Professional landscape seminar returns

Tyler—Every January, just as East Texans begin eyeing their dormant landscapes and dreaming of spring, we host one of our favorite educational traditions of the year: the Professional Landscape Maintenance Seminar. Whether you maintain commercial properties, manage a landscape crew, or simply want to sharpen your own horticultural skills, this free half-day program offers practical, research-based information you can put to work immediately.

This year’s seminar will be held on Friday, Jan. 30, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Cotton Belt Building classroom, 1517 W. Front Street, Suite 116, in Tyler. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m., and there’s no cost to attend. The program is sponsored by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Earth-Kind Horticulture Education Committee in partnership with the City of Tyler Water Utilities.

We’ll kick things off with horticulturist Ron Hill presenting “Landscape Pruning.” Winter is the ideal time to prune many trees and shrubs, and Ron brings a horticulture degree and decades of hands-on experience to the topic. Proper pruning improves plant health, reduces maintenance, and prevents the all-too-common problems caused by over-shearing or incorrect cuts. Whether you’re shaping crape myrtles, rejuvenating hollies, or maintaining shade trees, Ron’s guidance will help you make cleaner, more confident decisions.

Longtime horticulturist and Vital Earth Resources representative Mark Chamblee will present “Earth-Kind Landscaping: Best Soil Environment.” Mark has been teaching East Texans about roses and sustainable gardening practices for years, and his programs are always clear, practical, and inspiring. Healthy soil is the foundation of every successful landscape, and Mark will explain how to build and maintain it using Earth-Kind principles that conserve water, reduce inputs, and support long-term plant performance.

I’ll wrap up the morning with a session on “Seasonal Color.” Annuals and perennials are the most visible and often the most scrutinized part of commercial and home landscapes. I’ll share recommendations for reliable warm-season and cool-season performers, planting techniques that improve performance, and design tips for creating sustainable color beds that perform well and look good. We’ll talk about new varieties, old standbys, and the cultural practices that make the biggest difference in our East Texas climate.

By noon we’ll adjourn, giving you the rest of the day to return to work armed with fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just beginning your horticultural journey, this seminar offers something useful for everyone. Best of all, it’s a chance to connect with fellow landscape maintenance professionals, ask questions, and learn directly from people who work with plants every day.

To register, simply scan the QR code on the flyer posted on our Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service–Smith County web page or visit the online form at https://form.jotform.com/253506356927060. 

Greg Grant, Ph.D., is the Smith County horticulturist and Master Gardener coordinator for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Tyler.