Landscape, Ornamentals, Nursery, and Turf Edition

Seasonal updates on ornamental, nursery, and turf pests.
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Companion Website Links:

Rutgers Turf Blog - Articles on turfgrass diseases and cultural practices for the commercial turfgrass industry. Subscription available via RSS.

 

Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.

NE Agriculture Expo and Rutgers Educational Sessions Start Tuesday 1/20/26 to Thursday 1/22/26 in Atlantic City

The NE Agriculture Expo and Rutgers Educational Sessions Start Tuesday 1/20/26 at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, 777 Harrahs Boulevard. The final day of educational sessions and trade show ends on Thursday at 5pm.

The weather may be cold, but no rain or no snow in the forecast, and warm times inside the conference center to network with others in the industry.  An afternoon Hospitality Room will be available 12-5pm on Wednesday and Thursday to relax and unwind in the trade show area. Come for the social aspects, education and gain pesticide recertification credits. Check out the Rutgers Educational Program to see what topics you would like to learn about. go.rutgers.edu/2026rutgerseduprog

What’s Happening

January 20 (Tuesday)

  • Pre–trade show workshops and sessions

January 21 (Wednesday)

  • Full day of educational sessions for all commodity groups • Year of the Women Farmer Luncheon
  • Packed trade show with vendor booths sold out
  • Live charity auction with FREE food

January 22 (Thursday)

  • More sessions
  • Another day packed trade show with vendor booths sold out
  • Special appearance by Temple Grandin book signing /meet and greet, then her special session (additional cost)

Registration Options On-Site at the Regitration Counter (hallway of conference center) or On-line https://vganj.com/convention-tickets“>https://vganj.com/convention-tickets

✔️ VGANJ Membership – $100

Includes 2 Expo passes

Additional passes just $25 each

✔️ One-Day Pass – $60

Access to sessions + trade show

Register On-Line to

  • Save time at registration
  • Walk in, grab your badge
  • Enjoy FREE breakfast (8am-10am Wednesday and Thursday in Trade Show)
  • Head straight to learning, growing, and catching up with friends

This event under one roof, packed with education and energy, and celebrating New Jersey agriculture at its best.

Plus, buy your tee shirt or hoodie at the registration desk to “Support New Jersey Farmers” and tout “No Farmers No Food” – new this year.

 

2026 Central Jersey Turf and Ornamental Institute

Rutgers Cooperative Extension presents

2026 Central Jersey TURF & ORNAMENTAL Institute

Friday, February 27

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Monmouth County Ag Building

4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, NJ

 

Registration: $75 per person (includes Continental Breakfast & Lunch)

Registration Brochure: CJTOI Brochure 2026

 732-431-7260 or email Catherine.VanBenschoten@co.monmouth.nj.us

Registration by cash, check, or purchase order only.

 

Agenda:

  • CORE Pesticide Safety for Ornamental IPM – Tim Waller, Ph.D.
  • Boxwood BMPs and Alternative Shrubs – Bill Errickson, Ph.D.
  • Managing Scale in the Landscape – Steve Rettke
  • Integrated Pest Management for Invasive Plant Species in Woodlands, Fields, and Parks – R.J.Curcio and Maggie Coakley
  • Mosquito & Tick Management for Green Industry Professionals – Emily Fontaine
  • Things to Consider Before Applying Fungicides to Control Turfgrass Diseases – Ming-Yi Chou, Ph.D.
  • Integrated Weed Management for Turfgrass – Matthew Elmore Ph.D.
  • Turfgrass Fertility Management for Sports Fields and Grounds – Brad Park

Recertification Credits:

  • Core = 2 credits
  • PP2 = 4 credits
  • 1A = 2 credits
  • 2 = 2 credits
  • 3A = 4 credits
  • 3B = 3 credits
  • 6B = 4 credits
  • 8A = 1 credit
  • 8C = 7 credits
  • 9 = 2 credits
  • 10 = 6 credits
  • 13 = 1 credit
  • ProFACT = 1 credit

 

 

NEED PESTCIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS? REGISTER TODAY

4 CORE Credits – Pesticide Safety Workshop

A Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Workshop for Pesticide Applicators to gain CORE Credits towards their license will be held at the NE Agriculture Expo at Harrah’s in Atlantic City to start of this year’s event. This workshop will take place from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Licensed applicators must accumulate 8 CORE Credits over a 5-year period to maintain their NJDEP Pesticide Applicators License. This workshop will offer 4 CORE Credits. Pre-registration is requested and can be found on the VGANJ website at https://vganj.com“>https://vganj.com. Registration cost is $25 per person and non-refundable. Registration for this workshop is separate from the convention registration and attendees must also register for the expo at https://vganj.com/convention-tickets. The topics include: Pesticide Safety – Personal Protection Equipment for the Pesticide Applicator; Update on US EPA Worker Protection Standards; Storage, Tank Mixing, Tank Cleaning, and Disposal; Pesticide Record Keeping and Notification. For more information contact Bill Bamka (bamka@njaes.rutgers.edu) or Michelle Infante-Casella (minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu).

For the full program (January 20-22nd) of Rutgers Educational Workshops and Sessions that offer more credits and diverse topics, see https://go.rutgers.edu/2026rutgerseduprog

2 “Stop the Bleed” Trainings North and South Jersey

2 STOP THE BLEED TRAININGS SCHEDULED
FOR FARMERS AND THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY
REGISTRATION REQUIRED – NO COST

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH IN SUSSEX COUNTY STARTING AT 10:00AM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND IN GLOUCESTER COUNTY  STARTING AT 9:00AM

FOR SUSSEX COUNTY ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH AT 10:00AM – CALL TO REGISTER: 973-948-3040

LOCATION: RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF SUSSEX COUNTY, 130 MORRIS TNPK, NEWTON, NJ

-OR-

FOR GLOUCESTER COUNTY ON FEBRUARY 2ND AT 9:00AM – REGISTER USING THIS LINK OR QR CODE:
https://go.rutgers.edu/stopthebleed

LOCATION: GLOUCESTER COUNTY OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
1200 N. DELSEA DR., CLAYTON, NJ

Rutgers Cooperative Extension’ Farm Health and Safety Team has 2 scheduled events for  “Stop the Bleed” training for the farming community.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the life-saving skills of pressure application, wound packing, and use of tourniquets. The first 25 registrants at each location, will also receive a complementary bleeding control kit.

Space is limited, register today.

If you have questions contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County (973-948-3040) or Gloucester County (856-224-8040 ext. 1)

Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Team:
Agricultural Agents: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, William Bamka, and Stephen Komar

Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge: Annie’s Project 101 Launches in January 2026

Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge: Annie’s Project 101 Launches in January 2026

As agriculture continues to evolve, so do the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers—especially women and beginning farmers. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of the Annie’s Project 101 Course, a comprehensive farm business management training series kicking off in January 2026.

Hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension and supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Project, this six-week webinar series is designed to equip farmers with the tools they need to thrive in today’s dynamic agricultural landscape.

📅 Course Overview

  • Dates: Wednesdays, January 7 – February 18, 2026
  • Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Format: Live webinars + asynchronous learning
  • Fee: $45
  • Registration: Click here to register

🎓 What You’ll Learn

Each session focuses on a key area of farm risk management, featuring expert-led presentations and practical strategies:

  • Legal Risk (Jan 7): Lease agreements and legal foundations for farm operations
  • Financial Risk (Jan 14): Agritourism pricing and profitability analysis
  • Market Risk (Jan 28): Marketing plans and niche development
  • Human Resource Risk (Feb 4): Farm crew management and wellness strategies
  • Production Risk (Feb 11): Food safety and equipment selection
  • Legal & Financial Risk Wrap-Up (Feb 18): Insurance and business planning essentials

🧭 Special Note

There will be no webinar on January 21 to allow participants to attend the Northeast Ag Expo at Harrah’s Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.


Whether you’re a beginning farmer, a seasoned producer, or someone exploring agribusiness, Annie’s Project 101 offers valuable insights and connections to help you grow your farm with confidence.

📌 Don’t miss out—register today and invest in your farm’s future!
#AnnieProject101 #FarmBusiness #WomenInAg #RutgersExtension #AgWebinarSeries #FarmSmart

Visit the Rutgers Food Innovation Center!

There’s still time to register to the field trip to the Rutgers Food Innovation Center on November 19!

Register at: https://go.rutgers.edu/n2sc89zn