UMass Extension Landscape Nursery and Urban Forestry

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UMass Extension Landscape Nursery and Urban Forestry

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Make a gift to the UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program: http://bit.ly/1Q3HPl4

The UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery, and Urban Forestry team provides programs and research-based information on the best horticultural practices and technology for environmental stewardship in nursery and landscape management. Our team is a group of educators and specialists in weed science, entomology, plant pathology, IPM, diagnostics, and sustainable practices. For home garden and landscape questions email: [email protected]

10/21/2026

'Urban Forestry Today' webcasts @ Noon (Eastern) continue – Oct 22 & Nov 12
***
UFT's Fall 'Tree Summit' takes place 10/22, Noon-2PM (Eastern). Join Drs Lara Roman, Natalie van Doorn & Jacob Cecala, USDA FS, who will discuss "Understanding the impacts of climate change & urban trees." The fee for this LIVE BROADCAST is $25 USD & Attendees may earn 2.0 ISA/1.0 MCA CEUs.
Register to attend: www.tinyurl.com/falltreesummit or visit www.urbanforestrytoday.org for more info.
Questions? [email protected] (Attendees must join the live broadcast promptly @ Noon using the GoToWebinar link provided upon registration)
***
Join Dr. Ben Weil, City of Northampton, as he continues the discussion about "The Energy Benefits of Trees". Pre-register or attend the Free Noonhour broadcast live on 11/12/26 & receive an ISA/0.5 MCA CEU by visiting www.joinwebinar.com & enter 861-929-483 (Space is limited & attendees should join promptly @ Noon. Post-broadcast recordings are available in ‘webcast archives’ @ www.urbanforestrytoday.org)

10/20/2026

It’s time to prepare fencing, guards, and other barriers to prevent rabbit and vole browsing over the winter months. Applications of deer and rabbit repellents can also commence, as deer have been exploring landscapes they will visit again in late winter when resources are scarce. Many deer repellents require reapplication during the winter, but only when temperatures are above freezing to prevent flash freeze injury.

Excerpt from our October 16 Landscape Message – Pioneer Valley Region Report

https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/landscape/landscape-message-october-16-2026

The LANDSCAPE MESSAGE is a regular update to inform and help guide land care professionals in the management of our collective landscape.

Each edition includes valuable information from sites throughout Massachusetts, including growing degree day accumulation, soil temperature, precipitation amounts, and plant phenology. Detailed reports on cultural practices and the status of insects, diseases, and w**ds of interest to landscapers, arborists and turf managers are also regular features.

Photo: Protected sapling by Harmonie O'Loughlin

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https://t.ly/TNxtf

10/19/2026

LAST CALL: Green School Registration Ends 10/21!

UMass Extension’s Green School is a comprehensive 60+ hour certificate short course that offers fundamental land care skills training in a compact time frame.

Who?
This program is designed for professional practitioners such as landscapers, lawn care providers, nursery operators, public and private grounds managers, arborists, professional gardeners, landscape and garden designers, industry sales and support professionals, and others in the green industries.

What?
Choose from three specialty tracks!
🏡 Landscape Management
☘️ Turf Management
🌳 Arboriculture

Where?
Green School will be entirely online and taught by UMass Extension Specialists, UMass faculty, and distinguished guest instructors.

When?
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 10/27 - 12/17 (the next available class will run Oct-Dec 2028).

Why?
Move your career or business forward and achieve better results with a smaller overall impact!

Learn more and register!
http://ag.umass.edu/greenschool

10/16/2026

The LANDSCAPE MESSAGE for October 16, 2026 has been posted.

https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/landscape/landscape-message-october-16-2026

The LANDSCAPE MESSAGE is a regular update to inform and help guide land care professionals in the management of our collective landscape.

Each edition includes valuable information from sites throughout Massachusetts, including growing degree day accumulation, soil temperature, precipitation amounts, and plant phenology.

Detailed reports on cultural practices and the status of insects, diseases, and w**ds of interest to landscapers, arborists and turf managers are also regular features.

There will be 20 messages throughout 2026. New messages are available weekly during the heart of the growing season, bi-weekly in early spring and mid to late summer, and monthly during the fall.

The last Landscape Message of the season will be posted on November 13.

Photo: American smoketree fall color by Geoffrey Njue

Subscribe to our newsletters!
https://t.ly/TNxtf

10/15/2026

The Fall 2026 edition of POLLINATOR BUZZ has been posted.

IN THIS ISSUE
🐝 Pollinator Spotlight: Great Black Digger Wasp
🎙 PolliNation Podcast: SloBees
🌱 Plants for Pollinators: Common Evening Primrose
❓️ Q&A: Which Pollinators are Still Active in the Fall?
📣 Recap: 2026 Pollinator Steward Program
🌿 Programming: New in 2027 and Pollinator Habitat Certification
📚 Educational Brief: Things to Know about Male Bumble Bees
🦋 Feature: Caterpillar Rearing for Education, Not Conservation

https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/pollinators/newsletters/pollinator-buzz/pollinator-buzz-2026-vol-35

Pollinator Buzz is a quarterly newsletter, discussing what bees are doing right now, student research, recent pollinator-related discoveries, and beyond! Archives are available on the UMass Extension website.

Photo: Promethea Cocooning by Kit Straley

Subscribe to our newsletters!
https://t.ly/TNxtf

10/14/2026

Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle) is a non-native plant that is invasive in many of the regions in the United States in which it occurs. First introduced from its native China in 1751 and despite being regionally classified as invasive for many years, this species has recently received a great deal of attention because it is a primary host for spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), an invasive insect that is spreading though New England. The MA Department of Agricultural Resources reports that spotted lanternfly has been found in over 145 Massachusetts communities during the 2026 growing season. This is a notable increase from last year.

Read more about the management of tree of heaven and spotted lanternfly in the October edition of Hort Notes

https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/landscape/newsletters/hort-notes/hort-notes-2026-vol-378

Photos: Tree of Heaven and Spotted Lanternfly by Tawny Simisky

Subscribe to our newsletters!
https://t.ly/TNxtf

10/12/2026

UMass Extension’s 2026 Green School: Arboriculture Track in the Spotlight

UMass Extension’s Green School is a comprehensive 60+ hour certificate short course that offers fundamental land care skills training in a compact time frame designed for professional practitioners in the land care industries.

Choose one of three specialty tracks!
🏡 Landscape Management
☘️ Turf Management
🌳 Arboriculture

Spotlight on the Arboriculture Track:
Green School's Arboriculture track has been developed especially for tree care professionals such as arborists, tree wardens, and municipal DPW workers.

The curriculum will help attendees to grow a range of skills from learning to identify potential problems before they occur, to avoiding being injured on the job. Topics of particular benefit include arboricultural safety standards, understanding construction injury to trees, pruning, cabling and guying, insect and disease problems of trees, and tree risk identification and management.

Green School will be entirely online on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons from 10/27 - 12/17 (The next available class will run Oct-Dec 2028).

Move your career or business forward and achieve better results more efficiently and more responsibly!

Learn more and register!
http://ag.umass.edu/greenschool

10/08/2026

The 2027 UMass Garden Calendar... Now Available!

Daily gardening tips are a beloved and useful feature, based on local growing conditions.

Topics include:
Plant Selection
Cultural Practices
Growing Conditions
W**d Management
Insects
Pollinators

See ag.umass.edu/gardencalendar for complete information and to order!

📫 Shipping is FREE for 1-2 calendars throughout the 2027 season!
🚚 Shipping is free on all orders of 3-6 calendars until Oct. 31, 2026
✅️ Bulk pricing is available for orders of 7+ calendars

Proceeds from sales of the Garden Calendar benefit the work of UMass Extension’s educational programs.

Thanks for your support in continuing this annual tradition!

Address

University Of
Amherst, MA
01003

Telephone

+14135450895

Website

https://ag.umass.edu/landscape

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