UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Christmas Tree Management Short Course will be offered by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences on Feb. 14-15 at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center, State College. This short course is designed for anyone interested in understanding the many cultural and pest-management aspects of operating a Christmas tree farm. Sessions will cover mite management, a Christmas tree herbicide update, what to do when disaster strikes, and identifying conifer insects, diseases and abiotic problems. The course will also feature a session on using online soil surveys, as well as a soil-survey demonstration.

Speakers will include Wayne Bizup, president of the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association; Tim Craul, soils specialist with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Tracey Olson, plant pathologist with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Registrations will be accepted through Feb. 9. After Feb. 9, call 814-863-7716 to determine if space is available. The registration fee is $185 or $105 for those who will attend one day of the course. Walk-in registration fee is $200 for both days and $115 for a single day. For registration information, contact Retha Sellmer by phone at 814-863-7716 or e-mail Rick Bates at rmb30@psu.edu.

For more information on course content, contact Bates by phone at 814-863-2198, or by e-mail.

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EDITORS: Contact Mark Remcheck at 724-228-6940 or by e-mail at mar15@psu.edu.

Writer Leia Hopson

Editor Jeff Mulhollem Phone: 814-863-2719 E-mail: jjm29@psu.edu