Education is the Heart of Cultivate'21 ... A great opportunity to enhance your business and career! AmericanHort assembles and offers 100+ educational sessions, as well as a variety of Workshop and Industry Production Tours and much more throughout the Cultivate schedule. The objective is to provide you with industry best practices, fresh ideas, and creative solutions to common challenges – so that you can become more efficient, productive and prepared for the future.
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
But They Said Hemp Was Legal! What Every Hemp Grower Needs to Know About Evolving Laws & Regulations Impacting the Industry
Christopher Strunk Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Opportunities in Hemp Cultivation for the Floriculture Industry
Josh Schneider Founder and CEO at Cultivaris
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Greenhouse Needs for Hemp Production
Tami Van Gaal Peter Armando, Griffin Supplies
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Fine Tuning Your Hemp Field Production
Krystal Snyder Extension Specialist at Penn State
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Stop the Rot: What You Can't See Can Hurt Your Bottom Line
Janna Beckerman, PhD Professor at Purdue University
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Pest Management Strategies for Hemp
Suzanne Wainwright-Evans Owner at Buglady Consulting
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Garden Center Retail Tour
Oakland Nursery, Wilsons Garden Center
Greenhouse Production Tour
Case Verde Growers, Pettiti’s Garden Center, Thorsen’s Greenhouse
Landscape Zoo Tour
Columbus Zoo & Aquarium
Nursery Production Tour
Bluestone Perennials, North Coast Perennials, Ridge Manor Nursery.
7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Pest Diagnostics & Technology Workshop
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Garden Retail Workshop: Taking it to the Next Level
Clint AlbinKatie Dubow Jessie Jacobson
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
The Art of Talent Management: How to Hire and Coach Talent for Long-Term Success
Neal Glatt Managing Partner at GrowTheBench
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Building a Better Workforce
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Efficiency Trends for Greenhouse Production
John Erwin Professor and Chair, Plant Science at University of Maryland
Impact of Genetics and Environment on Hemp Yield and Quality
Bruce Bugbee Professor at Utah State University
Using both SANC and Plant Sentry to Increase Productivity and Sales
Tom Buechel Chief Compliance Officer Plant Sentry
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Making the Most of Home Gardening and Cooking at Home Trends
Cheni Filios Josh Kirschenbaum PanAmerican Seed
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Crop Forecasting for Greenhouse Young Plant, Flower, and Field Hemp Production
Travis Higginbotham Co-owner, VP Sales The Hemp Mine
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Changes for the Better: Our Industry’s Evolution
James Berry President at J Berry Nursery
FSI/MPS: A View on Worldwide Developments on Sustainability
Jeroen Oudheusen Remco Jansen Floriculture Sustainability Initiative
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Help Your Plants Weather the Weather: Improving Plant Stress Tolerance in Container-Nursery Production
Michael Brownbridge Biological Program Manager at BioWorks, Inc.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Hemp Fertility and Nutrient Management to Maximize Yield
Cari Peters Dan Gillespie Technical Specialist at JR Peters, Inc.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Getting Down to Business: Managing Costs, Risks and Profitability
Mike Gooder President and Co-Owner Plantpeddler
Impact on Nurseries: The U.S. Arboretum - Our Role, Your Future
Richard Olsen Director, U.S. National Arboretum at USDA - ARS
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Cultivating a Company Culture
Kurt Yerak President at KEY Leadership Group
Moss Wall Workshop
Michael Creath Jessie Laux Nicolas Rousseau
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Basics of Growing Common Foliage Plants
Harvesting, Drying, and Processing Hemp
Allison Justice Co-owner at The Hemp Mine
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
For the Common Good: Public Breeding Programs Address the Needs of the Industry
Ryan Contreras Associate Professor at Oregon State
Water Treatment Systems: From Theory to Real Life
Rosa Raudales Greenhouse Extension Specialist at University of Connecticut
Growers of All Sizes Can Make Wise Automation Investments
Rob Lando Mike Vallafskey AgriNomix
Hemp Growers Speak Out
Laura Drotleff Contributor at Hemp Industry Daily
The New Perennial Movement: Why it Matters to Our Industry
Paul Westervelt Chief of Container Operations at Saunders Brothers, Inc.
The Nuts & Bolts of Getting Into Hydroponics
Christopher Currey Associate Professor at Iowa State
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Successful Combos: Baskets and Containers that Work for Growers and Consumers
Nathan Sell Sales Manager at Dummen Orange
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Basics of Producing Culinary Herbs and Vegetable Transplants
Christopher Currey Roberto Lopez
Creating a Culture of Metrics
John Kennedy Owner at John Kennedy Consulting
Cut Flower Series: The Latest and Greatest New Cut Flowers!
John Dole Nathan Jahnke
The Inside to Understanding Gardening Motivations
Bridget Behe Professor Horticultural Marketing at Michigan State
Understanding and Maximizing the Value of Root Zone Microbes
Jozsef Racsko Technology Manager at Mycorrhizal Applications
Where is the Tropical Industry Headed?
Dan Johnston President/Owner at Tri-State Foliage
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Labor Efficiency Through Innovations
Neal Glatt, Moderator Greg Davis Carrie Hancock Bruce Hellerick
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
New Lighting Strategies for Greenhouse and Indoor Crop Production
Bruce Bugbee Marc van Iersel
Strategies to Reduce Weed Control Costs in Container Nurseries
Joe Neal North Carolina State
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Lighting and CO2 Management and Optimization
Jennifer Boldt Joshua Craver
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2022 Trends Report
Katie Dubow President at Garden Media Group
Creating & Providing Effective Performance Reviews
Greenhouse Strawberry Production to Extend Your Local Market Season
Mark Kroggel Chieri Kubota The Ohio State University
Don't Let the Bark Bite: Proper Handling, Storage, and Utilization of Bark Substrates
Brian Jackson North Carolina State University
1:00 PM - 1:20 PM
Boxwood Blight Research: What's the BBIG Deal?
Chuan Hong Professor at Virginia Tech
Best Practices in Contract Management
Leslie Herndon President at Greenscape, Inc.
Dealing with Difficult Employees
Great PGRs to Reduce Labor Costs
John Erwin Plant Science University of Maryland
Making Houseplants Their Business
Emily & Brian Kellett Owners & Founders at STUMP
Maximizing your Postharvest Potential for Cut Flowers
Alicain Carlson Trials Manager at Syngenta Flowers
Tips for Producing High-Quality, Non-Flowering, and Flavorful Culinary Herbs
Tropical Plant Trends & Availability Q&A
Dan Johnston, ModeratorAndrew Britten Allison Zeeb,
Approaching Grower-Level Pricing with a Strategy in Mind
Charlie Hall Int'l Floriculture at Texas A&M
1:20 PM - 2:00 PM
Fungicides and Management Implications for Boxwood Health
Jim LaMondia Chief Scientist at Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
2:10 PM - 2:55 PM
Forecasting Systems for Boxwood Blight
Len Coop Associate Professor at Oregon State
Creating a Company Culture that is Distinctive and Remarkable
Lee Fredericks Rainbow Treecare Scientific
Developing a Store Within A Store
Katie Dubow, Moderator Jessie Jacobson Marco Orlandelli
In Deep Water: Making Sense of New Nursery Irrigation Technology and Strategies
Amy Fulcher University of Tennessee
Policy and Labor: Impact on Landscape Operations
Luke Hettinger Lynn Jacquez Shawn Packer
Thinking about joining the hemp industry?
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
How Leading Companies Implement and Evaluate New Technologies and Processes
Edward McDonnell Matt Nelson
How to Put Together Effective Programs for Foliar Diseases of Greenhouse Ornamentals
Ann Chase Owner Chase Agricultural Consulting
Transformational Sales
3:05 PM - 3:50 PM
Boxwood Breeding
Fred GoukerUSDA-ARS, U.S. National Arboretum
First-Year Flowering Perennials
Chris Fifo Darwin Perennials® at Ball Hort
Help! I Need Somebody: How to Hire & Effectively Manage E-commerce Staff
Katie Elzer-Peters Owner at Garden of Words
How to Engage Great Employees
Neal Glatt Managing Partner GrowTheBench
Recognizing and Avoiding Herbicide Injury to Landscape Plants
The Template Method for Growing: Case Studies in Maximizing Quality and Efficiency
Matt Foertmeyer, Moderator Bob Dickman Jason Twaddell
Their Business is Poppin!
Jessica DeGraaf Brian Wildeman
Good Things Come in Threes (or more): Insecticide Resistance Management for Nurseries
Juang Chong Professor at Clemson University
Lean Flow in Sales and Marketing
Gary Cortes Partner at FlowVision
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Accelerating the Adoption of Biophilic Design: Results from GPGB’s Survey on Biophilic Design Elements - Indoor Plants
Katilyn Mascatelli Phipps Conservatory
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Building and Marketing a Profitable Outdoor/Container/Streetscapes Rotation Program
Matt Nelson National Interiorscape Network
9:15 AM - 10:00 AM
Measurement of Plant Nitrogen Status in Floriculture and Nursery Production Using Smartphones
Krishna Nemali Environment AG Purdue University
Expand your Market: Retail Ecommerce Opportunities for Wholesale Growers
Leveraging Lavenders
Lloyd Traven President at Peace Tree Farm
Mastering the Art of Mentoring and Being Mentored
Leslie Halleck Consulting Halleck Horticultural
Merchandising 101: How to Grow Your Business with Basic Visual Merchandising Techniques
Joe Baer Founder/CEO at ZenGenius, Inc.
New PGR Application Methods for Improving Consistency and Crop Quality
Roberto Lopez Associate Professor at Michigan State
How Interiorscapers Innovated in 2020
Matt Nelson, Moderator Elliott Bennett Jan Goodman Genevieve Reiner Mills
Setting Up Your Crew Leaders and Crew for Success
Managing Mealybugs Without a Blowtorch
Developing Nutrient Programs that Match Water Quality
Rosa Raudales University of Connecticut
Experiential Merchandising: How to Create Memorable Store Experiences That Will Keep Your Customers Coming Back for More
Innovative Designs from 2020
Elliott Bennett President/Owner I-Plants Magazine
Policy and Labor: Impact on Greenhouse and Nursery Growers
Craig Regelbrugge Thomas Bortnyk, Esq. Lynn Jacquez Shawn Packer
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Glyphosate Toxicology Update and Alternatives for Weed Control in Landscapes
RFID & Beyond:Using RFID, Drones, and BLE to Improve Crop Inventory Management
Joe Maja Assistant Professor/Research Clemson University
Where Did That Come From? Disease Control in Propagation
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Women in Horticulture – A Powerful, Inspiring Networking Experience
Leslie Halleck, Moderator Leslie Herndon Terri McEnaney Lisa Minter-Bustin
1:00 PM - 1:40 PM
How safe is safe enough? Buddleja as a test case for breeding for sterility
Go Small - Gain Big: Micro-Marketing Strategies to Increase Revenue
Building a Foliage and Tropicals Program
Andrew Britten Production Manager ForemostCo
Efficiencies with Plant Choice and Design with Seasonal Color
Using Emotional Intelligence to Improve Your Performance and Team
Russell Clayton Co-Founder at Work-Life Insights
1:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Establishing Relationships with Building Specifiers: A GPGB Workshop
Mike Senneff, Moderator Sonja Bochart Edward McDonnell
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM
Pest Management Update
Winning in Advocacy: A Year in Review
Craig Regelbrugge & Tal Coley Government Affairs AmericanHort
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Consumer Psychology: Their Perspectives on Pricing, FOMO, Micromarketing and More!
Bridget Behe Professor Horticulture Michigan State
Dahlias Demystified
Alicain Carlson & James Gibson Syngenta Flowers
Effectively Using Air Pruning Systems in Propagation and Nursery Production
Darby McGrath Vineland Research & Innovation
More Trees, Please! New Trees to Grow and Sell
Maria Zampini President at UpShoot, LLC
Strategies for Challenging Gender Bias: Use Your Power to Your Advantage
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Becoming Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
Biocontrol Agents and Compatibility
Ronald Valentin Director at BioWorks, Inc.
Appealing to Customers Who Aren’t on Your Frequent Buyer List
Becoming a More Powerful Communicator
Leslie Halleck Consulting at Halleck Horticultural
Economics of Using PGRs in Landscape on Shrubs
Ariana Torres Horticulture at Purdue University
Growing an Integrated Marketing Plan to Maximize Your Budget
Shannon Rodocker, President/CEO Remember Marketing
Nursery Swap Shop
Art Parkerson Owner/CEO at Lancaster Farms
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
Biocontrols: Q & A with an Expert Panel
Matt Foertmeyer, Moderator Michael Brownbridge Ronald Valentin Suzanne Wainwright-Evans
Building the Superpower of Resilience to Better Manage Stress
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Are We Making Progress Toward Closing the Workforce Gap in Horticulture? An Update From Seed Your Future
Anna Ball Cole Mangum Susan E. Yoder
Doubling Your Average Ticket Through Design-Driven Sales
Estimating: Stop Guessing and Start Measuring
Jason Cromley Owner, Hidden Creek Landscaping
Field Nursery Soil Health – New Research and Resources
Living Walls 101: The In's and Out's of Living Wall Systems
Jean-Pierre Sijmons Director, G-Sky Plant Systems
8:15 AM - 9:15 AM
Basic Financials 101
Tom Shay Principal at Profits Plus Solutions
LED Lighting for Propagation
Will Healy Research Manager at Ball Horticultural
Rethinking How and What You Mix to Engineer More Profitable Substrates
Jim Owen Research Horticulturist USDA-ARS
How to successfully integrate sustainable containers into the market: An overview of growing practices, marketing and profitability
Living Walls 201: Plant Selection and Care
Elliott Bennett President/Owner at I-Plants Magazine
Load Consolidation Program that Helps Growers and Retailers
Gary Cortes AJ Lambert
Looking Ahead to Make Your Company Attractive to the Next Wave of Employees – A Panel Discussion with This Year’s HortScholars
Susan E. Yoder Executive Director Seed Your Future
Mycorrhizae and Other Biostimulants: Optimizing Efficacy for Greenhouse Crops
Michelle Jones, Moderator Michael Brownbridge Troy Buechel Blair Busenbark Matthew Krause
The Basics of Facebook for Business
Shannon Rodocker President/CEO Remember Marketing
Tune into Green Infrastructure Through the Power of Plants
Steve Castorani President/CFO North Creek Nurseries
Pricing Strategies
Success with Cuttings: From Arrival to Stage 4 of Propagation
Todd Cavins & Nathan Jahnke Ball Horticultural
10:10 AM - 10:55 AM
Advanced Concepts in Managing Container Substrates Before and During Production
James Altland USDA-ARS Application Research
A Blueprint for Successful Trialing of Container Media
Paul Karlovich Sun Gro Horticulture
Container Design With a Twist
Brian Wildeman Owner at Wilde Horticulture
Horticulture Therapy: When Did My Plant Become a Therapist?
Hannah Berisford Manager eMerge Greenhouse
How to Communicate Your Green Values to Your Consumers
Clint Albin Bridget Behe Maria Zampini
Living Walls 301 - Pricing and Successful Installation of Living Walls
Jean-Pierre Sijmons Elliott Bennett
Utilizing IP Rights to Achieve Maximum Value From a Breeding Program
Travis Bliss & Stephany Small Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel
How To Get More From Your Investment
Tom Shay Principal, Profits Plus Solutions