Growers from across the region will gather for the Southern Illinois Commercial Vegetable School on Wednesday, February 11. The program, sponsored by University of Illinois Extension, will be held at the Mt. Vernon Holiday Inn. Registration gets underway at 8 a.m., and the program runs from 8:40 a.m. to 4:05 p.m.

"Experts from the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, and Seedway, Inc. will discuss some of the most important trends and issues for commercial vegetable growers," reports Elizabeth Wahle, U of I Extension horticulture specialist.

Topics include new sweet corns and recommended varieties; tomato bacterial diseases; mite management; specialty cucurbits for fall markets; cucurbit diseases, especially bacterial and vine decline diseases; strategies for direct marketing; tomato quirks; and, low-tech strategies to reduce post-harvest losses.

Advance registration by February 6 is $30 per farm. Registration received after February 6 or on site is $40. The registration fee includes the 2009 Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers. For more details about the program and registration, visit http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/hort and click the "Commercial Growers" section. Or, contact Wahle at 618-692-9434, wahle@illinois.edu. If you need disability accommodations to participate in this program, please call by February 6.