Greg Grant

Maintaining a healthy, attractive landscape is a priority for many East Texas professionals and homeowners alike. To help the community stay informed on best practices, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Earth-Kind Environmental Education Committee in Smith County is hosting its second annual Professional Landscape Maintenance Conference.

This educational program is set for Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Cotton Belt Building, Room 116, located at 1517 W. Front St. in Tyler.

The half-day conference will cover key topics aimed at improving landscape care and management. Attendees will learn about soil fertility, proper nutrient applications, and interpreting soil analyses from Smith County Ag/Natural Resources Agent Clint Perkins. Ron Hill, a professional horticulturist, will provide a live demonstration on proper pruning techniques for common landscape plants. And I will share a lifetime of experience on identifying common landscape diseases that affect plants and lawns in East Texas.

These informative sessions are designed for professionals and enthusiasts alike, including landscapers, groundskeepers, lawn care professionals, and others involved in landscape maintenance. The practical demonstrations and expert insights ensure attendees will leave with valuable tips they can immediately apply to their work or home landscapes.

Registration begins on-site at 8 a.m. and runs until 8:30 a.m. in front of the Smith County AgriLife office, located on the ground floor of the Cotton Belt Building. The cost is $10 per person, payable by cash or check to the Smith County Horticulture Fund. Companies sending a group of employees are encouraged to identify one representative to handle registration for their entire group.

To secure your spot, the deadline to RSVP is Jan. 23. For more information or to register, call the Smith County AgriLife Extension office at 903-590-2980. Space is limited, so early registration is recommended.

This conference provides continuing education by supporting Earth-Kind landscaping practices, which aim to achieve a balance between environmental responsibility and successful gardening. Participants will gain practical skills that promote healthier plants and more sustainable landscapes.

Funds raised by the Earth-Kind Environmental Education Committee support the community through educational outreach and local Extension staff with continuing education.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is an educational outreach agency of Texas A&M University. It is funded through a partnership of the United States Department of Agriculture, the Texas A&M University System, and the county commissioners courts of Texas.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service works daily to make Texas better by providing innovative solutions at the intersection of agriculture, natural resources, youth and health, thereby improving the well-being of individuals, families, businesses and communities through education and service.