Raise your hand if you have never had a pest issue ... didn’t think so.

 

Well you’re in luck, for more than 20 years GrowerTalks magazine has published their annual guide for chemical application pest control, the Insecticide, Miticide & Fungicide Guide. The 2026 version is hot off the press. These are updated every year to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. Any changes in formulation, application, recommendations and labeling are organized in this one-stop-shop style guide. As always, the guide is available free to make sure that everyone has access to this critical information. 

 

The guide is organized into an easily understandable and searchable form, with quick guides and tables where necessary. Now, this isn’t your typical dense resource manual. Instead, there are stories and case studies to help you understand more about the “why” that give this guide that GrowerTalks feel you all know and love. Imagine that, a fun and informative read—what more could one want! 

 

The guide is conveniently available in both English and Spanish, so you can share it with your entire team. Download each at the links above. A special thanks to BASF for sponsoring the guide. 

 

Applications are almost due for two fantastic industry-focused internships. October 1 is the deadline to apply for the Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program and the Mosmiller Intern Scholarship. These two internships are hosted by the American Floral Endowment and provide students with some of the most valuable, hands-on learning experiences they can get.

 

The Vic & Margaret Ball Internship gives students a chance to experience commercial production in greenhouses or nurseries. Students who receive this internship will receive scholarships of $6,000 plus the internship experience, which can be either three, four or six-month experiences. Plus, their faculty advisor or mentor will receive $1,000 to visit them during the program. So make sure you share this with your students. 

 

The Mosmiller Internship is for students interested in retail or wholesale operations. These internships last between 10 and 16 weeks, plus $2,000 in scholarships. 

 

Students who participate in these internships often springboard into lifelong careers, and eventually into industry leaders. Find out more about these internships HERE. 

 

If you’re in North Carolina this week you might think about stopping by the Juniper Level Botanic Garden located just outside of Raleigh. They are hosting the More than Mums Festival, the last open garden day of the year. For most of the country (unfortunately not quite yet in Florida), September typically signifies the start of fall—the air gets a bit crisper, you probably find yourself wanting to be outdoors more, maybe even hanging a Halloween decoration or two. Most of us will also start to adorn our porches with mums—I know I will. However, there are many other plants that can help usher in that fall spirit. 

 

 

From Friday September 19 through Sunday September 21, the botanic garden will be open to guests who want to see all the seasonal options available. Gardening Unplugged classes will be offered twice a day, where JLBG experts will share tips and insights into getting the most fall in your garden. Seasonal topics from garden ferns to fall-blooming bulbs and everything in between will be discussed. Families are welcome and there is even a wildlife scavenger hunt for children. 

 

 

The JL Botanic Garden is home to more than 27,000 different plant taxa. A living classroom of garden design ideas, sunny pollinator havens and tranquil shaded pathways adorn the gardens. You can check out the website for more information HERE. 

 

Here’s some exciting news for folks in New England. University of Connecticut is hosting their fifth biennial Native Plants & Pollinators Conference this November. I am sure that everyone is interested in supporting pollinator populations in the U.S. This conference will include a full day of lectures and research updates to provide information on supporting pollinators in managed landscapes. What better way to highlight the value-added benefits of high-quality landscapes than promoting pollinator health. The program is designed for green industry professionals, including growers and landscape contractors, members of governmental agencies, municipalities and even homeowners. 

 

 

The conference will be held Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 8:45 a.m.-3:15 pm, at the UConn Student Union Ballroom (Room 330), 2100 Hillside Road, Storrs, CT. 

 

Session topics include:

• Who are Connecticut’s Specialist Bees: Tracy Zarillo MS., Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

• Soil Microbial Allies in Managed Systems: Mia Maltz, PhD., Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut

• Knockout Natives: Sam Hoadley, Mt. Cuba Center Botanic Garden

• Seeing Nature: Andrew Brand, MS., Coastal Maine Botanical Garden

• Native Landscape Plants with Local Roots: Jessica Lubell-Brand, PhD., Professor, University of Connecticut

 

You can find more information and register HERE.