwater runoff reduction goals. In this two-part session, get up to speed on the environmental benefits of using rain gardens, permeable pavement, and other stormwater management techniques, as well as learn how to troubleshoot potential problems using good site assessments. Pam Rowe and Ken Cook have teamed up to give you a comprehensive session in runoff reduction and permeable pavement benefits such as management of rainwater and runoff, capture and re-use of water, and technical issues such as governmental permitting, consumer rebates and funding assistance and attaining LEED certification. In today’s world of green building and sustainable practices, effectively managing your runoff offers numerous advantages for not only the landscape contractor, but also the end user; expect consumer and commercial demand to rise for such services in the future. Be prepared and knowledgeable by attending this session.
“Bringing Nature Home - Biodiversity in the Landscape”
1:05 - 2:00 p.m.
Dr. Doug Tallamy
University of Delaware
Concurrent session with the nursery growers’ track; see description in nursery track
“LEED Certification – A Primer in LEED Standards”
2:15 - 3:10 p.m.
Stuart Kaplow
United States Green Building Council
Most are familiar with the acronym LEED. And many people in our industry know it is the U.S. Green Building Council’ s Leadership in Energy Engineering and Design green building standard, but do you know how you can benefit from green building? Green building in mandatory for all building in Baltimore City, Howard County, Montgomery County and elsewhere. Green is mandatory for nearly all government building. So how does our industry fit into the LEED metrics? Stuart Kaplow, vice chair and legal counsel of the U.S. Green Building Council – Maryland, will present a primer on the LEED rating standards, describing how you can better bid green projects.
“Oxygen Footprint – The Big Picture”
3:15 - 4:10 p.m.
Stan Sersen
EnviroCenter
Concurrent session with the nursery growers’ session; see description in nursery track.
Plenary Wrap-Up Session
“Mitigating Financial Risk Inherent in Your Operations”
4:15 - 5:00 p.m.
Bill Borsa, MidAtlantic Farm Credit and Gene Gantz, USDA Risk Management
Agency
You’ve spent the day most likely following one educational track or another, learning skills and strategies that apply specifically to your line of business. We are all here at Chesapeake Green to try keep ahead of the curve, and learn what’s coming down the pike, and what will be of issue to Maryland’s horticulture industry. Of common interest to all business owners is the mitigation of financial risk inherent in doing business. This wrap up session will address several strategies you can employ to reduce your risk of losing money. Bill Borsa, horticulture specialist with MidAtlantic Farm Credit will provide strategies to reduce your financial risk, when working with vendors and customers. Mr. Borsa will address how to extend credit in appropriate circumstances, how to evaluate the reliability of potential customers, and how to collect on payables that seem to extend too far into the future. Mr. Gantz, crop insurance specialist with USDA Risk Management Association, will bring you up-to-date on the latest offerings in crop insurance, outlining situations and “best” coverage options. Finish out your day, with this plenary session, to round-out your comprehensive risk-management plans.
Interiorscape Track
Note: Pesticide recertification credits will be awarded for attendance at the 11:00, 3:15, and 4:15 interiorscape track sessions.
“Going Green - How to Make Your Services / Your Business "Green"”
10:00 - 10:55 a.m.
Kathy Fediw
Johnson Fediw Associates
Kathy Fediw will discuss how and why your company can begin to be an eco-friendly firm. She will discuss methods and items that are “green” versus methods and items that are not, and begin to show you how you can implement these “green” methods and items into your overall operation. She will discuss what certifications mean and how to go about obtaining the certification for your business
“Bugs Bugging You?”
11:00 - 11:55 a.m.
Carol Glenister
IPM Laboratories, Inc.
Do you have those pesky spider mites, mealybugs, thrips, scale and fungus gnats on and in your plants? Carol Glenister of IPM Labs, will teach you the signs to look for so that you can identify them and will discuss the proper bio methods of control. Attendance at this course is required for pesticide recertification credits.
“Cutting Cost and Keeping Your Quality”
1:05 - 2:00 p.m.
Kathy Fediw
Johnson Fediw Associates
In this session, Kathy Fediw will present options and ideas to help your business cope with economic downturns so that when the up swing comes, your business will be running more efficiently. This discussion will include: cancellations - what steps you can take to help salvage them before they go bye-bye; being aware of your clients needs and, despite cut backs, keeping your customer service skills top notch.
“Bromeliads and Orchids – Where They Come From, Where They Go and How to Keep Them Looking Good”
2:15 - 3:10 p.m.
Carol Allen
Poplar Hill Horticultural Services
Carol Allen will present Bromeliads and Orchids for interiorscape color rotation options. In this presentation she will discuss which plants are most suited for certain types of applications, how they are typically grown as well as the safe handling and care of these plants for long term enjoyment.
“Interiorscape Pesticide Application Safety”
3:15 - 4:10 p.m.
Chuck Schuster
U of Maryland Extension
Chuck Schuster will discuss how to read a pesticide label, and the proper tools and safety equipments required to keep you, your staff, and the general public safe when applying pest control products on your interiorscape accounts. Attendance to this course is required for pesticide recertification credits.
“Pesticide Update; Recertification”
4:15 - 4:45 p.m.
Ed Crow
Maryland Department of Agriculture
Ed Crow will discuss the past season’s data and upcoming laws that may affect licensed pesticide applicators. Ed will briefly touch on record keeping, and training of you and your staff. Attendance to this course is required for pesticide recertification credits.
Day 2 - February 4
Pesticide Recertification
Greenhouse, Nursery, and Retail
“Life Without a Respirator: Soft Growing”
9:00 - 9:55 a.m.
Steve Hershfeld
Hillcrest Nursery, Inc.
Can you let it go soft and still maintain control of your insects, diseases, and fertility in your greenhouse? Find out from an experienced grower what it means to be pliable and greener in your greenhouse and still make money.
“Don't Starve Your Profit Center - Learn to Detect the Early Warning Signs of Nutrient Deficiences and Toxicities”
10:00 - 10:55 a.m.
Dr. Andrew Ristvey
U of Maryland Extension
You love your plants and they make you money, so make sure that you are treating them right and keeping their nutrition up to snuff. Andrew will make your life uncomplicated as he shows how to protect risks to your bottom line by preventing loss of revenue to nutritional excesses and deficiencies.
“Making Biocontrol Work in Greenhouses, Nurseries, and Garden Centers”
11:10 - 12:00 p.m.
Carol Glenister
IPM Labs
Carol will lay all your anxiety to rest about experimenting with biological control. She will teach you how, in the privacy of your operation, to delve into the biological control world.
“Using a Sprayer More Efficiently in the Greenhouse and Nursery”
1:00 - 1:55 p.m.
Dr. David Ross
University of Maryland
Coverage counts! Learn from the experience of others on how to make sure you are getting the maximum coverage and benefit from your sprayer equipment. Learn how proper use for you and your employees will save your business time and money.
“Pick the Best Pesticide for Controlling Insect and Diseases and Manage Development of Resistance in Greenhouses and Nurseries”
2:00 - 2:55 p.m.
Stanton Gill, U of Maryland Extension and Dr. Karen Rane, U of Maryland
Two things you can count on in greenhouses and nurseries - Disease and Insects. How do you manage these pests with the safest materials and prevent resistance from developing in your operation? Learn from the University’s “well of knowledge” team.
“Pesticide Update”
3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Ed Crow
Maryland Department of Agriculture
There are three sure things in life – death, taxes, and changes in the pesticide laws. Keep current with the fun-loving, and entertaining guys from MDA. Attendance at this session is mandatory to receive recertification.
Day 2 Breakout Sessions
Nutrient Management
“How to Make Sure You Are Getting Your Fair Share of Water’”
1:00 - 1:55 p.m.
Jerry Faulring
Waverly Farm
Your nursery or greenhouse cannot live without it – water. Make sure you are getting your maximum water allotment before it gets sparse. Jerry will walk you through his experience of dealing with the rules and regulations surrounding water and help to make sure your operation continues to receive its fair share of H20.
“Water Management in Greenhouses and Nurseries”
2:00 - 2:55 p.m.
Dr. Andrew Ristvey
U of Maryland Extension
You learned from Jerry Faulring how to get your fair share of water. Now, learn from Dr. Ristvey how to make the most efficient use of your allotted water. Let the water make money for you – not take it away through wasteful practices. Andrew will share his extensive knowledge in water management to help you maximize your profit and water use.
“Management of Aquatic Vegetation in Large Ponds and Sediment/Storm Water Ponds”
1:00 - 1:55 p.m.
Ray Bosmans
U of MD Home and Garden Info. Ctr.
If your landscape management assignments include ponds, this session will be very useful to help you better understand and manage them. The types of ponds covered will include recreational ponds as well as storm management ponds. This presentation will also include both plant and animal life commonly found in ponds. Ecologically sound management practices that address excessive aquatic weed and algae growth will be emphasized.
“Pollution Mitigation Value of Floating Wetlands in Stormwater Ponds – NRAC Project at Easton Club East”
2:00 - 2:55 p.m.
Dick Schuck
Maryland Aquatic Nurseries, Inc.
Dick Schuck, owner of Maryland Aquatic Nurseries, presents the results of the NRAC project at Easton Club East, which recently concluded. This project was to test the pollution mitigation value of Floating Wetlands in stormwater ponds. Nutrient uptake was measured over the course of one growing season. These data along with nutrient uptake data developed by UMCES in a fish effluent venue and by USDA in a swine lagoon venue will be compared. Before and after pictures of ponds will also be shown that indicate aesthetic improvements that were made as a result of aggressive maintenance actions. These improvements serve to shift community dissatisfaction with these ponds to community pride.
Landscape Contractor
“Plant Breeding Efforts to Develop Disease Resistant Plants”
9:00 - 9:55 a.m.
Dr. Margaret Pooler
U.S. National Arboretum
Can we breed ourselves out of plant problems? The answer is yes, we can. Come learn about the new disease and insect resistant plants released by USDA plant breeding program.
“From the Underground: Root Rots and Best Control”
10:00 - 10:55 a.m.
Dr. David Clement
U of Maryland Extension
Something smells here and it could be your plant roots. Protect your plants, reputation, guarantee risks, and bottom line by learning to check out your root problems with one of the leading experts in root rots.
“Vigorous Invasives - Weeds You Learn to Hate - Under Control”
11:10 - 12:00 p.m.
Lane Heimer
Maryland Department of Agriculture
In this session Lane, Heimer, Weed Control Specialist with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, will discuss some of the most pervasive invasives found in the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as provide tips on identification and control measures.
“Fearless Weed Control”
1:00 - 1:55 p.m.
Harry Kenney, CPS Professional Products and Chuck Schuster, U of
Maryland Extension
Controlling the difficult weeds in the landscape and turf does not always require the "big"guns. Look at the many options available to the landscape contractor to get control of the weeds before they attempt to control you. Stay ahead of the problems with proper ID, cultural controls methods and the latest chemicals in your arsenal.
“Phytophthora Root Rots and Stem Cankers - How to Recognize and Manage this Disease Group”
2:00 - 2:55 p.m.
Dr. Yilmaz Balci
University of Maryland
Phytophthora species are considered among the most damaging plant-pathogens. Their management is difficult due to their soil-borne nature. At the same time the threat posed by the recent introductions, or emergence of exotic/new species of Phytophthora provide a challenge to find new/better management tools. Early detection and eradication appears to be the most cost effective tool so the pathogen can be eradicated before its spreads to plant ecosystems. Recent developments on Phytophthoras as well as challenges faced in management practices will be presented.