Georgia Pesticide License Review

A review of the materials for the Georgia Pesticide General Standards and Category 24 Ornamental and Turf pesticide license exams will be offered in Cobb County on October 25, 2016.

When: Tuesday, October 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Cobb County Extension, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta,  GA, 30060, second floor classroom

Registration fee: $15

To register, please call 770-228-7214 or email bhorne@uga.edu 

or register online through UGA's Marketplace.

Pesticide Applicator Recertification Training

UGA's Green Team will be in Bartow County in November to offer an educational session that qualifies for recertification credits for Category 24 pesticide applicator licenses.

WHEN: Thursday, November 19, 2015
              9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency
               7545 Main Street
               Building 200
               Woodstock, GA  30188
WHAT: Classes to qualify for 4 hours of category 24 recertification credit
SPEAKERS: Josh Fuder, Cherokee County ANR Agent; Patrick McCullough, UGA Crop and Soil Sciences; Jean Williams-Woodward, UGA Plant Pathology; Mickey Taylor, UGA Entomology
COST: $45 per person

Please preregister before November 12. Space is limited!

TO REGISTER: online through UGA Marketplace, or call 770-228-7214 or email bhorne@uga.edu for additional information.

Printed materials, break refreshments, and lunch are provided.

Pond Management Workshop is Scheduled

A Pond Management Workshop sponsored by UGA Extension- Cherokee County ANR Agent Josh Fuder and featuring UGA Aquaculturist Dr. Gary Burtle is scheduled:

When:  September 1, 2015

Where: 
Bluffs Business Center
Cherokee County Administrative Offices
1130 Bluffs Parkway
Canton, GA 30114

What:
Dr. Burtle will be speaking on water quality and testing, liming & fertilizing a pond, weed ID & control, and population assessment and management.

Leaves of Three...Poison Ivy in the Landscape

Poison ivy             PHOTO/Amy W.

Greenery is popping up all over our landscapes, and, for anyone who has ever developed a blistery rash following a day of work in the yard, some of that greenery may look like bad news.

One common cause of such a rash is poison ivy, which spreads underground and through seeds that are dropped by birds and small animals that have eaten the berries.

For people who are unsure how to identify poison ivy and are counting numbers-of-leaves to determine which plants to pull or spray, it may be best to take or email a photo of any suspicious plant to your local Extension office for identification.

IPM for Vegetable Gardens, UGA Video

UGA, in cooperation with University of Tennessee and Alabama Cooperative Extension, has put together a short video about pest management in the vegetable garden. As we all gear up for spring planting, keeping the ideas of promoting good health in our crops and of relying as much as possible on beneficial insects for pest control can help us in planning productive, beautiful gardens:

North Georgia Gardening Symposium, Feb. 26, 2015

The 2015 North Georgia Gardening Symposium is set for Thursday, February 26, at the North Metro Campus of Chattahoochee Technical College.

For landscape professionals, the Symposium provides for 5-hours pesticide re-certification credit for category 24 licenses or 1-hour pesticide re-certification for private applicators. It also has been approved for 5-hours (CEUs) for ISA Arborist and Municipal Specialists.

For everyone who attends, the Symposium offers a great opportunity to enhance garden and landscape knowledge and skills!

This year's offerings will help gardeners and landscapers avoid common mistakes in using broad-leaf herbicides, learn to diagnose common tree disorders in the landscape, and use the best and most innovative sustainable practices in landscape maintenance, and more.

8-8:30 a.m.                    Registration/Check-in 
8:30-9:30 a.m.               Herbicide Effects on Landscape Trees and Shrubs, by Paul Pugliese, Bartow County Extension
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.      Creating Tough Turf, by Becky Griffin, UGA Extension Urban Ag Associate
10:30-10:45 a.m.            Break
10:45-11:45 a.m.           Tree Scene Investigation, Mary Carol Sheffield, Paulding County Extension
11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.   Break for lunch and vendor visits 
1:15-2:15 p.m.                New Diseases, New Products, What Else is New?, by Dr. Jean Williams-Woodward, UGA Extension Plant Pathologist
2:15-3:15 p.m.               Sustainable Landscape Practices, by Dr. Bodie Pennisi, Extension Landscape Specialist
3:15-3:30 p.m.                Break
3:45-4:15 p.m.                The Latest and Greatest Plant Introductions, by Rex Bishop, Chattahoochee Technical College
4:15-4:30 p.m.                Pesticide re-certification/evaluation

The course fee is $35; lunch and breaks are included in the fee.

To register online, scroll down the list of courses for Continuing Professional Education to choose the North Georgia Gardening Symposium class and register. Also, you may call 770-528-4550 for more information or to register for the Symposium.

Green Industry Update Scheduled for Sept. 30

A Green Industry Update, offered through UGA Extension in Cobb County, is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2014. Recertification credits are offered in the following categories:

21, 23, 24, 27 -- 3 credits

Private -- 1 credit

ISA - 1.75 2.5 (updated on 9/2/14)

8:30 - 9:00 a.m.- registration
9:00 a.m. - noon - workshop

Topics:
Reduce Pest Problems with Proper Tree Selection and Planting, by Joe Burgess, Senior Forester, Georgia Forestry Commission
Control Spring Turf Diseases with Fall Fungicide Applications, by Neil Tarver, Cobb County Horticulture Agent, UGA Extension in Cobb County
Interpreting Pesticide Labels is Key to Pesticide Safety, by Milton (Mickey) Taylor, PhD Pesticide Safety Education Program, UGA Dept. of Entomology

Cost:  $10 per person, payable at the door. Location:  Cobb County Water System Lab Training Room, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060 For Information or to Preregister:  email cornelius.tarver@cobbcounty.org or call 770-528-4070.

Pesticide Applicator Training

UGA Extension in Cobb County is scheduled to host a daylong class for Category 24 Ornamental and Turf Commercial Pesticide Applicator training. 

This class is for those seeking a license to prepare for the Category 24 Ornamental and Turf Commercial Pesticide Applicator's License exam.

When: Thursday, June 19, 2014, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: Cobb Extension training room at 678 South Cobb Dr., Marietta, GA, 30060
Instructor: Neil Tarver, Cobb County Extension Agent
Cost: $10 per person
Registration: Please preregister; seating is limited. Call 770-528-4070 or email cornelius.tarver@cobbcounty.org to register or for more information.
 
The manuals "Applying Pesticides Correctly" and "Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Management" will be reviewed.

The manuals needed for exam preparation can be purchased at the Cobb Extension Office. "Applying Pesticides Correctly" costs $15, and "Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Management" costs $25.

Schedule
8:00 - 8:30 a.m., Registration
8:30 a.m. to noon, Class
Noon to 1:00 p.m., Lunch on your own
1:00 -4:00 p.m., Class

Category 24 Ornamental and Turf Pesticide Applicator Training

A training class for those who want to pass the exam to become a Category 24 Pesticide Applicator will be held at Gwinnett Technical College on November 12, 2013. This is not a re-certification workshop, and no re-certification credits will be offered.

Instructors: Timothy Daly, Gwinnett County Extension Agent; Rolando Orellana, Fulton County
           Extension Agent; Neil Tarver, Cobb County Extension Agent

When: November 12, 2013, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
            Registration is from 8:00 - 8:30 a.m.; Noon - 1:00 p.m. is set aside for lunch on your own.
Where: Gwinnett Technical College, 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA, 30043,
           Building 100, Room 401

Fee: $10 fee covers cost of some hands-on material, handouts, and a practice exam. Make check
         payable   to Gwinnett Cooperative Fund (cash or check only). The fee can be paid at the door.
Preregistration is required: Preregister by Friday, November 7, by contacting Tim Daly at
         678-377-4010 or via email to timothy.daly@gwinnettcounty.com.

Recommended books to purchase in advance: It is strongly recommended that attendees purchase
         the books Applying Pesticides Correctly ($15) and Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest 
         Management ($25) through either the Gwinnett County Cooperative Extension Office
         (cash or check only) or through the University of Georgia Office of Communications using
         a credit card by calling (706) 542-2657.

Training: The first part of the class will cover the general standards portion of the exam,
         then the ornamental and turf section will be covered.

Taking the Exam: The Category 24 Ornamental and Turf Pesticide Applicator's exam is offered
        every Monday and Friday at Gwinnett Technical College, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon, except
        for holidays. To register for the exam, go to www.gapestexam.com. The cost is $45 payable
        at the time of the exam. Checks should be made out to Gwinnett Technical College.

Landscape Training for Professionals -- Green University in Paulding County

UGA's Center for Urban Agriculture and Paulding County Cooperative Extension are offering training - with credits - at a Green University for landscape professionals in July.

The training will take place on Tuesday, July 16, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Paulding Campus of Chattahoochee Tech, Building B, Room 108B, 400 Nathan Dean Blvd., Dallas, GA.

The sessions:

• Welcome & Extension Updates (Mary Carol Sheffield)
• Safety Considerations for Landscape Professionals (Rolando Orella)
• Is your spray program effective? IPM Landscape Scouting (Todd Hurt)
• Effects of Phenoxy Herbicides on Landscape Trees & Shrubs (Paul Pugliese)
• Application of Pesticides - Did the pesticide not work or did the coverage stink? (Keith Mickler)

Registration fee is $25 and cost includes lunch. Preregistration is required before noon on Monday, July 15.
Register online, or pay with a check using the form on page two of this information link.

Credit hours offered:

• Commercial pesticide credit - 5 hours in categories 21, 23, 24 & 27
• ISA Certified Arborist - 5 hours

For additional information email bhorne@uga.edu or call the Paulding County Cooperative Extension office at 770-443-7616.

Storage and Disposal of Household Pesticides

A lot of the lawn and garden care activities for the year are winding down, and homeowners who are looking at one or more containers, each with a little bit of leftover pesticide, may be wondering what to do over the winter with those containers and their contents.

In Cobb County, there currently are no scheduled drop-off days for household hazardous waste, which means homeowners will need to take extra care in storing and/or disposing of any pesticides for which there is no immediate need.

The UGA publication Pesticide Safety for the Homeowner explains, "chemical pesticides cannot be stored in the same way as other household items. Follow these precautions:

• Do not store pesticides near food, seed, animals or flammable materials.
• Store pesticides in a locked place out of reach of children, unauthorized people and pets. Keep the area dry, cool, ventilated and out of direct sunlight.
• Store the pesticide in its original container. If you must transfer it to a different container, be sure to transfer the label also. Never store pesticide in an old food or drink container, because someone may mistake it for something edible.
• Check containers often for leaks.
• Keep the storage area clean and well organized.
• Have spill kits and first aid kits readily available in case of an accident.
• Do not store pesticides for more than two years; many break down after this time."

For any leftover chemicals, the publication recommends that they be used, either by the original owner or by someone to whom it has been given, traded, or sold. If a product cannot be used, the recommendation is to "Wrap the container in several layers of newspaper and put it in the household trash (if not prohibited by the label directions)."

The publication also has recommnedations for the emptied containers: "Empty pesticide containers are considered hazardous waste unless they are properly processed. Follow these guidelines:

• Rinse each container at least three times, add the rinse to your spray tank, and apply the mix to a labeled site.
• Punch holes in metal, plastic or cardboard containers, crush them, wrap them in newspaper and put them in the household trash (if not prohibited by the label directions)."

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs offers additional information to Georgia residents for disposing of household hazardous wastes. In an untitled document on its website, the Georgia DCA explains that any liquid wastes should be either left outside with the lid off to evaporate (when possible) or made into a solid by adding an absorbent substance like kitty litter to the container before wrapping the container in newspaper and adding it to the household trash.

The DCA also offers a couple of observations to those who are trying to address the problem of their household hazardous waste as responsibly as possible:

1. "The often frustrating reality is that in Georgia at this time, reuse and recycling options are extremely limited."

and 2. "One lesson should be apparent: the next time you have to buy this sort of material, consider how much you really need for the job, and explore less-toxic alternatives."