2026 IPPS WR Annual Meeting

Keynote Speaker for Thursday Banquet: Scott Skogerboe, Fort Collins Nursery | Woody Plant Propagation

Speaker schedule is subject to changes. More info to come!

Wednesday

Christopher Currey, Iowa State University | PGRs in Propagation- Tools for Improving Herbaceous Young Plant Production
Producing young plants, including seedling plugs and rooted cutting liners- for finishing containerized herbaceous plants is an essential and economically important part of the greenhouse and nursery industries. The relatively short growing period and high planting density for young plants necessitates efficient and effective approaches to production. Among the numerous strategies of modifying environmental conditions and cultural practices, plant growth regulators (PGRs) are a useful tool to improve uniformity and quality while reducing crop time and labor costs. Some think PGRs in propagation is limited to dipping cuttings in auxin to promote rooting or applying a gibberellic acid (GA) synthesis inhibitor. However, there are additional ways in which PGRs can be used to reduce leaf senescence and abscission, enhance branching, and suppress flowering. There are also newer formulations of rooting hormones and GA-inhibiting active ingredients to expand possible treatments for young plants. This presentation will provide an overview of PGRs used in herbaceous seedling plug and rooted cutting liners for commercial producers in greenhouses and nurseries

Jeb Fields, University of Florida | Improve Productivity with Fewer Resources – Stratified Substrates Gives Growers Control Over the Root Zone
Substrate stratification is an emerging concept which gives growers more control over the root zone. Traditionally, container-grown plants use a uniformly blended substrate to fill their containers. Because this works, it is often the end of the line. However, as we move into a world with rising input costs, limited labor, and growing demand, we need to identify opportunities to maximize productivity and efficiency. Stratification has been show to improve water and fertilizer efficiency in nursery and greenhouse production. Moreover, it is effective at reducing reliance on costly substrate components, like peat, which has been a topic of great interest in recent years. This presentation will explore substrate stratification practices across nursery and greenhouse horticulture. We will discuss early conceptualization and theory behind the technique, benefits associated with reduced fertilizer, water and peat, as well as other benefits like improved root structure, shelf life, and uniformity. We will also discuss how to implement stratified substrates in your production operation and some tips to help you maximize your root zone productivity. 

Ross Shrigley, Plant Select

Aleshia Baker, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food | Worker Protection Standards in the Greenhouse
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a regulation designed to protect agricultural workers and pesticide handlers from pesticide exposure. This presentation, Worker Protection Standards in the Greenhouse, offers an overview of the regulations that greenhouse managers must follow.

Emily Joseph, Hardy Fern Foundation and Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden | Western Region Exchange: A Horticultural Journey to New Zealand

Thursday

Yu-Ya Liang, Utah Valley University | Improving Seed Germination in Native and Wild Plants Through Hormone-Supplemented Tissue Culture
Native and wild plant species offer significant ecological and agricultural value, yet their broader use in horticulture and crop improvement is frequently hindered by poor seed germination. This study evaluated in vitro tissue culture as a strategy to overcome seed dormancy in two systems: thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), a native shrub with landscape and restoration value, and drought-tolerant wild tomato accessions (Solanum chilense and S. sitiens) from arid regions of South America. In both species, four half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) media formulations were compared, supplemented with gibberellic acid (GA₃), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), or both. In thimbleberry, GA₃-supplemented medium was the only formulation to induce germination, achieving a rate of up to 60% compared to less than 0.2% under standard conditions. When combined with mechanical scarification, germination was further accelerated, with emergence observed as early as 27 days after planting. In wild tomato, GA₃-supplemented medium similarly produced the most viable seedlings, with normal root and shoot development and successful greenhouse transition, whereas BAP-containing media induced faster but morphologically abnormal growth including callus formation and swollen stems. Together, these results suggest that GA₃ plays a central role in relieving dormancy across phylogenetically distant species, and that tissue culture with GA₃ supplementation offers a practical and scalable approach to improving propagation of both native plants and wild crop relatives.

John Bergman, Berger Soil | Best Practices for Handling Propagation Substrate
Best Practices for handling Propagation substrate. Learn how to get stronger and faster root development from your propagation substrate. Help increase the porosity, oxygen and gas exchange. 

Amy May, Tree Utah | Planting Trees, Growing Community

Curtis Manning, Blooma Farms | General Practices of Native Perennial Production from Seed

Chris Fifo, Darwin Perennials | Tissue Culture and Perennial Propagation

Friday

Alma Laney, Utah Valley University | From the Wild to Your Backyard: Plant Viruses in Utah Backyard Gardens
The agro-ecological interface is a concept in plant pathology to explain the movement of pathogens between wild ecosystems and cultivated settings. In Utah, backyard gardens are an ingrained part of the culture dating back to the mid-1800s. However, despite how common backyard gardens are, little work has been done to characterize the plant viruses in this setting. To address this, a project was initiated in 2022 to determine the viruses present in two garden locations in Utah county, the UVU GRIT Garden and a community garden in Pleasant Grove. Additionally, plants in the surrounding wild ecosystems were also tested for plant viruses. Leaf samples were collected and preserved at -80°C and then subjected to RNA extraction and RNAseq using the NovaSeq platform. To date, we have identified numerous viruses in both the cultivated and wild ecosystems with some viruses being found in both ecosystems. Alfalfa mosaic virus, cauliflower mosaic virus, and beet curly top virus were common in both garden locations. Beet curly top virus was also prevalent in the wild ecosystem suggesting that these perennial plants serve as a reservoir for this virus. Future work includes the sequencing of samples to identify the causal agent of a whitefly-associated viral disease observed in 2025.
 
Todd West, North Dakota State University | New Trees and Shrubs: A Peek Into the NDSU Woody Plant Improvement Program
Overview of new trees released from the North Dakota State University Woody Plant Improvement Program (NDSU WPIP) that will grow in high pH soils and low water conditions.  

Bruce Bugbee, Utah State University | Photobiology and Nutrition

Shelby Klassen, Bloomin’ Easy | New Zealand Exchange 2026

Matt Wang, Red Butte Garden and Arboretum | 3D Seed Imaging and It’s Applications
Focus stacking images is not a new practice, but new 3d imaging microscope technology allows for higher quality images in a fraction of the time. These seed photos have a myriad of valuable uses including clues to unlocking seed dormancy, seed dispersal, systematic questions,  and potentially even slowing poaching of rare plant seeds. Red Butte Garden and Arboretum is one of several botanic gardens working together to design and implement a searchable national seed image database to address these questions. 

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Antelope Island

We will take a professionally guided bus tour of Antelope Island to learn and discover what the largest island in Great Salt Lake has to offer!

Antelope Island is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. Protected as Antelope Island State Park, it becomes a peninsula when lake levels are very low. The first recorded non-Native visitors were John C. Frémont and Kit Carson in 1845, who reportedly named the island after hunting a pronghorn there. Today the island supports wildlife such as pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, bobcats, porcupines, badgers, and millions of waterfowl, as well as a bison herd introduced in 1893 that has become important for conservation. Geologically, the island consists of prairie grassland and alluvial plains surrounding a mountainous center of ancient Precambrian metamorphic and igneous rocks and Paleozoic sedimentary formations, some of the oldest rocks in the United States—older even than those exposed at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Perennial Favorites

Our second stop will be at Perennial Favorites with lunch.

In 1992, Preston and Melissa Cox started Perennial Favorites.  It was a small wholesale nursery for the production of one-gallon perennials behind their home.  Perennial Favorites was first thought of as a way to do something that they truly loved, which was growing plants, and a little added income for their family.  Their family and extended family were all very supportive and involved in helping the business to get started.

Perennial Favorites started with just a few varieties of one-gallon perennials.  The facility has now expanded to grow and sell well over 1,800 varieties of perennials, 900 varieties of vegetatively propagated annuals, 200 varieties of edibles, 150 varieties of annual and perennial grasses, and 200 varieties of native/water-wise plants.  Each category is available in a variety of sizes and configurations throughout the season.

The company is now home to 8 acres of outside production area, 100,000 square feet of greenhouse space, and 13,000 square feet of office, warehouse, and production facilities that are in use year around.  On staff are 25 full-time employees that collectively have decades of horticulture experience, both in wholesale and retail with varying degrees, certificates, and awards.

Mountain States Plants

Our 3rd stop will be a visit to Mountain States Plants! Mountain States Plants is a wholesale nursery selling potted blooming plants to grocery store chains all across the West and ship over 12,000 pots of living basil every week to local supermarkets.

J&J Garden Center

The final stop on our tour will be to J&J Garden Center, Utah’s largest producing nursery.

Originally a family farm dating back to pioneer times, brothers Jerry and Dave Stevenson now proudly own and operate J&J Garden center on the same land their father, grandfather and great grandfather farmed for generations. In addition to the large retail operation, J&J is also the preferred provider of nursery stock for over 100 landscape companies. According to Jerry, J&J is so successful because they own all of their own land and water and can control all of their labor and transportation costs, which translates into high quality and reasonably priced nursery stock for the consumer and landscaper.

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

9:00 AM Departure from Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel
12:30 PM Return to Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel
We will kick off the 2026 Annual Meeting with a welcome breakfast at the hotel, followed by two tour stops in the heart of Salt Lake City. While Day 1 only has two stops, these two locations could keep us busy all week!

Temple Square

Temple Square stands as a top attraction for visitors to Utah and serves as the global headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This 35-acre property, located in the heart of Salt Lake City, surrounds the impressive Salt Lake Temple. Featuring 19th-century architecture and beautifully cultivated gardens, Temple Square serves as a sacred place of worship for Latter-day Saints while also being a popular destination for visitors.

Red Butte Garden & Arboretum

Red Butte Garden and Arboretum is home to over 100 acres of themed gardens & natural areas, nestled into the foothills overlooking the Salt Lake Valley. Expert horticulturists will be offering tours that include options of themed gardens, natural areas, arboretum, and greenhouses. 

Thursday, September 3rd, 2026

8:00 AM Departure from Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel
2:00 PM Return to Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel
Our second day of tours will have stops at Olson’s Greenhouse, Granite Seed, and lunch/tour at Conservation Garden Park!

Olson’s Greenhouse

Originally named Olson’s Nursery, what began as a hobby has now become a 4th generation family-owned and operated business, dedicated to providing homeowners and landscapers with locally grown, acclimated bedding plants and related living ornamental plants. Olson’s Greenhouse stands tall as a testament to dedication, perseverance, and the enduring spirit of a family deeply rooted in the love for plants and their customers. With new facilities being acquired often, from Colorado to Arizona, our capacity is growing and with it, our capabilities. Innovation and growth each year proves to improve the product and the business.

Granite Seed & Erosion Control

For almost 40 years, Granite Seed has been widely recognized as the largest and most respected provider of reclamation & conservation seed and erosion control products in the Intermountain West and Southwest. As a vertically integrated company, we understand every critical aspect of the business: seed production and collection; seed cleaning and conditioning; complex seed blending; ecological expertise; and reliable distribution and delivery. From the most challenging projects covering tens of thousands of acres in the most hostile environments, to a single lawn or garden, Granite Seed is known for providing one-stop solutions for a wide variety of customers including contractors, corporations, government entities and homeowners.

Conservation Garden Park

With more than 8 acres of exhibits, pathways and plants, Conservation Garden Park is Salt Lake County’s premier destination for learning about Utah’s unique climate and the role each of us can play in protecting our water supply. During your visit take a walk through a water pipe, explore a full-scale Localscape, see thousands of Utah-friendly plants, and learn how create and maintain your own water-efficient landscape.

At the heart of the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District’s (JVWCD) commitment to responsible water stewardship lies Conservation Garden Park—a living testament to JVWCD’s dedication to sustainable resource management. At Conservation Garden Park, we model the efficient use of water in Utah landscapes and empower communities to make the most of our shared water resources. Here you learn how simple changes can result in big water savings. More than 60% of all the water delivered by JVWCD is used on outdoor landscaping. JVWCD recognized the need for waterwise landscaping across the Wasatch Front in the late 1990s and opened the Demonstration Garden in 2000, later expanding to Conservation Garden Park in 2011. Rooted in the understanding that water resources are both precious and finite, Conservation Garden Park not only features aesthetically pleasing and easily maintainable landscapes but also serves as an educational hub. JVWCD’s Conservation Garden Park plays a pivotal role in shaping a community that values and maximizes the efficiency of our shared water resources.