Unlock the tools, strategies, and insights to elevate your landscape or tree care business.
Join top minds in plant health care, landscape operations, irrigation, and sustainable technology for a full-day seminar designed to help you optimize performance, reduce labor demands, boost profitability, and drive long-term growth in today’s competitive green industry.
This highly practical, one-day event will walk you through proven, scalable techniques to enhance your service offerings, streamline your operations, and future-proof your business.
From the foundations of a successful Plant Health Care (PHC) program to advanced applications of PGRs, herbicides, and microbial technologies—each session delivers actionable takeaways you can implement immediately.
Seminar Highlights Include:
- Developing a PHC Program tailored to Texas landscapes—diagnostics, IPM strategies, and PGR integration with Joel Spies of Rainbow Ecoscience.
- Next-Level Maintenance Solutions using Trimtect® and Onmark to reduce labor, extend application windows, and enhance client satisfaction with Francisco Sicilia and Mizraim Mata.
- Mastering Efficient Irrigation practices to reduce plant stress, conserve water, and support healthy landscapes with Byron Peak from Weathermatic.
- Scalable Business Growth Strategies from McFarlin Stanford’s Steve Allie—learn how to build systems, pricing models, and team structures for lasting success.
- The Role of Microbials in a modern green industry: practical insights on biostimulants and soil health trends with Jon Oren from Horticultural Alliance.
Date: Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM (CDT)
Venue: The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas
17360 Coit Road, Dallas, Texas 75252
Room Name: Water Building
Additional Details:
- Light Breakfast and Lunch is provided
- TDA CEUs: 4
- ISA CEUs: Pending
- Irrigation CEUs: Pending
- Free to attend
- Free Parking
Registration
Agenda
8:30 – 9:00 AM: Registration / Sign In / Breakfast
9:00 – 9:10 AM: Introduction
9:10 – 10:10 AM: Developing a Plant Healthcare (PHC) Program
Joel Spies, VP of Sales, Rainbow Ecoscience
During this presentation, we will review the reasons for adding Plant Healthcare (PHC) to your business. We will discuss what is needed to build a successful PHC program. Attendees will leave with an understanding of how to determine which protocols to offer and what profit expectations can be set.
10:30 – 11:30 AM: Next-Level Maintenance, Proven Strategies Using PGRs and Advanced Herbicides to Change the Game
Francisco Sicilia, Landscape Horticulturist Specialist, Rainbow Ecoscience & Mizraim Mata, Regional PHC Manager, The Greenery INC
Labor is tight, client demands are rising, and your crew can only do so much. This session delivers immediate, field-tested solutions that help you maintain high-quality landscapes while freeing up time and resources to grow your business.
Discover how top-performing landscape companies are usingTrimtect®, a Plant Growth Regulator (PGR), to cut pruning frequency in half, improve plant appearance, and create new enhancement revenue—all without adding staff.
You’ll also learn how Onmark, a powerful glyphosate alternative with built-in pre-emergent control, is reducing herbicide spray rounds by up to 90 days—saving time, labor, and environmental impact.
Mizraim Mata, an industry leader known for building high-efficiency teams, will share how he successfully integrated these tools into daily operations. He’ll walk you through real-world results: reduced labor hours, happier crews, and increased client retention.
If you're looking for practical, scalable strategies to stay competitive and profitable in 2025, this session is a must-attend.
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM: Mastering the Art for Watering for Healthy Landscapes & Herbicide Management
Bryon Peak, Technical Advisor, Weathermatic
This one-hour continuing education session provides a comprehensive overview of fundamental and advanced irrigation practices critical to effective landscape maintenance. Attendees will gain practical knowledge on efficient watering techniques that promote plant health, reduce disease pressure, and conserve water—core competencies for pesticide applicators working in turf and ornamental settings. The course will begin with an overview of the role of irrigation in integrated pest and plant health management. Key topics include the relationship between irrigation and plant stress, impacts on pest and disease susceptibility, and the importance of aligning watering schedules with environmental conditions. Participants will explore how to assess and adapt irrigation practices based on factors such as soil composition, regional climate, and plant selection. This session will equip licensed applicators with the knowledge to make informed irrigation decisions that support sustainable landscape management, regulatory compliance, and environmental stewardship.
12:15 – 1:15 PM: Lunch
1:15 – 2:15 PM: the Business Behind the Beauty, Proven Strategies for Scalable Landscape Growth
Steve Allie, VP Accounting Services, McFARLIN STANFORD
In today’s competitive green industry, landscape companies must do more than deliver exceptional curb appeal—they must also master the business behind the beauty. McFarlin Stanford, based in Dallas, Texas, is the proven partner for landscape businesses looking to scale smarter and faster. Whether you're struggling with operations, HR, recruiting, or bookkeeping, McFarlin Stanford provides the back-office horsepower and executive coaching to help you thrive.
In this session, discover how McFarlin Stanford helps landscape companies turn operational challenges into growth opportunities through leadership development, peer groups, and strategic support. We’ll also explore how to successfully integrate Plant Health Care (PHC) services into your offerings. From building pricing models and technician workflows to understanding product choices and client education, McFarlin Stanford offers the insights and structure needed to expand profitably and sustainably.
Whether you’re launching PHC for the first time or refining an existing program, this session delivers practical steps and proven strategies to elevate your business from the roots up.
2:30 – 3:30 PM: Increase the use of Microbials in the Green Industry
Jon Oren, Regional Sales Manager, Horticulture Alliance
Over the past few decades, microbial research has steadily increased for the green industry. The market has also recently trended upward with several large-scale acquisitions of microbial companies by synthetics manufacturers. The increased use of the biostimulants (both derived and naturally-occurring) appears to be a permanent fixture for several reasons: increasing costs of synthetic fertilizers, environmental concerns, regulatory demands and consumer health issues.
3:30 PM Closing Remarks & CEUs
