Florida Category 3 - Ornamental and Turf Pest Control Bundle

This course bundle is designed for the Florida Ornamental and Turf commercial applicator but also counts as 2 CEUs for Category 06. This bundle should be paired with a core bundle to meet recertification requirements. All courses are approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Agricultural Environmental Services. Please click on course details for a list and description of courses.

BUNDLE CONTENTS:

Ornamental & Turf (Category 3) CEUs:

Common Pests of Residential, Industrial & Institutional Structures – 3 CEUs
IPM for Ornamental Plant Pest Management – 1 CEU
Ornamental Pesticide Application Equipment and Calibration – 1 CEU
IPM for Turf Management – 1 CEU
Turfgrass Disease, Insect, and Vertebrate Pests – 1 CEU
Cultural Practices for Turf Management – 1 CEU
IPM Practices for Landscape Pest Management – 1 CEU
Pest Control Practices in Residential, Industrial & Institutional Structures – 1 CEU
Common Turfgrass Weeds – 1 CEU

Common Pests of Residential, Industrial & Institutional Structures

Course Description

This Florida Department of Agriculture-approved course teaches pest managers how to identify interior and exterior pests found in residential, industrial, and institutional buildings. Pests discussed include rats, insects, mice, weeds, bats, fungi, and some birds. The course also outlines various ways to manage these pests.

Pests that infest structures can damage furnishings, infest stored food, and cause human illness. To ensure safety, pest managers must know how to control pests that can affect quality of life, damage property, or injure people.

After completing this course, pest managers in Florida will be able to:

Identify common fabric pests and outline how to manage them
Identify common vertebrate and invertebrate pests and outline effective management strategies
Describe wood-destroying pest damage and explain the importance of treating wood prior to use
Identify and avoid common stored-food pests Identify common parasitic, biting, and stinging pests and know how to manage them

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

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

IPM for Turf Management

Course Description

Integrated Pest Management of turfgrasses 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 turfgrass, and the different tools and techniques needed to successfully provide your clients with a healthy and attractive turf stand.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Understand the settings and ecosystems of a turf stand
Gain an understanding of the issues involved in controlling pests and disease in managed turfgrass
Tailor a management strategy that addresses the unique needs of turfgrass

Turfgrass Disease, Insect, and Vertebrate Pests

Course Description

There are a variety of diseases, disorders, 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 disorders 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

Cultural Practices for Turf Management

Course Description

Turf responds best to consistent cultural practices – mowing, irrigating, and fertilizing. A consistent mowing height that is appropriate for the variety of turf, good irrigation, and proper fertilization will result in a healthy vigorous turf that will be enjoyed for years.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Discuss adverse turf conditions and how to correct them
Recognize common turf problems and how to remedy them
Tailor a management strategy that addresses the unique needs of turfgrass

IPM Practices for Landscape Pest Management

Course Description

This course focuses on the advantages and factors to consider when creating an integrated pest management (IPM) program in Florida.

Students will learn about pest management techniques such as augmentation, mechanical and cultural control, sanitation and pesticide use. The course also offers guidance on liquid pesticide application equipment and calibration, as well as techniques for applying granule pesticides, tree injection and implantation, and baits/traps.

Other topics include maintaining pesticide application equipment and determining the amount of pesticide needed based on pesticide type and area size.

By the end of this course, students will:

Understand the different pest management approaches that comprise an IPM.
Know the types of pesticide application equipment used in landscape, turf, and interiorscape settings.
Be able to explain how to utilize granule pesticides, tree injection and implantation and baits/traps.
Determine how to maintain and calibrate pesticide application equipment.

Pest Control Practices in Residential, Industrial & Institutional Structures

Course Description

Pests can damage structures, furnishings, fabrics, and stored items. They can also transmit disease and cause safety hazards. Weeds add to the problem by detracting from the appearance of structures and by providing a breeding ground for pests. Effective pest management requires safe and efficient techniques.

This course, which is approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture, covers pest control methods prioritizing safety for individuals and the environment.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Develop effective pest management strategies.
Implement proper pest inspection, monitoring, and trapping techniques.
Understand the importance of weed control.
Select and apply appropriate pesticide formulations.
Manage common food pests effectively.

Common Turfgrass Weeds

Course Description

Managing weeds in a turf stand can be a tricky proposition. Often times the client fails to recognize that the presence of weeds in a turf stand is the result of poor turf, not the cause. Correct identification of the problem weed is a must of developing a management strategy, as is a working knowledge of weed biology and how herbicides work. This course will provide applicators with a good foundation from which to build their knowledge.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Explain the major similarities and differences between weeds and turf
Identify common turfgrass weeds
Explain how herbicides work