This year has been unique for everyone. All of us have been impacted in one way or another. We sincerely hope that you and your family are doing well and the pandemic has not touched you or your family. We at UConn Extension have been striving to put this course online for your convenience. While we understand that an online course is simply not the same as in person, this is where we are in the world today. We will certainly miss the interaction we have with all of you in the classroom as well.
There are some advantages to having an online course though, first you can work when it’s most convenient for you. You can also take the course in small chunks rather than sitting through a 3-hour lecture. You don’t have to leave your job or business to take the course either.
This Short Course is an in depth review of the information necessary for studying and fulfilling the requirements of the Ornamental and Turf/Golf Course Superintendents State of Connecticut Supervisory Pesticide Applicator Certification exam. A student completing all the modules, working through the quizzes, and studying resources materials independently should be able to successfully pass the examination, both written and oral state exam. Expect to spend at least 8 hours on each module.
Class topics are: Pesticide Laws and Regulations, Pesticide Safety, Botany and Ornamental Identification, Plant Pathology and Ornamental Plant Diseases, Entomology and Insect Pests of Woody Ornamentals, Area and Dosage Calculations, Turf Management and Weed Management. Each class begins with a basic overview of the science then takes an in-depth look at specific pests, their biology and control.
We have developed the course into 8 modules. Each module is broken down into Parts. Each part begins with learning objectives followed by slides with a narrative. PDFs of the slides are available for printing. Each Part will close with a summary and quiz on the contents of the part just viewed. Please take the quizzes seriously and take the time to write out your answers, as this will help you retain the important points from each Part and be useful for studying for the final exam as well as the state exam.
Each week on Tuesday evenings at 5:30, we plan to introduce a new module for you to work through during the week. The following Tuesday we will do a short debrief of the module you just completed and introduce the next module, again followed with a debrief the next Tuesday and so on for 8 weeks.
This does not include the required Pesticide Applicator Training Manual, (aka “The Core Manual”), which can ordered from UConn MarketPlace under the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources Extension at:
https://secure.touchnet.com/C21646_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=29
Click on Department of Extension box.
The core Manual can also be found and downloaded from the “United States Environmental Protection Agency”” here.
An additional resource which is very highly recommend by CT DEEP, and is free from the website below it is called, “Turfgrass Nutrient and Integrated Pest Management Manual”, edited by Tim Abbey. This is really is a must read and necessary resource: http://cag.uconn.edu/documents/Turfgrass-IPM-manual-s.pdf
There is also an optional manual called “Ornamental and Turf, Category 3 manual” available from Cornell, it cost $41.00 plus shipping and handling. https://www.cornellstore.com/3.-Ornamental-And-Turf
Check for used copies of these books with your colleagues or online, yes, even check Amazon.
Register for the online course here.
Click on the Orn & Turf Class box. Make sure to check out as guest.
For questions or more information, please contact Diane, diane.labonia@uconn.edu