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Course Details
Course Name: Native Plants for Landscape and Nursery Professionals
Course Code: AL0284CA25
Date of Most Recent Offering: February 25, 2025
Course Overview
This one-day class will provide instruction on best management practices for growing and maintaining native plants in a landscaping or nursery operation, including how to reduce pesticide use while maintaining high quality plants that provide important ecosystem services.
Featured Topics
- Fertility Requirements
- Pest and Disease Control
- Applying Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles
Who Should Attend?
This class is an excellent source of information for professionals in the landscaping and nursery industry interested in incorporating native plants into their work. Past participants include:
- Landscape Business Owners
- Licensed Tree Experts and Tree Care Operators (LTE/LTCO)
- Landscape Designers
- Master Gardeners
- Nursery Owners/Staff
- Tree Service Owners/Operators
Meet Your Instructors
Bill Errickson, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Bill Errickson is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent for Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County. Bill holds a Master’s degree in Soil Science from the University of New Hampshire and is completing a Doctoral degree in Plant Biology from Rutgers University. He has led courses focused on sustainable soil management for commercial growers, home gardeners, and college students throughout New Jersey and New England. His current programmatic areas include supporting the NJ nursery and landscape industries in their efforts to promote native plants and ecological landscaping practices.
Michele Bakacs, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Michele joined Rutgers Cooperative Extension in 2009 as a County Agent/Associate Professor for Middlesex and Union Counties. She has more than 22 years of experience in natural resource management and conducts research, education, and provides technical assistance in the areas of invasive species control and native plants, sustainable/environmentally friendly land care, and water quality protection. Part of Michele’s work focuses on teaching invasive species ID/ control and eradicating invasives from gardens and forest ecosystems while promoting increased use of native plants.
Steve Kristoph, Steven Kristoph Nursery

Steve Kristoph is widely known for his encyclopedic knowledge of plant material. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in horticulture from Rutgers University, and he has been an adjunct instructor at Rutgers for more than 25 years. He also owns and operates Steven Kristoph Nursery in Monmouth County, NJ, where he grows many types of ornamental trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. The landscaping division of his business, P. Steven Kristoph Garden Design, serves both residential and commercial customers and offers a full range of services, including design, installation, maintenance and seasonal color. Steve is passionate about plants and enjoys sharing his passion with others.
Steve Rettke, Rutgers University

Steven Rettke has been employed by Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) since 1996 and currently serves as the Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Associate for RCE of Monmouth County. His primary responsibilities include promoting the IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Philosophy to professionals working within the landscape, turf, nursery, and greenhouse industries. His areas of expertise include the key insect and disease pests of ornamental plants/crops. Each season, for 28 years, he has traveled extensively throughout New Jersey providing pest monitoring & consulting information to selected nursery/greenhouse growers & commercial landscape/turf managers participating in the Rutgers Greenhouse, Nursery, & Landscape IPM Programs.
Continuing Education Credits
The most recent offering of Native Plants for Landscape and Nursery Professionals (5.5 contact hours) was approved for the following credits from professional organizations. We will reapply for similar credits the next time the course runs, but we cannot guarantee credit approval for future offerings.
New Jersey
NJ / CT Pesticide Applicators: 6 units in 3A, 8C, 10, PP2
NJ Certified Fertilizer Applicators: 2 ProFact Credits
NJ Certified Public Works Managers (CPWM): 3 Technical, 2 Management Contact Hours – DLGS-RUCPE23-28
NJ Licensed Tree Experts (LTE/LTCO): 5 CEUs
NJ Urban and Community Forestry (NJUCF): 5 CEUs
Meals
No breakfast will be provided. Lunch will be available for pre-registered attendees only.
NOTE: If you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, please alert us at least one (1) week in advance of the course start date so that we can make reasonable accommodations. We cannot guarantee accommodations for special requests made after that time.
Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about Native Plants for Landscape and Nursery Professionals, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Program Coordinator: Joe Canzano
848-932-7317
joe.canzano@rutgers.edu

Administrative Assistant: Damiana Parada
848-932-7107
damiana.parada@rutgers.edu
For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.