Bus tour, pest clinic to highlight horticulture field day

Friday, June 18

Gardeners and fruit producers can learn the latest production techniques and the latest research into pest issues at the 2009 Horticulture Field Day on June 18 at the Southwest Research and Extension Center at Hope.

The event is aimed at gardeners and fruit producers, whose numbers in southwest Arkansas are growing, according to Dr. Vic Ford, center director.

"A highlight of the field day will be a bus tour of the center's horticultural research into blueberries, blackberries and peaches," Ford said. "But we'll also discuss ornamentals, tomatoes and other vegetables."

Extension and research personnel will discuss several topics, including these:

    * Common Arkansas weed identification and management
    * Landscape shrub pruning
    * Update on blackberry and peach breeding
    * New-planted blueberry maintenance
    * How to set an insect trap and identify insect damage
    * How to build a compost pile
    * Grow hardy kiwi and blackberries in high tunnel growing systems

Gardeners and producers may find the pest clinic after the tour will be the most interesting part of the field day, Ford said. Gardeners are urged to bring specimens from their home gardens or lawns for diagnosis and suggestions for correcting the problem.

At 6:30 p.m., a barbecue dinner will be served for an $8 charge. Participants can pay the day of the event. Ford is asking people to RSVP by June 12. You can call (870) 777-9702 or e-mailing qchen@uaex.edu.

For directions to the station go to aaes.uark.edu/swrec.html.