Lincoln, Neb. —Nebraska Extension will offer ProHort Lawn and Landscape Update Workshops in late February for nursery and green industry professionals, public works employees, landscape managers, arborists, tree board volunteers, and cemetery and grounds keepers.
A pair of virtual workshops will be offered Feb. 19 and Feb. 26, available on Zoom. Interested people can attend one or both workshops. Expert speakers will cover turfgrass diseases, wildlife in turfgrass, trees and the changing environment, and countering emerald ash borer.
The workshops will run from 8-11a.m. Mountain Standard Time both Fridays. To register online, go to https://go.unl.edu/ProHort. Deadline to register is Feb. 12. Cost is $20 for one day or $30 for both days.
Registered participants can receive continuing education credits for the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and National Arborists Association (NAA).
For more Information contact Nebraska Extension in Scotts Bluff County, 4502 Avenue I, Scottsbluff, phone 308-632-1480. Or email Extension Educator Gary Stone at gstone2@unl.edu
Both days, Feb. 19 and Feb. 26, begin with a welcome at 8 a.m. MST. In addition to presentations by experts, the agenda will include online quizzes. Participants will compete for prizes in the quizzes.
The list of topics for the Feb. 19 program:
Weathering the Storms of Turfgrass Diseases: Turfgrass diseases are not always actively damaging the plant and require supportive environmental conditions and a susceptible host to inflict damage. Dr. Lee Miller, Turfgrass Pathologist, University of Missouri, who leads the MU Plant Diagnostic Clinic, will present research-based information to explain the interaction and swing it in the favor of a healthy plant.
Is Your Turf Another Animal’s “Home Turf”? Dennis Ferraro, Extension Educator, University of Nebraska – Lincoln School of Natural Resources and a regular contributor to NET’s “Backyard Farmer” TV program, will cover the basics of determining, preventing and resolving wildlife-turf grass complications in the landscape. Learn how to recognize the most common wildlife inhabitants of turf grass habitats and how to minimalize destruction and resolve conflicts from native wildlife. What are the safest, most effective and economically feasible solutions?
Topics for the Feb. 26 program:
It’s Not Easy Being Green: Trees in a Changing Environment. As long-lived urban denizens, trees endure and are often viewed as unchanging components of our communities. With changes in climate, development, and new pests, our community forests are facing increased pressure to do more with less. Learn about some of the challenges for our community trees and how to address those challenges from the speaker, Eric North, Assistant Professor of Urban & Community Forestry, University of Minnesota.
Countering Emerald Ash Borer (EAB): An In-depth Look at Common Systemic Insecticides. Learn about the three main insecticides used to treat EAB and other tree borers – imidacloprid, dinotefuran and emamectin benzoate – including the pros and cons of each, as well as modes of action, applications, and history. Speaker Dave Olson, Forest Health Specialist, Nebraska Forest Service, will also cover potential risks and limitations of each product. Olson’s work focuses on insects, diseases, and abiotic conditions impacting trees.