Want to know more about growing new plants from old ones? You can find the answers in the Fall Propagation School Oct. 21 in Tifton, Ga. Whether you're a gardener or a professional grower, this workshop will cover everything you need to know about propagation. The Saturday program, sponsored by Georgia Flower Growers Association, will be at the University of Georgia's Tifton Campus Conference Center.
UGA scientists and industry experts will lead the sessions. They'll use ornamental plants from Wight Nurseries of Cairo, Ga. The program opens with a half-day session. UGA faculty Paul Thomas and Marc van Iersel and graduate student Stephanie Burnett will introduce the science of plant propagation. They'll explain everything from basic cutting physiology and rooting hormones to details on specific propagation systems.
Hands-on Learning
The other half-day session will let you get your hands dirty. In the process, you can learn hands-on how to propagate vegetative annuals, foliage plants, perennials, herbs and semiwoody ornamentals. UGA experts Mel Garber and Bodie Pennisi, along with GFGA president Candi Reed and Marty Langmaid of Wight Nurseries, will show how easy it is to get new plants from existing ones. They'll also show how to use tissue culture to propagate ferns and orchids.
At the end of the day, you can take your day's efforts home to watch your plants grow. And you'll get an official GFGA Propagation Apron. The registration fee before Oct. 10 is $100 (or $115 for nonmembers). After that, it's $140 ($155 for nonmembers). It's limited to 80 people, so sign up early. To learn more about the program, call (229) 386-3416 a >.