VNLA Newsletter Spring 2018

Historic gardens and home and commercial landscapes alike fear invasion of boxwood blight. Once plants are in- fected, the current recommendation calls for plant removal and destruction, followed by a rigorous fungicide program to protect any adjacent, symptom-free boxwoods. Dr. La- Mondia plans to focus specifically on management of box- wood blight in landscapes with various fungicides. A sustainable approach to Phytophthora-infested land- scape beds: the search for tolerant or resistant annuals and herbaceous perennials Dr. I. Meadows; North Carolina State University Phytophthora root rot and stem blight affects over 100 of the most popular and most commonly used landscape per- ennials and annuals, including annual vinca, petunia, and daylily, throughout the US. Current recommendations for infested landscape beds are either impractical or not eco- nomically feasible for landscapers and homeowners. Previ- ous research has given hope of reducing inoculum through the use of crop rotation with resistant plants. Dr. Meadows will identify suitable landscape plants to be used in crop ro- tation. A System Nitrogen Balance for Container Plant Produc- tion Dr. L. Oki; University of California - Davis

As water resources become more valuable, efforts increase to maintain water quality. Nitrogen management plans rep- resent a relatively new strategy to curb contamination of groundwater and are being enacted in certain, regional ar- eas. Often the nitrogen management plans are factored around agricultural commodities, such as grapes; however, these plans are more challenging to develop for nursery pro- duction. This project will assess the fate of nitrogen applied in production and then identify BMP’s to prevent environ- mentally harmful nitrogen discharge. Controlling Amber Snail in Containerized Nursery Stock Dr. A. Witcher; Tennessee State University Amber snails have been reported as problematic in nursery production throughout the US. They are generalist feeders on foliage, flowers, and fruit and cause damage to a wide variety of crops. Control options are limited, with mollusci- cides, pesticides that target snails and slugs, being the pre- ferred method. However, molluscicides vary in their level of efficacy. Dr. Witcher will evaluate commercially availa- ble molliscicides specifically in both a high and low mois- ture environment for comparison. visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155. JenniferG@AmericanHort.org Do you ask questions, or do you come up with answers? And which is better as we help ourselves and others take action and get results? Sometimes as a leader, it can become almost overwhelming as one after another good-meaning, hardworking employees come to you for the final word, the best answer. Generally, leaders are looking for individuals and teams that are both willing and able to step up and not only pose a great question but also come prepared with a plan to take action. Just as we need people who are sharp and aware of what needs to be done or possible roadblocks that we might encounter, we also need individuals who are able to actually solve problems or come up with creative solutions. Jim Paluch will be the Keynote Speaker at the VNLA Workshop, Wednesday, July 11, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland Tips - People Solutions - Finding Solutions Problem Finders or Solution Seekers

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April/May/June 2018 VNLA Newsletter April / May / June 2018 V LA Newsletter