Nursery / Landscape EXPO

2023 Nursery/Landscape EXPO: Continuing Education Programs
EXPO is offering Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from a variety of accreditors including the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association (TNLA), Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and OSHA.

Wednesday All Day CEU’s .... Thursday/Friday All Day Show Floor Demos

Session Titles: Irrigation Components for Small and Residential Systems + Alternative Water for Landscape Irrigation
Helping irrigators better understand the components of an irrigation system and their uses -- Introducing alternative water sources for the landscape and provides and overview of regulations and terminology.
Speaker: Ramzi White, Key Account Manager at SiteOne Landscape Supply

Session: Turf vs Tree
This presentation will provide landscape strategies to designed to give them both what they need. Learn to manage a landscape that supports both trees and turf.
Speaker: Laura M. Miller, Commercial Horticulture Agent at Texas A&M AgriLife

Sessions: OSHA Session: Day 1 OSHA 10
DEMO: OSHA Session: Day 2 OSHA 10
Two day OSHA training, must attend both days for OSHA 10 credit with Jason Barksdale, Hotchkiss Insurance.
Speaker: Jason Barksdale, ARM, MBA at Hotchkiss Insurance

Sessions: Success at Plant Health Care, Diagnosing and Managing Abiotic Disorders of Trees. Succeed at Plant Health Care - Whether you are new to PHC or a seasoned veteran, we’ll discuss topics relative to your situation. Also, Diagnosing and Managing Abiotic Disorders of Trees - We will get to the root of the problem by discussing the diagnostic process and focusing our attention on abiotic factors.
Speaker: Emmett Muennink, South Central Regional Technical Manager at Arborjet

Session: Integrated Pest Management
During this session we will discuss the appropriate response process in Integrated Pest Management, and how identify variables to provide the most effective treatment. Ms. Brown serves as Program Specialist – IPM in the Austin metroplex encompassing Travis County and surrounding counties.
Speaker: Elizabeth “Wizzie” Brown, Program Specialist – IPM – Travis County

Session: Interpreting Pesticide Labels for Turfgrass Management
Reading and understanding pesticide product labels is crucial for any individual who uses or spends time around pesticides in the course of fulfilling employment duties. The attendees will learn how to read and interpret various product labels involving commonly used herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, wetting agents to name a few.
Speaker: Dr. Manuel Chavarria, Texas A&M - Agriculture & Life Sciences

Session: Successful Tree Planting Projects Require More than Just Planting
Evaluate new technologies that help to solve the watering challenges with natural rainfall and by increasing the available plant water. Dr. Zhang is an ASLA approved LA CES provider. Dean Albertyis the Senior Chair of the Missouri Community Forestry Council.
Speakers: Dr. Wei Zhang, Virginia Tech and L. Dean Alberty, Deep Roots Microbiome Company

Session: Successful Tree Planting Projects Require More than Just Planting
Evaluate new technologies that help to solve the watering challenges with natural rainfall and by increasing the available plant water. Dr. Zhang is an ASLA approved LA CES provider. Dean Albertyis the Senior Chair of the Missouri Community Forestry Council.
Speakers: L. Dean Alberty, Deep Roots Microbiome Company and Dr. Wei Zhang, Virginia Tech

Session: Healing and Horticulture: An introduction to Horticultural Therapy
Take a candid journey through the history and foundations of horticultural therapy as a field of study and practice. Learn tips for in-ground and container plants commonly used in Horticultural Therapy gardens to start you on your own journey.
Speaker: Nicholas Staddon, Everde Growers

Session: Bugs and Fuzz: Identifying Pests and What are Not
This presentation will cover common insect pests of landscape plants, differentiating between chewing, sucking and rasping damaging insects. Often damage is noticed, while insects are never found, so understanding who causes certain damage can be just as important as identifying the actual insect.
Speaker: Molly Keck, Integrated Pest Management Specialist Texas A&M AgriLife

Session: Pesticide Safety – Licensing, Labeling & Applicator Training
Through this session, you will learn what a pesticide discover the design risks of toxicity, exposure, and hazards of pesticide labels. We will also jump into the Laws to help you reduce risk while using pesticides and what to look for on labels.
Speaker: Janet Hurley, Extension Program Specialist Texas A&M AgriLife

Session: Pathogen Scouting
Learn how to identify the top pest and diseases impacting Texas plants. Dr. Kevin Ong is currently the director of the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (Plant Clinic).
Speaker: Dr. Kevin Ong, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology

Session: Plant Nutrition and Fertilizers
Gain a better understanding of the soil conditions and fertilizers needed for more effective plant nutrition. Dr. Julie Howe is a a professor at Texas A&M University.
Speaker: Dr. Julie A Howe, Professor of Soil Science

Session: Growing Strong with Best Practices for Insect/Disease Control
Best Management Practices to maintain disease and pest-free plants by promoting healthy plants and a beneficial environment. Erfan Vafaie, PhD, is a dedicated entomologist who works closely with growers to understand and manage insects and pathogens in greenhouse and nursery crops.
Demo: Propagation Station – Biosolutions and Use of Pesticides in the Greenhouse
Speaker: Dr. Erfan Vafaie, Extension Program Specialist IPM

Session Title: Wilt Diseases of Elms in Texas
Gain an overview of how to better identify oak wilt by applying a diagnostic approach and by utilizing technology. Dr. David Appel is professor of biological Control in Texas A&M University’s Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology.
Speaker: Dr. David Appel, Texas A&M Horticultural Sciences

Session Title: Evapotranspiration
Gain knowledge on the availability and utilization of reference evapotranspiration (ETo), in estimating real-time or historical-based turf irrigation scheduling requirements. Research-based data will be provided highlighting both use of ETo for meeting turf species/cultivar consumptive water requirements during good times as well as meeting minimal irrigation requirements during water conservation periods.
Speaker: Dr. Ben Wherley, Texas A&M Horticultural Sciences

Session: Emerald Ash Borer in Texas: Ecology and Management
Invasive species are one of the major threats to forest ecosystems worldwide. The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a destructive, non-native, wood-boring pest of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.). EAB was first detected in Texas in April 2016 when four adult EAB beetles were caught and confirmed in a monitoring trap in Harrison County just south of Karnack. Texas A&M Forest Service began monitoring for the pest in 2012.
Speaker: Demián Gómez, Assistant Professor School of Earth Sciences

Sessions: Drought-Driven Change; Commercial Landscape Irrigation
The drought in Texas continues to persist and its impacts on the Green Industry are long-lasting. Now is the time to change our way of thinking and methodology on how we approach landscaping to adopt water-smart technology. During this session, you will gain an overview of how climate is impacting the future of landscape design in Texas and tips on what your business can do now to work smarter using water-saving technology practices.
Speaker: Dean Minchillo, Extension Program Specialist II

Session Titles: Landscape Irrigation Auditing & Management Part 2
Learn how to assess critical soil, water, and plant relationships impacting irrigation systems and gain an overview of the recent innovations and technology developments to assist with auditing and better management of landscape irrigation.
Demo: Irrigation Lab – Irrigation Troubleshooting & Performance Testing
Speaker: DJ Seeger - President, Seeger Water

Session Titles: Rules and Regulations, System Installation, Backflow Basics
All Classes to be held in Spanish. Must be registered for Wednesday Education CEU sessions to attend. Please note, to receive a full 8 hours of TCEQ CEUs you must attend these sessions for the full day!
Speaker: Raymond DeLaGarza, Intrepid Irrigation Training

Session Title: Sustainable Irrigation as a Conservation Measure
City of Frisco’s history of Water Conservation through different programs such as the Free Sprinkler Checkup program, Smart controller Program, Newsletter, Weather Station, Licensed Inspectors and Patrol program.
Speaker: Ron Garcia, Irrigation Superintendent with City of Frisco

Session: Future of Landscape Design
Landscape Design is changing, now is the time to see how your bold ideas can transform a space and by incorporating elements such as LEED elements you are providing a more sustainable and environmental design to use for future generations.
Speaker: Lisa Lennon, RLA, ASLA at University of Texas at Austin

Session: Principles of Flow Management
Master theory and principles irrigation flow management through the use of hydrologic, equipment and technology to efficiently work irrigation systems.
Speaker: M. Preston Swor, Specification Sales Manager at Hunter Industries