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MASTER
GARDENER PROGRAM
Virginia
Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners (VCE-MGs) are a vital part of Virginia
Cooperative Extension with more than 4,000 active volunteers in nearly
all counties throughout the Commonwealth. In 2003, VCE-MGs contributed
more than 230,000 hours and made more than 350,000 contacts on behalf
of VCE and Virginia Tech. The amount of volunteer time provided by VCE-MGs
is comparable to 111 full time equivalents and has an economic value of
nearly $4.6 million. VCE Master Gardener volunteers are an invaluable
and irreplaceable asset to the citizens of Virginia.
(D.D. Close )
COMMERICAL
NURSERY PRODUCTION
The nursery/greenhouse
industry is Virginia's largest horticultural industry, second only to
tobacco in overall field crop production. As the state's sixth largest
agricultural commodity, VDACS reported 1998 wholesale sales as totaling
over $146 million. To provide a competitive edge the most current Best
Management Practices (BMP's) and production technology are provided, alternative
crop and marketing niches are identified, and employee training and recognition
(certification) is offered.
(B.L. Appleton)
AQUATIC
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
Invasive aquatic vegetation is an issue of increasing concern in Virginia.
Proper identification and best management strategies are critical to maintaining
healthy waterways in the state. An aquatic plant collection is maintained
at the Hampton Roads AREC for identification, teaching, exhibit, and research
purposes. (L.J.
Fox)
BAYSCAPE
NATIVE PLANT GARDEN
The BayScape Native Plant Garden is a long-term demonstration and
display exhibit. Bayscaping is an environmental education initiative developed
by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, a regional nonprofit organization.
BayScapes are environmentally-sound landscapes that are based on five
principles: conservation landscaping, water conservation, planting diversity,
use of beneficial plants, and long term planning. The garden at the Hampton
Roads AREC contains trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials native to the
Southeastern United States and tolerant of wet or periodically wet soil
conditions. (L.J.Fox)
PLANT
INTRODUCTION NURSERY
"New" plants are constantly being introduced into the horticulture
industry. The Plant Introduction Nursery at the Hampton Roads AREC is
one site in Virginia where plants are evaluated for possible introduction
into the industry. The nursery currently has 128 species of trees and
shrubs under evaluation. (L.J.
Fox)
COMMERCIAL
GREENHOUSE PRODUCTION
Virginia's greenhouse industry has increased over 8% per year since
1996, and along with nursery crops had a total 1999 farm gate value of
$170.7 million (VDACS). To provide continued growth and profitability
of this industry, new programs and cooperative efforts with industry leaders
must be formed. Outdated extension publications are being replaced and
new educational programs and web-based resources are being developed and
supplied to county agents and commercial growers. (J.G.
Latimer)
TREE
FRUIT
Virginia produces 8 to 9.5 million bushels of apples and 550,000 bushels
of peaches annually. About 65% of the apple crop is processed by two large
processors in the state, and the farm value of tree fruits is about $48
million per year. Extension programs concentrated on mass media, orchard
meetings, demonstrations, on-farm visits, office phone calls, web-pages
and individual office consultations. (R. Yuan)
NURSERY
AND LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY
Revenues from Virginia's nursery and landscape industries exceed 500
million dollars. My extension activities include presentations featuring
new and underused woody landscape plants, consulting with nurseries on
irrigation and fertilizer issues, and serving as advisor to the Southwest
Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association. I have made and continue to
make seed-collecting trips to Yunnan Province in China to collect herbaceous
perennial and woody species that show promise as landscape plants for
Virginia. (A.X.
Niemiera)
COMMERCIAL
GRAPE PRODUCTION
Current grape acreage (2000) is approximately 2001 acres, up 33% from
1997. Viticulture outreach programs aim to educate and train commercial
grape growers and Cooperative Extension agents in interdisciplinary measures
that improve grape quality and vineyard productivity. To accomplish this,
information and recommendations are conveyed to growers and VCE agents
using a range of media and presentations. Where knowledge gaps occur,
and where justified, problems are researched. Much of this effort has
regional impact, in that there are no comparable viticulture research
programs in the mid-Atlantic region. Extension activities are currently
linked to the VCE program, "Fruit Industry Sustainability." (T.K.
Wolf)
