Adaptation

We started the year with mild weather in February and early into March. Bermudagrass was almost ready to wake up as many of us were starting to rush to get out pre-emergent herbicides for crabgrass. In almost an instant the weather turned a 180 and the cold was back to stay. Covid-19 quarantines, business closures, and Shelter in Place Orders were all that anyone talked about. No matter who we were or where we fit into the turfgrass industry — landscape management, sport turf managers, golf course superintendents, sod farmers, sales representatives, or on a supporting staff — we all had to do one thing, adapt.

The Maryland Turfgrass Council needed to adapt quickly to support the membership. We needed to get our members Pesticide and Professional Fertilizer Credits not knowing when we would be available to be in a classroom or conference setting. Because of the joint effort of the University of Maryland and MTC, the first online re-certification for BOTH Pesticide and Professional Fertilizer Credits for Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources was conducted via Zoom on June 26th.

The Maryland Turfgrass Council is here for you, our members, while we adapt together. I hope everyone has been able to adapt in one way or another for this year. The Mid-Atlantic region has always been unpredictable during the summer months but working through weeks with high temperatures followed by heavy rains, as turf managers we had to adapt.

Going into leaf season and preparing for the winter months we never know what is around the corner. Maybe by the time you read this we will have a promising cure for the COVID-19 virus, or maybe we will have 5" of snow followed by a heat wave. Whatever happens I know as turf managers in Maryland we will adapt.

The decision to host the Maryland Turfgrass Conference online has been made and if you are not already seeing information in your in-box or mailboxes about registration it is on the way. I am looking forward to working with everyone as we prepare for what is next. Whatever is on the horizon I know we will do one thing, adapt.

Ben Ellis

Maryland Turfgrass Council, President