Horticulture News
2012 MSU Horticulture Club Plant Sale and Spring Show: April 21 and 22, 2012
"Garden Getaways"
MSU Horticulture Club Plant Sale and Spring Show will be held April 21st from 9-6 and April 22nd 10-4 in the PSS greenhouses and conservatory. There will be over 7,000 plants for sale. The theme for this year is "Garden Getaways." This is your chance to begin getting plants for their gardens while supporting a student-run non-profit organization.
Graduate Academic Conference Winner - Dru Montri
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Horticulture and CARRS Ph.D. candidate, Dru Montri, was one of 17 award-winners at the Graduate Academic Conference on March 30. Her paper was entitled "Sustaining Farmers Markets in Low-income, Urban Areas: Farmers' Attitudes Regarding Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Programs." Only five winners were from CANR. Dru is working with Bridget Behe (HRT) and Kim Chung (CARRS) on her dissertation entitled "Increasing Access of Underserved Populations to the Bounty of Farmer's Markets." Congratulations, Dru! |
" Congratulations to the 2012 MSU Horticulture PLANET Team!
Congratulations to members of Hort Club that represented MSU at PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) Student Career Days hosted by Kansas State University last week. The four-day event consisted of educational workshops, a career fair, and 28 competitive events which have been termed the Landscape Olympics. Team members competed against over 800 students representing 63 colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada. MSU once again made a strong showing finishing fourth out of the 63 teams in attendance.
Team members included Nick Calderone, Jeff Elshoff, David Erdman, Quinlan Gaul, Jackie Grow, Janelle Hesch, Christina Horrigan, Emily Huening, Drew LeFresne, Sarah Lott, Jamey Martinez, Cody McClellan, Kate McDonald, Chris McKellar, Katie Nickolaus, Zach Robinson, Joe Shear, Drew Somsel, Lauren Tuski, Arianna Wilcox and team coaches Brad Rowe, Marcus Duck, and Tom Fernandez. The team was composed of students from Horticulture, Ag Business Management, History, and the Institute of Agricultural Technology Nursery and Landscape Program.
Top 15 performances in individual events included:
Jeff Elshoff, Irrigation Troubleshooting (1st)
Joe Shear, Small Engine Repair (1st)
Team of Drew LeFresne and Cody McClellan, Hardscape Installation (1st)
Lauren Tuski, Leadership Skills (2nd)
Team of Janelle Hesch, Jamey Martinez, and Cody McClellan, Landscape Plant Installation (2nd)
Team of Christina Horrigan and Sarah Lott, Personnel Management (3rd)
Jamey Martinez, Skidsteer Operation (3rd)
Jackie Grow, Sales Presentation (3rd)
Sarah Lott, Business Management (4th)
Drew Somsel, Construction Cost Estimating (4th)
Jeff Elshoff, Irrigation Design (5th)
Chris McKellar, Annual and Perennial ID (5th)
Christina Horrigan Business Management (8th)
Sarah Lott, Turf and Weed ID (8th)
Team of Nick Calderone and Drew Somsel, Arboriculture Techniques (8th)
Team of Jeff Elshoff and Janelle Hesch, Irrigation Assembly (8th)
Emily Huening, Interior Landscape Design (9th)
Team of Janelle Hesch and Jamey Martinez, Landscape Maintenance Operations (11th)
Jackie Grow, Computer Aided Design (13th)
Christina Horrigan, Turf and Weed ID (13th)
Emily Huening, Exterior Landscape Design (13th)
Joe Shear, Compact Excavator Operation (14th)
Lauren Tuski, Annual and Perennial ID (14th)
Top scorers for MSU were Joe Shear (340), Jamey Martinez (288), Jeff Elshoff (275), Sarah Lott (257), Christina Horrigan (245), Janelle Hesch (235), Jackie Grow (228), and Emily Huening (225). Special congratulations go to Jackie Grow for being awarded the $2,500 PLANET Presidential Scholarship and Christina Horrigan and Sarah Lott for being awarded PLANET scholarships worth $1000 from the PLANET Education Foundation.
Team members worked diligently all year raising money to finance the trip through Horticulture Club activities such as their Spring Show. They also acknowledge the following donors for their support:
Ball Horticulture
Bartlett Tree Experts
Davey Tree
Hesch's Custom Framing
Hunter Industries
Industrial Magnetics, Inc.
Joe Shear Services, Boyne City
Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association
Pizzo Ecological Restoration
True Trim Lawn Care, Coldwater
Turf Transitions Lawn and Landscapes
Walker Mowers
Next year's competition will be hosted by Auburn University in Alabama.
Professor Emeritus Dr. Stanley Ries Passed Away (from the Lansing State Journal)
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Contributions in his honor can be made to the Ries Endowed Fund (see below) of Michigan State University. To make a secure credit card gift on-line, CLICK HERE.
Gifts can also be mailed to:
Ries Endowed Fund
University Development
Michigan State University
300 Spartan Way
East Lansing, MI 48824-1005
Thank you for supporting the Ries Endowed Fund!
Professor James F. Hancock is the 2011 recipient of the American Pomological Society's Wilder Medal.
The Wilder Medal, established in 1873 by the American Pomological Society (APS), honors Marshall Pinckney Wilder -- the illustrious founder and first President of the Society. The Wilder Medal is the most prestigious honor awarded by the APS and is "conferred on individuals or organizations which have rendered outstanding service to horticulture in the broad area of pomology." Past recipients from Michigan include William J. Beal (1885), Liberty Hyde Bailey (1921, 1948), Stanley Johnston (1951), Harold B. Tukey (1956), Victor R. Gardner (1958), Robert F. Carlson (1974) and Wallace Heuser (1986). Click here to read more.
Dr. Eric Hanson, 2011 Michigan State Horticultural Society Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Erik Runkle - MAEA's 2011 Outstanding Extension Specialist
The Michigan Association of Extension Agents (MAEA) "Outstanding Extension Specialist Award" is presented annually to two Extension Specialist. Awardees demonstrate outstanding leadership, and forward thinking and direction, for the industry they work with; as well as for the Extension Educators for whom they provide technical and leadership support. Nominations are solicited by the MAEA board at their meeting in the Spring, and award decisions are made at the Summer board meeting through a voting process. Dr. Erik Runkle (Associate Professor of Horticulture - Floriculture) has been an Extension Specialist at MSU since January 2001. Dr. Runkle's outreach program's objective is to disseminate research-based information and provide educational opportunities for the commercial greenhouse industry in the state. He developed and maintains the MSU Floriculture website, which provides production information and outreach activities targeted to the floriculture industry in Michigan and beyond. On that website he has up-to-date information, from his research program and those of his colleagues, on greenhouse crop production methodologies (e.g., pest management, marketing,profitability, etc.), energy cost reduction strategies, the annual MichiganGreenhouse Growers Expo (joint effort of the Western Michigan Greenhouse Assoc. and the Metropolitan Detroit Flower Growers Assoc., in conjunction with theGreat Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo) and the annual Michigan Garden Plant Tour, and the on-line MSU Extension News for Floriculture can be found there. Dr. Runkle makes numerous presentations each year to growers and associations and publishes extensively in nationally distributed industry magazines and newsletters, in addition to his many peer-reviewed scientific articles. Furthermore, Dr. Runkle was instrumental in having the long-vacant Floriculture OutreachSpecialist position filled this past November.
Annual Holiday Open House
- Thursday, December 8, 2011 from Noon to 7:30 pm at MSU Plant and Soil Sciences Building
- Enjoy our variety displays of poinsettias and 16' tree under evening lights. Bring your camera and the kids!
- No admission charge
Santa will be there with his sleigh at 5:30 pm! MSU-grown Poinsettias, centerpieces and wreaths for sale. (From 12/8 - 12/22.) One dozen trees decorated by local schools and garden volunteers. Model trains showcased by Capital Area Railway Society. Enjoy cookies and hot cider. Free parking in the Garden Visitor lot off Bogue Street (Visit maps.msu.edu for directions)
Fresh Produce from Local Neighborhood in Flint
Yet another student, educated through MSU's Organic Farming Certificate Program -- now the Organic Farmer Training Program -- located at the Horticulture Department's Teaching and Research Center, makes her mark in urban agriculture. Joanna Lehrman, and her business partner Roxanne Adair, (with help from the Genesee County Land Bank and a grant from the Ruth Mott Foundation) started "Flint River Farm" in 2010 to bring fresh produce to a neighborhood that does not have easy access to such food. But this is more than just about "gardening". This enterprise is an excellent example of creating a sustainable business around available land, and doing so with a relatively low capital investment. Click here for the complete story from The Flint Journal, written by Sarah Schuch (6/10/11)
Hort Club Landscape Team Places 2nd in International Competition
Congratulations to members of Hort Club that represented MSU at PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) Student Career Days held in Illinois last week. The four-day event consisted of educational workshops, a career fair, and 28 competitive events which have been termed the Landscape Olympics. Team members competed against over 800 students representing 60 colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada. MSU once again made a strong showing finishing second out of the 60 teams in attendance. Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, was the overall champion.
Team members included Nick Calderone, Alan Dosenberry, Jeff Elshoff, Jake Emling, Laura Everard, Meghan Fisher, Jackie Grow, Janelle Hesch, Christina Horrigan, Jason Karle, Eric Kopinski, Brenda Landhuis, Sarah Lott, Sara Marcucci, Jamey Martinez, Tim McAlister, Cody McClellan, Donald McMillan, Jarid Pohl, Megan Schuiteman, Lauren Tuski, Joe Shear, Mitchell Zost, and team coaches Brad Rowe, Marcus Duck, Tom Fernandez, and Bridget Behe. The team was composed of students from Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, Ag Business Management, and the Institute of Agricultural Technology Nursery and Landscape Program.
Top 20 performances in individual events included:
- Team of Jason Karle and Jamey Martinez, Landscape Maintenance Operations (2nd)
- Sarah Lott, Business Management (3rd)
- Sara Marcucci, Sales Presentation (3rd)
- Eric Kopinski, Interior Landscape Design (3rd)
- Mitchell Zost, Plant Problem Diagnosis (3rd)
- Team of Christina Horrigan and Sarah Lott, Personnel Management (4th)
- Alan Dosenberry, Small Engine Repair (4th)
- Jeff Elshoff, Irrigation Troubleshooting (5th)
- Jeff Elshoff, Irrigation Design (6th)
- Team of Jarid Pohl and Joe Shear, Truck and Trailer Operation (6th)
- Jackie Grow, 3D CAD Landscape Design (7th)
- Brenda Landhuis, Annual and Perennial ID (7th)
- Team of Alan Dosenberry and Mitchell Zost, Arboriculture Techniques (8th)
- Lauren Tuski, Annual and Perennial ID (12th)
- Brenda Landhuis, Interior Plant ID (13th)
- Megan Schuiteman, Computer Aided Design (14th)
- Mitchell Zost, Leadership Skills (15th)
- Sarah Lott, Turf and Weed ID (16th)
- Mitchell Zost, Woody Plant ID (16th)
- Tim McAlister, Exterior Landscape Design (17th)
- Meghan Fisher, Plant Problem Diagnosis (18th)
- Jason Karle, Woody Plant ID (18th)
- Brenda Landhuis, Business Management (19th)
- Team of Jake Emling and Jamey Martinez, Hardscape Installation (20th)
Top scorers for MSU were Mitchell Zost (306 points), Brenda Landhuis (255), Sarah Lott (248), Jamey Martinez (247), Jarid Pohl (239), and Joe Shear (234). Special congratulations go to Jackie Grow, Brenda Landhuis, and Tim McAlister for being awarded PLANET scholarships worth $1000 from the PLANET Education Foundation.
Next year's competition will be hosted by Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS.
Dr. Randy Beaudry Winner Michigan State Horticultural Society 2010 Distinguished Service Award
2010-2011 Scholarship Awards
| Carl J. Sellner Scholarship Alan Dosenberry Devon Rossman Christian Zummer Darla Paselk Memorial Scholarship Jaqueline Cosner Jennifer Evans Leslie Recker Federated Garden Clubs of Michigan Thelma Burleigh Scholarship Brenda Landhuis Federated Garden Clubs of Michigan Scholarship Christine Mangiavellano Zach Robinson Harry Eustace Memorial Scholarship Stephanie Bazen Harry A Foster Scholarship Emily Alcini Henry T. Ritter Scholarship Stephanie Bazen Michael Brazil Rachel Cross John H. Clupper Memorial Scholarship Joseph Shear Jordan B. Tatter Scholarship in Horticulture Henry Thompson June Alexander Scholarship Brad Meyer Leon R. Christensen Memorial Scholarship Jason Karle Lynn and Stella Bowers Scholarship Lauren Tuski Chad Vanden Bosch Merrill S. Fuller Memorial Scholarship Matthew DelPup Scott Feik Meghan Fisher Kelley Heim Emily Huening Christina Horrigan Allison Jones Brenda Landhuis Christine Mangiavellano James Manning Timothy McAllister Cody McClellen Jarid Pohl |
Metro Detroit Flower Growers Scholarship Donald McMillan Michigan Vegetable Council Scholarship James Manning Victor Ray Gardner Scholarship Brenda Landhuis Roy Merker Zackary Pernack Jared Pohl Zackary Robinson Meagan Schuiteman Mitchell Zost Rose M. Carlson Internship Emily McKay Bethany Borchack David and Marion Dilley Scholarship Curtis Deitrich Samuel Peck American Conifer Society Scholarship Alan Dosenberry Mitchell Zost American Society for Horticultural Science Outstanding Student Brenda Landhuis ASHS Collegiate Scholars Matthew Bedewitz Jennifer Evans Michael Hardigan Kelley Heim Emily Huening James Manning Tim McAlister Samuel Peck Megan Schuiteman Jonathan Spoelhof Lauren Tuski Bob Herner Outstanding Horticulture Undergraduate Student James Manning Honors College Members Matthew Bedewitz Mina Hirzel Emily Huening Brenda Landhuis Devon Rossman Jonathan Spoelhof Lauren Tuski |
Dean's List Fall Semester 2010
| Emily Alcini Devin Hurcomb Matthew Bedewitz Denise Janus Rochelle Bolt Matthew Kolp Jaclyn Cosner Brenda Landhuis Rachel Cross Alison Maloney Benjamin Cuddeback James Manning Alan Dosenberry Timothy McAlister Jeffrey Elshoff Michael McFarland |
Jennifer Evans Emily McKay Laura Everard Samuel Peck Benjamin Gluck Lesley Recker Ginette Golembiewski Zachary Robinson John Gundry Devon Rossman Michael Hardigan Joseph Shear Christina Horrigan Jonathan Spoelhof Emily Huening Lauren Tuski |
If you are interested in supporting our scholarship program, please contact Bridget Behe at behe@msu.edu
Dr. Bert Cregg - Outstanding Extension Specialist and State Staff Award 2010
Dr. Bert Cregg has been an Extension Specialist at Michigan State University since 1999, with an appointment in the Department of Horticulture and the Department of Forestry. For the past 10 years he has provided leadership in outreach and professional education for the Michigan nursery, landscape, and Christmas tree industry industries. Dr. Cregg has served as campus co-chair for the Nursery and Landscape AoE team and the Christmas Tree AoE team, and has served on the education committees for the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association and the Arboriculture Society of Michigan. Dr. Cregg has contributed over 60 outreach articles to the MSU Nursery and Landscape CAT Alerts, the Michigan Landscape magazine, the Great Lakes Christmas Tree Journal, and other regional and national outlets. In July 2009, Dr. Cregg teamed with three other Horticulture professors from around the country to form the Garden Professors Blog, a forum for the science of landscape horticulture. Dr. Cregg has been instrumental in MSU Extension's response to Michigan's emerald ash borer crisis, developing a 12 page bulletin and companion website on ash alternatives.
ASHS Career Award - Outstanding Graduate Educator
Gregory A. Lang of the Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, has been a major advisor to 10 master's students and 4 doctoral students during his career at three universities. His students are now in faculty positions around the United States and in other countries. Three recent graduates of his program are now faculty members themselves. Lang has had a strong positive effect on his graduate students. One former students wrote, "He guided me not only in my studies but also in a series of important decisions about my career and life. I guess Greg will never realize how strong his influence was and is in my personal and professional life." Lang has worked diligently and successfully with his students to get their work published, resulting in at least 26 refereed publications with his students and numerous other publications.
Lang has made great contributions to graduate education in graduate administration. At Louisiana State University, he served on the graduate committee for seven years, two of which he was chair, and served as graduate program coordinator for five years. At Michigan State University, he chaired the Graduate Policy committee beginning in 2001. In this position, he has worked successfully to increase the number of Horticulture students receiving fellowships, securing over $700,000 in fellowships for horticulture students. He has worked to not only increase the support of graduate students, but also the quality of graduate students in the program.
In addition to his graduate work, Lang has an active research and extension program focused on cherry orchard development, as well as on the physiological and enviromental stress factors importent to efficient production of high-value tree fruits.
ASHA Publication Award - Ornamental Publication Award
Water Conservation, Growth and Water Use Efficiency of Container-grown Woody Ornamentals Irrigated Based on Daily Water Use
Aaron L. Warsaw, R. Thomas Fernandez, Bert M. Cregg and Jeffrey A. Andresen. HortScience 44:1308-1318, August, 2009
ASHS Outstanding Undergraduate Students
Students are selected by the institutions on the basis of academic achievemets, leadership abilities, participation in campus/club activities, and service to their departments.
- William Holdsworth
Ed Tuinier Memorial Scholarship Recipient - Zachary Pernack
"My professional goal is to own my own retail greenhouse. I want to pursue my career in floriculture because I have been working in a greenhouse since the age of 12," says Pernack. "Just being in the horticulture field makes me feel good overall as a person."
The Tuinier scholarship is awarded to sophomore, junior, or senior undergraduate students enrolled in the floriculture program at Michigan State University. Ed Tuinier, owner of Post Gardens, loved the greenhouse business, building his firm to one of the top 50 U.S. companies, inspiring his children, all of whom work in one of the two Post Gardens locations. A graduate of Michigan State University, Ed was a major benefactor of the MSU horticulture program and demonstration gardens.
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(517) 355-5191 ext 1359
A288 Plant & Soil Science Bldg
East Lansing, MI 48823
E-mail: hrt@msu.edu