Green Tips for January

Your January version of Green Tips is now on line at GreenTips
Please note all of the different programs that are coming up and register early!
For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Commercial Horticulture Newsletter- Available now!

The November-Decemeber Edition of Commercial Horticulture News is now availaible.

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Regional Greenhouse Growers Workshop

Cooperative Extension will be holding a regional Greenhouse Growers Workshop on January 31, 2008 from 8:30 am – 5:00pm at the Mountain Horticulture Crops Research & Extension Center. Pre-registration is required! Registration is $25 and due by January 23rd. Pesticide credits have been applied for. Lunch and breaks will be sponsored and on site. Topics will include Grants for Energy Conservation, Managing Fertility and Watering. Pour-through Sampling, Substrates, Managing Slow Release Fertilizers, New Plants and more!!!

For more information please contact:

Cliff Ruth – Henderson/Transylvania Counties, 828-697-4891
Tim Mathews – Haywood County, 828-456-3575
Amanda Stone – Buncombe County, 828-255-5522

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Drought Assistance from SBA

Steve Troxler alerts nurseries about Small Business loans for drought losses.
RALEIGH Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler reminds nurseries that they may be eligible for low-interest drought assistance loans offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The loans are available for all qualifying small businesses affected by the drought.

Loans are now available for eligible nurseries because of three recent federal disaster declarations, Troxler said. Most North Carolina counties are included in the program, and I encourage nurserymen to contact the Small Business Administration if they are interested in this program.

Eligible small businesses may qualify for loans up to $1.5 million. Loans are available at 4 percent interest rates. Loan amounts and terms are determined by the SBA. Agricultural producers are not eligible for loans under this disaster declaration.

To find out more about the program, contact the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov. The deadline for applying for this loan program is May 12.

CONTACT: Kathy Cooke, government relations specialist
U.S. Small Business Administration
(404) 347-9771

Soil Testing

Check this short video out about soil testing: Soil Testing. We're testing it to see if participants can use this technology for short educational venues.


For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Pesticide Certification Training Program in Spanish

Many of the employees in the Green Industry are Latino and often are called upon to apply pesticides or work in areas that are sprayed with pesticides. We are in the planning stages of developing a training program in Spanish to help these individuals increase their knowledge of issue related to pesticide use.

Program Description:

The Pesticide Certification Training Program in Spanish is designed to help Hispanic agricultural workers to enhance pesticide knowledge by exposing participants to a very interactive teaching environment. The teaching methodology and training material used will benefit individuals with different educational backgrounds and pesticide application experience.

Program Goals:

1. To reduce pesticide exposure in workers and applicators.

2. To protect natural resources and reduce environmental contamination.

3. To help with pesticide regulation compliance requirements by increasing pesticide license certification and reducing violations and fines imposed by state agency pesticide regulators.

4. To contribute with the economic well being of Hispanic pesticide applicators by helping them to qualify for better job opportunities that require pesticide certification.

Training Programs Proposed:

General standard, private applicator, limited commercial certification landscape maintenance, and ornamental turf.


Please contact either Amanda Stone or Cliff Ruth using our e-mail addresses or fax numbers with the approximate number of participants that you would be interested in sending to this class.


For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Commercial Hort News- October Issue Now Available!

The October issue of Commercial Hort News is now available! Please use the following link to access the newsletter.

http://buncombe.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=site

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Check out Tarheelgardening.com

Green Industry Professionals across North Carolina have an exciting new promotional tool. Tarheelgardening.com is a website designed to inform consumers about the many benefits of plants and planting North Carolina grown trees, shrubs, flowers, perennials, annuals and turfgrass. Consumers will be able to find information about local retail nurseries, garden centers, landscapers, irrigation contractors, landscape architects and other Green Industry Professionals. Consumers will also be able to access information about types of plants, growing information, help with plants, North Carolina’s Green Industry, and much more. This website will be promoted to the general public through print, radio and possibly TV advertising, as well as through other media.

Tarheelgardening.com is a cooperative effort between the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Marketing. Business Listings on Tarheelgardening.com are free to all qualified North Carolina Green Industry Professionals.

If you are interested in having your company listed in this site, please contact:
Shirley Nicholson
Division of Marketing
(919)733-7887
Shirley.nicholson@ncmail.net

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Green Tips Now Online

The October version of Green Tips is now available online. Check out this month's newsletter for important events that may be coming up.

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Crowfields Condominium Looking for Grounds Crew Member!

Asheville retirement community is seeking an experienced grounds crew member. Forty hours a week guaranteed year round. Pay and benefits are based on experience. Please call 828-274-1128 and leave a message.

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.