VNLA Field Day
Wednesday, August 19at Merrifield Garden Center at their new location Gainesville, VA 
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VNLA Summer Tour
Behind the Scenes tours of the gardens at Mount Vernon and the American Horticulture Society's Headquarters at the River Farm
Thursday, August 20
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Advanced Virginia Certified Horticulturist Exam
Friday, September 11, 2009
1-5 p.m.
at Strange's Garden Center
West Broad St
Richmond
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2 Great publications with websites for resources and ideas for garden centers
Ideas for a profitable garden center
Leading the Revolution in Garden Retailing
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Fire Ant Quarantine Notice for Tidewater area
VDACS intends to establish a temporary quarantine of the movement of regulated articles in the lower Peninsula and greater Tidewater areas of Southeastern Virginia to areas outside the quarantined localities for the purpose of preventing the artificial spread of the Imported Fire Ant to uninfested areas of the state in the counties of James City and York, and the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg.
In order to address any questions related to the quarantine and help facilitate compliance, staff in the agency's Office of Plant and Pest Services will host two educational outreach events in July, one in Southside Hampton Roads and the other in the Peninsula, as indicated below.
July 1, 2009, 1-3 p.m. - Hampton Roads Agricultural Research & Extension Center, 1444 Diamond Springs Road, Room: 125 A & B, Virginia Beach, VA 23455
July 10, 2009, 10 a.m. - noon - Tabb Library, adjacent to lobby, 100 Long Green Blvd., Yorktown, VA 23693
In the meantime, I urge you to contact Mr. Larry Nichols, Program Manager, Office of Plant and Pest Services, if you have any questions. Mr. Nichols can be reached at (804) 786-3515 or
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Prevent the spread of Beach Vitex
(Vitex rotundifolia) in Virginia
Click here for PDF file
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scheduled at American University
July 16, 2009.
Hope to see you there!
Click here for information and registration brochure
Debbie D. Dillion, Urban Horticulturist, Loudoun County Extension
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Invasive Plants - A free seminar that will be presented at the Hampton Roads Ag. Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach on Wednesday, July 8 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am..
The title is: "The Role of the Nursery Industry in the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group" and it will be presented by my good friend Randall G. Prostak from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Randy was part of a committee in Massachusetts that evaluated the invasiveness of plants being grown by the nursery industry. Prohibited plants in Massachusetts include autumn olive, dwarf burning bush, Japanese barberry, and Norway maple. Randy will discuss how the list of prohibited species was developed. Randy's committee served as a bridge between the invasive plants groups and the nursery industry to form a proactive strategy to address this issue.
Here is a brief description of his presentation:
The Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group was formed in 1999 to address the invasive plant issue in Massachusetts. The group used a criteria-based evaluation system to assess 85 plant species for invasiveness in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources working closely with the nursery industry developed invasive plant regulation in 2006. Various other activities of the group and the role of the nursery industry will be discussed.
Jeffrey F. Derr Professor of Weed Science Virginia Tech Hampton Roads AREC 1444 Diamond Springs Road Virginia Beach, VA 23455 Phone (757) 363-3912 Fax (757) 363-3950 jderr@vt.edu
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Smart Irrigation Month Resources An opportunity to draw attention to water-saving products, practices and services. You are encouraged to use the Smart Irrigation Month logo to promote your commitment to efficient irrigation. A Homeowners' Center, an Industry Center, the logo and more free resources are available at www.SmartIrrigationMonth.org
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James Faiszt, retired Virginia Tech Department of Horticulture Professor died on June 23, 2009 at the age of 87. He taught landscape design and floral design as well as many cooperative extension short courses. |
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