Thursday, August 26

MORNING SESSIONS

---

Defining Your Identity in the Marketplace

Room B 110-112 | Moderator: Crystal Cady, nursery manager, Garland Nursery

9 - 10:25 a.m.

Creating a "Brand" New Garden Center - A Case Study
Speaker: Richard Holberg, president, GreenBranding

Branding is a hot topic in the retail world, but many small green industry businesses have a hard time deciding what it means to them. This seminar will show you how the power of your own integrated brand can transform your garden center business and improve your sales success! In this session we'll explain what makes up your brand. You'll see a case study of a garden center brand redesign, with before and after examples, and you'll learn the importance of making a branded impression in your customer's mind. Attendees should then be able to take a fresh look at what their current branding says to customers, and decide on a path for improvement.

10:30 a.m. - Noon

Website Checkup: How Healthy is Your Site
Speaker: Joe Rotella, chief technical officer, usability practice director, Delphia Consulting

This session explores the elements of an effective web presence by reviewing sites of Oregon Association of Nurseries members! Discover best practices for business Websites - what are the current trends, what works, what doesn't. Find out about the Web 2.0 buzz, and see whether integration is appropriate for your site. Understand the benefits of the "5D's" process before tackling a Web redesign project.

---

The Basic Mix

 

Room B 113-114 | Moderator: Robin Rosetta, associate professor, Oregon State University

9 - 9:55 a.m.

Disease Basics
Speaker: Dr. Ann Chase, president, Chase Horticultural Research

This review of basic diseases of ornamentals will cover disease causes, typical plant pathogens, how they spread and diagnostics. A pictorial guide to different symptoms such as blight, ring spot and chlorosis will be included.

10 - 10:55 a.m.

Tank-Mixing Pest Control Materials
Speaker: Dr. Raymond Cloyd, associate professor, Kansas State University

This presentation will discuss the benefits and potential issues associated with mixing pest control materials together in a spray solution, including synergism, antagonism, compatibility and phytotoxicity.

11 a.m. - Noon

Use of Insect Growth Regulators to Manage Ornamental Pests
Speaker: Dr. Scott Ludwig, extension program specialist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Insect growth regulators (IGR's) are a valuable tool for managing pests or ornamental plants. In order for an IGR to work properly, growers need to understand how it works and the life stages of the target pest. This session will provide an overview of the IGR's on the market today and discuss their proper use in ornamental crops.

---

Getting Ready for Change - Preparing for and Embracing the Realities of the Economic Turnaround

9 a.m. - Noon

Speaker: Dr. Jean Meeks, organizational strategist, positive eye consulting

Room B 115-116

We are living in challenging economic times. The rapid changes that we are witnessing in the business and financial markets have created an environment that is far different from anything we've seen in the past. How are you going to react? What moves are you going to make? Are they sound and long lasting with positive results?

For many, the first knee-jerk action will be to cut budgets and people, positioning their companies in a weaker state than when they started. Why? Because the moves they make are unfortunately based on the past and not the future. They're tactical and not strategic. And if there is one thing we know for sure, it's that the future business environment is going to be far different than today. This session will teach you a strategy that will align you to create a future oriented strategy for your business.

---

Vertical and Small Space Design

Room B 117 - 119 | Moderator: Treda McCaw, inside sales, Kraemer's Nursery

9 - 9:55 a.m.

Green Walls and Vertical Agriculture
Speaker: George Irwin, Chairman & CEO, Green Living Technologies

Like most urban development if you can't build out, then build up. The latest green building trend for new construction and renovation, commercial or private are green walls. Certainly growing in popularity and quickly becoming a niche market for the green industry, green walls can be used for marketing, air purification and as a revolution to produce growers. This session will take a look green wall types, construction, benefits and applications, and how the agricultural industry can capitalize on going vertical.

10 - 10:55 a.m.

Size Matters: Great Plants for Small Spaces
Speaker: Cole Burrell, principal, Native Landscape Design and Restoration

Most gardeners are faced with the challenge of creating their version of paradise in a relatively small space. As our property boundaries shrink, so must our plants. This lecture highlights the best flowering trees, shrubs, vines, perennials and bulbs for gardens where space is at a premium, from balconies and city gardens to small suburban lots.

11 a.m. - Noon

Natives for Vertical Spaces
Speaker: Sean Hogan, owner, Cistus Nursery

Living walls, hanging gardens and other vertical plantings are becoming ever more popular. The greatest challenge is finding plants like or even love the low-water regime required to sustain the high-end look. All that and yes, they have to be beautiful too! We'll look at western natives perfectly adapted to these situations, including succulents, dry land ferns and lots of colorful perennials and woodies.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS

---

Looking Closer at Your Plants:
Learn How to Examine and Interpret their Signs and Symptoms

1 - 3 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Luisa Santamaria, extension nursery specialist, Oregon State University

Room B 115-116 | Moderator: Isabela Mackey, Bilingual Pesticide Safety instructor and consultant

During their growth, plants can present different changes that make us think that something is wrong with them. These events are known as signs and symptoms. The objective of this class is to provide basic information on aspects that should be observed and analyzed to determine the origin or cause of these alterations. The most common causes that result in changes in plants are: diseases, insects, environmental factors or chemicals. Dr. Santamaria will provide diagnostic tools and practical examples that will help the participant to examine and identify the different signs and symptoms in plants.

It's All About the Fit - Good Hiring Begins
with Good Interviewing

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Speaker: Sara Davey-Schmidt, senior account manager, 52 Limited

Room B 113-114

How do you get the right people in the right seats on the bus? Here are practical tips for preparing yourself and your team to conduct interviews that will assess candidates beyond the job qualifications. With this info, you can determine the overall best fit for your company culture, as well as the right player to stay with you on the path you want to take your business. This workshop is for individuals who lead and participate in interviewing candidates for hire.

Discount pricing available through July 31!

» Seminar Pricing

» View a map of the seminar rooms...