Today, I would like talk about the upcoming Great Lakes Trade Exposition to be held January 9-11, 2006 at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year’s event now combines the 83^rd Annual Michigan Nursery and Landscape Associations Expo with the 76^th Annual Michigan Turfgrass Foundation conference, and the Michigan Forestry and Park Associations Annual Winter Conference.

Besides the wonderfully attended trade show that runs on Tuesday and Wednesday, there are three days of great educational programming. Included in those sessions are several educational tracks from which to choose. There are tracks for retail, growers, landscape, commercial turf, irrigation, commercial, municipal, and utility arborists, golf, and Michigan Turfgrass Foundation’s schools.

There are lots of opportunities to earn both continuing education credits and recertification credits. The host hotel for lodging is the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

Today I will focus on just one of the tracks. In the grower track, Monday will cover conifers, MSU’s diagnostic services, weed control in containers and the field, and a MDA plant pest update. Tuesday’s grower track will cover tough perennials, aquatic plants, and reducing labor risks. Wednesday’s coverage will include a water regulations update, best management practices for water, and woody plant evaluations in Wisconsin.

The registration cost for the whole three days is only $100 dollars for Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association members or $160 for potential members.

Repeating, the Great Lakes Trade Expo will be January 9-11^th in Grand Rapids. If you are at all involved in the green industry, don’t miss it. That is all for today, this has been Al Gaus for MSU Extension in Berrien County.