UConn IPM Seminar For the Home Gardener 2025

Join Us for the 4th Annual UConn IPM Seminar for the Home Gardener

Thursday, August 14th, 2025
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

UConn Research Farm
99 Agronomy Road, Storrs, CT 06268
*Free Parking*

$5.00 Per Person

Learn basic principles of Integrated Pest Management and techniques to implement in your gardens with a day designed for the home gardener.  Speakers from the UConn IPM team will present on various topics to help you improve the plant and soil health of your gardens, lawns, and landscapes.

Learn About the UConn IPM Program

4th Annual IPM For Home Gardeners Seminar Flyer

Registration has Closed!

Thank you so much for your interest in the IPM Seminar for Home Gardeners. Unfortunately, we have reached capacity for registration. If you would like to be considered for the wait list, please email: holly.mcnamara@uconn.edu. 

Schedule of Events

Time Presentation/Activity
9:00AM – 9:30AM Event sign-in, light refreshments
9:30AM – 10:00AM Plant Disease Troubleshooting with Holly McNamara
10:00AM – 10:30AM IPM & Plant Diagnostic Techniques with Emily Leahy
10:30AM - 11:00AM Spring or Fall? The Garden Cleanup Debate Explained with Heather Zidack
11:00AM - 11:15AM Break
11:15-AM - 11:45AM Pesticide Timing, Application & Safety with Dr. Srikanth Kodati
11:45AM – 12:00PM You put the citizen in scientist! with Amelia Martin
12:00PM - 12:30 PM Plant Disease Update and Management Tips for Disease Prevention with Dr. Nick Goltz
12:30PM - 1:00 PM  Seminar Wrap-Up, Extra Questions with Speakers

Presentation order/Schedule is subject to change

Event Speakers

Holly McNamara

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly on pink flowers of the swamp milkweed

Holly is the Plant Diagnostic Lab's Extension intern for the summer. She is an undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut going into her senior year. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and plans to pursue a master's degree in environmental studies after graduation. At UConn, she lived in the EcoHouse learning community, attended university-wide climate rallies, and spent time volunteering on the Spring Valley Student Farm. She has a deep respect for the earth and has an overabundance of houseplants.

Emily Leahy

Emily Leahy in a UConn Shirt in front of a brick wall

Emily is a research technician at the UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab. She has been working in the lab since last summer when she began as an Extension intern. Emily recently graduated from UConn in May with a degree in Biological Sciences.

Heather Zidack

Heather Zidack is a Horticultural Educator at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center. An alumna of the University of Connecticut, she holds a B.S. in Plant Science and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on agricultural education. Heather brings a unique blend of industry experience and teaching expertise to her work, drawing from her background in horticulture and high school agriscience education. She develops educational resources, engages with the public through various outreach platforms, and contributes regularly to the Hartford Courant. Heather has also been featured as an expert on CRIS Radio, NBC30 CT, and The Spruce.

Dr. Srikanth Kodati

Dr. Srikanth Kodati is an Assistant Extension Educator for pesticide safety education and IPM in the Department of Extension at the University of Connecticut. He is responsible for developing educational materials focused on pesticide safety and regulatory compliance. Dr. Kodati coordinates the Ornamental and Turf Short Course, which prepares professionals for the supervisory pesticide applicator licensing exam administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Trained as a plant pathologist, his research focuses on the development of nonchemical management strategies for boxwood blight, with the goal of supporting sustainable practices in ornamental plant production.

Amelia Martin

Amelia is a second-year master’s student in the Plant Science Department, specializing in Plant Health. For the past year, she has worked alongside her advisor, Dr. Nick Goltz, in the Plant Diagnostic Clinic, contributing to both diagnostic services and research efforts. With over three years of laboratory experience, Amelia’s current research focuses on needs assessments and stakeholder surveys related to plant disease diagnostics and clinic engagement.

Dr. Nick Goltz

Nick GoltzDr. Nick Goltz is a plant pathologist and Assistant Extension Educator at the University of Connecticut. He directs the UConn Plant Diagnostic Laboratory, where he diagnoses plant health issues and provides management recommendations for various clients including home gardeners and commercial growers. Nick holds a Doctor of Plant Medicine degree from the University of Florida. Before UConn, he worked at the UF Plant Diagnostic Center and at state and federal regulatory laboratories since 2016, performing research to develop biological control options for the management of invasive insects. Nick has a passion for plant health and integrated pest management and has been published in Fine Gardening Magazine several times in addition to the academic journals Insects and Biodiversity Data Journal. He is always excited to work with growers and home gardeners alike to find comprehensive solutions for any plant problem they may be dealing with.

Directions & Parking

Parking is free at the UConn Research Farm

This event is supported by the Crop Protection and Pest Management Program [grant no. 2021-70006-35582] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.