Water Wise, Soil Smart 

 A Deep Dive into Soil and Water and Their Interactions in Production 

This year’s Fall Workshop will take a deep dive into the foundations of great growing: soil and water. Join us in person or online for a full day of hands-on insights and expert discussions focused on irrigation strategies, soil mixes, substrate efficiencies, and climate outlook. Whether you're a grower, retailer, or production manager, this workshop will offer tools, technology, and techniques to help you adapt to Colorado's evolving climate and water landscape.

Check out the agenda HERE.

Schedule

8:00 – 8:30        Continental Breakfast and Beverages

8:30 – 9:30        Opening Panel / Roundtable Session: What’s the Scoop With Soils, Mixes & Components?

Dominic Vercelote, Harrell’s
John Frey, Premier Tech Growers and Consumers
Bart Eller, Paonia Soil Co.
Eric Hammond, CSU
John Bergman, Berger

Session Summary: In this panel discussion, we’ll begin with a broad look at Colorado soils, what they’re made of and what trends are emerging in the field. From there, panelists will offer quick-hit insights on growing media, including the shift toward functional mixes, key physical properties, and the differences between containerized and field-grown applications. The group will also touch on soil amendments add-ins like biostimulants and mycorrhizae, and the latest in soil and media technology. We'll wrap with Q&A to bring it back to real-world application.

9:30 – 10:15     State of Colorado Drought and Forecasting and Effect on Water Resources          

Peter Goble, Colorado State University

Session Summary:  We will take a look back at Colorado’s weather, climate, and water situation during Water Year 2025, along with an overview of drought monitoring and important data sources and where you can access them. We’ll also take a look ahead at the outlooks for the upcoming winter, and discuss some of how climate change is impacting water resources in Colorado.                              

10:15 - 10:30      BREAK          

10:30 – 11:15    Getting the Most from Growing Substrates

John Bergman, Berger

Session Summary: Getting the most from your Growing Substrates - Show you how to fill more pots with the same amount of substrate.  Learn how to get stronger root development and decrease crop time.  Help you increase the porosity, oxygen and gas exchange in your substrate.

11:15 – 12:00   New Irrigation Technologies            

Ken Cox, Perennial Favorites

Session Summary:  Review of Perennial Favorites custom, state-of-the-art water reclamation system we’ve designed and built. We will walk through every key component—filtration setups, injector configurations, pump systems and use of french drains across the property, to show how we’ve dramatically improved sustainability and reduced water waste. We’ll also discuss challenges overcame, lessons learned and how this type of system can be adapted to other operations of varying scale.

12:00 - 12:30     Lunch (provided)

12:30 - 1:15     Research on Biostimulants for Drought Tolerance in Plants

Bill Bauerle, CSU Dept. of Horticulture

Session Summary: This session explores how osmotic adjustment supports plant drought tolerance by sustaining cellular hydration and physiological function under water stress. Attendees will gain insights into emerging research on biostimulants—substances that may enhance water use efficiency by promoting osmotic adjustment through improved root water uptake and stomatal performance. The session highlights current gaps and new findings relevant to Colorado’s horticultural systems, where optimizing drought resilience is increasingly critical.

1:15 - 2:00     Practical Growing Skills

Dominic Vercelote, Harrell’s

Session Summary: This session highlights practical growing skills and techniques that can be easily implemented into production settings. Attendees will learn helpful tips and tools to avoid common pitfalls in production, as well as troubleshooting methods for when problems arise.  

2:00 - 2:45      O2 in Water

Kurt Becker, Dramm

Session Summary:  Dissolved oxygen (DO) content in irrigation water has gained attention in recent years. Previously, DO was an unknown influence on plant growth. Depending on the source and temperature, dissolved oxygen in water can vary greatly. Saturation of oxygen is temperature and pressure dependent. At 70˚F, the saturation point of oxygen in water is approximately 11ppm. Typically, plants require more than 5 ppm for normal growth. Supplementing DO is possible through several means. However, sanitation is extremely important. Kurt Becker will discuss the basics and describe the processes to enhance DO in irrigation water.

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