Curtis E. Swift, PhD
Area Horticulture Agent
2775 US Hwy 50
Grand Junction, CO 81504
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PO Box 20,000-5028
Grand Junction, CO 81502-5028
(970) 244-1840 or email Curtis.Swift@colostate.edu
web site: http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/TRA/PLANTS/

Education:

BA, Plant Science, University of New Hampshire
MA, Psychology, University of Northern Colorado
MS, Horticulture, Colorado State University
PHD, Plant Pathology, Colorado State University

Program Description:

Develop and provide training to owners/operators and workers of sod farms, commercial vegetable production operations, commercial tree/shrub nurseries, garden centers, and other 'Green Industry' professionals throughout the four county Tri River Area and Colorado upon request. Develop programs and provide training for backyard gardeners, Master Gardeners, civic groups and others.

Program Responsibility:

1. Responsible for the coordination and training of ~90 apprentice Master Gardeners and ~200 continuing Master Gardeners in the four county Tri River Area. Provides training to Master Gardeners in other parts of Colorado upon requested.
2. Responsible for education of backyard gardeners, 'Green Industry' professionals, and commercial vegetable producers in horticulture and plant pathology.
3. Provides on-site information regarding plant management to include disease and insect problems for sod farms, golf courses, green house producers, lawn care companies and spray applicators.
4. Writes gardening columns for area newspapers.
5. Has authored and co-authored numerous fact sheets for CSU Cooperative Extension.
6. Maintains a web site covering numerous gardening and horticulture topics.
7. Presents programs at Colorado Association of Lawn Care Professionals (CALCP), Rocky Mountain Turf Grass Conference, ProGreen, Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC), Sports Turf Managers Association, various tree symposiums and other conferences and workshops.
8. Manages an electronic listserve for the Green Industry.
9. Provides on-site problem diagnosis for commercial vegetable producers and green industry professionals.
10. Conducts workshops throughout Colorado at the request of CSU Extension staff.
11. Conducts research on various vegetable crops throughout the Tri River Area.

International Experience:

1994 - March to September - Overseas Assignment for USDA, International Programs - Republic of Armenia; trained Armenian Extension staff in soils, fertility, grape, fruit, and vegetable production, worked with individual farmers and government officials.
2001, May 29 - June 21 - Overseas Assignment for Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA) - Ukraine; provided training to farmers in soils, fertility management, drip irrigation and vegetable production techniques
2002, May 27 - June 15 - overseas assignment for CNFA - Republic of Belarus; provided training to nurserymen on plant production and IPM related to fruit trees and brambles.
2003, September 16 – October 3 – overseas assignment for CNFA – Ukraine; to provide training to commercial greenhouse vegetable producers.

Experience:

1973-1978 - Horticulture Extension Agent - El Paso County, Colorado Springs, Colorado
1978 - Colorado State University pursuing MS in Horticulture
1978-1979 - Extension Coordinator of Dutch Elm Disease project; assistant to Dr. Les Dickens, Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
1980 - Present - Area Extension Agent, Horticulture, based in Grand Junction Colorado
2002, March 1 - appointed Office Chair (Dept Head), Mesa County Cooperative Extension office
2003 - selected as a Faculty Affiliate by Dept of BioAgricultural Sciences at Colorado State University.

Additional Training:

Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor - Irrigation Association
Miscellaneous

Memberships:

American Phytopathological Society
American Society of Horticulture Science
American Horticultural Society
Chinle Cactus and Succulent Club
Colorado Cactus and Succulent Society
Grand Junction Beautification Council
Grand Valley Rose Society
International Society of Arboriculture
American Rose Society
Western Colorado Botanical Society

Publications:

Colorado State University Cooperative Extension publications:
Growing Turf on Salt-Affected Sites, 7.227;
Dwarf Mistletoe Management, 2.925;
Sycamore Anthracnose, 2.930;
Strawberry Diseases, 2.931;
Environmental Disorders of Woody Plants, 2.932;
Dollar Spot Disease of Turfgrass, 2.933;
Selecting and Planting Roses, 7.404;
Rose Culture, 7.416;
Backyard Orchard: Apples and Pears, 2.800
Backyard Orchard: Stone Fruits, 2.804

Miscellaneous Publications:

Masters Report: A review of Chlorosis of Woody Ornamental with special emphasis on iron deficiency in arid and semi-arid regions. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Summer 1983.
Iron chlorosis and its cure. December, 1987. American Nurseryman.
Ph. D. Thesis: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae, the causal agent of Fusarium basal rot of onion; biology, epidemiology and management, CSU 2001.
Vegetative compatibility groups of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae from Onion in Colorado. 2002. C.E. Swift, E.R. Wickliffe, and H.F. Schwartz. Plant Disease 86:606-610.
Drs. Curtis Swift and William Brown. Ask the Expert: Turfgrass Rust. March/April 2002, TurfNews magazine. Pages 39, 42, & 46.
Curtis E. Swift, Ph.D. Progress Report: Onion Variety Research in Western Colorado. Onion World, March/April 2002. Page 22.
Research reports in the 2000, 2001 & 2002 Colorado Onion Research Reports, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
Fertilizing Woody Plants. American Nurseryman. August 1, 2005; pages 24-27.