UNCE hosting Green Industry Training in Feb.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will offer its Green Industry Training Program in February with eight entry-level classes.

The program targets entry-level green industry workers and individuals striving for jobs in the green industry. Classes will focus on topics pertinent to the landscaping and nursery industry, such as growing plants, managing pests and using pesticides.

Classes are from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 5 to Feb. 28. Enrollment is $15 per class, or $80 for the entire course. Classes will be taught by UNCE horticulture faculty, staff and local industry professionals, and will be held at the UNCE office at 4955 Energy Way in Reno.

Below is the class schedule:

Feb. 5: Water-efficient landscape maintenance: Maintain landscapes that will thrive in the high desert. Instructor: Heidi Kratsch.

Feb. 7: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Pesticide Safety: Manage pests safely and effectively. Instructor: Sue Donaldson.

Feb. 12: Weed Law, ID and Management: Identify and manage common and noxious Nevada weeds. Instructor: Sue Donaldson.

Feb. 14: Soils and Potting Mixes: It's not just dirt! Soil is the plant's dinner plate. Instructor: Heidi Kratsch.

Feb. 19: Plant Nutrition/Fertilizers: Plants need minerals. Learn to recognize what they need. Instructor: Heidi Kratsch.

Feb. 21: Turfgrass Management: Keeping grass strong and resilient in arid landscapes. Instructor: Bill Carlos.

Feb. 26: Basic Irrigation: Supply landscape water efficiently and effectively. Instructor: Jim Stanhouse.

Feb. 28: Tree Insects and Diseases: Learn to identify and treat Nevada's most common problems. Instructor: Leslie Lyles.

Registration fees for full-course participants include a copy of the book "Water-Efficient Landscaping in the Intermountain West." Certificates of attendance, refreshments and International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and Pesticide Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are offered for both full-course and individual class participants. Course fees also support Green Industry Continuing Education Series classes.

Discounts are available to organizations enrolling multiple employees. To register, go to www.growyourownnevada.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/GIT-Flyer-11-8-12.pdf and mail forms to Ashley Andrews (UNCE, 4955 Energy Way, Reno, NV 89502) by Jan. 29.