US (AK): Hydroponics and LEDs to be highlighted at Fairbanks conference

The Alaska Greenhouse and Nursery Conference Jan. 24-25 in Fairbanks will highlight a variety of horticultural topics. The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service will host the annual conference at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge. The conference is designed for anyone interested in greenhouse and nursery production.

The featured speaker is John Bagnasco, the president and host of the nationally syndicated “GardenLife Radio Show,” which reaches more than a million listeners. Bagnasco, of Vista, Calif., will talk about grafting vegetables and selecting commercial plant varieties.

Other topics will include hydroponics, using LEDs in greenhouses, heating with wood pellets, using mycorrhizae, finding and doing trials with new plants, and integrated pest and disease management. Participants will also hear about planting information and an update on Rhodiola rosea, a medicinal plant that shows promise as a new Alaska crop. Agricultural researchers, Extension agents and producers will lead sessions. Representatives from state and federal agricultural agencies will also talk about marketing, loan programs and other updates.

A trade show will feature horticultural vendors, industry support agencies and nonprofits, and wholesale catalogs. The conference will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 24 and 7:30 a.m. to noon Jan. 25. See links for online registration and an agenda at www.uaf.edu/ces