CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 04/17/14

UGA students win big at national horticulture and landscape design competition

By Merritt Melancon

A team of University of Georgia horticulture and environmental design students recently placed fourth nationally in the Professional LandCare Network Student Career Days competition in Fort Collins, Co.

The competition, which drew 853 students from 65 different colleges and universities, is a chance for horticulture and landscape design students to demonstrate their knowledge about the professional nursery and landscaping industries. The three day competition consists of many individual and team events, including tree climbing, hardscape installation, wood construction, plant identification, sales presentation, exterior/interior design, irrigation troubleshooting, skid steer, personnel management, and small engine repair - just to name a few.

UGA’s team had it’s best showing to date by placing fourth overall, and a number of students placed high in the competition’s individual events.

Individual performances in the top 15 include: sixth place in Arboriculture, Alex Ferguson/Ashley Martin; eighth in Computer Aided Design, John Scuderi; second in Exterior Design, Kevin Kelly; second in Interior Design, Kevin Kelly; second in Irrigation Assembly, Kohler Brafford/ Tanner Bailey; second in Irrigation Troubleshooting, Kohler Bradford and Tanner Bailey; fourth in Plant Problem Diagnosis, Brian Harding; third in Small Engine Repair, Kohler Bradford; second in Truck & Trailer, Kohler Bradford and Ashley Martin; 11th in Wood Construction, Jared Dobbs and Chase Ducharme; 14th in Annual and Perennial ID, Russell Dye; eighth in Interior Plant ID, Brian Harding; 12th in Interior Plant ID, Kaylee South; 10th in Landscape Maintenance Operations, Ashley Martin and Chase Ducharme; 10th in Personnel Management, Rachel Wigington and Drew Payton; 13th in Turf & Weed ID, Brian Harding; and third in Woody Plant ID, Will Hembree.

UGA Horticulture faculty Tim Smalley, John Ruter, Paul Thomas, Matthew Chappell and horticulture Ph.D. candidate Mandy Bayer, all with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, coached this year’s team.

Merritt Melancon, a public relations manager for the UGA Terry College of Business, previously served as a public relations coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension.

Authors:
Merritt Melancon
Experts/Sources:
Matthew Chappell
The UGA PLANET Student Career Days team visiting Denver Botanic Garden. From left to right (front row); Dr. Tim Smalley, Rachel Wigington, Kaylee South, Russell Dye, Lauren Muller, Alex Hudson, Alex Ferguson, Cari Heinz, Jared Dobbs, Tanner Bailey, (back row) Dr. Matthew Chappell, Drew Payton, Kohler Brafford, Ashley Martin, Brian Harding, George Grant, Chase Ducharme, Will Hembree, John Scuderi, (not pictured) Dr. John Ruter, Mandy Bayer, Kevin Kelly.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
University of Georgia startup CytoNest Inc. released its first commercial product this year, a fiber scaffold that optimizes cell manufacturing and tissue engineering. (Photo by Lauren Corcino) CAES News
UGA again ranks No. 1 in new research-based products 11/04/24 Brandon Ward
The University of Georgia once again ranks No. 1 among U.S. universities for the number of commercial products to market based on its research, according to an annual survey conducted by AUTM. For nine straight years, UGA has placed in the top two and has never appeared out of the Top 5 in the 11 years the survey has been reported by AUTM. UGA industry partners and startups released a record 66 new products developed from the university’s research in fiscal year 2023, on which the AUTM report is based.
Combining data collection and analysis with plant pathology, precision agriculture and robotics, the UGA team will build a photographic library of the foliar symptoms caused by onion diseases and other physiological disorders, feed them into the AI software, and use machine learning to identify the diseases based on pattern and color recognition from the images. CAES News
UGA uses AI, robotics to improve Georgia’s Vidalia sweet onion crop 10/23/24 Jordan Powers
A multidisciplinary team of UGA researchers aims to enhance the competitiveness of Vidalia onion growers in Georgia by providing them with the ability to confidently detect onion diseases early, enabling them to make management decisions on their crop at a critical time. These abilities, researchers say, should result in increased yield and quality of marketable onions and an overall increase in efficiency and productivity.
Associate Professor Rhuanito Ferrarezi poses with a Gerber daisy grown by students in his 4050/6050 Greenhouse Management class in fall 2023. CAES News
Upcoming UGA plant sales bring color to fall 10/15/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Fall weather means fall gardening, and several groups at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will be offering the fruits of their labors at ornamental plant sales across campus this semester. On Friday, Oct. 18, the Trial Gardens at University of Georgia will hold its annual Fall Houseplant Sale, and on Wednesday, Nov. 20, greenhouse management students will offer their ornamental plant sale at the South Milledge Greenhouse Complex.
Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. CAES News
Done with mowing? How to transform your lawn into a native, perennial landscape 09/12/24 Emily Cabrera
On a tour of her Blairsville, Georgia, home, Becky Griffin navigates a swaying maze of perennial grasses interspersed with pussy willows, switchgrass and boneset. Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. As a native plant enthusiast and coordinator of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, Griffin hand-selected each of these native plants for the countless ecological services they provide year-round.
Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium CAES News
Keep on the grass 08/29/24 Emily Cabrera, Scott Michaux
When the University of Georgia Bulldogs step between the hedges at Sanford Stadium, the grass on Dooley Field needs to look perfect. More importantly, though, it needs to help safeguard the health of athletes who compete on it. Gerald Henry plays a big role in the latter. The UGA Athletic Association’s endowed professor in environmental turfgrass leads a research team in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences committed to creating sports fields that look good and perform well to limit the occurrence of injuries.