New York Commercial Category 3A - Ornamental, Shade Trees & Turf Bundle
This course bundle is designed for the New York Commercial applicator holding a 3a (Ornamental, Shade Tree and Turf) certification. All courses are approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The course bundle contains 8 credits of training approved for category 3a and 2 credits of core training. Please click on Course Details for a list of specific courses.
BUNDLE CONTENTS
Category Training (3a)
- Common Ornamental Plant Pests – 2 credits
- IPM for Ornamental Plant Pest Management – 1 credit
- Pollinator Stewardship – 1 credit
- Application Equipment and Calibration – 1 credit
- Calibration Clinic: Pesticide Sprayers and Spreaders – 1 credit
- Ornamental Pesticide Application Equipment and Calibration – 1 credit
- Turfgrass Disease, Insect, and Vertebrate Pests – 1 credit
Core Training
- Pesticide Labels and Safety Data Sheets – 1 credit
- Respiratory Protection – 1 credit
Common Ornamental Plant Pests
Course Description
Pest management of ornamental plants involves multiple steps from growing a healthy plant that is more resistant to pest damage to correctly identifying the problem when present. This course will cover the most common pests of ornamental plants.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Identify common landscape weeks and outline how to manage them.
- Identify common plant disorders and identify how to avoid them in the future.
- Identify common plant diseases and outline how to manage them.
- Describe nematode damage and explain why sampling prior to planting is important.
- Identify common vertebrate and invertebrate pests and outline the best management strategy for each.
IPM for Ornamental Plant Pest Management
Course Description
Integrated Pest Management of ornamental plants involves multiple steps; producing a healthy plant, correctly identifying the problem, recognizing that there will always be some pests and damage, and only using pesticides as a last resort. This course teaches the basics of pest and disease management for ornamental plants, and the different tools and techniques needed to successfully provide your clients with a healthy and attractive landscape.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Discuss several ways to track pest development
- Outline the issues involved in controlling pests and disease in managed landscape situations
- Tailor a management strategy that addresses the unique needs of each ornamental planting
Pollinator Stewardship
Course Description
Honey Bee Stewardship. The primary concern plaguing the beekeeping industry is the decline of honey bees around the world. Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is the leading cause behind this steady decline in honey bee numbers. There are a number of different factors affecting this decline. This course provides an outline of the best practices concerning honeybee stewardship.
Minimizing Pesticide Risk for Pollinators. Whether applying pesticides in the home garden or in a commercial setting, many of the chemical pesticides used to control insects, fungal disease, and even weeds can hurt non-target pollinating insects, such as bees and butterflies. This section will ensure your ability to effectively and efficiently apply pesticides without harming beneficial insects.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Identify the factors that contribute to colony collapse disorder.
- Recognize the importance of beekeeper/grower communication.
- Describe the importance of pollinators in agriculture and why protecting native pollinators is of great concern.
- Outline the federal and state enforcement and compliance procedure as related to pollinator safety and alternatives to hard chemicals.
Application Equipment and Calibration
Course Description
When pesticide applications become necessary for good turf management, it’s important to understand how application equipment works and how to properly calibrate the equipment. Accurate measurement of the area to be treated and properly calibrated equipment are critical to applying pesticides within an acceptable range of the label requirements. This course will discuss the most common types of equipment used for pesticide applications on turf, the way to calculate the area of an irregularly shaped space, and how to properly calculate the flow rate of the equipment.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Describe the different types of equipment used in pesticide applications
- Accurately calculate the square footage of irregular areas
- Accurately calibrate common application equipment
Calibration Clinic – Pesticide Sprayers and Spreaders
Course Description
Proper application of pesticides and fertilizers on turfgrass is only possible with accurately calibrated equipment. These lessons discuss the calibration of three types of application equipment: handheld or back-pack pump-up sprayers, large acreage sprayers, and fertilizer or “dry-granular” spreaders as well as several different calibration techniques.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the baby bottle and the 5940 calibration methods
- Describe the steps to calibrate a boom sprayer
- Describe the steps to calibrate a granular broadcast spreader
Ornamental Pesticide Application Equipment and Calibration
Course Description
When pesticide applications become necessary for good ornamental plant management it’s important to understand how application equipment works and how to properly calibrate the equipment. Accurate measurement of the area to be treated or the number of plants to be treated and properly calibrated equipment are critical to successful control of the pest as well as staying within label requirements. This course will discuss the most common types of equipment used for pesticide applications on ornamental plants, the way to calculate the volume of solution needed, and how to properly calculate the flow rate of the equipment.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Describe the different types of equipment used in pesticide applications
- Accurately calculate the square footage of irregular areas
- Accurately calibrate common application equipment
Turfgrass Disease, Insect, and Vertebrate Pests
Course Description
There are a variety of diseases, disorder, insects and vertebrate pests that can cause problems in turfgrass. Being able to correctly identify these common turfgrass maladies is of utmost importance to turfgrass managers. This course will look at the common diseases and disorder found in turf, and cover the situations and environmental conditions favorable to those diseases. The course also covers common insect and vertebrate pests and how to manage them.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Identify a disease, describe favorable disease conditions, and recommend treatment strategies for each disease
- Identify common insect turf pests and recommend treatment strategies
- Recognize the preferred habitat for common vertebrate pests and be able to recommend the appropriate deterrent or management strategy
Pesticide Labels and Safety Data Sheets
Course Description
Pesticide labels and safety data sheets (SDS) contain much of the same information. While the label is considered the law, that is not the case with an SDS. As an applicator, it is vital to understand the difference between a pesticide label and a safety data sheet and know what information can be found in each document. This course, which has been approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will review the various parts of pesticide labels and safety data sheets to identify the similarities and differences.
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify the content and sections of pesticide labels and safety data sheets (SDS).
- Outline the differences between information such as signal words and PPE on pesticide labels and safety data sheets.
- Explain how to use pesticide labels and safety data sheets to prepare applications.
Respiratory Protection
Course Description
Environments with insufficient oxygen, harmful dust, fog, smoke, mist, gases, vapors, and sprays require workers to wear respirators for protection. Exposure to these hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, diseases, or death. Some pesticide labels require a respirator as part of personal protective equipment. This course, which is approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, showcases the types of respirators available, proper fit, and inspection/maintenance requirements.
At the end of this course, participants will learn to:
- Discuss the different types of respirators and when to use them properly.
- Delineate the steps of a successful fit test.
- Understand the necessary care and maintenance required for each type of respirator.