This session will feature:

• Propagating Perennials - Stephanie Burnett
• Natives, A Grower’s Perspective - Peter van Berkum
• Nutrient Management with Herbaceous Perennials - Sinclair Adam
• Biocontrol in Perennials for Indoor and Outdoor Production - Roger McGaughey
• Deer Resistant Plants - Sinclair Adam

Meet the presenters:
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Stephanie Burnett is an associate professor of horticulture at the University of Maine in the School of Food and Agriculture. She graduated with a B.S. in Zoology, a M.S. in Horticulture from Auburn University, and a Ph.D. in Horticulture from the University of Georgia. Her research focuses on greenhouse irrigation and fertilization; she is also working on improving propagation systems and protocols.

Peter van Berkum holds a degree in Plant Science from UNH. He studied horticulture for a year in the Netherlands. He and his wife Leslie started Van Berkum Nursery 30 years ago, and currently supply natives and other perennials to the northern New England wholesale market. Peter was a recipient of the 2012 Perennial Plant Association Grower of the Year award.

Sinclair Adams is an extension educator in floriculture with Penn State Extension, based in Lebanon County PA, and flower trial director since 2013. He has received a B.S. from the Univ. of Wyoming in Plant and Soil Science, and a M.S. from the Univ. of Vermont in Plant and Soil Science. Holder of 15 plant patents, Sinclair has developed Tiarella, Chrysanthemum, and Phlox selections for industry, and is a member of ASHS, PPA, Pi Alpha Xi, & the Hardy Plant Society.

Roger McGaughey is the head grower at Pioneer Gardens in Deerfield, MA. He has a B.S. in Horticulture from Reading University (Grade Second Class Honors). Roger has 44 years of experience as a grower and is a columnist for GrowerTalks magazine.

The biennial Northeast Greenhouse Conference & Expo is co-sponsored by New England Floriculture, Inc. - a group of grower representatives from the Northeast, augmented by University and Cooperative Extension staff in each state who specialize in greenhouse crops and management.

The Basic Production Skills session (November 7, 2018) at the NEGC will feature four presentations on the fundamentals of greenhouse production. These presentations are appropriate for new growers or experienced growers interested in learning training topics. 

• 9:00 am - Controlling Height: Chemical, cultural and environmental approaches,  Christopher J. Currey, Iowa State University
• 10:30 am - The art and science of watering, Rosa Raudales, University of Connecticut 
• 1:30 pm - Managing the greenhouse environment: Light, temperature, carbon dioxide, and humidity, Christopher J. Currey, Iowa State University 
• 2:30 pm - Nutrient management: Fertilizers and substrates, Ryan Dickson, University of New Hampshire 

Meet the presenters:

Christopher J. Currey is an assistant professor of Horticulture in the Department of Horticulture at the Iowa State University, specializing in greenhouse and controlled-environment crop production. Chris received his B.S from the University of Minnesota. After graduating he went to work as a commercial orchid producer in Minnesota, and was also a horticulturist for the National Park Service, growing native plants for restoration at Glacier National Park. After realizing he wanted to teach, conduct research, and work with commercial growers, he went back to the University of Minnesota for his M.S. and the received his Ph.D. in from Purdue University. Chris has responsibilities in teaching, research, and Extension. He teaches courses on greenhouse operations and management, hydroponic food crop production, floriculture crop production, and landscape crop production. Chris’s greenhouse crop and controlled-environment research is focused on providing research-based best-management practices to support commercial producers of ornamental and food crops to improve productivity, profitability, and sustainability using and managing light, temperature, mineral nutrition, and plant growth regulators.

Rosa E. Raudales is an assistant professor in Plant Science at the University of Connecticut. Rosa received a Ph.D. in Horticulture from the University of Florida, a M.Sc. in Plant Pathology from The Ohio State University, and a B.Sc. in Agricultural Science and Production Systems from Zamorano University. Rosa’s research program focuses on understanding how to use low-quality water for irrigation of greenhouse crops. The Raudales team conducts research on control of plant pathogens in closed-loop hydroponics, evaluating factors that affect clogging of irrigation systems, safe use of reclaimed-water, and water treatment options for control of pathogens, algae, biofilm and residual chemicals.  Rosa’s research and outreach program address management of biological, chemical and physical parameters in water that affect the plan health and irrigation efficiency of greenhouse crops. Follow Rosa on Instagram @rosaraudales or Twitter @RaudalesLab 

​Ryan Dickson is the State Extension Specialist for Greenhouse Management and Technologies at the University of New Hampshire. Ryan has a PhD in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Florida.The biennial Northeast Greenhouse Conference & Expo is co-sponsored by New England Floriculture, Inc. - a group of grower representatives from the Northeast, augmented by University and Cooperative Extension staff in each state who specialize in greenhouse crops and management. 

The biennial Northeast Greenhouse Conference & Expo is co-sponsored by New England Floriculture, Inc. - a group of grower representatives from the Northeast, augmented by University and Cooperative Extension staff in each state who specialize in greenhouse crops and management.