Winter 2023
Gear up for NERTC: March 5 – 7
Strategies for Sustainable Water Management
Member Spotlight on Bryan Coady
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JIM FAVREAU MASSACHUSETTS jfavreau@harrells.com (978) 227-2785
JIM WIERZBICKI CT, RI jwierzbicki@harrells.com (860) 424-7250
JIM COHEN EASTERN MA & ME jcohen@harrells.com (978) 337-0222
MIKE KROIAN RI, MA mkroian@harrells.com (401) 265-5353
KENT LEMME WESTERN MASS klemme@harrells.com (413) 281-8087
MIKE DUKETTE CT mdukette@harrells.com (860) 930-8888
TOM HOFFER NORTHEAST thoffer@Harrells.com (401) 871-2916
CONNOR CINQUE NH, ME ccinque@harrells.com (603) 930-1861
www.harrells.com | 800.282.8007 Employee-Owned
COVER STORY • continued
12
16
22
CONTENTS • Winter 2023 UPCOMING EVENT
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
COLUMNS
DEPARTMENTS
120 N ew England Regional
160 B rian Coady,
180 S ynthetic Turf:
6 President’s Message 8 NESTMA News 15 Index of Advertisers
240 W interkill of
On the cover: St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH is a coeducational, fully residential independent high school serving more than 500 students.
Turfgrass Conference
St. Paul’s School
Artificial Turf – Maintenance is Essential
FEATURES 220 C ase Study:
BMP Sustainable Water Management
Turfgrasses
Officers
Directors
Board of Trustees
President
Tom Barry, CSFM Greens Farms Academy Greens Farms, CT
Kim Britton Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH
Ryan Bjorn Gillette Stadium Foxboro, MA
John Cunniff Walpole, MA
Chris McGinty Framingham Parks Department Framingham, MA
Advancing professionalism in sports turf management and athletic field safety through education, research, and scholarships. The official publication of the New England Sports Turf Managers Association (NESTMA), the New England Blade is dedicated to educating, advising, and informing members of the profession and furthering the goals of the Association. The New England Blade carries news and features related to the sports turf management profession. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication and to refuse advertising not in keeping with the goals of the Association. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the validity of claims in connection with items appearing in the New England Blade. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by the New England Blade, NESTMA, or Leading Edge Communications, or preference over similar products not mentioned. The New England Blade is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of NESTMA. Presorted standard postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
4 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: TheTurfZone.com
President Elect Art Goodhind Town of Natick Natick, MA
Brendon Connor College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA
Treasurer
Adam Ferrucci Read Custom Soils Wareham, MA
Andrew Carlisle, CGM Worcester Technical High School Worcester, MA
Past President Ben Polimer Town of Weston Weston, MA
Ian Lacy Tom Irwin Advisors, Inc. Burlington, MA Scott Lagana Turf Products Corp. Holden, MA
Official Chapter
Victoria Wallace University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
Management Team Virginia Wood, Executive Director Peggy Benjamin Kristen Dreyer Charissa Sharkey
NESTMA Headquarters 67 West Street Medfield, MA 02052 (508) 653-1241 NESTMA.org NESTMAinfo@gmail.com
Technical Editor Victoria Wallace University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Industry Champions
As
we transition from outdoor to indoor sports and the holiday season approaches, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on one of the cornerstones of my career in sports turf management – NESTMA membership. One of the greatest advantages of NESTMA is the relationships that are built and friendships that are forged at our events. In early October, many of us enjoyed a beautiful day at the MALCP/ NESTMA golf classic with colleagues and mentors whose support for our industry is irreplaceable. These are the people who show up, give back, and pave the way for others to achieve success. Our association is full of industry champions who are ready and willing to work together toward a brighter future. From student scholarships and professional excellence awards to powerful networking opportunities, countless webinars, highlevel education, and hands-on training, NESTMA leads the way. Top it off with a dedicated board of our industry’s best volunteer leaders along with an outstanding association staff, and you’ve got a winning team that continually collaborates for the greater good. As we move into 2024, our association’s advancement strategy kicks into high gear. NESTMA’s goal of giving back in support of our members, local students and teachers, and our industry will be heard loud and clear. I hope you will heed the call. It feels great to see your effort reflected directly in the success of our industry – especially when you share that success with your peers.
2024 Committees & Volunteers
Join Us!
Branding & Long-Range Planning: Ryan Bjorn, Art Goodhind Membership & Outreach: Adam Ferrucci, Ian Lacy, Scott Lagana Education & Events: Tom Barry, Brendon Connor, Adam Ferrucci Scholarship, Awards & Grants: Ryan Bjorn, Andrew Carlisle Finance & Trust Oversight: Andrew Carlisle, Art Goodhind, Chris McGinty
Happy Holidays! We wish you a very Happy Holiday season and a peaceful & prosperous New Year.
Chris McGinty NESTMA President
Thank You C O M M E R C I A L PA R T N E R S These companies partner with NESTMA on our educational events and by advertising in The Blade. Please be sure to thank them for their support of our industry as you do business with them throughout the year. Activitas – activitas.com Arborjet – arborjet.com Autmow – autmow.com Covermaster – covermaster.com Cub Cadet PRO Series – cubcadet.com Finch Turf – finchinc.com Five Star Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles – fivestargolfcars.com Harrell’s LLC – www.harrells.com Harts Turf Pro – hartsturfpro.com Helena Agri Enterprises – helenaagri.com Tom Irwin – tomirwin.com MTE Equipment – mte.us.com 6 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
PJC Organic – www.pjcorganic.com Precision Laboratories – twilliams@precisionlab.com Progressive Turf Equipment – www.progressiveturfequip.com R. A. D. Sports – radsports.com Read Custom Soils – readcustomsoils.com RePlay Maintenance USA – replaymaintenanceusa.com Sports Construction Estimating – sportsce.com STEC Equipment – www.stecequipment.com Turf Products Corp. – turfproductscorp.com Turf Robotics – turfroboticsllc.com US Playground Surfacing – usplaygroundsurfacing.com
NESTMA NEWS
A Great Day on the Links Many thanks to the sponsors, players, and volunteers who participated in the annual MALCP/NESTMA Annual Golf Classic on October 5. It was a beautiful fall day at Butter Brook Golf Course, everyone was happy to see each other, and funds were raised for local student scholarships. A special thanks to Jim and Karen Connelly for their hard work and commitment to this popular event and to our industry.
Annual Meeting: December 5, 2023 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Based on member feedback, NESTMA’s Annual Meeting will be held as a midday meeting at the German Club in Walpole, MA. Members will learn from the best, earn pesticide CEUs, enjoy delicious food and a German Biergarten, network with colleagues, and play some corn hole! Scott Mackintosh of Atlantic Golf & Turf is our featured speaker. He’ll bring us up to speed on the latest trends in turfgrass pest and disease management. We look forward to seeing many NESTMA members at this informative and enjoyable get together!
SFMA Conference: January 22 – 25, 2024 SFMA’s Annual Conference & Exhibition, “Celebrating 35 Years of Success & Longevity” will be held at the Ocean Center Daytona Beach in Daytona Beach, FL. The annual event allows members to share information with other successful sports turf professionals. In addition to educational seminars, hands-on workshops, and the latest technology, conference attendees tour professional, college, and municipal facilities that offer a range of information to take back home. Learn more at sportsfieldmanagement.org.
Awards, Scholarships & Grants Who do you know that’s gone above and beyond on behalf of the sports field management industry? Have you got a supplier who has made your job easier? How about a student who could use a boost as they continue their turf management studies? Now’s your chance to give them the recognition they deserve. NESTMA is accepting applications for the following: Brian Luccini, Tom Irwin; Chris McGinty, City of Framingham; Mike Rivetts, Middlesex School; Ryan Gaffey, Bentley College.
Jim Connelly and Chris McGinty
• Sports Turf Manager of the Year • Commercial Partner of the Year • Mruk Student Scholarship Applications are available online at NESTMA.org. The deadline for submission is January 15. Presentations are made at NESTMA’s Awards Meeting and Lunch at the NERTC on March 6 in Providence, RI.
Awards Meeting & Lunch: March 6, 2024 Mark your calendar now for NESTMA’s popular Awards Meeting and Lunch. Scheduled during the NERTC in Providence, our event will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 6. Stay tuned for details on this fantastic networking event. The NESTMA Awards Meeting and Lunch is complimentary for current members and is brought to you with generous support from our friends at Tom Irwin.
Renew Today Many thanks to those who have already renewed their NESTMA membership for 2024. Renewal is quick and easy online at NESTMA.org/Renew24. With all the opportunities in store for NESTMA members this year, you don’t want to miss a minute. •
8 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
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NESTMA NEWS • continued A VA L U A B L E N E W R E S O U R C E
“Best Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager: A Professional Guide for Environmental Sports Field Management in New England.”
A
team of dedicated sports turf professionals and academics under the leadership of Victoria Wallace at UConn, have released a valuable new resource for our industry - “Best Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager: A Professional Guide for Environmental Sports Field Management in New England.” This essential reference tool positions New England’s sports field managers as highly trained professionals who make decisions based on scientific fact and experience. Each chapter highlights sound agronomics
10 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
and the steps involved with athletic field maintenance practices. There are also a series of local case studies on topics like water conservation, dealing with synthetic pesticide bans, fraise mowing for weed control, and more. NESTMA’s BMPs for New England and case studies are available to current NESTMA members at no charge. Members are invited to visit NESTMA.org to download a digital copy. There are a limited number of printed copies available for $65 (includes shipping & handling). Please contact NESTMA to place your order. •
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Cutting-Edge Education • Powerful Networking • Innovative Trends
W
ith exclusive appointments to the New England Turfgrass Foundation’s board of directors (the entity that oversees the annual NERTC), NESTMA is responsible for helping to bring the industry’s highest-level of innovators, practitioners, and scientists to Providence, RI on March 5 – 7, 2024.
Months of planning go into creating the best educational programs for our members, and the regional turfgrass industry. As always, this year’s sessions have been carefully researched and are aimed directly at the unique challenges of sports field managers in New England.
Mary Owen, Scott Ebdon & Jason Lanier from UMass.
Expert speakers from across the country will present sessions on a wide range of topics such as Sports Field Construction, Winter Turfgrass Injury, Soil Borne Pest Prevention, Mower Technology, Drainage Techniques, and more.
Continued on Page 14 >>
12 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
UPCOMING EVENT • continued
An exciting addition to this year’s educational lineup is a keynote presentation from Nick Pappas, CSFM, Superbowl Turf Manager for the NFL – and a UMass graduate! The expo halls are jam-packed with deals on the latest equipment, technology, and trends designed to help you do your job better every day. With receptions, lunches, and special events scheduled throughout the conference – including NESTMA’s Awards Meeting on Wednesday – there’s plenty of time to network with colleagues.
Many thanks to NESTMA’s representatives on the NERTF board: Mike Buras, CSFM, Ben Polimer, and education advisor Mary Owen. Your commitment to providing the latest sports field research and education is appreciated. All proceeds from the conference benefit the mission of the New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation. Recently, the Foundation surpassed $2.5 million in turfgrass research funding. Visit nertf.org for NERTC details. •
Scenes from NERTC 2023
14 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
I N D E X O F A DV E R T I S E R S
Atlantic Golf and Turf............................. 11 rick@atlanticgolfandturf.com Greene County Fertilizer Co.................. 15 www.greenecountyfert.com
High performance liquid fertilizers, soil amendments, and every control product you need is right here under one roof.
Harrell’s LLC.................Inside Front Cover www.harrells.com MTE Turf Equipment Solutions, Inc...... 3 www.mte.us.com North Turf Sports & Golf Contractors..........Back Cover www.northturf.com
Growth Happens Here.
GROW YOUR BUSINESS. WE’LL GROW YOUR TURF.
Healthy turf starts with Greene County Fert.
Precision Laboratories, LLC..................... 9 twilliams@precisionlab.com
Learn more: GreeneCountyFert.com Progressive Turf Equipment Inc............. 5 www.progressiveturfequip.com
BUY/SHIP DIRECT
Read Custom Soils.................................. 13 www.readcustomsoils.com
.
Quest Products Corp...... Inside Back Cover www.questproducts.us
Replay Maintenance USA......................... 7 www.replaymaintenanceusa.com Slater Farms, LLC.................................... 21 www.slaternaturalfarms.com Smith Seed Services............................... 15 www.smithseed.com STEC Equipment...................................... 25 www.stecequipment.com The Charles Hart Seed Company............ 5 www.hartseed.com Turf Robotics............................................ 19 www.turfroboticsllc.com
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The Turf Zone........................................... 21 www.theturfzone.com Winter 2023 • New England BLADE • 15
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON
BRYAN COADY Grounds Manager St. Paul’s School • Concord, NH
Where did you go to school? What was your major? I earned my undergraduate from Franklin Pierce College in Sports and Facilities Management. After college I went to work for Plymouth State University and during this time I went back to school and earned my Master’s degree in Business Administration. How did you get your start in the sports turf industry? One of my first jobs in High School was at Yale Golf Course in New Haven, CT. This is where my interest in turf was piqued and I knew that I wanted to work in sports and learn as much as I could about the industry. Where did you go from there? After working for Plymouth State University for seven years on the facilities side, I landed a job closer to home at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH. I have been with St. Paul’s managing the campus grounds for the past eight years. What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received? Never be afraid to ask questions! I have met many great people over the past eight years that have helped me to get where I am today. When I was just getting started in the turf industry, I made many phone calls to fellow turf managers, asking their opinion
16 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
on problems I may have been having with a field at the time. More recently, I have been able to pay it forward and give advice, sharing my expertise with friends and fellow turf managers. What’s your favorite thing about your current position/responsibilities? St. Paul’s School is a beautifully historic campus on 2,000 wooded acres. I say all the time how blessed I am that I get the chance to work with such a beautiful landscape on a daily basis. I also feel fortunate to have one of the best teams in the business who are all dedicated to providing top playing surfaces for our students. I am very supported by my boss John O’Shaughnessy, our Athletic Director Chris Smith, and my Grounds Supervisor, Joel Maccini, who works side by side with me on our Athletic Turf Field Program. Is there a recent project that you have been able to complete/implement? Over the past couple of years, we have worked with key partners to look at all aspects of our operations and dive into the turf management program. We looked at everything from changing the soil profile, seed selection, agronomic program, and data driven analysis in order for us to purchase new and better technology that has brought our fields to the next level. This has been a great experience for my team and we have been able to enhance our fields on many levels.
What is the next “game-changer” you see on the horizon for the sports turf industry? Technology has come a long way. We have made the investment to purchase a Turf Tank autonomous paint machine, which has given my team time to focus on the finer details. Water management has also come a long way. We currently run our systems on Rainbird IQ and are operating based on weather monitoring. This technology has been crucial with not over watering and keeping our turf as healthy as possible. I expect that technology will only grow, allowing turf management teams to run efficiently with less overhead and more attention to detail. What’s your favorite / most useful: Equipment? Aerovator, Ventrac, and Versavac. Product? Ocean Organics Seablend. Technology? Agronomic paint machines and smart water technology. What advice would you share with people starting out in sports turf management today? My advice would be to never give up. It may be hard at times, but remember that you have fellow turf managers to call for
advice. Get to know local turf managers around you, become friends with your state or regional Cooperative Extension staff, and reach out to your local sales experts on seed selection and fertilizer. Attend as many conferences, trade shows and member meet and greets as you can to build your bank of contacts in the industry. What have you enjoyed most / find most beneficial about being a NESTMA member? The best part about being a NESTMA member is the networking and education. I have learned so much over the years attending NESTMA conferences. I enjoy speaking with other members about all topics of turf management. I push myself to learn and grow each time I attend another event. Can you share a bit about your family life and / or what you enjoy doing in your free time? I am a family man at heart. I have been married to my wife Karen for 11 years and we have two beautiful children: Weston (8) and Reagan (6). When I am not at work you will find me coaching their soccer teams, baseball teams, and enjoying all aspects of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. During the summer months, you will find us taking our pop-up tent out for camping and spending time with friends; hiking throughout the year with our boxer Roxie; and snowboarding regularly during the winter months. •
Winter 2023 • New England BLADE • 17
COLUMN: SYNTHETIC TURF
Artificial Turf: Maintenance is Essential By Arthur Eddy, ASLA, LEED AP
A
rtificial turf, also known as synthetic turf, has been used widely in arenas and stadium for sports. It was first installed at Moses Brown High School in Providence, Rhode Island in 1964 and became famous in 1966 with the first major sport arena at the Houston Astrodome. In most recent times, the lack of land and the increase in athletic sports such as lacrosse has strained the maintenance, safety and performance of engineered grass fields. High schools and colleges have invested in the installation of synthetic turf fields. Other reasons for its widespread use in athletic fields include the hours of use that the surface can withstand along with performance and safety. A misconception of these synthetic turf fields is that they are maintenance free. Testing has shown that shifts in infill levels can have a dramatic effect on performance of a field. Additionally, to ensure the durability and usage of artificial turf in athletic fields are at optimum, regular maintenance is required. Failure to adequately maintain artificial turf surfaces results in deterioration and serious safety concerns which opens a facility up to potential liability claims.
Continue to page 18 for easy maintenance tips to ensure durable and long-lasting usage for synthetic turf fields:
18 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
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COLUMN • continued Easy maintenance tips for synthetic turf athletic fields: 1. Routine/Regular Care and Cleaning: On a regular basis, removing debris and particulates is important. Over time, dust, dirt, and debris can accumulate on the turf surface, making it lose its integrity and potentially causing serious drainage problems. Cleaning the synthetic turf surface at least once a week is advisable especially if the field is regularly used for sports. To clean or clear the turf of fallen leaves and dirt, a garden vacuum, lawn sweeper or leaf blower can be used. Care should be taken to not create to displace infill. 2. Removal of Contaminants: Common contaminants in a synthetic turf field include mold/moss/algae which can be removed by treating the field (you can contact a specialist for help), sunflower seeds, peanut shells can be removed by hand/backpack blower and other metals objects can simply be picked by hand or using a magnet attached to a grooming tool. Contaminants like chewing gum can be removed using ice or aerosol to freeze the gum which can be chipped off from the synthetic fibers. 3. Regular Brushing: One way to keep your artificial turf field looking natural and appealing is to brush it regularly. Natural grass stands upright and that’s how artificial turfs are designed to be. Over a long period of time, even the toughest synthetic turfs will bend. Brushing your artificial turf will maintain its natural look. While brushing the turf, avoid using brushes with metal bristles as they can damage the grass. A five inches long brush with synthetic bristles is recommended for the job. 4. Care for the synthetic turf in special circumstances: In cases of snow/ ice, a snowplow can be used to remove the snow from the field; the snowplow should be carefully used to avoid surface damage. Static electricity can be reduced with the help of liquid fabric softeners. Although very rare, your field can get affected by lightning, avoid the used of metal spikes to reduces its chances. 5. Use of Herbicides: It is possible for weeds to grow on the artificial surface. There should be a proactive and timely herbicide treatment to avoid weeds from sprouting out and causing damage to the artificial turf fields. 6. Safety Testing: Just like an engineered grass field, testing your system will give you a good understanding of how your system is working and the maintenance that is required. Having a survey of your field including checking infill depths, HIC, GMax, rotational resistance and vertical deformation will give you a good indication of where more intensive maintenance is required. It will also allow you to protect your facility from any potential liability.
Conclusion Proper and adequate maintenance of artificial turf is necessary for durability, performance, and safety. If you apply the given maintenance tips, your artificial athletic turf fields will look amazing, last long and be safe for sporting events. • Arthur Eddy is CEO of RePlay Maintenance in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Connect with Art at Aeddy@replaymaintenance.com or (877) 641-1819.
20 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
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Winter 2023 • New England BLADE • 21
FEATURE
C A S E S T U DY
Strategies for Environmentally Sustainable Water Management Site Conditions By Christopher McGinty, Superintendent, Parks Maintenance, City of Framingham, MA
Introduction As Superintendent of Parks, one of my critical responsibilities is to negotiate and partner with various city committees, accounting for a variety of viewpoints. When we begin to develop a project, we need to assess how the project will impact the surrounding environment of the area, as well as the most effective ways to work with groups in our city to support an environmentally sustainable approach. To construct and maintain the project, we work closely with the local Conservation Commission and strive to complete both an environmentally and economically responsible project. The needs of the city necessitated an increase in the footprint of our athletic facilities (e.g., football stadium, tennis courts). Working with the Conservation Commission, we determined that the only way we could increase our facilities’ footprint, while meeting wetland regulations, would be to install pervious pavement.
Pervious pavement at the football stadium parking lot.
22 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
• School and park facilities are in close proximity to wetland areas. Existing tennis courts were approved and grandfathered in well before the current wetland regulations were enacted. • Roads are close to nearby waterbodies. The back of the high school property drops off into the Sudbury river. After a rain event, water often overflows into these sensitive areas.
Problem • Polluted water from impervious road surfaces leaches into the nearby waterbodies, presenting continual threats to water quality. • High levels of coliform bacteria (related to geese populations) and calcium chloride (related to snow removal) are an issue. • Litter accumulates and becomes both a pollutant and an ongoing maintenance challenge (e.g., clogged drains). • Runoff from fertilizers and other products used at city recreational facilities and residential properties near waterbodies is also a concern. • Cleaning the storm drains near the recreational areas, parking lots, and at the river edge is a challenge. Water from rain events needs to drain properly.
A repurposed buffer area to support water movement and drainage.
Conclusion
Goals • Increase the amount of impervious surfaces at our municipal and school properties and install rain gardens to mitigate the amount of water runoff into the Sudbury river and other waterbodies. • Increase drainage efficiency and ensure that any water overflow that drains into the river is as clean and pollutant free as possible.
Steps Taken Types of permeable pavements include porous asphalt, pervious concrete and permeable interlocking concrete pavement. We evaluated the various options for what would best serve our needs for each problem location. Porous asphalt was installed in newly constructed areas at the football stadium, as well as in parking lots and surrounding areas, where water typically collects when it rains. We used post-tension concrete on the tennis courts, which allows for efficient drainage. Block pavement was also used to improve drainage in areas of high compaction. We installed rain gardens to slow water movement and minimize runoff from streets into the storm drains. Rain gardens help to filter and clean water before it reaches the river and wetland areas.
Pervious pavement provides a sound alternative to capture and move excessive runoff that may affect the long-term health of the river. I plan to use pervious pavement at all of our beachfront public areas along the river. These areas are appropriate locations for this type of alternative surface because they are not used in the winter and are not part of the winter plow schedule. I also plan to increase the installation of buffer areas or more simple rain-type gardens to slow water movement in locations where water drains into parking areas at beach-front locations. We will employ mostly grasses to filter and clean the water before it flows into the nearby wetland areas. •
Newly planted rain garden.
Results / What We Learned We had a significant number of volunteers to help with the installation of these rain gardens, but no volunteers to support the long-term care. We also over-designed the rain gardens, which has made the maintenance more of a challenge than we had anticipated. We have no maintenance budget to properly staff for all the required upkeep. Also, our staff does not necessarily have the horticultural knowledge to distinguish desired native plant seedlings from weeds in the rain garden areas. Many different groups use these facilities and there has been a significant increase in the amount of trash settling into the rain gardens. Although we provided additional trash receptacles, unsightly trash frequently gets stuck in the rain garden plants, which is labor intensive to remove and causes a maintenance headache. For future projects, to slow water movement, we are considering buffer strips that use only grasses, and require less labor to maintain. In areas where we installed pervious pavement, we use salt, but not sand, when plowing in the winter to avoid the need for an annual vacuuming program to remove the sand that would accumulate. Moving forward, we will be strategic about where we install pervious surfaces, prioritizing locations where plowing is not required. I can communicate to my staff and ensure that sand is not used in pervious pavement areas; however, a greater challenge is communication with personnel from different departments who may share plowing responsibilities for the city, but are not familiar with direction relating to maintaining environmentally sensitive sites. Overgrown rain garden has become a maintenance challenge.
Winter 2023 • New England BLADE • 23
FEATURE
Winterkill of Turfgrasses By Peter Landschoot, Ph.D., Professor of Turfgrass Science, Penn State Extension
W
interkill is a generic term used to describe the death of turfgrasses during the winter months and can be caused by abiotic factors and disease. The four types of abiotic winterkill observed in the northern U.S. include desiccation, direct low-temperature kill, ice encasement, and crown hydration.
Desiccation Desiccation occurs when turf is unprotected by snow cover and subject to drying cold winds for extended periods during the winter. Under these conditions, the exposed turf can lose significant moisture in crown tissues (where new roots, leaves, and stems are produced), resulting in the death of the plant. This type of damage is most frequently observed on susceptible species growing on elevated sites exposed to prevailing winds. Desiccation is most common on annual bluegrass putting greens, but can also occur on golf course fairways, lawns, and sports turf. All cool-season turfgrasses can suffer from winter desiccation injury. Preventative measures to reduce winter desiccation include heavy sand topdressing applications in late fall, fabric covers, and various types of wind screens around exposed putting greens and other sensitive areas.
24 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
FEATURE • continued Direct LowTemperature Kill Turfgrasses can sometimes be damaged by a phenomenon known as a direct low-temperature kill. This type of winterkill occurs during extremely cold temperatures early in the winter following a relatively warm period in late fall. Typically, plant tissues undergo a dehydration process in late fall in response to gradually decreasing temperatures and shorter photoperiods. The dehydration process is accompanied by an increase in cellular solutes (potassium ions, sugars, etc.), allowing the plants to “harden off” or acclimate to freezing temperatures. Warm weather during late fall can delay the acclimation process and allow plants to become susceptible to ice formation in crown tissues with the advent of a sudden and dramatic drop in temperatures. Although direct low-temperature kill is difficult to prevent, measures that may help protect plants include avoiding excess nitrogen fertilization in mid-fall before plants begin to acclimate to cold temperatures and seeding susceptible turfgrass species, such as perennial ryegrass, early enough in late summer or fall so that they have time to mature and develop an ability to tolerate cold temperatures later in the season.
Ice Encasement Turf death due to ice encasement occurs when a thick covering of ice over turf causes a reduction in gas exchange between ice-encased turf and the atmosphere. As the semi-dormant turf under the ice continues to respire, oxygen is depleted, and a buildup of toxic gasses such as carbon dioxide, butanol, and ethyl butyrate occurs. Oxygen depletion and toxic gasses can kill turf when thick ice coverings last for weeks or months during the winter. The thickness of ice, duration of the encasement, grass species, and condition of turf under the ice all dictate the degree of damage that will occur. Therefore, predicting damage based on the number of days that ice covers turf is not reliable. Nevertheless, some turf experts suggest removing substantial ice layers from annual bluegrass and perennial ryegrass after 30 to 45 days. Creeping bentgrass can withstand longer periods under ice than annual bluegrass. Various measures have been employed to reduce damage due to ice encasement. One preventive measure used in northern climates with regular episodes of winterkill includes covering putting greens with semipermeable covers, then adding insulating layers of dry straw, and covering the straw with impermeable covers. Whereas this method is sometimes effective, it is labor intensive and often not practical in areas where winterkill occurs only once in 10 or 20 years. In Pennsylvania, a more common measure is to remove ice from putting greens using black or very dark melting agents, such as black sand or Milorganite fertilizer; or with aerators, hand tools, and small tractors equipped with scraping or lifting accessories. Due to the possibility of turf damage, extreme care must be used when attempting to remove ice from putting green surfaces.
26 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
Crown Hydration Crown hydration is the most common and destructive type of abiotic winter injury and usually occurs in late winter following periods of thawing and freezing. During late February and March, temperatures often rise above freezing for a few days at a time. When this happens, some turfgrasses (most notably annual bluegrass and perennial ryegrass) begin to de-acclimate and crowns become hydrated. If a rapid freezing event follows the thaw, ice forms inside the crowns of hydrated turfgrasses and will either rupture cell membranes (when ice forms inside of cells) or draw moisture out of cells (when ice crystals form between cells). Crown hydration injury is most pronounced on turfgrasses growing in depressions and poorly drained soils. During warming periods in late winter, surface soil temperatures rise, and some thawing takes place. However, the soil remains frozen beneath the surface and water does not drain from depressions. As water from thawed snow and ice collects in depressions, turf residing in these areas becomes super-hydrated. When water refreezes during a rapid and dramatic drop in temperature, these super-hydrated plants are killed. Crown hydration events are virtually impossible to predict, and there is very little turf managers can do to prevent these situations. The best way to reduce crown hydration problems is to avoid practices that force susceptible plants into early emergence from winter dormancy and to employ measures that improve surface drainage on sensitive sites.
Assessing Recovery from Winterkill Sometimes an area of grass will appear dead, but many plants still possess viable crown tissues. Turfgrass managers can assess recovery potential by taking plugs of damaged turf and placing these in a warm, well-lighted area for several days or weeks to determine if regrowth occurs. Just because a few tillers emerge from the plugs does not necessarily mean the turf will fully recover, but this method can help turf managers decide on whether reseeding will be required. •
For use on: Trees, landscape plants, golf course tees, greens, fairways, and sports turf.
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