October 10, 2020, 1:30–2:30 p.m.

Zoom (online) video presentation

Hosta Tissue Culture for Dummies... Like Me

by Rob Mortko

 

DETAILS:

Email and internet access required for attendance!

 

The Zoom meeting will open at 1:15 p.m. so you can get logged in. The introduction and presentation begin at 1:30 p.m. Further instructions will be sent in the email with the meeting link. See introductory information below. Use the Contact form to indicate your plan to attend (so we have your email address), or if you need more information.

Many gardeners have heard of tissue culture and may even appreciate that most new plant cultivars are commercially propagated using this method. But what is tissue culture (TC) and how does it work? While not a do-it-yourself project for most backyard gardeners, Rob's background in chemistry and engineering coupled with an interest in hosta kindled his curiosity about this topic. His recent retirement from an engineering career afforded him the opportunity to start up his own tissue culture lab where he has had to address many of these same questions. The presentation will include a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in a hosta tissue culture lab and a sneak preview of a few soon to be new hot hosta introductions from the lab. Don’t be scared of a little science: Rob makes it surprisingly easy to understand.

 

New to Zoom? Here’s what you need:

• Email address: I will send out the Zoom link, with instructions, a few days before the meeting. For security reasons, we won’t include this in the newsletter, our website, or on Facebook. If you haven’t been receiving emails from us already, use the Contact form to send us an update.

• A computer, tablet, or smart phone that will let you see the presentation. You do not need a camera for this, as we won’t need to see you, you just need internet/WiFi.

• An app that lets you use Zoom: you can download the “Zoom desktop client” from whatever app (application) store works on your system, or go to to download the app. You do not need to create an account, just installation of the app.

 

If you have not used Zoom on this device previously, you should either do the download in advance at your convenience, or simply “join” the meeting via the link early enough to let your computer/tablet/phone do the set-up in time. If you have questions about using Zoom, go to support.zoom.us, where there are guides and videos to help you.

 

During the meeting, you may want to ask questions. Zoom has a button you can click for “Chat,” which lets you type in a comment that the moderator can then ask the presenter. (The button may be in different places depending on your system, but will always look like the cartoon “word bubble.”) We will keep everyone but the host, moderator, and presenter on “mute” during the presentation. Chat is the only way you will be able to communicate. We know that this will limit discussion, but it’s the only way to manage a meeting with multiple attendees.

 

Let’s bring the DVHS into the 21st century! Zoom along with us!