Ph.D. University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, 1991, Horticulture; Minor/Plant Physiology
M.S. University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, 1984, Horticulture
B.S. University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, 1979, Landscape Horticulture

Teaching/Advising Responsibilities

HORT 1001 Plant Propagation (Spring Semester; evening class)
HORT 4021 Landscape Design and Implementation I (Fall & Spring Semester)
HORT 5021 Landscape Design & Implementation II (Spring Semester)
HORT 5018 Landscape Operations and Management (Fall Semester)
HORT 6001 Master of Agriculture Project Planning (All Terms)
HORT 6002 Master of Agriculture Project Implementation (All Terms)
HORT 1002 Home Horticulture (1999-2002)
HORT 1011 Herbaceous Landscape Plants (1999-2003)
HORT 5046 Nursery Management I (Fall Quarter; 1996, 1997)
HORT 5047 Nursery Scheduling & Enterprise Development (Winter Quarter; 1997, 1998)
HORT 5048 Nursery Management II (Spring Quarter; 1997, 1998)

Graduate Studies Committee/Ex-Officio
Advising – approx. 70 Master of Agriculture in Horticulture Students
Landscape Design Basics Seminars (8-hour seminar – Master Gardeners, Turf School)
Arboretum Education Program/Gardening School (Propagation Techniques) & Other Programs

External Activities/Professional Service

Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association & Landscape Design Committee
Minnesota Department of Agriculture/Noxious Weed Potential Evaluation Committee
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District/Board of Managers; currently Board President
Minnesota State Fair/Minnesota Christmas Tree Grower's Association/Judge (1991-2006)

Synergistic Activities/Programmatic Issues

Research interests include landscape plant production, use, and management; landscape design and installation principles; and stormwater runoff management and water quality

Selected Publications

Calkins, J.B.  1999.  Prickly Assets: Thorny Plants Don't Deserve Their Bad Reputation, They Can Enhance the Landscape Year-Round.  American Nurseryman 189(3):26-51.

Calkins, J.B. and B.T. Swanson.  1998.  Comparison of Conventional and Alternative Nursery Field Management Systems: Soil Physical Properties.  Journal of Environmental Horticulture 16(2):90-97.

Calkins, J.B. and B.T. Swanson.  1998.  Plant Cold Acclimation and Winter Injury in Response to Bare Soil and Groundcover Based Nursery Field Management Systems.  Journal of Environmental Horticulture 16(2):82-89.

Calkins, J.B., B.R. Jarvis, and B.T. Swanson.  1997.  Compost and Rubber Tire Chips as Peat Substitutes in Nursery Container Media: Growth Effects.  Journal of Environmental Horticulture 15(2):88-94.

Calkins, J.B. and B.T. Swanson.  1997.  Susceptibility of `Skyline' Honeylocust to Cankers Caused by Nectria cinnabarina Influenced by Nursery Field Management System.  Journal of Environmental Horticulture 15(1):6-11.

Calkins, J.B., B.T. Swanson, and D.L. Newman.  1996.  Weed Control Strategies for Field Grown Herbaceous Perennials.  Journal of Environmental Horticulture 14(4):221-227.

Calkins, J.B. and B.T. Swanson.  1996.  Comparison of Conventional and Alternative Nursery Field Management Systems: Tree Growth and Performance.  Journal of Environmental Horticulture 14(3):142-149.

Jarvis, B.R., J.B. Calkins, and B.T. Swanson.  1996.  Compost and Rubber Tire Chips as Peat Substitutes in Nursery Container Media: Effects on Chemical and Physical Media Properties.  Journal of Environmental Horticulture 14(3):122-129.

Calkins, J.B. and B.T. Swanson.  1995.  Comparison of Conventional and Alternative Nursery Weed Management Strategies.  Weed Technology 9(4):761-767.

Calkins, J.B.  1995.  Putting Plants in Their Place: In the Upper Midwest, Knowing Site Conditions and Plant Growth Requirements Can Help You Select the Right Woody Landscape Plants.  American Nurseryman 182(11):42-51.

Calkins, J.B. and B.T. Swanson.  1990.  The Distinction between Living and Dead Plant Tissue - Viability Tests in Cold Hardiness Research.  Cryobiology 27:194-211.