Earth-Kind landscape, pesticide training set April 16 in Austin

AUSTIN – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County will present an Earth-Kind Landscape training from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. April 16 at its offices at 1600 Smith Road in Austin.

“This program is a great opportunity for green industry professionals, especially those seeking continuing education units for their Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator’s license,” said Daphne Richards, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture, Travis County.

Richards said the program will offer five Texas of Agriculture Department pesticide applicator continuing education units. It also offers five units for those with Texas Nursery and Landscape Association certification.

“The program focuses on AgriLife Extension’s Earth-Kind principles, which use research-proven techniques to provide maximum garden and landscape enjoyment while preserving and protecting the environment,” Richards said. “The objective of Earth-Kind is to combine the best of organic and traditional gardening and landscaping principles to create a horticultural system that is effective and environmentally responsible.”

Agenda topics and presenters will be:

— Protecting Water Resources from Pesticide Contamination, Dr. Fouad Jaber, AgriLife Extension specialist, biological and agricultural engineering, Dallas.

— The Label is the Law, Richards.

— Landscape IPM: Nipping Problems in the Bud, Dr. Mengmeng Gu, AgriLife Extension specialist in horticultural sciences, College Station.

— Plant Disease Updates: Rose Rosette, Impatiens Downy Mildew and Boxwood Blight, Dr. Kevin Ong, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, director of the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab in College Station.

Registration is $65 through April 9 and $75 after. The cost includes a boxed lunch and all educational materials.

Attendees should register online at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu  using “Earth-Kind” as the keyword.

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