Smart Gardening Conference

Registration is now open for the 2012 Smart Gardening Conference.

Conference Date: February 25, 2012

Time:  7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Registration Fee:  $30 until February 23 ($40 at the door)  The fee includes all conference sessions, continental breakfast, boxed lunch and vendor shopping.  

Detailed descriptions of the sessions are below. 

To print a registration form and pay by check, click here and follow mail-in instructions. 

To register and pay by credit card, click here.   Decide your first and second choice for each breakout before clicking to pay by credit card to make the process easier.

 

Public Service Announcement 

To print an event poster, click here.

For complete biography of speakers, click here.

Opening Keynote

Sustainable Trends in the Nursery Industry, Home Garden and Workplace: A Global Perspective - Nicholas Staddon, Director of New Plant Introductions, Monrovia

Sustainability is the buzz word these days. It’s on the tip of everyone’s tongue but it is really more about responsibility. Nicholas will provide us with a behind the scenes look at what is really going on in the nursery industry when it comes to sustainability and conservation of resources. We will also look at some of the great work that is being done in gardens and offices. Knowing Nicholas, he will be using plants and trends as examples of sustainability as well. That’s the thing about this boy; he’s never far from his plants!

10:00 Breakout Sessions

 The Square Foot Garden – Bev Servadio and Cathy Ronk, UCCE Master Gardeners, Tulare/Kings County

 Square Foot Gardening is an easy to understand method that is adaptable to all abilities. Raised beds are filled with good growing medium and planted based on the spacing plants need per square foot. 100% of the crop is grown in 20% of the space. This presentation will provide you with information on a from the ground up perspective in planning, building and planting your Square Foot Garden.

Choosing Landscape Trees to Achieve That Special Look - John Pape, Certified Arborist

John will discuss what particular looks one could pursue in the total landscape and what trees would help fulfill that goal. He will also discuss how to find the appropriate tree to fill certain spaces considering factors such as exposure, style, future maintenance, root structure, and by-products/litter.

Growing Luscious Fruit in Small Gardens – Pamela Geisel, Director, ANR Statewide Master Gardener Program

 There is space in every garden for some fruit producing tree, bush, or vine.  Find out from Pam, co-author of the best selling Backyard Orchard Manual, what techniques you can use to grow fruit in small spaces.

Going Native: Incorporating Native Plants into Your Landscape – Bonnie Bladen, Intermountain Nursery, Prather

California native plants for landscape purposes are increasingly available at local nurseries. There are many reasons to consider using them in residential and commercial installations, such as drought tolerance, creating wildlife habitat and using green practices while gardening. Learn which native plants are tried and true performers and work well in Central Valley landscapes.

Choosing Lawns and Lawn Alternatives – Michelle Le Strange, Tulare/Kings County UCCE Turf & Landscape Farm Advisor

Lawns and groundcovers play an important role in almost every home landscape and seem to require a lot of maintenance and water to look good. When water availability becomes an issue, the lawn is always targeted as a water hog. Michelle will show you ways to effectively use the lawn in a valley landscape, discuss types of lawns and varieties best suited for the San Joaquin Valley, give tips to minimize maintenance time, and suggest several broadleaf groundcovers that can be used instead of a grass lawn.

11:00 Breakout Sessions

 Gardening Central Valley Style – Peyton Ellas, UCCE Master Gardener, Tulare/Kings County

Learn how to design and manage your Central Valley style landscape, working with our climate instead of against it. Peyton will explain and define the five guidelines common to this style, with tips on plant choices, irrigation and maintenance practices that can turn any themed landscape into a Central Valley Style garden.

Selecting and Growing Grapes in Your Own Backyard – Stephen Vasquez, Fresno County UCCE Viticulture Farm Advisor

 Planting and maintaining a home vineyard can be a pleasant gardening experience enjoyed by the entire family. A home vineyard can be a garden’s focal point, inspiring discussion at backyard barbeques, family gatherings and neighborly visits. You will learn about table grape varieties that are easy to grow and maintain, primary pests and diseases and interesting facts about the world’s most majestic fruit.

Raising Specialty Vegetables – Richard Molinar, Fresno County UCCE Specialty Crops Farm Advisor

This presentation will review specialty vegetables and fruits  from other cultures that can add flavor, nutrition, and variety to your meals. Richard will review specialty crops like sinqua, Thai eggplants and Chinese long beans.  Do they really taste better than their American counterparts? How about adding blueberries, black carrots, snow pea tips or jicama to a salad, or lemongrass to a stir fry?  Or make a refreshing tea from yerba buena? All can be grown right here in the San Joaquin Valley.

Landscaping with Herbs – Beth Teviotdale, UCCE Master Gardener, Fresno County

Herbs add pizzazz and flavor to many foods, but do they fit into a landscape? We will examine some ornamental and culinary herbs and talk about several approaches to using them in your garden. Hints on how to grow these wonderful plants will be included.

Saving Water: Irrigation Basics and Breakthroughs - Lawrence Schwankl, Extension Irrigation Specialist, UC Davis/Kearney Ag Center

We will discuss new sprinkler and drip irrigation technologies you can use that will conserve water while keeping your landscape lush and healthy. We will also emphasize the steps you can take to save water with the system you already have and discuss how to plan an irrigation system for a new landscape.

1:00 Breakout Sessions

 Classic Garden Design – Robert Boro, Landscape Architect, Fresno

Robert will discuss the basics of classic garden design as it relates to the site, the architecture and the client’s program. He will present design principles that create a plan to meet contemporary gardening issues while fulfilling the objectives of those who live in the garden. These principles will be illustrated with pictures of gardens he has designed in the valley and elsewhere. Aspects of maintenance and function will be incorporated into the lecture with dialogue and questions.

Cool Tips for Gardening in Hot Climates - Pamela Geisel, Director, ANR Statewide Master Gardener Program

Even though the temperatures are cool now, as we go into summer our plants begin to struggle with the heat.  In this session you will learn how to moderate the climate for your plants so that they not only survive but thrive and look fantastic through the dog days of summer.

Managing the War on Vertebrate Pests – Roger Baldwin, UC IPM Area Farm Advisor

Many vertebrates can cause extensive damage in home gardens. Understanding how to effectively control these pests is crucial to a productive garden. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach pertaining to vertebrate pests will be discussed along with how to develop an effective control program for a variety of vertebrate pests, including pocket gophers, moles, voles and rabbits.

Permaculture: Sustainable Landscaping on Steroids – Jackie Mogan, UCCE Master Gardener, Fresno County

Permanent agriculture principles take tips from nature on providing stable and resilient landscapes and have distinct advantages. Learn practical ways to adapt those principles to create a beautiful, productive landscape and a more satisfying lifestyle. We will look at building healthy soil, getting more from your flowers, vegetable garden and fruit trees, and controlling insects and weeds, all while using less space, water, resources, chemicals and work.

Welcome Bees to Your Garden - Shannon Mueller, Fresno County UCCE Pollination and Honey Bee Management Farm Advisor

We rely on many types of bees to pollinate our commercial crops and backyard gardens. Honey bees are the most recognized, but many other bees contribute to successful pollination. The more we know about where bees live and what they need to survive, the better we will be at providing them with a safe habitat and a variety of nectar and pollen sources allowing them to flourish. Backyard beekeeping is a rewarding activity that benefits your garden and others in the neighborhood and also provides a sweet treat for those who enjoy honey fresh from the comb.

2:00 Breakout Sessions

All Things Roses – Elinor Teague, UCCE Master Gardener, Fresno County, and Fresno Bee Garden Columnist

This session will focus on choosing rose varieties that are best suited to our central San Joaquin Valley climate and on how to best care for those roses. Elinor will cover basic pruning instructions, fertilization and pest and disease control.

What’s Eating My Plants – Gerry Hanford, UCCE Master Gardener, Fresno County

This class will discuss the top 5 insect pests Master Gardeners across the state get questions about from home gardeners. Pest identification and management tips will be covered using UC Integrated Pest Management recommendations. Gerry will also review the beneficial insects that we want to attract to our gardens to help keep the bad boys under control.

Hardpan or Sand: Growing Healthy Soil – Daniel S. Munk, Fresno County UCCE Soil Quality and Tillage Farm Advisor

This session will begin with a general introduction to soils, and go on to discuss techniques used to evaluate soil properties. We will discuss some common and not so common soil problems that sometimes elude even the most practiced gardener. We will discuss potential corrective measures, including a variety of soil amendment options used for some of the more common soil problems experienced in the Fresno area.

Protecting our Water Supply – Daniel Rourke, Environmental Resources Manager, Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District

Gardening practices and storm water quality are directly related. Garden chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides can make their way into the nearest storm drain and into a neighborhood ponding basin when it rains or when you overwater.  Over the past 40 years, the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District has built a regional storm water management system that prevents flooding and recharges the local groundwater aquifer with storm water runoff. Learn how to garden without impacting our local water resources.

Weeds, Weeds, Weeds - Kurt J. Hembree, Fresno County UCCE Weed Management Farm Advisor

When it comes to weeds, there’s an old adage that sums it up pretty good as to how challenging it can be to eradicate them, “One year’s seeding is seven years weeding”.  While there are no quick or easy fixes to completely rid your yard of weeds, the good news is that you can at least keep them at bay.  To do this, you’ll need to develop a plan of attack, dedicate some time, effort, and resources, and exercise some patience (ok, a lot of patience).  Learn about the weeds in and around your home and how to develop an effective plan of attack that uses a multitude of approaches.  You’ll be introduced to various strategies that will help to make your weed control efforts more successful and hopefully less frustrating.

Closing Keynote Speakers

A Passion for Plants – Nicholas Staddon and Glenn Finkbiner, Monrovia

Join Monrovia Nursery’s Nicholas Staddon, Director of New Plant Introductions, and Glenn Finkbiner, Sales and Marketing, in what promises to be one of the most exciting sessions of the day. Glenn and Nicholas will navigate us through some of their favorite new and not so new plants. We will also get to meet many of the Monrovia Craftsmen, the breeders, hybridizers, and plant explorers they get to work with. Buckle up your seat belt as this promises to be a visual and exciting presentation!