Saturday, July 12

8am-9am
Communicating Effectively With Your Latino Workers
Knowledge leaders: Claudio Pasian
Despite your valiant efforts to learn the language, you are still have problems communicating with your Latino workers. Frustration grows for both you and your workers -- and productivity suffers. The problem is that language is only half of the effective communication equation. An understanding of the Latino culture is the other half. Learn to communicate better as Claudio helps you understand Latin (mainly Mexican) cultural and personality traits, as well as differences in typical Anglo and Latin management styles.

8am-9am
How to Position Your Company to Survive a Drought
Knowledge leaders: Paul Thomas
Sponsored by Farm Credit Services of Mid-America
Many areas of the country are experiencing water shortages brought about by rapid development, drought, and mismanagement of municipal water. However, the south is experiencing a drastic change in economic, legislative, and customer attitudes. Local sales have dropped 82 percent in many southern garden centers, consumers are asking for plants the growers and garden centers don’t carry, and legislators are proposing ordinances and bills that specify which plants will be grown by growers and/or sold to consumers based upon someone’s idea of drought tolerance. Paul will share how your community might respond in a severe drought, discuss the legislative issues that might arise, and give you a clear idea of options and strategies that growers are now having to undertake to survive.

8am-9am
The Best Idea I Ever Had or Borrowed
Knowledge leaders: Jack Williams, John Dole
Sponsored by Greenhouse Grower
Some of your best ideas and answers to production, management, logistical, and business questions have come from fellow growers and industry professionals. But what about some of those other nagging issues you are still facing? Come to this informal round table and share issues, questions, ideas, and potential solutions with some of your friendliest, brightest, and most creative fellow professionals in our industry.

1pm-2:15pm
Landscape Potential of the Vegetative Annuals You Grow
Knowledge leaders: Alan Michael, Bruce Hellerick
You pride yourself on the quality of the vegetative annuals that you grow, but do you have a sense for the performance potential of those plants once they leave your facility? Participants will learn the varieties that have performed well in landscape trials. You will also learn the needs and concerns of landscapers that are working with growers, including shipping and planting efficiencies, waste reduction, the desires of clients, and variety performance.

1pm-2:15pm
New Research on Annuals Part 1: Growth & Flower Control
Knowledge leaders: Ryan Warner
Increasing the efficiency of production is critical for bedding plant growers to maintain profitability. This session will focus on controlling the light and temperature aspects of the environment to reduce production time and inputs, ensure that crops flower on time, and maximize crop quality.

1pm-2:15pm
Retail Quality Nuts & Bolts: Crop Shrinkage - The Silent Assassin
Knowledge leaders: Peter Konjoian, Rick Yates
Sponsored by Greenhouse Grower
This session focuses on the portion of a crop that never makes it out a grower’s front door. Plants are lost in many ways, but regardless of the cause each unit that isn’t sold acts as a silent assassin responsible for more damage to the crop’s profit picture than many growers acknowledge. Learn the best management practices aimed at balancing the cost of pest control inputs with crop profitability. Find ways to minimize plant damage and crop loss looking at strategies for striking a better balance among efforts to cut production costs, reduce shrinkage, and raise prices for maximize profitability.

2:30pm-3:45pm
Growing with Landscapers
Knowledge leaders: Bruce Knox, Steve Zylstra, Ken Ruch
Encouraging your landscape customers to work more proactively with you is the surest way to ensure successful landscape color installations and repeat landscape customer business! This moderated panel of growers who supply the landscape trade will discuss do’s, don’ts, and best practices learned from years of experience selling to the landscape trade. Learn how to grow your sales by tapping into the fastest growing segment of the green industry!

2:30pm-3:45pm
New Research on Annuals Part 2: Cuttings: From Receiving to Rooting
Knowledge leaders: Jim Faust, John Dole
Efficient handling and propagation of cuttings is critical for profitably growing vegetative annuals. Learn how to optimally handle cuttings from the suppliers, manage the propagation environment, and produce high-quality rooted cuttings. Improve your bottom line by implementing creative techniques for reducing labor inputs and losses during propagation.

2:30pm-3:45pm
Retail Quality Nuts & Bolts: Improving Survival at Retail - BMPs for the Optimum Root System
Knowledge leaders: Bill Fonteno
Growers are expected to guarantee plant survival in retail while trying to shorten cropping times with new or unfamiliar varieties. Developing a robust root system will greatly improve the odds of survival and ultimate customer satisfaction. Discover the best management practices for selecting and using substrates as well as corresponding tips for irrigation that will develop the root systems

4pm-5pm
Landscape Programs from the Landscaper Point of View
Knowledge leaders: Wanda Chase, Jerry Somalski, Scott McAdam
The "do it for me" commercial and residential customer represents an important growth opportunity for many growers who are cultivating relationships with landscapers and designers. This panel session focuses on that relationship by helping you to better understand the needs each party brings to the relationship, how to develop the rapport, and how to create a relationship that is beneficial and profitable for both.

4pm-5pm
New Research on Annuals Part 3: Nutrition and Irrigation
Knowledge leaders: Paul Fisher
Learn the best ways to manage fertilizer and water for your annual crop, especially with young plants. Paul will address questions such as “Should you add fertilizer to the mist? How do you know if plants are getting too much water?” This presentation will include new applied research from the Young Plant Research Center program at the University of Florida.

4pm-5pm
Retail Quality Nuts & Bolts: Increasing Sell Through at Retail
Knowledge leaders: Will Healy
We know that great quality sells itself in the spring. The best looking crop you have ever grown is sitting in your greenhouse but after one day in the garden center your finest quality is unsalable. Even with great care at retail good plants can go bad. Will has researched ways to improve the retailability of our spring crops so that they will look as good after several days at retail as they do in the greenhouse. Learn cultural, operational and management techniques that will enhance the retailability of the crops you grow beyond the normal one to two days most growers experience at retail.

5:15pm-7:15pm
Town Meeting: The Business and Business Sense of Sustainability
Knowledge leaders: Stan Pohmer, Steve Castorani, Lloyd Traven, Gary Mangum, John Kinsella, Mike Duvall
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
Few movements have captured the heart of American consumers and provided our industry with a tremendous business opportunity like sustainability has and seems to promise. But all new opportunities come with challenges and potential pitfalls. This panel of progressive grower and retail professionals will share their vision for the potential that sustainability offers their businesses and the challenges and benefits they've experienced along their path toward an economically sustainable sustainability.

8am-9am
Strategies for Obtaining Effective and Consistent Results with Plant Growth Regulators
Knowledge leaders: Jim Barrett
Sponsored by Syngenta, the makers of Bonzi®
Too often growth regulator applications either fail to provide adequate size control or result in the plants that are too stunted. Discussion of PGR application issues that affect consistency of the results will occur. This presentation will cover general concepts of PGRs rather than specifics for individual crops and is designed for growers who want to improve their abilities with PGRs. (1 hour 6D)

8am-9am
Managing Crop Inputs & Environment: The Numbers Game - How to Manipulate Your Fertilizer Formulas to Achieve Results
Knowledge leaders: Carinne Peters
Learn to go beyond “general purpose” fertilizers and fertilizer programs. Given the public's growing awareness of all things sustainable, it is important to learn how to manipulate the nutrients you use to reduce reliance on growth regulators, optimize your fertility in a condensed growing season, and lower overall nutrient application.

8am-9am
Container Inspiration With Perennials
Knowledge leaders: Dan Heims
Explore the myriad of perennials that not only can fill a container with color and texture but can be overwintered as well! Unusual containers and plantings from around the world will be shown including some surprises in the United States. Tips on how design containers and small garden spaces as well as helpful information on maintaining soil fertility and plant health are provided.

8am-9:15am
"Green" Nuts & Bolts: Understanding What the Proposed ANSI Sustainable Draft Standard Means for You
Knowledge leaders: Michael Arny, Linda Brown
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
This is your opportunity to learn the details of and ask questions about the proposed establishment of an American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) process by which the draft could become a national standard. Do you have a grasp of the obligations that would be required of greenhouse, nursery producers, and garden centers - and why you should care if this is a “voluntary” standard? While conformity to the proposed standard would be voluntary, consumer awareness and retail directive could make it voluntary in name only. Learn the details of the draft standard, its roadmap leading to potential ANSI adoption, and floriculture’s involvement in shaping its content.

9:15am-10:30am
Florel: New Understandings Bring New Horizons
Knowledge leaders: Peter Konjoian, Royal Heins, John Erwin
Florel is one of the earliest chemical growth regulating products used in modern greenhouse floriculture production. Its use is decades old and its value is well documented; yet new effects continue to be discovered. The panelists will share their experiences, research results, and ideas for how ethylene, Florel’s active ingredient, can be harnessed during crop production. They will cover Florel’s basic effects and many uses, the influence of application conditions of its effectiveness, and a recently discovered use for Florel. (1 hour 6D)

9:15am-10:30am
Managing Crop Inputs & Environment: Corrective Procedures for Growing Mixes
Knowledge leaders: Michael Evans, Todd Cavins
The growing mix serves as a reservoir for water and mineral nutrients, allows oxygen to the reach the roots, and provides physical support for the plant. The growing mix also has direct relationships with crop mineral nutrition, growth regulator efficacy ,and disease incidence. Because of the numerous functions of the root mix, making mistakes with your mix can create numerous production problems. Learn the most common problems that growers encounter with their growing mixes and get specific solutions to correct these issues.

9:15am-10:30am
"Green" Nuts & Bolts: Understanding Certification
Knowledge leaders: Linda Brown, Theo de Groot
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
You've decided that it is in your best interest to become certified as sustainable. In this session you will learn of the duties and obligations that you will be required to meet as you position your growing or retail operation for certification with Veriflora or MPS.

9:15am-10:30am
Crop Culture Unplugged: Perennials
Knowledge leaders: Paul Pilon
Sponsored by Syngenta, the makers of Bonzi®
If you grow perennials and have specific production questions, difficult-to-grow perennials, or unsolved dilemmas, this interactive seminar is for you. Paul will lead the discussion and share his expertise during this informative and unscripted session. Bring your questions and be prepared to participate in this open forum specifically "customized" on the fly for the attendees.

2:30pm-3:45pm
Managing Crop Inputs & Environment: The Importance of Water Quality
Knowledge leaders: Bill Argo
Water quality and availability has become one of the most critical challenges facing many growers. The goal of this session is to have growers understand important aspects of water quality. Topics will include irrigation water alkalinity, EC, individual nutrient concentrations, and how their presence or absence in the water affects pH and nutritional management. In addition, the benefits and limitations of alternative water sources will be shared.

2:30pm-3:45pm
Beyond 'Goldsturm': Expand Your Perennial Possibilities
Knowledge leaders: Holly Scoggins, Paul Westervelt
Sponsored by Small Business Innovations (SBI)
Are you a grower or retailer ready to move beyond the usual hardy perennial varieties? Want to expand your perennial product mix without adjusting production methods? Participate in this lively exploration into new and under-appreciated alternatives!

2:30pm-3:45pm
The Price is Right - More Money for Me
Knowledge leaders: Gary Hudson, William McCurry
Pricing is like the weather, we all complain there's nothing we can do about it. However, there are things you can do to garner more revenue from your current customer base. It won't happen if you keep doing what you've been doing. One strategy this session uncovers is the secret of how other products have "traded up" and how you can also. Additional strategies include pricing for profit, pricing for volume sales, and the pitfalls of pricing yourself out of business. If you're looking for more revenue, this session is for you.

2:30pm-3:45pm
"Green” Nuts & Bolts: The Journey to Certification
Knowledge leaders: Chris Schlegel, Juan St Amant, Abe Van Wingerden
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
The obligations of sustainable and organic certification programs will require changes to your business and production practices AND may seem intimidating and perhaps unreasonable. Come with questions and open minds as these panelists share wisdom and experiences gained in their efforts to become certified -- and perhaps dispel some of your fears.

4pm-5:15pm
Scheduling First Year Flowering Perennials
Knowledge leaders: Allen Pyle
As breeders continue to introduce perennial varieties that don't need vernalization to flower, growers have more options for expanding their perennial programs. This talk covers how to effectively schedule specific perennials for spring, summer, and fall sales. Get information information about culture, flowering triggers, and transplant timing for a range of new and popular first-year flowering seed and vegetative perennials.

4pm-5:15pm
Managing Crop Inputs & Environment: Light - Understanding and Maximizing Its Role in Crop Production
Knowledge leaders: Jim Faust
Sponsored by Svensson
From propagation to finishing, light management is one of most important aspects of greenhouse production, yet it is also one of the least understood and most overlooked. This session will provide practical advice for managing the light environment inside your greenhouse in order optimize plant growth. Guidelines will be provided for measuring light and managing retractable shade curtains, supplemental lighting, photoperiod, hanging basket density and plant spacing.

4pm-5:15pm
“Green” Nuts & Bolts: Take-Home “How-To’s” on the Road to Sustainability
Knowledge leaders: Lloyd Traven, David Pruitt, John Bonner
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
Moving toward sustainable and away from traditional crop production could mean a change in almost every aspect of your production program. From pots and media to seed and cuttings and from pest management to product movement and shipping, your production strategies and practices could change. But those changes needn’t bankrupt you. The panelists will share creative ways they contained costs and saved time.

4pm-5:15pm
Holding Onto the Cash - More Money for Me
Knowledge leaders: Gary Hudson, William McCurry
If you have more month left than you have cash left, something's not right. This session will open your eyes to where your cash is slipping through your fingers and how to be tightfisted for you personal success. You know it's what you keep after the bills are paid that matters. Discover little secrets (and some big ideas) to leave more money in you pocket at the end of every month.

5:30pm-6:30pm
Crop Culture Unplugged: Vegetative Annuals
Knowledge leaders: Jack Williams
Do you have questions about vegetative annuals that you are growing or want to grow? Then bring your questions to this informal interaction session to get simple, no-nonsense answers from the experts.

5:30pm-6:30pm
Are You One Bad Spring Away from Bankruptcy?
Knowledge leaders: Charles Hall
Do you know the financial status of your business? The prolonged drought (and resulting bankruptcies) in the South is bringing the reality home that growers must be financially prepared for times when cash flows slow down or even stop. Which financial benchmarks are worth your time tracking and how much deviation from these benchmarks is acceptable before corrective actions should be taken? In this session, growers will learn how to set their own benchmarks and gauge whether they really are doing as well as they think they are!

5:30pm-6:30pm
Managing Crop Inputs & Environment: Temperature - Understanding and Maximizing its Role in Crop Production
Knowledge leaders: Ryan Warner
Sponsored by Svensson
Temperature is a major factor in determining crop timing. This session will shed light on temperature's impact on crop timing and quality, provide recommendations for managing the temperature environment, and explain grouping crops to optimize production.

5:30pm-6:30pm
"Green" Nuts & Bolts: Marketing Sustainability for Money
Knowledge leaders: Niles Riese, John Kinsella, Annie Gardiner
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
Learn how to embrace sustainability and avoid subsidizing consumers' growing demands for sustainable products. The panelists will share successful strategies they and others are using to market sustainability to get higher prices at wholesale and retail, and how the industry might use sustainability to increase consumer appreciation and consumption.

6:30pm-8:30pm
OSU Annuals and Mixed Container Trials
Board a shuttle bus at the Convention Center Connector beginning at 6:30 p.m. for a short ride to The Ohio State University Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens to view the Annual Cultivar Trials and Mixed Container Trials. Heavy refreshments, jazzy entertainment, and guided tours of the trials and gardens will be provided. This venue is the perfect place to network with clients, relax with friends, or simply meander through the gardens. Be sure to bring your camera and business cards! Shuttles will depart the Convention Center Connector and OSU every 30 minutes. Final departure from OSU will be at 8:30 p.m. Return trips will drop off at the OFA short course hotels. This garden tour/networking opportunity is open to anyone with a badge.