PLANT DOCTORS
The Plant Doctors
The 62nd Apopka Art and Foliage Festival is delighted to welcome our Plant Doctors once again. “The Plant Doctors” are experts in their fields, willing and ready to advise you on how to improve the health of your foliage or how to keep those brand-new plants looking vibrant. Take a look at our website (apopkaartandfoliagefestival.org) for days and times and specialties of each Plant Doctor. Feel free to bring pictures or a small sample of your plant problem to help the doctors with their diagnoses.
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On Saturday, look for..
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9am-11am​ Tom MacCubbin
Tom is the author of six books about Florida gardening and landscaping. He has been honored by the Florida Nurseryman and Growers Association as the Best Horticultural Writer. He has hosted the “Better Lawns and Gardens” radio show for over 18 years and The American Horticulture Society recognized Tom as the National Teacher of the Year. In March of 2007, Tom was promoted to the distinguished position of Extension Agent Emeritus with the University of Florida upon his retirement after 36 years of service. Come ask Tom your questions and he will give you the information you need. It is an honor to have Tom kick off our Plant Doctor lineup.
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11am-1pm​ Moh Leng Kok-Yokomi
Moh, a PhD in Agriculture Entomology from the University of California, Davis, has researched and taught classes in the entomology field. She retired in 2016 from the University of Florida, Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, where she conducted research on agricultural pest problems in ornamental and vegetable crops. Moh has given our festival her expertise for several years and we welcome her back. Let Moh give insight to making your garden its best.
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1pm-3pm ​Teresa Watkins
Teresa is a landscaper designer, horticulturist, garden author, and consultant. She designed the landscape for the first certified ‘green home’ in Florida in 2001. Watkins co-hosts the weekly syndicated Better Lawns and Gardens with Tom MacCubbin on 24 Florida radio stations: iHeart, iTunes, and Amazon. Teresa’s first gardening book series, A Gardener’s Compendium: Gardening in a Twitter World in 140 Characters or More has three published volumes. Come say hello to Teresa as she offers her expertise once again particularly in the horticultural and landscape design areas.
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3pm-5pm​ Deborah Green
Deborah, a native Floridian, is a Native Plant Expert. She earned her Ph.D. in the field of entomology from the University of California, Berkeley. She worked in Puerto Rico for three years and then returned to Gainesville, her home town, before settling in Central Florida. She taught biology and environmental sciences at several universities and retired from Valencia College in 2014. Deborah currently serves as president of the Orange Audubon Society. We’re excited to have Deborah as a returning Plant Doctor and appreciate her service as a member of the Apopka Woman’s Club, especially chairing our Environment Committee.
On Sunday, come see
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10am-12pm​ Jennifer Hitchcock
Please stop by and welcome Jennifer to the Apopka Art and Foliage Festival and especially to the Plant Doctor tent. She is a 3rd generation Floridian, a tree doctor and a world traveler. She is a certified ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Arborist and horticulture consultant in the Orlando area. Jenn is a University of Florida graduate with a B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Horticultural. She is bringing her over 20 years of experience in the horticultural and arboricultural industry to the Apopka Art & Foliage Festival.
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12pm-2pm​ Dena Wild
We are excited to welcome Dena to our Plant Doctor line-up for her second year. Dena holds a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon. Her urban horticultural education includes “hands-in-the-dirt” experience, post-graduate studies in landscape architecture at the University of Colorado, the Boulder and Orange County Master Gardener programs, and the University of Florida’s Best Management Practices for the Green Industry. Dena’s free time is spent in her lawn-free yard, traveling and reading.
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2pm-4pm ​Commissioner Alexander Smith
Commissioner Smith will once again round out the Plant Doctors in his dapper and knowledge manner. He graduated from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) with a degree in Agricultural Education with a minor in Horticultural Science. He is one of the founding board members and past President of AIA (Apopka Improvement Association) and one of the founding board members of the Billie Dean Community Garden as well as Past President of the Florida Association of Agricultural Educators; Past President of the Florida FFA (Future Farmers of America) Board of Directors; Past President of the Orange County Agriculture Teachers Association; served on the Orange County Board of County Commissioner Agricultural Advisory Board as well as on the Advisory Board for the Orange County Agricultural Extension Service. He is a member of the first Agriscience Leadership Team for the State of Florida and of the Orange