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NJNLA Members $125.00 Non-Members $195.00
2025 Summer Plant Symposium
Wednesday, August 13th, 2025 | Raritan Valley Community College
“Looking Forward for SUCCESS”
8:00am to 8:30am
Check-in at Registration Table | Breakfast
8:30am to 9:30am
Title: “Trees, Death and Conservation on Landscape Client Properties”
Speaker: Jason Grabosky, Rutgers Ecology Evolution & Natural Resources
Speakers Bio:
He is a professor
in the Ecology, Evolution & Natural Resources program within the
School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and is an Extension
Specialist for the NJ Agricultural Experiment Station. He serves as the
John and Eleanor Kuser Endowed Faculty Scholar in Urban and Community
Forestry and also serves on the Board of Directors for the International
Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
Description: Trees: You need to know how they work before you can manage them for longevity or conserve them as a resource. We’ll discuss aspects of “normal” tree metabolism and how abiotic and biotic agents interrupt that metabolism. This ought
to inform our understanding of how common abiotic and biotic agents force trees beyond the threshold from stress to decline and death in urban landscapes. We’ll discuss the popularized decline spiral and where we as tree/landscape health managers
can most effectively interrupt that spiral and preserve trees both in maintenance and in construction planning to properly deploy our tools in pest management and fertilization strategy.
9:30am to 9:45am Coffee Break
9:45am to 10:45am
Title: Real-World Solutions for Ecological Landscaping
Speaker: Andrew Bunting
Speaker Bio:
Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture and leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices at PHS. Andrew has elevated each of the departments he oversees and has increased the brand and
visibility of PHS through their respective work. Andrew received his B.S. in Plant and Soil Science from Illinois University. Prior to arriving at PHS, Andrew worked at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Chanticleer Garden, and the Scott Arboretum
for a tenure of 27 years. He has received the American Public Gardens Association's Professional Citation, Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development, and the Certificate of Merit from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
He also serves on the Board of Magnolia Society International. Andrew published his first book in 2015, "The Plant Lover's Guide to Magnolias." Andrew enjoys bird watching, travel and, of course, gardening.
Description:
Quality landscaping not only adds aesthetic value to a property, but also supports biodiversity and wildlife needs. Converting barren turf and asphalt into immersive gardens, meadows and forests builds natural abundance and enriches the lives of employees
and the greater community. Naturally, corporate landowners looking to integrate ecological landscapes into their properties will have questions about installing and maintaining sustainable landscaping on a commercial scale. PHS VP of Horticulture
Andrew Bunting brings his perspectives on planning maintenance, financial commitments, aesthetic concerns, community response and more. Participants are invited to bring their landscaping questions for the presenter to address during the
session.
10:45am to 11:45am
Title:
Lessons from Disease Pressures in Mt. Cuba Center’s Trial Garden
Speaker: Sam
Hoadley, Mt. Cuba Center
Speaker Bio:
Sam Hoadley is the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center where he evaluates native plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden. When Sam is not in the gardens he can be found working as a liaison with the mid-Atlantic
horticultural and nursery community to help promote the use of beautiful and ecologically valuable plants from Mt. Cuba’s evaluations. Sam grew up in East Granby Connecticut where his passion for plants and the natural world grew and led him to
the pursuit of his degree in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture and at the University of Vermont.
Description:
Sam Hoadley’s talk will include a discussion on some of the trials he has conducted, how he addressed periods of higher disease pressure—whether through plant maintenance, pesticide use, or alternative methods to reduce pesticide reliance—and his
recommendations for selecting and properly siting plants to help mitigate these issues.
11:45am to 12:30pm Lunch | Visit Vendor Area
12:30pm to 1:30pm
Talk & Tour – RVCC’s Sustainability Initiatives
Title:
RVCC’s Sustainability Initiatives
Speaker:
Julia Fiore, M.S., Sustainability and Energy Coordinator, Raritan Valley Community College and Melanie Quesada and Autumn Ananson, student interns from Center for Environmental Studies.
Speaker Bio:
Julia Fiore went to Montclair
State University - Master of Science MS, Sustainability Science,
Leadership Concentration. Sep 2021 - Jan 2024. Teaching Assistant for
undergraduate Earth Science course. Capstone project: Facilities
sustainability assessment of and recommendations for Bloomfield College
campus. Vassar College - Bachelor of Arts (BA), Environmental Studies
2004-2008 Multidisciplinary major with a focus in biology, earned honors
for senior thesis project on environmental education in a local middle
school.
Description:
RVCCis
a leader in sustainability, and this session will showcase some of the
college's conservation, clean energy, and environmental stewardship
projects. The campus is certified River Friendly, a Bee Campus USA
affiliate, and rated Gold in AASHE STARS. Learn more about RV's
sustainability initiatives and see some highlights of campus including a
green wall, rain garden, and pollinator garden. Julia will be joined by
two student interns from Center for Environmental Studies. Melanie
Quesada and Autumn Ananson will highlight student sustainability and
garden work.
1:30pm to 2:30pm
Title: Lemonading: Turning 2026 Garden Trends into Growth Opportunities
Speaker: Katie Dubow, Garden Media Group
S
peaker Bio:
Katie Dubow is president of Garden Media Group, a second-generation
women-owned & run public relations firm specializing in the green
industry. Author of the annual Garden Trends Report, Dubow presents the
report worldwide – from Italy to Chicago. Dubow is also a guest host on
QVC for Cottage Farms, judge at the Philadelphia Flower Show, the
inaugural recipient of the Emergent Communicator Award from GardenComm,
serving her third term on the board of the Pennsylvania Landscape and
Nursery Association, and a member of the Forty Under 40 from Greenhouse
Product News.
Description: When life gives you lemons… you “lemonade”. Staying ahead of garden trends isn’t just smart—it’s strategic. In this forward-thinking session, Katie Dubow of Garden Media Group spotlights the 2026 trends shaping the industry, including
Bento Box gardens, Barkitecture, and the Color of the Year. Discover how these trends can help you align with shifting consumer interests, drive growth, and lead with confidence in uncertain times.
2:30pm to 3:30pm
Title: Tools
for Success in Your IPM Program
Speaker:
William Errickson, Agriculture Agent III / Assistant Professor and Timothy James Waller, Ph.D., Agricultural Agent III
Speaker Bio: William Errickson
is
the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent for Rutgers Cooperative
Extension of Monmouth County with a focus on sustainable nursery
production, turfgrass, and agricultural innovation. He has worked in
various aspects of the horticultural sector
for the past 18 years, including operating his own diversified
farm in coastal Maine and growing bare-root nursery stock for Fedco
Trees. His current programmatic efforts involve supporting the NJ green
industries in their efforts to improve biodiversity
and conserve natural resources through ecological management
practices. Timothy J Waller is the Commercial Nursery agent of Rutgers Cooperative Extension in southern NJ, based out of Cumberland County. Tim has a Ph.D. in Plant Biology with a focus on fungal plant pathology and
has been a licensed pesticide applicator since 2011. His research interests focus on pest and disease management, chemical use understanding, pesticide regimes, and whole system sanitation efforts. He utilizes systems approaches to navigate multiple
issues via single resource expenditures.
Description:
This presentation will cover fundamental concepts of IPM as they
relate to ornamental crops, including monitoring, scouting, timing, and
control options of common pests. Using tools such as growing degree
days and models to predict pest activity will
be discussed. Effective use of traps to improve monitoring and
effectively control pests using pesticides safely and efficiently will
also be covered. The second half of the presentation will use boxwoods
as an example crop to illustrate the use
of models and growing degree days to target common insect and
disease problems, including boxwood leafminer and boxwood blight. Proper
identification and control materials will be discussed for these common
issues, as well as an introduction to
the emerging boxtree moth, a new and serious insect pest that
has been found in surrounding states. Updates from the new Rutgers field
trials on blight resistant boxwoods and alternative shrubs will also be
provided.
3:30pm to 4:30pm
Title:” Where is our
industry going? Set your business on the right track to success in the
future.”
Speaker: Mark
Sellew, Prides Corner Farms, Lebanon, CT
Speakers Bio:
President – Prides Corner Farms Mark has been with Prides Corner Farms for 45 years. It has been a truly magical journey, filled with incredible highs and the occasional lows. But as the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and Mark
is proud to say that every challenge has only made Prides a better place. He has built Prides Corner Farms into a large nursery with over 700 employees, at the core, they remain a family business—one that values
people above all else. He cherishes his daily walks across their shipping pad, witnessing the incredible variety of plants heading to their customers. More importantly, Mark treasures the connections with his team members, who so often tell him they
are giving their best, there’s nothing better to hear. Prides Corner Farms has over 1,500 active customers, who have become not just partners but friends. Mark is also Co-Founder of American Beauties Native Plants®.
American Beauties Native Plants®, LLC was started in 2005, the original native plant brand, as a partnership between Prides Corner Farms, Lebanon, CT, and North Creek Nurseries, Landenberg, PA. Dedicated to promoting native plants that perform
in the home landscape but also bring life to the garden by supporting wildlife and pollinators. The future is bright, and I can’t wait to see what it holds.
Description:
Mark will be discussing his thoughts on the direction of the nursery and landscape industries, especially in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
He will be talking about his experiences and trends his team has seen in recent years. Mark will talk about what he and his team thinks are future trends, whether it is New Genetics or is it Native Plants? Mark will discuss and
have an open discussion with attendees talking about planning your business and plant pallets for future success, for you and your customers.
4:30pm to 5:00pm Sign-out for Recert Credits | Safe travels home!
ASLA Credits will be received after their September Meeting!
CREDITS RECEIVED:
LTE/LTCO: 7 CEU
APLD: 7 CEU
NJ Pest: 10-06, 3A-06, PP2-06
NJUCF: 4CEU
CNLP: Environment-3.5, Prof-2, Plant-1, Design-.5
ProFact: 1 CEU
ISA: 6 CEU
Thank you to our SPONSORS
  
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