***HOTEL RATE TIME EXTENSION – RESERVE YOUR ROOM AT THE REDUCED RATE THROUGH OCT 11, 2013***

WHAT: Water Management for Ornamental Crops Workshop
  Find the full program at: http://goo.gl/2Ksw9m

WHEN: 8 AM to 5 PM Oct 29, 2013   AND   8 AM to 4 PM Oct 30, 2013

WHERE: The Westin, Virginia Beach Town Center
4535 Commerce Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
For a room rate of $89 per night, available until October 10, 2013
Go to the website: http://goo.gl/Mz0Ul1
Or call 1-800-937-8461 and mention
“Virginia Tech” OR “Water Management Workshop”

WHOShould Attend:
Nursery and Floriculture Growers, Associated Industries and Extension Agents

PRESENTATIONS:

Greenhouse & Nursery BMPs: Baseline Information and Where We Need to Be by 2025  by Dr. Joyce Latimer, Professor and Extension Specialist for Greenhouse Crops, Virginia Tech
The new EPA regulations will be affecting all greenhouse and nursery operations in Virginia, some as early as 2017. In 2011, we conducted a baseline survey of green industry water and fertilizer management practices in Virginia. The survey was sponsored by VGIC, VNLA, VFGA and VCE. Come to hear an overview of those results – where we were when the WIPs started – and a synopsis of where we need to be with BMPs by 2025.

Aquatic Weed ID & Management in Irrigation Pondsby Dr. Laurie Fox, Horticulture Research Associate, Virginia Tech
Managing aquatic weeds in your irrigation pond improves water quality, reduces algaecide & herbicide applications, reduces the pressure on your pump and filtration system, and increases the pond life expectancy.  Learn how to ID the most common aquatic weeds and what management options are available.

Properly Scheduling Irrigation for Smarter Water Use by Dr. Jim Owen, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Nursery Crops, Virginia Tech
How do you determine when and how much to irrigate? This presentation will focus on considerations to effectively apply water.  Owen will discuss simple, low-cost methods to new, high tech methods that can assist in improved irrigation scheduling and potentially increase efficiency of on-farm water use.

Oxygenated Irrigation Water for Ornamental Crop Production by Dr. Diana Cochran, Post Doctorate of Horticulture, University of Tennessee
Irrigating crops can be one of the most difficult jobs in nursery production and requires careful attention.  Over-watering reduces the air pockets in the root zone, limiting the availability of oxygen for plant respiration.  If there is not adequate gas exchange, high concentrations of carbon dioxide (a byproduct of respiration) can accumulate in the root zone limiting plant growth.  By oxygenating irrigation water, more oxygen is available in the root zone which can improve root growth of container grown plants.

Monitoring Water Quality by Rosa E. Raudales, Doctoral Candidate of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida
This presentation will discuss how measuring different parameters in water can be used to improve crop management.  After the presentation attendees will know (1) what is the significance of each parameter; (2) what are the alternatives to measure chemical, biological and physical water quality parameters and active ingredients of sanitizing agents in irrigation water and (3) how to interpret results and take action.  This presentation will include a display of some onsite monitoring alternatives.

Recycled Irrigation Water Quality Dynamics and Implications for Crop Health Management by Dr. Chuan Hong, Professor and Extension Specialist of Plant Pathology, Virginia Tech
Capture of surface water in containment ponds and reuse for irrigation is essential to the sustainability of ornamental horticulture industry. This presentation will review what we have learned about recycled water quality dynamics in these ponds over the past 8 years, discuss how it may affect crop health and decimate chemical performance, and what steps growers may take to make the most out of their water treatment and pesticide dollars.

Some Economic Perspectives on the Real Cost of Irrigation Water by Dr. John Lea-Cox, Professor and Extension Specialist of Nursery Crops, University of Maryland
We are learning a lot about the real cost of water, by utilizing sensor networks in container-nurseries and greenhouses.  For many the cost of water is very low, in comparison to other resource inputs such as labor and nutrients.   We will share some of the insights that we have gained during the past two years, which reveals the true cost of water, and how that influences crop production and economic returns on investment.

Question & Answer Session led by Dr. Paul Fisher, Professor and Extension Specialist of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida
Bring you questions and share successes or lessons learned when managing water at your nursery or greenhouse operation.


TOURS (Lunch Sponsored by Virginia Flower Growers Association)
-Lancaster Farms Inc., Wholesale Container Nursery, Suffolk, VA
-John Morris Herb Aquafarms LLC, Aquaponics, Smithfield, VA
-Bennett’s Creek Nursery, Wholesale Container Nursery, Smithfield, VA

Questions and Comments:
-Registration: Ava Butler @ 757-363-3900 | [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
-Program, Tours or Sponsorship:  Jim Owen @ 757.374.8153 | [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>