Plants, Places and People

Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Colorado State University

January 2023

Update from Dr. Mengmeng Gu

HLA Department Head

I hope you all enjoyed the winter break. My personal achievement is that my youngest one has become the youngest in my family to learn how to ski, all thanks to the state we are living in, Colorado.

Classes will start right after the MLK day. The HLA wing of Nutrien and NESB building has already been buzzing with activities. We just had a faculty retreat yesterday and had a lot of good discussion.

I hope to see you soon at CSU Alumni Coffee Reception on Feb. 1 at ProGreen and CFVGA conference.

Lessons in Sustainable Agriculture from Native American Communities

Congratulations to Dr. Jessica Davis (former HLA Dept Head), Shannon Mason, Jorge Vivanco and their colleagues. This project will incorporate Native American concepts related to foodways and food sovereignty into undergraduate and graduate curricula regarding agriculture and food systems. Learning these concepts will amplify students’ understanding of sustainability within the historical and cultural context of North America. This project will use video recordings of Native American experts communicating their beliefs (more).

Poinsettia Sale

Is it 'poinsetiiia' or 'poinseta'? Let's hear what Dr. Josh Craver said in his CBS interview.

The poinsettia sale on Dec. 3-4 was 'ABSOLUTELY' a success and really helps out our teaching program. Mike Hazlett and his crew did a great job. Come early next year for the best selection.

Urban Design Studio

The students of LAND 446 (the Urban Design studio in the Landscape Architecture Program) have been working throughout the fall semester to re-imagine Arapahoe Square, a struggling neighborhood just north of the downtown Denver business district, as a lively, engaging, mixed-use neighborhood of the 21^st century. On Thursday, December 8^th, the students presented their work to a panel of design critics at the Downtown Denver Partnership boardroom. The invited panelists will include:

Ellen Forthofer, the Urban Planning Manager and Arapahoe Square Liaison for the Downtown Denver Partnership
Scott Streeb (an alum of CSU’s Landscape Architecture Program), Principal and Director of the Denver office for Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, a prominent international landscape architecture and urban design firm
Eugenia Di Girolamo, the new Chief Urban Designer for the City and County of Denver (and former Deputy Director of Urban Design for New York City)

This event culminates a semester-long partnership with the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Denver Office of Community Planning and Development, giving CSU students the opportunity to help city staff envision innovative new design solutions for a critical, yet long-neglected, downtown Denver neighborhood. (Scott Carmen)

Spur Potato Day

Dec. 10 we had a Potato Day at Spur. Dr. Jessica Chitwood-Brown, Jennifer Bousselot and David Holm, along with students and postdocs from HLA, Jim Ehrlich and his crew from CPAC, put on a fantastic education event for everyone.

Winter Gathering

HLA social committee organized a nice winter gathering for the graduates on Dec. 16. It was a very festive event before many left for the winter break. Join us next time!

College Graduation Ceremony

I attended my first CSU College of Agricultural Sciences graduation ceremony right after HLA winter gathering. It was exciting to hear the commencement speaker, Dr. Robert Sakata. He is a huge supporter of HLA and CAS. Faculty members including Drs. Mark Uchanski and Eduardo Gutirrez Rodriguez have worked closed with him.

Hawaii, Anyone?

The potato samples are planted the first week of November by CPCS staff in collaboration with Twin Bridge Farms in Hawaii and with the Nebraska Seed Certification. In December, CPCS staff return to evaluate the seed potato plants for disease levels. The primary disease of interest is Potato Virus Y. Only seed lots with a %PVY less than 3% can be recertified in Colorado, and only seed less than 5% PVY can be sold as certified to plant in Colorado. The %PVY in each post harvest test sample is determined by a combination of visual symptoms (plants expressing mosaic) and confirmation with ELISA. The percentage is based on the total # of PVY positive plants divided by the # of emerged plants. (Andrew Houser)

Goodby from Tracy

Tracy Smith is our Undergraduate Coordinator and has worked in HLA since 2007. We are all sad to see her leave. Here is from Tracy, "I am bidding you all a fond farewell at the end of the Fall 2022 term... Whether we know each other fairly well, or I am just a name you have heard, being a part of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture for the past fifteen years has been one of the defining parts of my life. It is sad to say goodbye, and at the same time it is exciting to be heading into a whole new chapter in my life."

Colorado Food Summit

HLA Postdoc Dr. Sahar Toulabi spent a day (Dec. 8) connecting with who's whos in Colorado's food system including Mrs. Jim Erhlich from Colorado Potato Administrative Committee. (Dr. Sahar Toulabi- R2)

Dr. Jim Klett's 42-yr Career

Dr. Jim Klett, the architect of a local floral tourist destination---CSU Trial Gardens, has wrapped up his 42-yr career at HLA and will be professor emeritus starting in January, 2023. 9News interview did a great job capturing his contribution. Students came from as far as Oregon to his departmental retirement party.

Extension Horticulture Update

What happened in December in Extension horticulture?

Master Gardener coordinators recruited and interviewed potential new Master Gardener Apprentices for 2023.
The Master Gardener Winter Workshop was held on December 3, and one of the featured presenters was new HLA faculty, Dr. Chad Miller, who spoke about bulbs for the garden.
Extension faculty presented at the Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Association annual conference in Loveland; speakers included Dr. Tony Koski, John Murgel, Eric Hammond, and Alison O'Connor.

What's coming up for Extension horticulture?

Green School, the training curriculum for new Master Gardener volunteers and the Colorado Gardening Certificate, begins January 9. There are over 450 registered participants, including 270 new volunteers.
Many staff will be presenting and attending the ProGreen Expo in Denver, January 31 to February 2.
The Colorado Garden and Home Show will be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, February 4 to 12. Metro area counties have been working together for the educational display, staffed by Master Gardener volunteers during the show.

Want to blog? Be a guest writer for the CO-Horts Blog! This blog provides timely horticulture information to the general public and green industry. Last year the blog had over 23,000 views. Topics are flexible. Email Alison O'Connor: astoven@larimer.org

Where was the Department Head?

· Dec. 5 --- President Ag. Council Meeting at Spur.

· Dec. 10 --- Potato Day at Spur.

· Dec. 14 --- Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Association annual conference.

· Jan. 6 --- Hydro opening at Spur.

Spring Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Seminar Series

Every Tuesday from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Nutrien 163