Mulches, Mulching and the Use of Arborist Tree Chips in Landscape - Webinar featuring Dr. Jim Downer
To view member pricing please log in.
Non Member
$10.00
Registration ends ends Mar 30
April 1, 2020 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Trees and other woody plants evolved to grow and shed plant parts (leaves, twigs even branches, flowers and fruit) onto the ground making a natural litter layer. Over time through the process of litterfall, plant debris builds up on the ground under trees shrubs and woody perennial plants. This build up called litter, duff, or "mulch" is essential to the functioning of plants that produce it. In the urban environment, there is often little room for organic debris left on the ground, or it is considered ugly (people rake up and dispose of leaves). Many urban landscapes develop a sanitized or neat and clean look by removing all the organic matter. Plants grow anyway, and if fortified with copious water and fertilizer, grow and develop as normal. In many communities recycling programs were started last century to prevent the overfilling of landfills with green materials. "Yardwastes" are collected by waste haulers and recycled back to landscapes. Recycled tree and landscape organic matter has become part of potting soils, amendments and mulches. These products are used as amendments (tilled into the ground) or as mulches layered on the soil surface. The results of their use are quite variable depending on how they were sourced, their processed qualities and how they are applied in landscapes. The tree care industry creates enormous volumes of "waste" organic materials in the form of tree trimmings wastes or "arborist chips". Some of this enters the commercial yard waste stream, some is recycled on sites where it is produced (best for the environment) and some is stockpiled to be used much later or even turned into compost and marketed as a compost product. Good mulch is a surrogate for nature's litter-fall. What makes a "good" mulch? Join the webinar and find out!
Dr James Downer has 35 years of experience as a horticulture and plant pathology adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Ventura County. Dr. Downer’s academic training is from Cal Poly, Pomona, (BSc. horticulture & botany, 1981; MSc. biology with an emphasis in plant pathology, 1983; Ph.D. in plant pathology, 1998 from University of California, Riverside. Dr. Downer’s research is focused on mulch, soil microbiology and disease suppression in mulched soils, diseases of shade trees and other landscape plants and cultural practices to maintain landscape plants especially trees. Dr. Downer is a member of the American Society of Horticultural Science, the American Phytopathological Society, The International Soc. of Arboriculture, and the Western Chapter of the ISA, and the International Society of Horticultural Science, . Dr. Downer is an adjunct professor at California Polytechnic University in Pomona. Dr. Downer also serves on the Board of the John Britton Fund for tree research and currently chairs the regional conference committee for WCISA. Dr. Downer has a love of shade trees, tree work, wood working, gardening, pruning trees, horticulture and the general study of plants and plant biology.
Link will be sent via ConstantContact prior to the webinar.
Location
Webinar
31910 Country Club Dr.
Porterville, CA 93257