Commercial Horticulture Webinar Series

Join the University of Maine Cooperative Extension on the first Monday of each month for our Commercial Horticulture Webinar Series, designed to support Maine’s green industry, including nursery and cut flower production, landscape design, installation, maintenance, and more.

Each 75-minute session will feature a presentation followed by Q&A and discussion.

Upcoming Webinars:

Registration is required, with a sliding scale fee ($0-$15) per session. Zoom access details will be provided upon registration.

Recordings will be available and sent to participants approximately one week after each event.

Can’t attend live? Register anyway to receive access to the recording and a list of related resources.

Three women potting plants inside a greenhouse during a UMaine Extension gardening activity.
Photo by Edwin Remsberg

Passion, Patience & Product: Starting a Native Plant Nursery
Monday, October 6, 2025
6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

Join us for a webinar exploring three essential pillars of running a successful native plant nursery: passion, patience, and product. We’ll dive into the practical, logistical, and personal aspects of starting and sustaining a nursery business, including day to day operations. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your approach, this session will offer valuable guidance, real-world considerations, and inspiration drawn from hands-on experience.

Register Online: Passion, Patience & Product: Starting a Native Plant Nursery

About the Speaker

Ivonne Vazquez is the owner of Bas Rouge Farm and Forge, a native plant nursery in Orono, Maine. She is also a former Master Gardener Volunteer, Registered Maine Guide, hobby naturalist, writer, photographer and Blacksmith. Ivonne holds certificates in Sustainable Landscape & Garden Management, Permaculture Design and recently earned Certification as a Green Infrastructure Practitioner through the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP), an ANSI accredited program. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Maine School Garden Network, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and Fedco Seeds.

native plants in bloom
Photo by Edwin Remsberg

Transitioning to Native Plants in the Landscape or Garden
Monday, November 3, 2025
6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

Join us for a webinar on integrating native plants into managed landscapes. This session will explore how native species can be used to meet both ecological and design objectives while reducing long-term maintenance and resource inputs. Whether addressing plant failure, overgrowth, or planning site enhancements, this webinar will provide practical strategies for selecting and siting native plants that support biodiversity and perform reliably in the landscape. Topics will include an overview of Maine’s native plant communities, best practices for plant selection and site assessment, and design approaches for achieving a clean, professional aesthetic.

Register Online: Transitioning to Native Plants in the Landscape or Garden

About the Speaker

Cathy Rees has worked for more than 25 years creating and maintaining gardens while doing ecological consulting for a range of clients. Her familiarity with the native flora inspires her creative use of natives in the garden. The need to educate others about their native flora, its beauty, mystery, and benefit to the ecosystem led her to cofound Native Gardens of Blue Hill in 2015. She holds a BS in environmental design and planning and an MS in ecology. She is a certified National Green Infrastructure Practitioner. She is the author of “Winterland: Creating a beautiful garden for every season,” which focuses on garden design that can be enjoyed beyond the growing season.

Monday, December 1, 2025

Cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Registrations will be refunded. 

Chris Laughton, Farm Credit East
Photo Credit: Farm Credit East

Financial Management for Your Commercial Horticulture Business
Monday, January 5, 2025
6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

Join Chris Laughton, from Farm Credit East, for a discussion of financial management basics you should know to manage your horticultural business. Topics covered will include: Understanding financial statements (balance sheets and income statements), cash flow budgeting, and financing and credit. Time will be provided for questions and discussion.

Register Online: Financial Management for Your Commercial Horticulture Business

About the Speaker

Chris Laughton is the Director of Knowledge Exchange at Farm Credit East. He coordinates Farm Credit East’s customer education and beginning farmer programs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Cornell University, an MBA from the University of Massachusetts, and a Master of Science in applied and resource economics from the University of Connecticut. Chris grew up in Eastern Massachusetts, where he worked in his family’s greenhouse/nursery business before joining Farm Credit East.

Many containers of flowering mums with a sign that says Mums $5.99 ea.
Photo by Edwin Remsberg

Integrated Weed Management for Ornamental Greenhouse Crops
Monday, February 2, 2025
6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

Learn practical strategies for managing weeds in greenhouse ornamental production. Weeds compete with crops for space, light, and nutrients, reducing quality and productivity. In this session, we’ll cover common greenhouse weeds, their biology, and a range of control methods. Topics will include cultural and mechanical approaches, along with key considerations for effective chemical control. Eligible for 1 Maine pesticide recertification credit.

Register Online: Integrated Weed Management for Ornamental Greenhouse Crops

About the Speaker

Dr. Manjot Sidhu is an Assistant Extension Professor of Horticulture and Ornamental Horticulture Specialist at University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Manjot works on developing educational programs, providing specialized support, and conducting applied research programs that caters to the state-wide needs of ornamental crop production in Maine. She focuses on the needs of Maine’s green industry that includes floriculture, nurseries, greenhouse production, Christmas tree production and clients involved in consumer horticulture.

A person holds a bundle of cut flowers in a garden
Photo by Edwin Remsberg

Managing Pests in Cut Flowers
Monday, March 2, 2025
6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

Join us for a webinar on managing pests in cut flower production. Cut flowers are a high-value ornamental crop, but even minor pest damage can significantly reduce their marketability. Having an integrated pest management plan in place before the season begins is essential to minimizing that damage. In this session, we’ll cover the biology of key insect pests affecting cut flowers and focus on a range of management strategies. Topics will include cultural prevention methods, along with the basic requirements and key considerations for effective pesticide applications. Eligible for 1 Maine pesticide recertification credit.

Register Online: Managing Pests in Cut Flowers

About the Speaker

Jason Lilley is the Assistant Extension Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and the Maple Industry with UMaine Extension. His focus is on improving the overall environmental and economic sustainability of commercial farm operations. His work emphasizes identifying and connecting growers with strong markets, creating healthy soils and resilient farming systems, and long term planning for commercial agricultural enterprises. Farm safety is included in Jason’s work through tractor and machinery safety training and farm emergency preparedness. He is also focused on working with beginning farmers to develop long term successful operations. His research involves reduced and conservation tillage practices for vegetable production, cover cropping strategies, and climate change adaptation for farms. Additionally, Jason works with maple producers throughout the state on enhancing quality control, overall production practices, and business and financial management strategies.

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact extension.gardening@maine.edu.

In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).