Class 1 —Tricks to Growing Orchids Successfully

Instructor: David Bird

Bird's Botanicals, Kansas City, MO

So you produced your first orchid bloom. Now you’re hooked and ready for more. David Bird from Bird’s Botanicals in Kansas City will help you take the next step. Learn how to grow and maintain a Zygopetalum, Phragmipedium , Epidendrum and other orchids whose names are as unique as they are. They're just as easy once you know the tricks.

David Bird has had a passion for plants at a very early age. At 16 David received his first 5 orchids and has been hooked ever since. David attended North Dakota State University and received a B.S. in Horticulture. As a Horticulturalist at the International Peace Garden on the U.S., Canadian Border, he designed and supervised planting 125.000 annuals. The Des Moines Botanical Center provided even more challenges with a 17,500 square foot Geodesic Dome and a large tropical plant collection. Powell Gardens outside Kansas City was rapidly growing with a conservatory and new visitor center. David had an opportunity to construct unique floral displays and schedule many floral crops. Finally the orchids won out, so David started Bird’s Botanicals about six years ago in the caves of Interstate Underground Warehouse in Kansas City. Now 8,000 or more orchids live and bloom, each year. David teaches orchid classes sells plants at the City Market and participates in many orchid shows.

Class 2 — Gardening with a Touch of Moss

Instructor: Steve Stacey

Central Missouri Master Gardener

In this class you will learn the historical uses of moss, the beauty of incorporating the ageing look of moss in your shade gardens, how it grows and propagates, five methods of growing moss and yes even how to kill it. You will even study up close some mosses and develop a whole new awareness of this enchanted plant.

Steve Stacey has been gardening all his life and has been a Master Gardener since 2003. He was Training Coordinator for the Central Missouri Master Gardeners from 2005 to 2007. Steve has held the CMMG Chairman position since 2007. Steve’s study and interest in Moss (known as Bryology) goes back many years and he has been nicknamed the Moss man. He is a member of ABLS, the American Bryological and Lichenological Society. Steve has offered the level II class to Master Gardeners since 2007.

Class 3 — Grants from Ground Zero

Instructor: Suzanne Hansford-Bowles

Senior Grant Writer, MU Ext

This presentation will provide an introduction to grant culture, define basic terms, explore how to locate appropriate grant funding opportunities and introduce basic principles for developing grant budgets.

Suzanne Hansford-Bowles, MA, GPC, began her career in grants seven years ago working in the Development office of a large non-profit organization in Chicago. For the past five years, she has been a grant writer at the University of Missouri (MU), starting in the College of Human Environmental Sciences before transitioning to her current position as Senior Grant Writer for MU Extension. As a grant writer Suzanne has helped prepare over 125 grant proposals to dozens of federal agencies, private foundations, and other local and national granting organizations. Suzanne holds a Masters degree in Sociology from Northwestern University and has earned the Grants Professional Certification (GPC) through the American Association of Grants Professionals.

Class 4 — Forest Farming of the Shiitake Mushroom in the Central US

Instructor: Johann Bruhn, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, MU

This session will consist of a PowerPoint presentation of shiitake cultivation practices followed by a hands-on demonstration of inoculation techniques. All aspects of shiitake cultivation will be discussed, including: available mushrooms strains; choice of host wood species; choice of spawn form and inoculation technique; management of “spawn run”; force-fruiting; harvesting; and comments on storage, shipping, and value-added product development.

Dr. Johann Bruhn holds a B.S. in forest science from Utah State University, an M.S. in forest health from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. from the University of California-Berkeley in plant pathology. He has built his career studying the various influences of fungi in forest communities. In recent years, he has emphasized studies of mushroom cultivation in agro forestry (i.e., truffles, shiitake, oyster mushrooms, and Stropharia mushrooms). Nearly all plants require mutualistic root associations with mycorrhizal fungi (e.g., truffle fungi) to survive. Dr. Bruhn is currently studying the biology and cultivation of the Burgundy truffle on the root systems of pedunculate oak trees in orchard settings. Another diverse group of fungi is indispensable in nature as recyclers of dead wood (e.g., shiitake, oyster, and wine-cap Stropharia mushrooms). Dr. Bruhn has studied the outdoor cultivation of shiitake mushrooms on natural solid wood logs in Missouri for much of this decade. This research will be the topic of his presentation.

Class 5 — Plant Propogation: All about the Sex Life of Plants that Leads to Seed

Instructor: Wayne Pianta

Product Technical Specialist, Ball Horticultural Company

Learn about the sex life of plants that leads to seed: parts of the flower, pollination and fertization. The barriers to cross pollination and self pollination in nature. Also plant breeding - some basic principles and practices. What is an F1 Hybrid? Open pollinated lines: Can you collect seed from your plants? Working with your plant breeding and product development companies.

Wayne Pianta works for one of the largest breeder of ornamental plant products in the world, Pan American Seed. A division of Ball Horticulture, Pan American Seed has plant breeding and development organizations around the world. As a Product Technical Specialist, Wayne works with many Universities, Trial Gardens, and Botanical Gardens and Arboretums to test and evaluate new products for their suitability and adaptation to regional environments around the United States. He also works with a network of the largest wholesale producers and retailers of ornamental plants to introduce these products to consumers through the various market outlets.

With a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Horticultural Science from Texas A&M University, Wayne has worked in the ornamental plant industry for almost thirty years. In public sector employment he has been responsible for the Tyler Rose Gardens and their All American Rose Selection Test Gardens. He has been the Program Coordinator for the Ornamental Horticulture Programs at Tyler Junior College where he taught almost all of the courses at one time or another. He has worked for a number of years as an Extension Horticulturist for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service where he was working when the Master Gardener programs first started gaining prominence nationwide.

In the mid 1990’s he took positions in the private sector where he has worked with Sun Gro Horticulture on commercial peat moss and soil mix products, with Syngenta on ornamental plant products, and ultimately with Pan American Seed where he has been for the last few years.

The Master Gardener organization has been a continuous thread throughout his career from his work with volunteers at the Tyler Rose Garden to the times he worked with Master Gardeners with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, to the present where Master Gardeners represent a key component in the success of the public garden and university trial programs.

Wayne has found that the learning curve in ornamental plants is a long and continuous one. He proclaims himself a constant student of the trends in plants and the ornamental horticulture industry. Through his public speaking engagements he always looks forward to sharing his experiences with others.

Class 6 — Using Natives in Your Home Landscape

Instructor: Nadia Navarrete-Tindall

Lincoln University

Instructor: Sue Bartelette

Native Flower and Garden Design

This three hour course will cover information about native plants for garden beautification and for wildlife habitat. Natural habitats and the plant species they support will be discussed including plants for dry, moist and wet habitats, shade or full sunlight, management techniques such as time and type of pruning to control growth of some species, and different combinations of plants to provide food and cover for hummingbirds, butterfilies, pollinators, songbird gardens, and more will be also discussed.

Nadia Navarrete-Tindall conducts research on native plants to evaluate their potential in landscaping, conservation, and for human uses. She is involved in outreach and education for students, farmers, teachers, and the general public; and assists minority farmers by organizing workshops to increase awareness about opportunities on federal grants and programs such as those offered by Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, and other agencies. She has received funding from the MDC, MDNR, Prairie Fork Trust, USDA CSREES, and USDA Forest Service to conduct research on native legumes and native cool season grasses including poverty grass Danthonia spicata and cluster fescue Festuca paradoxa for their potential use in lawns and conservation practices.

At the community level, Nadia organizes or offers bilingual presentations about wildlife, native plants, and other conservation topics across the state. She has been the president of the Columbia Chapter of the Native Plant Society, a group that promotes awareness of the local flora of Missouri. She was recently awarded the Master Conservation Award by the Missouri Conservation Commission.

Sue Bartelette is a Horticulturist with a BSA in Horticulture 1982 ; Owner of Flower and Garden Design, a garden design and maintenance company specializing in flower gardens and native landscapes. We've been operating for 15 years with gardens in Columbia, Jeff City and the Lake of the Ozarks. Mother of 5, backyard farmer, nature lover, and watercolor painter.

Class 7 (part 1) — Organic Vegetable Gardening

Instructor: Sunjun Gu

Lincoln University

Organic vegetable gardening will cover a brief introduction to organic agriculture and organic gardens. What do you need to know about vegetables? Site selection and soil preparation. Organic vegetable prduction techniques.

Sanjun Gu is the Extension Horticulture Specialist in Missouri. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Vegetable Production and a Master of Science degree in Vegetable Breeding and Tissue Culture from China. After working with vegetables for over 10 years on vegetable production and breeding, he went to University of Nebraska-Lincoln and got his Ph.D. in viticulture in 2003. Dr. Gu joined Lincoln University of Missouri in 2008 with state-wide responsibility for commercial vegetable production. His research interests include vegetable grafting, vegetable production in high-tunnels and other solar plastic greenhouses, and new vegetable variety trials.

Class 7 (part 2) — Organic Fruit Production

Instructor: Patrick Byers

Horitcultural Specialist MU Ext

Organic fruit production offers unique opportunities and unique challenges for Missouri gardeners.Patrick will discuss:

1. Selecting a site for organic fruit production
2. Determining which types of fruit and which cultivars are suitable for organic production
3. Organic cultural practices
4. Managing soil fertility the organic way
5. Organic pest management for fruits

Patrick Byers, Regional Horticulture Specialist with the Greene County office of University of Missouri Extension, was born in Nebraska and raised in the Midwest. He can trace his interest in fruit and vegetable production to market gardening while he was in his teens. His educational background includes an associate degree in commercial horticulture from the University of Nebraska, a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from the University of Missouri, and a Master’s degree, also in horticulture, from the University of Arkansas. Job experience includes 3 years at the University of Arkansas Fruit Substation, where he served as research associate in the peach and apple breeding programs. More recently he served for 18 years as Fruit Grower Advisor at Missouri State University’s State Fruit Experiment Station in Mountain Grove, where his responsibilities included outreach education to Missouri’s commercial fruit industry, as well as research interests in elderberry, pawpaw, persimmon, primocane raspberry, blackberry, and other fruit crops. Patrick also served as interim viticulturist for the Missouri Grape and Wine Development Program. His current position of regional horticulture specialist with MU Extension includes outreach programming for commercial and home horticulture interests in the 16-county southwest Missouri region. Patrick and his family managed a small commercial orchard near Fordland, Missouri, where they produce and marketed peaches and honey for 16 years. Patrick has an interest in international agricultural issues, and has made trips to Uzbekistan, China, and Azerbaijan to consult with fruit producers and scientists.

Class 7 (part 3) — Organic Insect Management Strategies

Instructor: Anastasia Becker

IPM Manager, MO Dept. of Agriculture

Intersested in exploring organic insect management strategies for your backyard garden? Learn how you can combine various pest management techniques to minimize or prevent problems. Options for using organic insecticides to control garden insects will be covered in addition to beneficial insects and their roles in garden settings, plus some organic garden perceptions and whether they're myths or facts.

Anastasia Becker grew up on a family farm in southeastern Missouri and has lived in and explored various parts of our state throughout her career. Her interest in horticulture can be traced to growing a garden and trying to find solutions to the problems with 6-legged and 4-legged pests. This search prompted her to return to college life in pursuit of a horticulture degree emphasizing fruits and vegetables at the University of Missouri. One thing led to another and she continued on for a Masters in Entomology, also from the university. She has worked in the fields of Integrated Pest Management and sustainable agriculture for over 15 years and has undertaken various pest management projects ranging from those with typical field crops to some unusual ones such as raising beneficial wasps in a field insectary and evaluating mating disruption ties for grape berry moth. Anastasia is currently the program manager for the Integrated Pest Management Program at the Missouri Department of Agriculture where a current and rewarding project is implementing Integrated Pest Management in a school setting. For over 5 years she has taught some of the Master Gardener entomology programs and in exchange has learned a lot from the participants and their observations. Raising good food and supporting locally produced foods are two continuing interests of hers along with incorporating native plants into the landscape. In her own garden in the country, pest problems are tackled in the least toxic manner and by incorporating various strategies, many times using organic methods.

Class 8 — Starting Wildflower Seed and Growing Wildflowers in Missouri

Instructors: Merv Wallace and Michael Hoyle

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery

Learn the tricks to successfully seeding native grass and wildflower plantings, including site preparation, seeding techniques, seed mixes, and maintenance after germination.  Also learn:

1. How and when to gather, clean, and store different kinds of native plant seeds.
2. Methods of treating native seeds to get them to germinate.
3. How to grow the seedlings to a transplantable size.

Mervin Wallace has operated Missouri Wildflowers Nursery 26 years, providing native plants and their seeds to gardeners in Missouri and surrounding states.

From rodeo clown to managing plant production at Missouri Wildflowers Nursery, Michael Hoyle is a person with exceptional talents. He has been a valuable asset to the nursery for over 12 years.