ISU Extension News

Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915

10/27/03

Contacts:
Cindy Haynes, Horticulture, (515) 294-4006, chaynes@iastate.edu
Jean McGuire, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-7033, jmcguire@iastate.edu

Yard and Garden Column for the Week Beginning Oct. 31, 2003

Iowa State University Extension - Let Us Whet Your Gardening Appetite!

By Cindy Haynes
Extension Horticulture Specialist
Iowa State University

While the gardening season winds down for the year, the season is heating up for educational conferences. Iowa State University Extension offers several conferences and symposia to "feed your gardening needs" during the upcoming fall and winter months. From perennials, trees and shrubs, and organic production, we have got it covered.

The Herbaceous Perennial Conference will be held in Council Bluffs on Nov. 7 and in Ames on Nov. 8. This is the fifth year for the program and the second year it has branched out to dual cities in the state. This conference focuses primarily on growing and utilizing ornamental plants, particularly annuals and perennials in the landscape. Nationally recognized speakers headline the conference every year. This year Dr. Allan Armitage, horticulture professor from the University of Georgia, will kick off the Herbaceous Perennial Conference at both locations. Armitage is an avid gardener, sought- after speaker, and author of several books on herbaceous ornamentals. His first talk is titled "Legends in the Garden." In his opening address, he will describe the people whose names have appeared on everyday plants like Annabelle hydrangea or Francis Williams hosta. His second talk, titled "You Might as Well Buy the Good Stuff," describes the many new and unusual annuals and perennials you will want in your garden next year.

There are several other speakers that round out the 2003 Herbaceous Perennial lineup. Dr. Mary Meyer from the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and ornamental grass expert will speak on "Ornamental Grasses for the Upper Midwest." Gary Whitenbaugh, an Iowa Master Gardener, will speak on "Trough Gardening" and the hypertufa craze that has swept the nation. Panayoti Kelaidis is a plant explorer, administrator for the Denver Botanic Garden, and a rock and alpine garden enthusiast. His talk is titled "Gardening on the Rocks." Last, but certainly not least, is a talk on "Heirloom Flower Stories" by Sharon Barak, owner of Heirloom Gardens. Barak has been selling heirloom and new perennial plants for over 15 years from her nursery in Van Meter, Iowa.

The same program will be presented in Council Bluffs and Ames. The conference runs from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and includes breaks, lunch, and handouts. For more information contact your local ISU Extension county office or visit www.ucs.iastate.edu to get a copy of the brochure or to register online.

Another upcoming conference in Ames is the 3rd annual Iowa Organic Conference on Nov. 17. With the growing interest in organics this conference is timely for farmers and other producers considering alternatives to conventional practices. The keynote address from Theresa Marquez, Director of Marketing for the Organic Valley Cooperative, will focus on "Marketing Success Stories for Organic Grain Suppliers and Livestock Producers." Neil Hamilton, Director of the Agricultural Law Center at Drake University, will speak on "Iowa Food Policy and Organics." Participants can choose from numerous sessions that cover a wide range of topics including: understanding soils, managing weeds, organic viticulture, holistic animal health, biological controls and organic herb production.

The Iowa Organic conference will be held at the Scheman Building in Ames and includes an organic lunch, trade show, refreshment breaks and program materials. The Iowa Organic Conference brochure and registration information is available online at www.ucs.iastate.edu.

One of the longest running ISU extension conferences focuses on trees and other woody plants. The Shade Tree Short Course is a two-day conference in March that has been going strong for 48 years. This conference and workshop will be held at the Scheman Building in Ames on March 9-10, 2004. One of the 2004 headline speakers is Dr. John Ball from South Dakota State University. Ball is a nationally recognized leader on tree health care. Participants can choose from several sessions and workshops presented by other tree and shrub experts from across the country. This is a conference many nursery professionals, tree care professionals and home gardeners attend for the latest information on planting practices, maintenance issues, pests and diseases and new varieties of woody plants.

Registration information will be available online at www.ucs.iastate.edu in the next couple of months. Your local ISU Extension county office will also have copies of the registration brochures.

Don't fret about our impending confinement indoors; at ISU Extension we have plenty of educational opportunities planned to keep you in the "gardening good mood" throughout the fall and winter. For other gardening programs in your area, check with your local county ISU Extension office or online at www.extension.iastate.edu.

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Editors: Due to the timely nature of this column, it can be used immediately.
No photos are available for this week's column.

ml: isugarden


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