New England Blade - Summer 2024

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CHUCK BRAMHALL CAPE COD cbramhall@harrells.com (508) 400-0600

JIM COHEN EASTERN MA & ME jcohen@harrells.com (978) 337-0222

MIKE DUKETTE CT mdukette@harrells.com (860) 930-8888

JIM FAVREAU MASSACHUSETTS jfavreau@harrells.com (978) 227-2785

MIKE KROIAN RI, MA mkroian@harrells.com (401) 265-5353

TOM HOFFER NORTHEAST thoffer@Harrells.com (401) 871-2916

JIM WIERZBICKI CT, RI jwierzbicki@harrells.com (860) 424-7250

KENT LEMME WESTERN MASS klemme@harrells.com (413) 281-8087

CONNOR CINQUE NH, ME ccinque@harrells.com (603) 930-1861

TOM LOPEZ CONNECTICUT tlopez@harrells.com (860) 488-2649

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Ray Kirby

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CONTENTS • Summer 2024

DEPARTMENTS

15 Index of Advertisers

Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: TheTurfZone.com

Advancing professionalism in sports field management and athletic field safety through education, research, and scholarships.

The official publication of the New England Sports Field Management Association (NE-SFMA), 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 field 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, NE-SFMA, or Leading Edge Communications, or preference over similar products not mentioned. The New England Blade is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of NE-SFMA. 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.

Officers

President Chris McGinty Framingham Parks Department Framingham, MA

President Elect Art Goodhind Town of Natick Natick, MA

Treasurer

Andrew Carlisle, CGM Worcester Technical High School Worcester, MA

Past President Ben Polimer Town of Weston Weston, MA

Directors

Tom Barry, CSFM Greens Farms Academy Greens Farms, CT

Ryan Bjorn Gillette Stadium Foxboro, MA

Brendon Connor College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA

Adam Ferrucci

Read Custom Soils Wareham, MA

Ian Lacy Tom Irwin Advisors, Inc. Burlington, MA

Scott Lagana Turf Products Corp. Holden, MA

Board of Trustees

Kim Britton

Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH

John Cunniff Walpole, MA

Victoria Wallace University of Connecticut Storrs, CT

Management Team

Virginia Wood, Executive Director

Peggy Benjamin Kristen Dreyer

Charissa Sharkey

NE-SFMA Headquarters

67 West Street Medfield, MA 02052 (508) 653-1241

NE-SFMA.org

NESTMAinfo@gmail.com

Technical Editor

Victoria Wallace University of Connecticut Storrs, CT

Official Chapter

A MERGER THAT HAS TURF AT HEART

Aquatrols® and the turf division of Precision Laboratories™, two of the leading brands in turf management, have merged to form The Aquatrols Company. This merger brings together the most comprehensive portfolio of soil surfactant and adjuvant products in the industry.

The Aquatrols Company will continue to offer the full line of Aquatrols and Precision Laboratories soil surfactants, as well as Precision Laboratories tank mix adjuvants, colorants and additives. VerdeLNX™, a novel line of advanced nutrient products, will be added to the portfolio in early 2024.

CChampions of Change

ollaboration between members of our association is the bedrock of success. I am grateful for the effort of the board of directors to set short and long-range goals that will serve as a roadmap to guide growth and continued excellence in New England’s sports field management industry.

President Elect, Art Goodhind provided an excellent overview of the plans for strategic advancement at the annual Awards Meeting – a highlight of which was our new association name: the New England Sports Field Management Association (NESFMA), as well as the four pillars of NE-SFMA’s new direction:

• Offer high-level education & networking events

• Recognize & celebrate professional excellence

• Advance our profession in the eyes of the next generation

• Build strong connections among NE-SFMA members

We are well on our way toward achieving these goals with the introduction of the Mark DeWolf Memorial Golf Tournament and benevolent fund; an advanced Sports Field Forum at

Holy Cross this fall; the development of additional student scholarships and grants to support vocational school programs; along with essential BMPs and case studies, the Blade magazine, our prestigious awards program, critical research support, and active involvement with the highly successful NERTC.

Solid goal setting brings a sense of purpose and direction that we believe will inspire commitment and investment from our members. Strategic initiatives such as growing our membership ranks, building partnerships, and advancing our profession remain priorities as we continue to move forward.

Thank you for all for championing our industry through your membership support and involvement. Watch for more great things to come in 2024!

Chris McGinty NE-SFMA President

Thank You COMMERCIAL PARTNERS

Thank You COMMERCIAL PARTNERS

These companies support NE-SFMA with their membership investment and involvement.

These companies support NE-SFMA with their membership investment and involvement. Please be sure to thank you for their support of our industry as you do business with them throughout the year.

Please be sure to thank you for their support of our industry as you do business with them throughout the year.

A-OK Turf Equipment – www.aokturfequip.com Activitas, Inc – activitas.com

Aqua-Aid, Inc. – aquaaidsolutions.com

Atlantic Golf and Turf – atlanticgolfandturf.com Brock USA – brockusa.com

Covermaster Inc. – covermaster.com Finch Turf – finchturf.com

Franklin Paint Company – franklinpaint.com

G.P.S. New England Mapping Services Golf Course Management, Inc.

Greenhaven Turf Care – greenhaventurf.com

H2O Irrigation – h2o-irrigation.com

Hayner Swanson Inc – hayner-swanson.com

Helena Agri-Enterprises – helenaprofessional.com

Liberty Landscapes, LLC – libertyathleticfieldcontractors.com

MJ Cataldo Inc. – mjcataldo.com

Mountain View Landscapes & Lawncare – mountainviewinc.com

MTE, Inc. – mte.us.com

Natural Tree & LawnCare – naturaltree.com/about

New England Pro Greens & Turf – turfinstaller.net

North Turf Inc. – Northturf.com

Northeast Nursery Inc – northeastnursery.com

Nufarm Americas – nufarm.com/usturf.com

Osborne Organics, LLC – osborneorganics.com

Pioneer Athletics – pioneerathletics.com

Precision Laboratories, LLC – www.precisionlab.com

Read Custom Soils/A.D. Makepeace – readcustomsoils.com

Replay Maintenance USA – replaymaintenanceusa.com

Richey & Clapper, Inc – richeyandclapper.com

S & D Landscapes, LLC –www.facebook.com/LandscapeVermont

Sherwood Sportsturf Silico Turf, LLC

SiteOne Landscape Supply – siteone.com/golfsales

Slater Farms LLC – slaternaturalfarms.com

SODCO INC – www.sodco.net

Sodco, Inc. – sodco.net

Specialized Turf Services, Inc. – sportsturfspecialties.com

Sports Fields Inc. – sportsfieldsinc.net

Sports Turf Specialties, Inc – sportsturfspecialties.com

Sportscapes Unlimited LLC – Sportscapesunlimited.com

Syngenta – greencastonline.com

Tartan Farms LLC – tartanfarmsri.com

The Charles C. Hart Seed Co. – hartsturfpro.com

Tom Irwin Advisors – tomirwin.com

Tuckahoe Turf – tuckahoeturf.com

Turf North America Farms LLC – tnafllc.com

Turf Products Corp – turfproductscorp.com

Turf Robotics – turfroboticsllc.com

Turface Athletics – turface.com

US Playground Surfacing – USPlaygroundSurfacing.com

inaugural Mark DeWolf Memorial Golf Tournament is not just another golf outing—it’s a platform for sports field professionals to come together, network, and make a tangible difference. Inspired by the indominable spirit of Mark DeWolf, participants will be teeing off for a purpose, as proceeds will benefit NE-SFMA’s scholarship and benevolent fund.

This new tournament will be held at Brookmeadow Country Club in Canton, MA. A championship 18-hole public course, Brookmeadow’s par 72 course offers an interesting and challenging golf experience for all skill levels.

Gratitude to our commercial partners who have stepped up to support the mission of this tournament, as well as the players who have signed up to date. If you don’t play golf, you can grab a seat in the gallery (heckling encouraged) and stick around for the barbecue lunch!

Everyone who joins in can take pride in knowing that their contributions will directly impact the next generation of sports field professionals. NE-SFMA scholarships and grants will provide aspiring students with access to education and training, while the benevolent fund will offer support to industry professionals facing unforeseen hardships. •

YOUR CALENDAR

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

8:00 a.m.

Mark DeWolf Memorial Golf Tournament

Brookmeadow Country Club – Canton, MA

Thursday, July 25, 2024

UConn Turfgrass Field Day Plant Science Research Facility – Storrs, CT

Thursday, October 3, 2024

8:00 a.m.

MALCP/NE-SFMA Golf Tournament

Butter Brook Golf Club – Westford, MA

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Fall Sports Field Forum College of the Holy Cross – Worcester, MA

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Facility Tour & Annual Meeting

The TRACK at New Balance – Boston, MA

LOOKING AHEAD…

March 4 – 6, 2025 New England Regional Turfgrass Conference Providence, RI

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

NE-SFMA Annual Awards Meeting Providence, RI

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

Kristen Arel

Mainely Grass – Bedford, NH

Conor Ashe

Ashe Turf Services LLC – Millis, MA

Austin Deignan City of Worcester – Worcester, MA

Luke Farrell

Roger Williams University – Bristol, RI

Melissa Gugliotti Syngenta – Kennebunk, ME

Sean Kennedy

Helena Agri-Enterprises – Hatfield, MA

Jeremiah Pearson

Town of Falmouth – Falmouth, MA

Coady Skitt

King Philip Regional School District Norfolk, MA

Jorge Solano

City of Worcester – Worcester, MA

Ian Spencer

R. C. Mahar Regional School – Orange, MA

NERTC

A Great Success

Congratulations to NERTF on a very successful 27th annual New England Regional Turfgrass Conference (NERTC) held in Providence, Rhode Island, March 5 – 7, 2024. NE-SFMA is honored to support this important regional event and are especially grateful to Mike Buras, CSFM and Ben Polimer, who represent NE-SFMA on the Foundation’s board of directors.

NERTF Executive Director Gary Sykes reports that the educational sessions were well-received and delivered great value to those in attendance. Tuesday’s seminar set record for attendance with 884 seats sold in seminars. Overall, attendance was up over 2023 with more than 1800 total conference and show registrations. The 350-booth trade show was jam packed with new equipment, products, and services for sports field management professionals.

“My report is very positive,” said Gary. “The conference and show are doing well and are in good health due to the industry’s resurgence…and because of your support either as an exhibitor, a speaker, a sponsor, or as an attendee. The results will be that the foundation will be able to expand its research and education support to the universities.”

•

The next NERTC will be held March 4 – 6, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island.

If you have recommendations for conference topics or speakers, please reach out to Gary at gsykes.nertf@gmail.com. For more information about the foundation visit NERTF.org.

Celebrating Sports Field Management!

NE-SFMA’s annual Awards Meeting and Lunch at the NERTC in Providence was a great success! More than 100 members reconnected with friends, celebrated colleagues, and learned about the new direction that will move the association, and the industry, forward.

President Chris McGinty welcomed the group and thanked sponsor, Tom Irwin, for their generous support. He also thanked his fellow hard-working board members. PresidentElect Art Goodhind gave an impressive overview of the association’s strategic planning process and long-range goals (see page 14).

Tom Barry followed Art’s presentation with a rundown of what’s in store for 2024. Highlights include the new Mark DeWolf Memorial Golf Tournament; Fall Sports Field Forum at Holy Cross; and the Annual Meeting featuring a tour of the New Balance Track & Field facility. He also underscored the association’s continued focus on giving back with scholarships and grants; as well as elevating the profession with education and BMPs for New England.

Congratulations to 2024 Sports Field Manager of the Year, James DeLong of the Town of Woburn, MA, and Commercial Partner of the Year Patrick Maguire of Activitas. •

3. Ryan

George Tolman, UMass sophmore, with a $1000 scholarship. (Ryan noted that he received this scholarship himself back in 2007.)

4. 2024 Board of Directors sporting their NE-SFMA

Andrew Carlise, CGM, Scott Lagana, Ryan Bjorn, Art Goodhind, Adam Ferrucci, Brendon Connor, Tom Barry,

PHOTO 1. Longtime friend, Ed Olsen (right) presented Jim “Snookie” DeLong with the 2024 Sports Field Manager of the Year award.

PHOTO 2. Commercial Partner of the Year Patrick Maguire accepts his award from NE-SFMA board member Ben Polimer.

PHOTO

Bjorn presents

PHOTO

hats (l-r):

CSFM, Chris McGinty, Ian Lacy (missing: Ben Polimer).

Association Announces New Name

New England Sports Field Management Association

The following are excerpts from President-Elect Art Goodhind’s comments during the Awards Meeting on March 6, 2024 in Providence, RI, where he announced exciting new initiatives for the association.

“Over the course of the past year, our group has been working hard to keep in rhythm as the world changes around our association. In the strategic planning process, we have been mindful to uphold our mission, our values, and our vision. We have reflected on what we do, and how we do things to bring the greatest value to our members and our industry.”

“Today we see an opportunity for a new direction and are excited to announce a new brand:

• A brand that welcomes everyone in sports field management.

• A brand that accurately reflects our profession as keepers of natural grass fields and synthetic turf.

• A brand that aligns. Alignment not just for the sake of alignment, but alignment for the purpose of recognition by those outside of our group. Presenting a brand that identifies nationally but preserves our independence locally.”

“My call to action for all of you is to celebrate our new direction!

• Be a champion

• Be a champion for you

• Be a champion for the next generation

• Be a champion of your association: participate, give back, and have fun!

What we do is recognized and valued well beyond the walls of this room.”

NE-SFMA announces the launch of our new Sports Field Forum, a premier event dedicated to advancing education and facilitating powerful connections in sports field management.

• Learn from leading professionals in the field who will share their expertise on maintaining high-quality natural grass fields, ensuring optimal performance and safety for athletes.

• The finest natural grass facilities for college football, baseball, and soccer are found at Holy Cross. Tour these outstanding fields, as well as their state-ofthe-art athletic facilities with the professionals who expertly manage them all.

• Connect with fellow sports field professionals, industry partners, and other stakeholders to exchange ideas and foster collaboration. Talk with peers about current challenges and future trends in sports field management and athlete safety protocols..

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

John C. Sorochan, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science & Management University of Tennessee

Dr. John Sorochan is an internationally recognized leader in athletic field safety. In addition to new cultivar and species evaluation, John’s research focuses on actual athlete to surface interactions for performance and safety as well as ball to surface interactions for soccer, football, baseball and even lawn tennis. John and his team at UT, in collaboration with Michigan State University, are leading turfgrass research for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. He’ll share trend setting research results that will positively impact natural grass field management well into the future.

WHY ATTEND?

Whether you are an athletic field manager, groundskeeper, facility manager, or athletic director, NE-SFMA’s Sports Field Forum at Holy Cross College is an invaluable opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills. Stay ahead of industry trends and learn from the best, as you continue to ensure the safety and performance of your athletes and your fields. •

Participation is limited, so please be sure to sign up early at NE-SFMA.org!

UConn Turfgrass Field Day

UConn Turfgrass Field Day is held on a biennial basis to highlight the wide range of research projects currently taking place at the UConn Plant Science Research Facility in Storrs, CT. The event is hosted by UConn Turfgrass Science faculty, staff, and graduate students. This year, the Turfgrass Field Day will be held on Thursday, July 25, 2024 ,in Storrs, CT and will continue the tradition of showcasing ongoing research and afternoon educational sessions.

Turf practitioners and their associates can meet and visit with UConn staff throughout the day. The event also provides the continued tradition of a dedicated exhibit area of turfgrass professionals and industry representatives to showcase their business, products, and equipment. All registrants will have the opportunity to enjoy continental breakfast, a hearty lunch, and UConn ice cream.

Current UConn research includes studies on autonomous mowers and turfgrass health; biostimulants as a tool for turfgrass health; optimizing the use of biofungicides to reduce brown patch; cultivation and fertility impacts to dollar spot severity; and evaluation of turfgrasses included in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) and low input variety evaluations as part of the Alliance for Sustainable Turf (A-LIST) Program. •

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

2024 SPORTS FIELD MANAGER OF THE YEAR!

JAMES H. D e LONG

Parks Superintendent City of Woburn, Massachusetts

How did you get your start in sports field management?

Around 1980 while I was coaching baseball and football, I took on the challenge of repairing the Woburn Athletic Fields that were falling into disrepair. My brother John and good friend John Day joined me in this effort.

Where did you go from there?

I have worked for the City of Woburn for 52 years. In my early years, I was an equipment operator and had a background in landscaping and farming. As a life-long Woburn resident, I have always considered myself lucky to work close to home and to be able to help remedy some of Woburn’s challenges.

What do you like best about your current position?

The biggest challenge in my position is to get young people involved in hard work and to show them how rewarding it can be. I feel fortunate to have had as many as 200 men and women work for me over the years who have gone on to be very successful in their vocations. They tell me it was their best professional experience. Today, I have a full-time crew who work with me every day: Steve Miele (35 years); Eric Scalesse (30 years); Jim DeLong (15 years); Dan Kiernan (10 years); and Mike O’Reilly (5 years).

Who are your mentors in the sports field management profession?

My mentors in the industry were Allie Wall, my old Woburn Superintendent of DPW and Woburn-resident Al Forester from Boston’s Fenway Park. My present-day guys are Brian Luccini from Tom Irwin Co. and Ed Olsen from Town of Needham, MA.

What advice would you share with people starting out in sports field management today?

If you dedicate yourself, you’ll find it so rewarding because you can always see results and progress.

What is the next game-changer you see on the horizon for the sports field industry?

Technology is a game-changer, but I believe that it doesn’t take over hard work, especially with equipment. I hope that young men and women will continue to take a big interest in our profession because it is a great industry.

Any industry-related volunteer service you’d like to share?

In Woburn, we have been involved in as many as 15 community events and fundraisers that make our city a great place to raise a family. I am a 30-year member, and two-term President, of our Kiwanis Club.

What’s your most useful piece of equipment?

As a dinosaur in the industry, my most useful equipment is my faithful tractor with my combo plane attachment. It’s truly magical at getting the work done!

Can you share a bit about your family life and what you enjoy doing in your free time?

My wife Diane and I have been married for 43 years. Our family includes our son Jim who works with me, our daughter Julie, son-in-law Mark, and grandkids Lukas and Charlee. I love playing golf with all my friends from 50 plus years ago.

James DeLong had a great showing of family and friends when he received the Sports Field Manager of the Year Award!

What have you found most beneficial about being a NE-SFMA member?

Being in NE-SFMA is rewarding because of the networking and the help with procurement of equipment, goods, and services. Membership makes life easier for everyone involved.

NE-SFMA’s Board of Directors and members wish Jim all the best in his retirement from the City of Woburn, MA. We know he’ll stay an active member of our professional community. •

Strategies for Water Conservation on Sports Fields

By Ben Polimer, Field and Grounds Coordinator, Town of Weston, MA

Introduction

In the Town of Weston, MA, residents have high expectations for our athletic field surfaces. Weston residents and employees ranked the town’s sports fields in order of priority; more resources go to the high priority fields. 40 acres of our sports fields are ranked “A”. These high priority fields receive irrigation to maintain field quality and an increased agronomics maintenance program.

Site Conditions

Over the 40 acres of sports fields, all are native soil fields that host multiple sports, including soccer, lacrosse, baseball, softball, and flag football, as well as school recess activities, informal sports, and recreational gathering. The Town is fortunate to only have heavy field traffic in spring and fall. As the fields are minimally used in the summer, we use that season for field recovery. Most fields are irrigated with modern irrigation systems.

Problem

High quality playing fields are a top priority; at the same time, the Town must be fiscally responsible with our water usage. Athletic fields that are irrigated are all on portable municipal water, which is provided by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). Weston must pay for all water for irrigation purposes. Portable water costs have increased over 60% since 2017 in Weston.

Goals

• Maintain high quality sports fields with reduced water inputs.

• Protect the large investment the Town has made over the years in both the construction and maintenance of high- quality sports fields.

Steps Taken

• Since the drought in the summer of 2016, we have attempted to reduce irrigation events where possible. We have installed modern irrigation control systems and regularly use wetting agents to support water conservation efforts.

Irrigation:

• We installed smart irrigation controllers at 11 sites. These controllers are web-based, centrally controlled, and allow for remote login to change irrigation run times for each field. The “smart” system also generates daily reports on water usage and any problems from any of the systems (e.g., bad valves, broken irrigation heads).

• We also installed master valves, flow sensors, and rain/freeze sensors. These items allow for more control over each system.

• Master valves allow mainline piping to remain dry until water is needed at each field. This reduces the possibility of a mainline water break and the potential waste of water.

• Flow sensors give us “real time” water usage numbers. Flow sensors also allow the systems to prioritize water flow in each zone to maximize the watering times. Reducing the irrigation window allows watering at an optimal time for the turfgrass to efficiently use the water.

• Rain/freeze sensors stop unnecessary watering if a rainstorm happens while irrigation is scheduled.

• I also use a portable time domain reflectometer (TDR) (moisture sensor) to make educated decisions on irrigation run times. I test each field’s soil moisture level at least weekly, or before and after a rainfall event, to revise a pre-scheduled irrigation event as needed.

Wetting Agent Applications:

We apply wetting agents to our high-use fields during the summer months. These surfactant materials are marketed to maximize turfgrass health, hardiness, performance, stress tolerance, and field quality. These materials allow water to enter the soil profile more easily, enabling the distribution of moisture to be more consistent and available for a longer duration to the turfgrass plant. This maximizes the effectiveness of each irrigation event, as well as natural rainfall when it occurs, and can be confirmed when I use my TDR to check the soil moisture of each field.

Results

Though it is difficult to measure a significant reduction in water usage year to year, due to the variability of rainfall, summer heat, and humidity, it is clear that we are using water more efficiently than in previous years. We appreciate the ability to adjust systems remotely. The sensors work to reduce pointless overwatering. There is little water waste from pre-scheduled irrigation events that might occur during a natural rainfall event, as the sensors override the irrigation event. We have seen no large-scale system failures that would potentially waste water. During the drought in the summer of 2022, we saw the use of wetting agents reduce

the need for daily watering when municipal water restrictions were put in place. Drought-stressed sports fields recovered more quickly with the use of the wetting agent. Please note that both the irrigation systems upgrades, and the use of wetting agents are not a substitute for sound, science-based agronomics.

What We Learned

Of course, each growing season has unique challenges for maintaining active turfgrass growth to sustain safe playing surfaces of our sports fields. Using irrigation to supplement natural rainfall as efficiently as possible is critical. Yet irrigation will never fully replace natural rainfall for turf health and the natural recovery to drought stress. Water conservation is part of the turf manager’s role as a steward of the environment.

Conclusion

We will continue to adjust our agronomic programs each year. This includes making sure our irrigation systems are working as efficiently as possible and reviewing the newest wetting agent technology. Both are tools in the toolbox for the sports turf manager to provide safe, playable sports fields.

NE-SFMA’s BMPs for New England and case studies are available to current members at no charge. Members are invited to visit NE-SFMA. org to download a digital copy. There are a limited number of printed copies available for the cost of shipping and handling. Contact NE-SFMA to request a copy. •

PHOTO 1. Spraying sports field complex.

PHOTO 2. Checking irrigation head performance.

PHOTO 3. Installation of a flow sensor, master valve, and snap valve.

PHOTO 4. Taking moisture readings with a TDR.

All photos courtesy of the author.

3. Control Root Related Stresses in the Spring and Fall

• Soil pH – maintain pH between 6.0 and 7.0 because root growth and root activity is limited below pH 5.5 and above pH 7.5.

By Dr. J. Scott Ebdon , University of Massachusetts

W Improving Turfgrass Drought Survival

hen rainfall is insufficient and water resources become limited, supplemental irrigation is often required to sustain turf growth. Under rainfall deficit conditions, irrigation of landscape plantings such as turf is often among the first activities to be placed on water use restrictions. Under such restrictions professional turfgrass managers are required to maintain functional and high-quality turf with less water.

Water conservation strategies are routinely practiced in the semi-arid and arid regions such as the desert southwest. These strategies include (i) incorporating water-use efficient plant material into the landscape, (ii) implementing water conserving management practices, and (iii) maximizing irrigation efficiency by controlling leaching, pooling, or ponding of irrigation water, and surface water runoff.

Management Tips to Improve Turfgrass Drought Survival:

1. Mowing and Nutrition

Mow at the high end of a species’ (and cultivar’s) recommended mowing height range (2 to 3 inches) to encourage shading of the soil surface, deeper rooting, and drought survival. Apply nitrogen judiciously, low to moderate levels of fertilizer nitrogen (with at least 30% slow-release nitrogen) are preferred. Fertilization should be avoided on non-irrigated turf during drought. Avoid excessive levels of nitrogen that encourage rapid shoot growth rates (and water use rates), succulent tissues (which are more drought sensitive), and to avoid nitrogen-induced reductions in rooting depth and numbers. A moderate green color is healthier and preferred to dark green color. In the fall ensure adequate phosphorus and potassium levels (based on soil test) to encourage drought recovery. Where no potassium deficiency is indicated, potassium levels should be approximately 50 to 75% of the nitrogen applied.

2. Water Intelligently

Apply water only as fast as it can enter the soil surface to avoid surface runoff and puddling, apply only as much that can be reasonably stored in the root zone to avoid leaching. Water to the depth of the root zone! Inspect the soil for rooting depth by any means available (garden trowel, shovel, soil probe). Most turfgrass species require 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. For low traffic sites where wear tolerance is not critical, schedule irrigation events to allow for mild to moderate stress (wilting indicated by leaf roll/fold symptoms) to occur between irrigation events to maximize rooting and drought survival. Avoid excessive irrigation that encourages succulent tissues, depletion of soil oxygen important for root activity, and to avoid soggy conditions that can intensify soil compaction. In the fall, control conditions that reduce soil infiltration rates such as soil compaction, thatch, and hydrophobic soils that reduce irrigation efficiency.

• Compaction – manage compaction to maximize rooting potential by maintaining optimum aeration (soil oxygen content), gas exchange (to limit toxic CO2 levels), and to minimize water logging and prolong soil wetness.

• Apply Herbicides Intelligently – preemergence herbicides are more toxic to roots than to shoots (hence: turfgrass shoots may be unaffected while root activity is severely reduced). A herbicide should be applied only as needed and according to label directions. Spot treat for broadleaf weeds when possible to limit stress and avoid blanket applications when air temperatures exceed 85 degrees F.

• Thatch – manage thatch to keep levels below 1/2 inch in order to promote deeper rooting into the soil and to limit rooting that is confined to the thatch. Thatch generally has poor nutrient and water holding characteristics.

Brown/Straw Colored (Dormant) Lawn-Turf Strategies:

Under prolonged periods (2 to 4 weeks) of little or no water (precipitation, irrigation) grasses will cease to grow, and shoots and root will die back, resulting in a straw-colored turf. However, perennial parts of the plant including crown tissues (located near or at the soil surface) and nodes located on lateral stems (rhizomes and stolons) are still active and capable of regenerating new shoots and roots at the first significant rainfall. Recovery and green-up from normal summer dormancy with rain and cooler weather may take two weeks or more before 100% green-up is obtained. Following extended periods of dormancy (45 to 60+ days) with little or no rainfall, only 70% recovery may be possible. If a high quality and functional turf is your goal, drought induced dormancy can be avoided by timely watering and proper management as previously outlined.

Additional Strategies for Dormant Turf:

• Mowing – don’t mow unless absolutely necessary to reduce stress; mow high and infrequently; avoid mowing mid-day, late afternoon and early morning are preferred; use a sharp mower!

• Fertilization – consider a drought fertilization program in the fall to enhance recovery; superior root and stem development (rhizome and stolon) is critical for recovery and low nitrogen and high potassium rates are helpful (i.e., 15-0-30 type or similar analysis); avoid straight nitrogen applications.

• Irrigation – if irrigation cannot be applied properly and on a timely basis it is preferred to allow the turf to enter dormancy (buds associated with crowns and lateral stems are extremely drought hardy); unirrigated turf in a dormant state produces a healthy turf in a short time after drought ceases; watering improperly during drought-induced dormancy accelerates depletion of carbohydrate reserves which reduces droughtrecovery potential.

• Pest Problems – inspect for disease (summer patch) and insects (chinch bugs) on a regular basis which may go undetected when the turf is dormant and not actively growing; weed pressure and numbers may increase which compete for limited soil moisture, reduce herbicide usage (spot treat for weeds) during dormant periods.

• Renovations – consider renovations in the fall if droughtrecovery is poor or thatch levels are excessive (1.0 inch). •

K WEATHER WEATHER APPS DECISIONS and

Let’s Make the Most of Both!

By Brad Jakubowski, Assistant Teaching Professor, Center for Turfgrass Science, Penn State University

eeping an eye on the weather is something professional turfgrass managers have ingrained into our systems. Can I mow today? We check our phones for the most recent forecast. Should I spray today? We monitor dewpoints, humidity and temperatures. Will I pull the tarp prior to today’s game? We study the weather radar. There is a tremendous amount of weather information out there and nearly all of us have some form of a weather app on our phones, or a link to our favorite weather website, to help us make day-to-day management decisions. Let’s take a journey, to see what is out there and what information will help us make the best weather-based decisions possible.

Which app is the best?

Honestly, there is no one best app. It is important to find an app or a number of apps that provide you the most reliable and quickly available information. Basic Information that is important to have available with the least number of clicks would be: High and Low Temperatures (including overnight lows), Dewpoint, Relative Humidity, and ShortTerm Weather forecasts. Intermediate information includes: Radar (Base and Composite Reflectivity), Satellite Imagery, and Severe Weather (especially lightning). Advanced information would be: Echo Tops, Vertically Integrated Liquid, Digital Storm Accumulation and Forecast Discussion.

Basic Information

When looking for basic information, it is best to have most or all important data on the first screen, or within one or two clicks from the first screen. That is often a good way to judge how well your app will benefit you over time. As an example, The National Weather Service includes much of the basic data (Figure 1). At a glance, you can get a good idea of what is happening now and what will happen in the immediate future. High and low temperatures provide a quick mental image of how the day (and night) may influence your maintenance plans. Winds, dewpoint and relative humidity provide a quick insight on irrigation requirements, disease potential, and infield skin management requirements.

It is beneficial to see both relative humidity and dewpoint together. Viewing only either limits your view of the big picture. For example, a relative humidity of 95% with dewpoints near 70 degrees indicate that less time may be spent scouting for wilt and instead used scouting for diseases. The same relative humidity with dewpoints under 30 may indicate a majority of the day may be dedicated for scouting wilt or watering an infield skin.

Figure 1: Weather.gov basic data

TEAM

• De-compaction of Infill

• Deep Grooming

• Rejuvenation

• Magnetic Sweep

• Vacuuming

• Surface Cleaning

• Rotary Brushing

• Add Infill

• Seam Repair

• G-Max Testing

Program

The Hourly Forecast –The Turf Manager’s Secret Weapon!

The Hourly Forecast on Weather.gov (Figure 2) is the turf manager’s secret weapon. In one image, a turf manager can make plans for multiple issues and tasks. For Example, The Heat Index: potential high heat indexes aids in planning for employee safety; Temperature and Dewpoint: Matched high overnight dewpoints and temperatures means extended leaf wetness and high disease potential. They also indicate heavy dew until at least 8am, which may require a syringe cycle to limit mower clumping, or to make sure greens are whipped post-cut; Wind Speed and Direction (Surface Wind): predicted light southerly winds meaning even higher probability for disease potential and dew, as well as for good spraying conditions in the early morning, but gusts in the teens starting around 11am; Relative Humidity: indicates conditions will be wet early, but dry quickly throughout the day; Sky Cover: indicates it will be partly cloudy throughout the day providing some relief, while Precipitation Potential indicate a 50% chance of rain throughout the day.

Intermediate Information

When making game-time decisions such as tarp pulls, or field evacuations, due to severe weather, radar becomes an important tool. There are numerous good weather radar apps available. Many are free, some require an annual fee of $US 10 to 50. Many of the fee-based apps offer expanded functionality, precision and overall quality of information. Regardless of cost, radar app selection should prioritize the type of reflectivity the radar images are based upon. There are two types: Base Reflectivity and Composite Reflectivity. Each time a radar transmitter spins, it sends out a microwave ‘sweep’ at different elevations to get a complete picture of all atmosphere elevations. A Base Reflectivity image represents only a single sweep of the radar transmitter. This means that near the transmitter the radar ‘sees’ is low in the storms and as distance increases the beam rises and can overshoot the core of heavier precipitation. Many High-Resolution (Hi-Res) radar images feature only Base Reflectivity sweeps.

Composite Reflectivity stitches together all elevation scans, in order, to create an image that represents a more complete picture of an incoming storm. These are often lower-resolution images and may be more pixelated. Figures 3 and 4 are of the same storm with the former being a Base Reflectivity image and the latter a Composite Reflectivity image.

Figure 5 shows the different reflectivity options you may have within a radar app, and again illustrates not all radar imagery is the same. So, when trying to make critical game-time decisions, a radar image using Base Reflectivity may grossly underestimate the significance of an incoming storm. When selecting a radar app, be sure investigate the types of radar images it provides, and be prepared to spend a few dollars for radar that will prove worthwhile in the future.

Satellite Imagery

There are numerous Satellite Imagery options as well. They provide visible cloud cover; infrared (the most common that we see), moisture content; and all-in-one maps that include a combination of radar, infrared, and weather station models to tell a complete weather story. Satellite images can give you a broader perspective of how the weather is behaving on a wider, more continental, scale. The images and loops illustrate air flow, cloud and moisture movement and overall dynamics of frontal systems. These large-scale images and video loops can help in longer-term planning. They can aid in project preparation and used as a tool to help protect fields when communicating with administrators that may be considering additional unexpected events during non-use days. It is useful to compare these images with regular weather maps to get a good working knowledge of fronts and changing weather systems.

Figures 3 (Top) & 4 (Bottom)

Figure 2:

Figure 5

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Severe Weather

Lightning is the most critical facet of severe weather for sport turf managers. In 2022, one in five people struck by lightning were engaged in an outdoor sporting activity. Having an app that can provide you lightning information instantly or within a click on your phone is important. The lightning information from the WeatherBug app for Figure 6 only required a short scroll down and a single click. An old AM radio is also good to have on-hand as a back up lightning detector. Significant increase in crackles and static transmitted across AM radio bands are dependable indicators of lightning activity in the area. Old School!

Advanced Information

As we work towards becoming more proficient with understanding weather and being able to make better weatherbased decisions, we find more advanced tools to help us. Echo Tops or Cloud Height is another function to help us assess the intensity of an oncoming storm. An Echo Top measures the overall height of a storm, which is an indicator of the strength of storm updrafts. Stronger updrafts make convective wind gusts and large hail more likely.

When several storms are on radar, the Echo Tops tool can point out the more severe storms and the direction they are travelling (Figure 7). This can be valuable information to report to the front office when asked about making a call on a game or whether the conditions will be safe to conduct a last-minute tarp pull. Another tool to assess the strength of a storm is Vertically Integrated Liquid (VIL). The VIL index measures how much water is being transported vertically throughout a storm cloud and is another indicator of a storm’s updraft strength. Taller updrafts tend to have higher values of VIL and are more likely to produce hail.

One more tool that can be used to help determine the total accumulation of a precipitation event is Digital Storm Accumulation. By allowing you to assess discrete accumulations over short periods of time, this tool may help you determine whether or not to pull a field cover for a particular rain event. Saving time and energy that could be used elsewhere and avoid unnecessary delays. This tool may also aid in determining the potential of a flash flood event in your area.

Summary

Technological advancements afford us incredibly convenient tools and information apps that support worker and clientele safety while improving our maintenance, irrigation, pest management, and playability decision-making. Take advantage of this opportunity by investigating these different apps and functions. Poll your colleagues, service providers, and blogs/forums to best experiment and discover what works best for you and your facility. •

Figure 6

Figure 7