Summer 2010
8
8 9 10 14 16
Recent Events —
Golf Tournaments Sports Turf Field Day Cover Story —
It’s Not Easy Being Green in the Winter: Overseeding ATA Member Spotlight —
Paul Floyd Turf Talk —
Now Is the Time to Manage Spring Diseases
6
From the President’s Pen
7
ATA Annual Sponsors
18
News from ATA
20
Welcome, New ATA Members!
22
Calendar of Events
22
Advertiser Index
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
10
www.AlaTurfgrass.org
4
The Alabama Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Alabama Turf Times, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Alabama Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2010 by the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Alabama Turf Times is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Alabama Turfgrass Association. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to Alabama Turfgrass Association, Post Office Box 70, Auburn, Al. Postage guaranteed. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertion please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com
From the President’s Pen >>> Jeff Oelmann, CGCS
A Strong Start to the Year,
WITH EVEN MORE AHEAD!
T
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
he heat of summer is upon us, and this growing season is keeping everyone busy. That is also true for our Conference Committee members, who are putting the finishing touches on our upcoming conference. I challenge every ATA member to attend the conference this year. You will be amazed at how much knowledge you will receive from attending the educational sessions, networking with your peers and learning about the exhibitors’ products on display. The threeday Conference and Tradeshow is a must — so mark October 19–21 on your calendars now, and plan to be in Auburn for the show! I would like to thank everyone who participated in our spring events. The golf tournaments were a huge success at raising funds for the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation. Thanks to Magnolia Grove Golf Course and FarmLinks Golf Club for hosting the Mole Cricket Classic and Poa annua Classic, respectively. I also would like to thank the Orange Beach SportsPlex for hosting our Sports Turf Field Day. This event offered education and a tradeshow for our sports turf members. It was a great event, and we appreciate all the participants and exhibitors
6
who helped make the event a success. Look for more details and photos from these events throughout this magazine. My hat is off to all the individuals and companies that dedicated their time, energy and products to our New Beginning Community Service Project. We have successfully installed a baseball field at the Gulf Coast Youth-Reach foster home in Summerdale, AL. This was a great feat for our association to accomplish, and I am extremely proud of our efforts. ATA is making great strides with all the offerings we provide for our members. I hope you feel this to be true, too. Your participation and input are important — ATA is only as strong as our members. Look for membership surveys coming this summer; we need your input for future planning, so please take a minute to complete them. We promise to keep them short. I look forward to seeing you all in Auburn this fall. Have a great growing season!
Jeff Oelmann, CGCS 2010 ATA President
2010 ATA Annual Sponsors
Alabama Turf Times is the official publication of the: Alabama Turfgrass Association P.O. Box 70 Auburn, Alabama 36831 Tel: (334) 821-3000 Fax: (334) 821-3800 Email: mailbox@alaturfgrass.org www.alaturfgrass.org Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 Tel: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com Executive Director Tricia Roberts Alabama Turf Times Editor James Horton Birmingham Botanical Gardens
2010 Executive Committee President Jeff Oelmann, CGCS
The companies listed here support the ATA and its members. Please keep them in mind when making your purchasing decisions.
GOLD
BRONZE
Beard Equipment Company Greenville Turf & Tractor Golf Ventures West Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation
Agromax BASF Bayer Environmental Science DuPont Professional Products Harrell’s, Inc. Hugghins Sod Farms, Inc. Humphries Turf Supply Southern States Valent Professional Products
SILVER Agrium Advanced Technologies Ewing John Deere Landscapes Syngenta T&O Products
Grand National Golf Course
Vice President Tom Wolf Coosa Valley Turf Farms
Treasurer James Bartley Southern Lawns
Past President Pat White SouthernTurfCare, Inc.
2010 Board of Directors Kim Byram Blackjack Horticulture
John Carter Carter Sod Farm
Jason Cooper Birmingham Southern College
Bobby Farley Golf Ventures West
Glenn Hedden Town of Loxley
Scott Herron Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation
Jeff Lee, CGCS Richard Murphy Murphy Turf & Ornamental
Paul Patterson University of Alabama at Huntsville
2010 Education Advisors Dave Han, Ph.D. Auburn University
David Hubbard Alabama Cooperative Extension System 7
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
Valley Hill Country Club
Recent Events >>>
FUNDS RAISED for Turfgrass Research By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director
A
big thanks to everyone who participated in our two spring fundraisers; the Mole Cricket Classic and the Poa annua Classic. These two tournaments have historically raised money each year for turfgrass research, and this year was no exception. Together, we raised over $4,000 for the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation. The Mole Cricket Classic was held at the beautifully renovated Magnolia Grove Golf Course in Mobile. A special thank you to our host, superintendent Newt Billingsley, and to our speakers: David Held, Ph.D., Addison Barden and
Raymond Young from Auburn University who presented the latest research in grubs, bugs and mole crickets. Congratulation is also in order for our winning team: Erik Tanner, Jason Price, Chuck Stevens and Kevin Sellers. In April, the fund-raising efforts continued with the Poa annua Classic, which was held at its home for the past five years, FarmLinks Golf Course in Sylacauga. This amazing course was in great condition, thanks to our host superintendent David Deweese and Director of Agronomy Mark Langer, CGCS. We were treated to an educational
session by legendary speaker, A.J. Powell, Ph.D., from the University of Kentucky. Thanks to our educational sponsor, SePro, Inc., for sponsoring Dr. Powell. The team with the bragging rights includes Michael Majdan, Steve Majors, Roberts Parmer and Tim Legare. These events would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. Many of these sponsors have donated money to this cause year after year. We are very grateful to them and encourage everyone to return their support. Plans are already underway for next year’s events. We hope to see you there!
Mole Cricket Classic Sponsors Agromax Agrium Advanced Technologies Aquatrols Bayer Environmental Science Beard Equipment Company Golf Ventures West Greenville Turf & Tractor Eagle One
Ewing Fore-Par Floratine SE Harrell’s, Inc. Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation Jesco Products / Pinhigh Compound John Deere Landscapes NaturChem
Phoenix Environmental Care Quali-Pro Red Bay Sand Company Regal Chemical Company S & S Pumpworks Syngenta Valent Professional Products
Poa annua Classic Sponsors AGRI-AFC AGRI-B Agrium Advanced Technologies BASF Bayer Environmental Science Beard Equipment Company Coosa Valley Turf Farms Craft Turf Farms Dow AgroScience
DuPont / TranXit Ewing FMC Golfsmith Golf & Tennis Golf Ventures West Greenville Turf & Tractor Innovative Turf Supply Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation Jesco Products / Pinhigh Compound
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
Winners from the Mole Cricket Classic (left to right): Erik Tanner, Jason Price, Chuck Stevens and Kevin Sellers.
8
John Deere Landscapes NaturChem Quali-Pro Southeast Turf Maintenance SePro Corporation Syngenta Turf Merchants, Inc.
Winners from the Poa annua Classic (left to right): Michael Majdan, Steve Majors, Robert Parmar and Tim Legare.
ATA SCORED Another Hit! By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director
The
2010 Sports Turf Field Day was a hit! Attended by over 100 sports turf managers, the event featured 18 exhibitors and offered a full day of educational sessions on sports turf practices and demonstrations. A special thanks to all our exhibitors and sponsors of this event for making this event a success. And, of course, we want to thank our home-run hitters, the speakers who assisted with the educational sessions: Dave Han, Ph.D., Woody Jones, Glen Lucas, Eric Merkt, Mike Williams, Mike Williamson and Pat White. We owe a huge thank you to our hosts, Danny Martin and Rick Facey of the Orange Beach SportsPlex. They welcomed our group with open arms and helped with all the details, including ordering the perfect weather! The popular Gulf Coast location attracted attendance from all over the Panhandle and as far north as Athens. We appreciate everyone who participated in this event. Plans are underway for another Sports Turf Field Day in 2012.
Sports Turf Field Day Exhibitors • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
AGRI-AFC, LLC Beard Equipment Company Blue Ox Advantage Brown Manufacturing Corp. Craft Turf Farms Ewing g2 turftools Golf Ventures West Humphries Turf Supply Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation Pasteuria BioScience PBI-Gordon Profile Products Quali-Pro Southern Athletic Fields Southern Turf Care Turf-Tec World Class Athletic Surfaces
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
9
Cover Story >>> Overseeding
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
By David Han, Ph.D., Auburn University
It
seems like almost everybody hates brown grass. Yet for Southerners, it’s a fact of life: warm-season grasses go dormant in the winter. For many turf managers, that can be a problem. The problem is mostly aesthetic, although for those who must deal with high traffic, wear on dormant warm-season turf is also a major issue.
10
Of course, not everybody hates the look of dormant grass. One Master Gardener made sure to correct me when I spoke about how warm-season grasses turn brown in the winter: she informed the class (and me) that her grass was “golden,� not brown, in the winter. Some varieties of warm-season grasses, particularly zoysiagrasses, are bred for a deep, golden color during
dormancy (this is especially popular in Asia). For most people, though, the look of dormant warm-season grass drives them to search for alternatives. One alternative to dormant grass is to overseed with a cool-season grass. The ideal overseeding grass is easy to germinate, looks great during the winter and dies in the spring just as the underlying warm-
season grass begins to grow. This ideal is almost impossible to reach, although many management tricks are available to speed establishment and, especially, transition back to warm-season grass in the spring. They can, however, get expensive.
Should you overseed?
What’s the best time to overseed?
The overwhelming majority of lawns and athletic fields are overseeded using either annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) or perennial ryegrass (L. perenne). The choice often comes down to a decision of cost versus appearance. Annual ryegrass is cheaper, but perennial ryegrass has a darker green color and a finer texture. Perennial ryegrass also has better heat tolerance than annual ryegrass. This is actually a major disadvantage in the spring, though, when perennial ryegrass competes with the underlying warm-season turf for nutrients, light and water longer than annual ryegrass does. ‘Gulf’ annual ryegrass is the most commonly available and popular annual ryegrass. Perennial ryegrasses for overseeding are typically sold as blends of several varieties, with seed companies and distributors concocting their own blends, often changing the composition from year to year. Intermediate ryegrasses are the result of crosses between annual ryegrass and perennial ryegrass, and they seek to combine the looks of perennial ryegrass with the low heat tolerance of annual ryegrass. So far, results have been mixed. Putting greens are often overseeded using rough bluegrass, or Poa trivialis. This, or a blend with ryegrass, is also sometimes used on fairways. The advantages of P. trivialis include its small seeds (which more easily fall through the dense canopy of most putting greens), its fine texture and its excellent ability to tolerate mowing at greens height. However, P. trivialis is more expensive than ryegrass and can make for a more difficult transition back to bermudagrass in the spring. Ryegrass and P. trivialis are susceptible to seedling rots caused by fungi. Buying seed treated with a fungicide will help greatly to reduce this problem. Fungicide-treated seed is worth the investment.
The best time to plant winter ryegrass varies from north to south. In the Tennessee Valley, overseed is typically planted sometime in midSeptember. In central Alabama, the last half of September or the first part of October usually is a good time to establish an overseed. Along the Gulf Coast, middle to late October is typical. The exact date depends on the weather. Waiting until the daytime high temperatures are consistently below 85°F will improve germination.
What’s the best way to prepare the turf and plant the overseed? Make sure that the last aerification is at least six weeks before the anticipated overseed date. This will allow the holes to recover and prevent a blotchy overseed due to the seeds germinating preferentially around aerification holes. Make sure that any fall preemergence herbicide applications are made well in advance of overseeding. All pre-emergence herbicides will also interfere with overseed germination. For specific wait times, refer to individual product labels; but, as a rule of thumb, do not use pre-emergence herbicides for at least eight weeks prior to overseeding. It is often recommended to mow the turf as closely as possible without scalping. A shorter cut than usual will make it easier for the seeds to fall down to the soil. However, if the area to be overseeded will see constant and heavy use (like a football field) during the overseed process, it’s best not to stress the underlying grass by drastically reducing the mowing height. Do not vertical-mow a football field during the season in preparation for overseeding, either. Be sure to rake all debris off the turf. Seeding rates vary according to the site and anticipated traffic. When overseeding for color, only use 8–10 pounds of ryegrass per 1,000 square
11
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
It’s important to remember that growing an overseed during the winter is a stress on the underlying warm-season grass. The winter grass usually is planted well before the permanent grass goes dormant in the fall, depriving the underlying grass of the last month or so of its normal growing season by shading it out and competing for water and nutrients. The overseed will need to be mowed and will require water and some fertility over the winter. Given these drawbacks, it is important to determine whether over-seeding is truly necessary for any given site. Sites that typically require overseeding fall into two categories: athletic fields that experience high traffic for extended periods while the bermudagrass is dormant (especially baseball, soccer and softball fields, but also some football fields) and golf courses with large numbers of rounds in the early spring before bermudagrass green-up. Other golf courses overseed for purely aesthetic reasons, especially if there is an economic advantage to presenting golfers with living grass during the winter (e.g., resort courses that cater to clients who are used to coolseason grasses). Fairway overseeding can provide dramatic beauty, but it comes at a high cost, both in the price of establishing and maintaining the overseed in winter and in killing the overseed in spring. Because of the agronomic disadvantages of overseeding, it is almost never a good idea to overseed a home lawn. Over time, continuous overseeding will damage any turf, and homeowners usually don’t have the desire or resources to deal with their thin, stressed summer turf. Bermudagrass, with its aggressive growth, best tolerates chronic overseeding.
Which grasses are best for planting as an overseed?
Cover Story >>>
feet. Tees and athletic fields with higher traffic will require more seed, around 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Rates for seeding Poa trivialis on greens usually range between 6 and 12 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Apply half of the seed walking in one direction, then the other half walking at right angles to the first. This will help achieve a uniform distribution of the overseed. Using a drop seeder to outline the edges of the area to be overseeded will allow sharp edges and the contrast between non-overseeded and overseeded areas to stand out. Be sure to irrigate the newly planted seed lightly but frequently (twice per day) for the first 3–5 days, until the seeds have germinated. Be careful, though, not to overwater! There is no need to flood the soil before the seeds germinate. Only enough water to keep the seeds moist is needed. After the seeds germinate and begin to establish a root system, reduce the frequency of watering and increase the depth. Irrigate once per day for the first week after the seeds germinate, then reduce the frequency of watering to twice or three times per week. Remember that irrigation is a supplement to natural rainfall; reduce irrigation or even eliminate it altogether if there is enough rain. Rainfall sensors on an automatic irrigation system can cut off the irrigation when it rains and save significant amounts of money.
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
How to transition back to warm-season grass Ryegrass and Poa trivialis will die when the weather becomes hot in late spring, but several management practices can encourage transition back to warm-season grass. Do not fertilize the ryegrass in early spring, as this promotes growth and competition with the warm-season grass. Wait until the soil temperature at 4 inches is at least 65°F for several days in a row before fertilizing. This is a good benchmark for when the warm-season grasses begin active growth in the spring. Note that 12
this usually happens a couple of weeks after the warm-season grass begins to green up. When the underlying grass greens up in the spring, do reduce the mowing height. The idea is to mow the overseed as closely as possible without scalping the underlying grass. This opens up the canopy and allows light to reach the warm-season grass. It will also allow more sunlight to hit the soil and will speed soil warming. Once the warm-season grass begins vigorous growth, resume your normal care program. Many herbicides are available to help with transition by selectively killing overseed out of warm-season grasses. Most of these are in the family of ALS inhibitors. One big advantage of ALS-inhibitor herbicides is that they work fairly slowly, taking several weeks to kill cool-season grasses. This allows for a smoother transition, as it gives the underlying warm-season grass a chance to grow and fill in bare spots. Still, it is possible (even likely for a high-
wear area) that chemical removal of on overseed will reveal thin and bare spots in the underlying grass. This is not always bad, since it gives the warm-seasons grass more time to grow without competition from the overseed. Just be sure that people know what to expect. Currently labeled (as of summer 2010) herbicides available for transition include TranXit, Revolver, Katana, Monument and others. All states publish recommendations with product information and rates; for Alabama, refer to the Extension publication IPM Commercial Turf and Lawns (IPM-0022), available online at http://www.aces.edu/pubs/ docs/I/IPM-0022/IPM-0022.pdf.
Member Spotlight >>>
By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
F
acilities and Operations Manager for the City of Decatur Parks and Recreation Department, Paul Floyd oversees 44 sports fields, including 14 baseball fields, 12 softball fields and 18 soccer/football fields, plus the city’s golf course (Point Mallard Golf Course), Point Mallard Park, Decatur City Cemetery, Old State Bank, four recreation centers and 18+ public parks. Paul has an extensive background in golf course management. He has worked all over the spectrum, from an entry-level crew member, to an irrigation technician, to a spray technician, to horticulture assistant, then to second and first assistants, to the head golf course superintendent — all in the course of 16 years. During this time, Paul worked at several courses in Alabama, as well as in Georgia and Florida, and earned a degree from Jefferson State in Birmingham. In September 2005, Paul accepted the position in Decatur where he attributes much of the success of the turf to his crew. Paul, however, is ultimately responsible for the turf, and he focuses his attention on cultural practices. His biggest challenge is managing high-traffic effects on the turf. Paul has a good mix of solutions to help alleviate the high-traffic problem on the sports fields: he re-positions the field when he paints, aerates the fields each year, immediately rolls the fields after play and gives extra attention to the worn spots (including aeration, slicing and fertilization). Paul is currently laser-leveling two fields each summer and allocates one entire month in the growing season without play to give the turf time to heal. The extra measures that Paul makes on the sports fields really pay off; the fields are in great condition. Last year at ATA’s Annual Turfgrass Conference, Paul won the ATA Sports Field/Complex of the Year for the Jack Allen Recreation Complex, which houses 11 sports fields and is host to several major tournaments each year. At Point Mallard Golf Course, compaction is also a problem. To help eliminate this issue, Paul aerates the greens three times a year, “pencil” tine core-aerates during the growing months and then verticuts and topdresses twice a month. He also paints the greens instead of overseeding, which assists the Tif-Dwarf in the green-up process and avoids transition issues. Paul also spikes the greens during the winter to avoid algae, and soil tests are taken regularly throughout the year. Although an accomplished turfgrass manager, he also has other interests, including fishing, music and sports (he’s a Dye Hard Auburn Fan). He even dabbled in website design for a while and served as ATA’s webmaster for several years. Congrats, Paul, for your accomplishments! Left top: Paul Floyd, Facilities and Operations Manager for the City of Decatur Parks and Recreation Department. Left bottom: Point Mallard Golf Course.
14
Turf Talk >>>
NOWManage Is the Time to
Diseases
Spring
By Jim Jacobi, Ph.D., Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Large
patch and spring dead spot are two common diseases of warm-season grasses that we see during the spring. You may have tried to control large patch in the spring, with less than stellar results. That’s because the most effective time to manage both diseases is in the fall. So, now before summer ends and the next round of large patch and spring dead spot begins, it’s time to plan your strategy to prevent disease next spring.
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
Large patch Rhizoctonia large patch is an important disease of zoysiagrass, centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass. Bermudagrass can also be affected, but it suffers little damage, and treatment is not usually needed. Patches are usually circular and range from 3 feet to more than 10 feet in diameter. Look for water-soaked, reddish-brown to black lesions on the leaf sheaths growing near the edge of the patch. Patches with active infections often have a yellow or orange border. Fungicides should be applied preventively for large patch control. On sites with a history of disease, one or two well-timed applications in the fall often provide season-long control. Fungicides can be applied based on the calendar (mid-September), but they can be more accurately timed based on soil temperature. Applications should be initiated when soil temperatures decrease to 70°F for several consecutive days. Under severe disease conditions,
16
a second application can be applied 4 to 6 weeks after the first application. Several fungicides are labeled for control of large patch. The most effective fungicides in University tests have been azoxystrobin, flutolanil and triadmefon.
Spring dead spot Spring dead spot is most common on intensively managed bermudagrass, such as on golf courses and athletic fields, and it is only an occasional problem in bermudagrass under low maintenance in lawns or parks. Bermudagrass is the primary host, although the disease has also been described recently on ‘Meyer’ and ‘El Toro’ zoysiagrass. The disease causes circular or arcshaped sunken patches of bleached, dead turf, which range from a few Large patch on zoysiagrass in spring.
inches to several feet in diameter. These patches of dead grass appear as the bermudagrass emerges from dormancy in early spring. A ring or “frog-eye’’ pattern may also be seen as the bermudagrass or weeds reestablish the center of the patch. Roots, rhizomes and stolons are withered, brittle and dark-brown to black in color. Thick, white healthy roots are rarely seen in affected spots. Recovery from spring dead spot turf is often slow, with the unsightly dead patches persisting for two to three months after spring green-up. Once the symptoms are seen in the spring, little can be done other than encourage the bermudagrass to fill in the dead patches. Cultural practices are very important in reducing future disease outbreaks. Practices including regular aerification and verticutting, which reduce thatch
and soil compaction and improve root growth to help avoid spring dead spot. Maintaining soil pH between 5.5 and 6.0 can also help reduce the severity of future disease. Several fungicides are labeled for spring dead spot control (fenarimol, myclobutanil, azoxystrobin and propiconazole), with fenarimol providing the most consistent control in University tests. Fungicide must be applied preventatively in the fall, and it should be applied in enough water volume to move the fungicide into the root zone (5 gallons/1,000 sq. ft.) or watered in with 1/4 inch of irrigation immediately after application. One to two applications can be applied, depending on severity of recent outbreaks, with the first application applied in early September and the second application applied four weeks later. Mapping or photographing diseased areas in the spring and treating only areas where the disease has occurred previously can reduce fungicide costs.
Large patch on St. Augustinegrass.
Spring dead spot on bermudagrass.
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
17
News from ATA >>>
By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director
boys at the Gulf Coast Youth-Reach now have a beautiful green field of dreams. Members of the Alabama Turfgrass Association worked for two years to install a baseball field at this foster home in Summerdale, Alabama. This was a big project to undertake, and with the help of many ATA members and sponsors, we successfully installed bases, irrigation system and sprigged the field. Residents of Gulf Coast Youth-Reach will now have the responsibility of watering, fertilizing and caring for the field. We have provided them with the materials and hope to teach them the love of turfgrass management, as it is dear to our hearts. Many thanks to the companies and individuals who helped make this project a success. You truly made a difference in the lives of some troubled youth. Thank you!
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
The
AGRI-AFC, LLC Agrium Advanced Technologies Agromax Beard Equipment Company Billy's Seafood Burris Farm Market Carter Sod & Landscaping Co. Craft Turf Farms
18
Ewing Farm Fresh Meats Glenn Hedden The Golf Club of the Wharf Grand National Golf Course Humphries Turf Supply Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation John Deere Landscapes Lakewood Golf Course Mighty Green Lawn Care Southern TurfCare Southern Athletic Fields Stovall, Inc.
courage every member to submit an application for this year’s award before the September 1 deadline.
Call for Applications:
1. Applicant must be an ATA member for three or more years. 2. All applications must be submitted in complete form, along with a minimum of 10 digital photographs. 3. There must be at least three entries per category for a winner to be awarded for that category. 4. All sports fields, landscapes, sod farms and golf courses must be older than three years.
2010 ATA President’s Awards The Alabama Turfgrass Association recognizes its members for their expertise, hard work and dedication to the turfgrass industry with the President’s Award of Excellence each year. This award, presented at the Annual Conference and Tradeshow, is given to the member who manages exceptional turf, shows professionalism in his or her job performance and ability, promotes the turfgrass industry and is dedicated to the profession and ATA. Four categories are awarded: Sports Field/Complex of the Year, Landscape/ Lawn of the Year, Sod Farm of the Year and Golf Course of the Year. We en-
Winners of this award will receive: 1. A plaque presented at the ATA Annual Conference during the General Assembly. 2. Featured member with article in ATA’s magazine, Turf Times. 3. Free registration to the 2010 ATA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, October 19–21.
Criteria for consideration:
The awards committee, consisting of current and past ATA presidents, will judge the entries. The application is available on the ATA website at www.alaturf grass.org. All entries must be received by September 1. Good luck!
Welcome, ATA New Members >>>
Welcome, ATA NEW MEMBERS! Josh Bowling Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club Florence, AL 256-381-8870 Jerry Bryant Beauty Lawn Ohatchee, AL 256-892-2777 Lavone Burdette Image Lawns Pike Road, AL 334-260-9115
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
Justin Farr Eagle Lawns, LLC Opelika, AL 334-740-7322
20
The ATA Membership Drive is coming along strong. Be sure to get your recruits in by October 15 to be included in the drawing for prizes. Also, the top three recruiters will receive cash: $300 for 1st place, $200 for 2nd place and $100 for 3rd place! Membership applications can be found on our website at www.alaturfgrass.org
Olin “Buck” Farrior Prescription Turf Brewton, AL 251-867-8515
Craig Keller Univar USA Athens, AL 256-233-1562
Zac Fleming Athens Farm & Turf Athens, AL 256-232-3274
Philip Loden City of Fultondale Fultondale, AL 205-796-4104
Vera Gasparini Quali-Pro Winter Springs, FL 407-920-2463
Kaye Oden City of Birmingham Birmingham, AL 205-781-6210
Jason Hart Univar USA Birmingham, AL 205-942-0244
James Parsons City of Fultondale Fultondale, AL 205-841-4481
Joey Patterson Evergreen Outdoor Services, Inc. Notasulga, AL 334-501-1538 Fred Perry Briarmeade Golf Club Glencoe, AL 256-490-0421 Jimmy Quint Univar USA Mobile, AL 251-666-5995 Adam Wright Bayer Environ. Science Sarasota, FL 941-650-0691
Calendar of Events >>>
Index of Advertisers >>>
Turf Events July 26–30 TPI Summer Convention & Field Days (Turfgrass Producers International) Sheraton New York Hotel New York, NY
Road Show Seminars Loxley Civic Center Loxley, AL
September 16
Road Show Seminars Birmingham Botanical Gardens Birmingham, AL
University of Tennessee Turfgrass Field Day University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN
October 19–21
January 26, 2011
February 2, 2011 Road Show Seminars Troy Universtiy Dothan, AL
2010 ATA Annual Turfgrass Conference & Tradeshow Auburn Univ. Hotel & Conf. Center Auburn, AL
February 16, 2011
October 28–30
February 23, 2011
Green Industry & Equipment Expo Kentucky Exposition Center Louisville, KY
Alabama Turf Times >>> S u m m e r 2010
January 19, 2011
22
Road Show Seminars Richard Beard Building Montgomery, AL
Road Show Seminars JayCees Community Building Huntsville, AL
AGRI-AFC, LLC www.agri-afc.com . . . . Inside Front Cover Barenburg USA www.barusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover Bayer www.bayerprocentral.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dupont Professional Products www.proproducts.dupont.com . . . . . . . . . 19 Ewing Irrigation www.ewing1.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Golf Ventures, Inc. www.gvwest.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Greenville Turf & Tractor www.greenvilleturf.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Hendrix & Dail www.hendrixanddail.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Humphries Turf Supply www.humphriesturf.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation www.jerrypate.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 PBI Gordon Corporation www.pbigordon.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Riebeling Farms, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Texas Sod Leasing www.texassod.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The Turfgrass Group . .3, Inside Back Cover www.theturfgrassgroup.com