Summer 2020 • Vol. 9/No. 3
Postemergence Control of Crabgrass and Other Summer Annual Grasses in Turf Engineered Infield Soils – Field of the Future? Crisis Turfgrass Management
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Vol. 9 / No. 3 • Summer 2020
10
Publisher: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge St. • Franklin, TN 37064 Phone: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 info@leadingedge communications.com Pennsylvania Turfgrass Editor Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. Penn State University • mjs38@psu.edu Pennsylvania Turfgrass Associate Editor Heather Welch Penn State University • hgw1@psu.edu President Pete Ramsey Masonic Villages • Mechanicsburg, PA (717) 766-2511 Vice President Tom Fisher Wildwood Golf Club • Allison Park, PA (412) 518-8384 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Catalogna Harrell’s LLC Territory Manager (412) 897-0480 Past President Chase Rogan GCSAA Field Staff • Mid-Atlantic Region Allison Park, PA (614) 241-3037
18
Directors
Features
Departments
10 Cover Story
6 President’s Update
Postemergence Control of Crabgrass and Other Summer Annual Grasses in Turf
14 Feature Story
Crisis Turfgrass Management
18 Between the Lines
Engineered Infield Soils – Field of the Future?
4 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
6 Penn State Turf Team
Tom Bettle Penn State University Tanner Delvalle Penn State University Dan Douglas Reading Fightin Phils
7 Advertiser Index
Elliott Dowling USGA Agronomist, Northeast Region
8 Penn State News
Nick Huttie Allentown Parks and Recreation
Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: THETURFZONE.COM
Shawn Kister Longwood Gardens Tim Wilk Scotch Valley Country Club Matt Wolf Penn State University
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Summer 2020 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass
5
President’s Update
UNITED FRONT A
braham Lincoln once said, “When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” His perspective is interesting, assuming the rope is your lifeline and being at the end means that your demise is imminent. Lincoln, being an optimist and strong man of faith, was reluctant to give in to circumstances. Now we can all relate to this. Events like this rarely hit so close to home. Usually we watch someone else’s misfortune unfold on the news. Not this time. So, what does this mean for the turf industry? We will try to salvage what we can out of 2020. The pandemic didn’t stop the grass from growing. Fortunately, the lawn care industry could keep moving forward. However, golf and athletic fields are a different story. As I write this, high school, college and professional sports are up in the air. I pray that golf has reopened by the time you read this. I used to fantasize about what it would be like if my course were closed for a month so I could prepare for a reopening. It was cool for about a week, then it started to become a nightmare. Some interesting observations came out of this experience, though. It’s amazing how much turf can recover on its own. The golf course healed itself without much input. We discovered the speed at which we can accomplish routine tasks, sometimes twice as fast. Mowing with no golfers and Apple Music playing makes for a pleasant day. It’s short lived, though. I would rather see the players than see the dog park that our course has become. This is a painful reminder of how much we need each other. People talk about things getting back to normal, whatever that is. We might have a new normal. We all received a crash course in video conferencing, telecommuting and prioritizing what is most important. It is safe to say that the new normal will require us to be leaner and meaner than before. There are heartwarming stories all around us from this crisis, and the turf industry has some of its own. Early on, when the mandate of closures put the maintenance of facilities in jeopardy, leaders from across the state rallied to lobby the Governor to allow ongoing maintenance. This was a collaborative effort like I have never witnessed before. All seven superintendent chapters, Pennsylvania Superintendents Association, PTC, PGO, KAFMO, LCAP, GCSAA, NGO and the Philadelphia PGA united together for the preservation of our facilities until we could reopen. The Governor had a petition so fast it would have impressed Stormin’ Norman Schwarzkopf! Hopefully, some positive things came out of this experience that you can take forward with you. Zoom and Skype are actually useful. The swell in patriotism is always nice to see. It has given us an unprecedented time with family. It’s kind of like the snow day that never seems to end. Some couples may need a divorce attorney or an obstetrician after all of this. Remember, if it weren’t for setbacks, there would be no comebacks! Pete Ramsey PTC President
6 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
Penn State Turf Team
Jeffrey A. Borger Senior Instructor in Turfgrass Weed Management 814-865-3005 • jborger@psu.edu
Michael A. Fidanza, Ph.D. Professor of Plant & Soil Science 610-396-6330 • maf100@psu.edu
David R. Huff, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Genetics 814-863-9805 • drh15@psu.edu
Brad Jakubowski Instructor of Plant Science 814-865-7118 • brj8@psu.edu
John E. Kaminski, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-865-3007 • jek156@psu.edu
Peter J. Landschoot, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-863-1017 • pjl1@psu.edu
Ben McGraw, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass Entomology 814-865-1138 • bam53@psu.edu
Andrew S. McNitt, Ph.D. Professor of Soil Science 814-863-1368 • asm4@psu.edu
Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass Nutrition / Soil Fertility 814-863-1015 • mjs38@psu.edu
Al J. Turgeon, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Turfgrass Management aturgeon@psu.edu
Wakar Uddin, Ph.D. Professor of Plant Pathology 814-863-4498 • wxu2@psu.edu
Advertiser Index
Aer-Core, Inc.............................................. 5 www.aer-core.com
Coombs Sod Farms................................ 13 www.coombsfarms.com
Covermaster, Inc..................................... 13 www.covermaster.com
East Coast Sod & Seed.......................... 17 www.eastcoastsod.com
Fisher & Son Company, Inc...................... 3 www.fisherandson.com
FM Brown’s & Sons................................... 7 www.fmbrown.com
Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization (KAFMO)............................ 19 www.kafmo.org
Kesmac..................................... Back Cover www.brouwerkesmac.com
Mike Kachurak
Leading Edge Communications............. 17
ISA Certified Arborist PD-2739A
www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com
Progressive Turf Equipment Inc............... 5 www.progressiveturfequip.com
Quest Products Corp.............................. 15 www.questproducts.us
Seedway.................................................... 9
334 South Henderson Road King of Prussia, PA 19406
Office 610.265.6004 Cell 570.262.3612 mikek@shreinertreecare.com www.shreinertreecare.com
www.seedway.com
Shreiner Tree Care..................................... 7 www.shreinertreecare.com
The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council (PTC) 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, Pennsylvania Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise,
Smith Seed Services................................. 7 www.smithseed.com
the appearance of advertisers, or PTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Copyright © 2020 by the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council. Pennsylvania Turfgrass, is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to PTC members. Presorted standard
The Turfgrass Group.....Inside Front Cover www.theturfgrassgroup.com
postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Pennsylvania Turfgrass, allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to the PTC. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising:
Tomlinson Bomberger............................. 17 www.mytombom.com
For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge St., Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
Summer 2020 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass
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Penn State News
2020 PTC SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Paige Alcorn
Devin Schnupp
Evan Vanyo
Somerset, PA
Lititz, PA
Meadville, PA
One sentence on how you became interested in turf: I met Dianne Petrunak at a Penn State open house where she told me about the turfgrass program, and I decided to apply.
One sentence on how you became interested in turf: Working with my father who owns a 34-year-old lawn care business that specializes in lawn applications.
One sentence on how you became interested in turf: I didn’t think my old major was for me, so I spent a summer working with Tom Bettle at the Valentine Turf Res. Center and fell in love.
All the turfgrass facilities where you’ve worked or interned: Valentine Turf Res. Center, Medlar Field, Mystic & Shepherd’s Rock GC at Nemacolin, Winfield United Prof. Products
All the turfgrass facilities where you’ve worked or interned: My father’s lawn care business, Beaver Stadium Grounds Crew
All the turfgrass facilities where you’ve worked or interned: Valentine Turf Res. Center, Oakmont CC
Your professional plans after graduation: I have accepted a fulltime position at my father’s lawn care business
Your professional plans after graduation: I have accepted a fulltime position at Oakmont CC and plan to continue learning
Your professional plans after graduation: I plan on attending graduate school in a turfgrass related program
ALUMNI UPDATES Matthew Herrmann (Cert. ’15) is now superintendent of Green Valley CC in Lafayette Hill, PA.
Will McNeal (BS ’13) is now superintendent of Manor CC in Rockville, MD.
8 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
SAVE THE DATE Kyle Patterson (BS ’15) is now Sports Turf Foreman, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta.
November 17–19, 2020 Penn State Golf Turf Conference
Penn State News / Research Update
Combining urea-N & petroleum-derived spray oil (PDSO) for semi-monthly treatment of creeping bentgrass greens and fairways. By Nathaniel Leiby (BS ’18, current MS AGRO candidate) and Max Schlossberg, PhD., Penn State University Center for Turfgrass Science
A
mmonia volatilization of foliarly-applied nitrogen (N) fertilizer from turfgrass is deleterious to both the environment and the original agronomic objective. Current BMPs mitigate some loss, but circumstances specific to putting green and fairway management often preclude their implementation. Our research objective is to quantify how foliar application of commercially available petroleum-derived spray oil (PDSO), Civitas PreM1xed (8.5 oz. per 1000 ft2), and/or urea-based N influences canopy quality, and fertilizer-N recovery or loss from creeping bentgrass putting greens and fairways. To quantify 24-hour fertilizer-N ammonia loss, closed-flux chambers were installed immediately following 0.15 lbs N (putting green) or 0.2 lbs N per 1000 ft2 (fairway) treatment applications in July and Sept. 2019. Monthly clipping yields were collected to quantify vigor and fertilizer-N recovery, while semi-weekly use of a multispectral radiometer facilitated canopy dark green color index (DGCI) determination. First year data shows significantly increased bentgrass vigor when urea-based fertilizers were applied in combination with PDSO. Similarly, plots treated with ureaN and PDSO combinations demonstrated increased fertilizer-N recovery. Fertilizer-N ammonia loss 0- to 24-hours following application ranged from 1 to 5% (putting green) or 6% (fairway), depending on urea-N source. Finally, when pooled across urea-N sources, plots treated with PDSO displayed significantly higher DGCI values. Barring very different outcomes in 2020, this thesis will confirm previous PSU research showing improved bentgrass nutrition results from described PDSO treatment. Regarding foliar treatment of putting greens and mitigation of ammonia loss in the meantime, the authors recommend urea be combined with either urease inhibitor or PDSO. Further explanation and guidance forthcoming! Summer 2020 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass
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Cover Story
POSTEMERGENCE CONTROL OF CRABGRASS and Other Summer Annual Grasses in Turf By Pete Landschoot, Ph.D., Professor of Turfgrass Science, Penn State
D
uring late spring and summer, summer annual grasses can be an unsightly weed problem in many Pennsylvania lawns, sports fields, and golf course fairways and roughs. Reasons for severe infestations include high seed populations in soil, thin turf canopies allowing space for weeds to grow, mistimed preemergence herbicide applications, and premature breakdown of preemergence herbicides. Once summer annual grasses begin to emerge, they generally grow faster than cool season turfgrasses and will gradually take over large sections of turf. If not controlled before producing seed, another large weed crop will emerge the following year. The most common summer annual grasses likely to infest turf in Pennsylvania include crabgrass, goosegrass, and foxtail species. Other summer annuals that may be problematic in certain areas are barnyardgrass and Japanese stiltgrass. Seeds of summer annual grasses don’t all germinate at the same time; instead, germination and seedling emergence is staggered over several weeks or months. This timing mechanism ensures that a late frost or some other weatherrelated event won’t kill off the entire population. Depending on where you live in Pennsylvania, you may see crabgrass seedlings emerging from mid-April to mid-July. Also, seed of various species of summer annual grasses germinate at 10 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
different times of the growing season. For example, goosegrass seed usually germinates and emerges 3 to 4 weeks later than crabgrass. The long germination/emergence period makes control of summer annual grasses challenging. The most effective means of controlling summer annual grasses is through cultural measures that create a dense turf and applications of preemergence herbicides. When these measures fail, postemergence herbicides can be used. Postemergence control of crabgrass and other summer annual grass weeds involves the use of products that kill growing plants after they have appeared in the turf. Postemergence herbicides can be used to treat only those areas where summer annual grass weeds have emerged. Preemergence herbicides, on the other hand, are usually applied over the entire turf area since the applicator does not know where seeds are located, or if they are present.
Postemergence Herbicides for Control of Summer Annual Grasses Dithiopyr is mainly used as a preemergence herbicide, but products containing this active ingredient (Dimension 2EW, Dimension Ultra 40WP, Dithiopyr 40WSB, and others)
have information on labels concerning early postemergence control of crabgrass. When used alone on cool season turfgrasses, dithiopyr can provide postemergence control of crabgrass prior to tillering and when plants have fewer than 5 leaves. Dithiopyr does not provide postemergence control of goosegrass. Some dithiopyr product labels allow for mixing with other postemergence herbicide products, such as Acclaim Extra, for control of crabgrass up to the 3-tiller stage. Most cool season turfgrasses are tolerant of dithiopyr, but product labels caution against use on certain cultivars of creeping bentgrass and fine fescues. Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl is a postemergence herbicide that controls tillered crabgrass and other summer annual grasses with a single application. Products containing fenoxapropp-ethyl (Acclaim Extra and Last Call) are labeled for control of crabgrass, goosegrass, barnyardgrass, foxtail species, Japanese stiltgrass, and panicum species. Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl is relatively safe on most cool season turfgrasses but may injure some Kentucky bluegrass cultivars, especially at high temperatures. Rates of Acclaim Extra range from 3.5 to 39 fl oz/acre, with suggested use rates increasing as the number of tillers on summer annual grasses increase up to 4 or 5 tillers. Efficacy of Acclaim Extra improves with the addition of a nonionic surfactant. On Kentucky bluegrass the product rate should be limited to 28 fl oz/acre per application. This herbicide should not be applied if cool season turfgrasses show signs of drought stress. Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl is less effective when tank mixed with phenoxy herbicides such as 2,4-D and MCPP but can be mixed with preemergence herbicides for improved control of crabgrass. Last Call contains fenoxaprop-p-ethyl and the non-phenoxy herbicides fluroxypyr and dicamba for control of summer annual grasses and some broadleaf weeds.
Stage of Growth and Postemergence Herbicide Applications Knowing the growth stage of the target species and the corresponding herbicide rate are important for successful postemergence control of summer annual grasses. Stage of growth can be determined by examining individual plants and observing the number of leaves on the main shoot, or how many secondary stems, called tillers, have emerged from the crown. Generally, summer annual grasses with 1 or 2 tillers are easier to control with postemergence herbicides than plants with 3 or more tillers. As the number of tillers increases, the product rate will likely increase, or a different herbicide may be needed.
Crabgrass plant treated with fenoxaprop-p-ethyl showing red and yellow coloration and necrosis of foliage 10 days after application.
Below: Stages of crabgrass vegetative growth, ranging from a newly emerged seedling with 2 leaves, but no tillers (extreme left side of photo) up to the 4-tiller stage (right side of photo). All plants were collected from the same lawn on July 5th in State College, Pennsylvania.
Because summer annual grass seedlings emerge in turf stands at different times during spring and summer, their growth stages will vary. Be sure to examine several plants in different locations of the turf stand to get an adequate assessment of plant maturity. If early in the growing season, the stand may be composed mostly of non-tillered or 1 or 2tiller plants. In this case, choosing a herbicide product and rate that provides effective control and is safe on turf may be easier. Adding a preemergence herbicide with a postemergence product early in the growing season will prevent late-germinating summer annuals from infesting the stand. Later in the summer, annual grasses may have 4 or more tillers along with some newly emerged plants. In this case, you may need to apply a herbicide at rates that will control weed plants with the higher tiller numbers. Postemergence applications at this stage of growth may require more than one application for complete control. By the time seedheads are produced in late summer, control with postemergence herbicides becomes inconsistent and not very practical.
Summer 2020 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 11
Cover Story • continued
Crabgrass and nutsedge showing white leaf tissues following application of Tenacity herbicide.
Mesotrione is the active ingredient in Tenacity herbicide and can be used as a preemergence and postemergence herbicide for controlling crabgrass, barnyardgrass, and yellow foxtail, but only provides postemergence control of goosegrass. Postemergence control of crabgrass and goosegrass is most effective when applied to young plants with fewer than 4 tillers. Repeat applications are usually necessary for complete control of summer annual grasses. Rates of Tenacity range from 5 to 8 fl oz/acre and should not exceed a total of 16 fl oz/acre over the course of the growing season. Tenacity is relatively safe on most turfgrass species, but cannot be used on bentgrass, and may cause superficial whitening of perennial ryegrass foliage. Tenacity can also control or suppress several species of broadleaf weeds, as well as creeping bentgrass, nimblewill, and nutsedge in turf. This herbicide can be used for controlling newly emerged crabgrass in new seedings of Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue. It should not be used in new stands of fine fescues. Label instructions suggest spraying only after newly emerged turfgrasses have been mowed twice, or 4 weeks after emergence. Tenacity can 12 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
be mixed with prodiamine, dicamba, triclopyr, fluroxypyr, or carfentrazone when used on established turf. It is most effective in controlling summer annual grasses when mixed with a nonionic surfactant. Susceptible weeds turn white before they die, creating a highly visible treatment effect for 2 to 3 weeks following application. Quinclorac is the active compound in Drive XLR8, Quinclorac 75DF, and several other products. This herbicide is primarily a postemergence herbicide for control of crabgrass, foxtail, and barnyardgrass, but not goosegrass. It also controls a number of broadleaf weed species in established turfgrass. It controls newly emerged (up to 1 tiller), as well as mature annual grasses with more than 4 tillers. However, this herbicide may not provide complete control of annual grasses with 2, 3, or 4 tillers. Quinclorac can also be used as a preemergence and postemergence herbicide in new turfgrass seedings. The Drive XLR8 label suggests different application intervals following emergence of specific turfgrass species. For example, tall fescue seedlings can be treated 7 days after emergence, whereas
Kentucky bluegrass should not be treated until 28 days after emergence. The label rate of Drive XLR8 is 64 fl oz/acre and should be combined with a methylated seed oil for optimum efficacy. Topramezone is the active compound of Pylex herbicide and its mode of action and systemic activity is similar to mesotrione (Tenacity). However, Pylex offers some important differences in weed species controlled or suppressed. Like Tenacity, Pylex is labeled for postemergence control of crabgrass, barnyardgrass, foxtails, and goosegrass (Pylex is particularly effective on goosegrass) in newly established or established turf. It can be applied any time before seeding, or 28 days after seeding tolerant turfgrass species. Pylex controls numerous broadleaf weed species, as well as nimblewill and dallisgrass in turf. This herbicide is also labeled for selective suppression/control of bermudagrass in cool-season turf. Unlike Tenacity, Pylex is not labeled for control of creeping bentgrass. Best postemergence control of summer annual grasses occurs when Pylex is applied to plants with fewer than 4 tillers. Rates of Pylex range from 1.0 to 1.5 fl oz/acre per application for most turf stands, but applications up to 2.0 fl oz/acre can be made on pure stands of Kentucky bluegrass. The total seasonal amount of Pylex is restricted to 4.0 fl oz/acre. It is most effective in controlling summer annual grasses when mixed with a methylated seed oil or crop oil concentrate. Susceptible weeds turn white before they die, creating a highly visible treatment effect following application. The whitening effect can be reduced somewhat when triclopyr is mixed with Pylex. The addition of triclopyr also aids in suppression /control of bermudagrass. A few other postemergence herbicides provide control of annual grasses but have limited species tolerance or use allowances. These include amicarbazone (Xonerate), fluazifop (Fusilade), MSMA products, quizalofop (Assure II), sethoxydim (Segment II), and sulfentrazone products. Be sure to carefully follow label directions when using these compounds for postemergence control of annual grasses. Summer 2020 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 13
CRISIS TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT
Feature Story
By Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech
N
othing reminds us of how fragile our lives, jobs, and relationships are until they are seriously disrupted by an unforeseen event. If you’re anywhere near my age (58) then 9/11 and 4/16 have particular significance in our lives, and Covid-19 will be another event that will be remembered for how it changed the way we do things, even in managing turfgrasses. The 2020 Pandemic has certainly impacted the turfgrass industry and its effects will continue even as/after social distancing restrictions are relaxed and public activities on our sports fields and golf courses expand and/or return. For situations where budgets and labor forces were not severely impacted by the pandemic, turfgrass managers have taken advantage of the downtime in what are typical high turfgrass use periods to complete a variety of activities/projects that otherwise would not have been possible. I have noted irrigation and drainage installations, bunker renovations, a wide variety of tree management activities, earlier than ever spring transition of ryegrass overseeding back to bermudagrass, rebuilding/renovating infield skins, pitching mounds, and batter’s boxes, etc. The only ‘slaps on the hand’ for the turfgrass managers that I have heard in these situations has been admonishments in some cases for not paying enough attention to ‘social distancing.’ However, the real world scenario for many turfgrass managers has been that they have had to be ultra-creative in managing their labor forces, not just to address social distancing guidelines, but to handle a budget that has been cut and might continue to shrink. Predicting what is going to happen for the rest of 2020 in our industry will likely be as accurate as most of our pandemic models have been to this point in time because this is such a fluid situation; it’s unchartered territory from a variety of perspectives and perceptions. However, necessity brings out the best (and sometimes worst) of human ingenuity, and quite often our management and business models will never be the same again. In listening to and observing industry peers from around the mid-Atlantic, here’s some forecasting that even if it doesn’t pan out as I think it will, should still be applicable strategies to fit most turfgrass management situations: 14 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
Site-specific management continues. This is one of the oldest and best budget saving strategies in all phases of turfgrass management. Focus management on the areas that warrant the attention because of their specialized purpose or their intensity of use. Logically it’s greens, tees, and fairways in that order on golf courses and it’s been interesting watching how superintendents are adjusting pest, fertility, and mowing strategies to deal with current and anticipated challenges in budgets and labor. Similar concepts are being applied in sports fields with an emphasis on repairing and restoring the heaviest trafficked areas, and only providing minimal maintenance on most other areas. The classic example long preached in sports field management is to emphasize turf recovery between the hashes and the 30s in the spring on football fields, even when they are being used for spring soccer. Focus on infields and hips on grassed baseball and softball facilities and minimize efforts in the outfield (except for perhaps three general locations in left, center, and right?). Many turfgrass managers have told me that budgets simply aren’t going to allow for broad-scale scheduled aeration events, even if performed ‘in house’, and a primary reason is the cost of the tines themselves. The same limitations might apply to scheduled pesticide or fertilizer applications. Adjust the areas that you are managing to those that absolutely need the attention, and return to the other areas as budgets allow. It’s been great to hear how our turfgrass industry professionals have been thinking in the big picture about how the contracted economy is going to affect everyone, including the industry sales force. But I particularly admired what one of our area’s best sales staff told me, “It’s now up to me to offer my clients alternative strategies and products that fit reduced budget and management programs. When these types of events happen, it serves as a reminder to me in my job to not take my customers for granted because at the end of the day, about the only thing that will eventually shut down turfgrass management is if you quit mowing.” Which leads me to…
Feature Story • continued
Remember that you get to manage turfgrass growth. One of the best arguments that classified most turfgrass managers as ‘essential employees’ to governmental agencies is the fact that when environmental conditions are appropriate, grass is growing. Keep it growing, but only at a level that you can properly maintain. It’s a no-brainer to reduce nitrogen inputs when trying to restrict turfgrass growth, but maintain them in areas that you are trying to improve. Raise cutting heights and reduce mowing frequency (both a sports field manager AND a golf superintendent told me they are hoping to use the necessity of raising their cutting heights at their facilities because of a limited labor force as a way to hopefully reset their clientele expectations regarding cutting heights on their sports fields and golf greens… that strategy won’t work at every facility, but might it fit yours?). And where labor availability or social distancing requirements have greatly reduced the ability to simply keep up with the mowing, the use of plant growth regulators (PGRs) has great potential. This is a case where sometimes spending a little money can save you significant money based on the economics of the cost of product and the application of a PGR vs. the cost of labor, fuel, frequency, etc. in mowing. We didn’t quite reach that point this spring, but one of our plans if we couldn’t keep enough labor to cut the grass was to suppress the growth of much of our out of use cool-season turfgrass areas at the VT Turfgrass Research Center with a low level glyphosate application.
Anticipate a surge in managed turfgrass use as social distancing requirements are lifted. It is already happening and will only continue to grow as people are very weary of shelter-in-place and can’t wait to get outdoors in social settings. The use demands on sports fields and golf turfs will grow exponentially later this summer. When revenues are to be generated by the use of the turfs, the pressure to make up for lost time to generate revenue will be immense. Some of my college sports field and parks and recreation supervisors have told me they already have coaches and supervisors anxious to get fields open for camps; these are often the largest money-making events of the year, and for some, a primary means of supplementing their salaries or funding their leagues. And in most of these cases, the sports field manager (and their budget) has a history of not receiving any supplemental pay/operating funds for the turf management of these events. It will be no different for golf courses where a huge number of tournaments will be added to a much tighter window of play than ever before. All of this is understandable in order to restore funds to the coffers, but it also is potentially catastrophic to the long-term health of the various turfgrass systems. A park and recreation facility 16 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
manager told me that “If one thought they had heavy demands for field use before, field use this summer is going to be on steroids!” Have you had discussions about this and possibly even developed a post-pandemic management plan at your facility? Do you have a plan or SOP that involves serious discussions between you as the turfgrass manager with your administration, owners, supervisors, and clientele about responsible turfgrass use patterns that generate income, but not at the expense of creating more problems? You’ve been anxiously waiting for your turfgrasses to be used, and yet this might be the biggest challenge you will face in 2020.
Take advantage of the challenges. Everyone that has been at this for any length of time always agrees that managing the turf is the easy part. One of our biggest daily challenges in our personal and professional lives is quite simply successful communication. While it’s never easy, there is great opportunity for us to use these challenging periods as a time to educate our clientele and bosses about just how amazing a natural turfgrass system is, the expertise required to manage such a system, and how it is so easy to take turfgrasses for granted. You might as well get some credit for what you do now because very soon the skill and art of turfgrass management will once again be an afterthought. Many facilities required signs to communicate regarding social distancing protocols. I suggest you continue to utilize and expand your use of on-site signs at your facility, and take advantage of ‘virtual communication’ as well by utilizing social media platforms to instruct the public about appropriate use of the facilities. You get few opportunities where the public is paying attention to your communication efforts, but you do have that chance for a short window now. A golf business model for the 2020 Pandemic that has huge upside for revenue BUT presents more challenges for the superintendent and their staff is the promotion of single cart-only golf (VT alum Mike Johnson gets credit for making me aware of this). If you track the dollars at the golf course, one of the most logical ways to generate more revenue is to increase the number of rounds. If everyone plays from a single cart, they are 1) practicing appropriate social distancing (a very key part of a successful argument for why to do this) and 2) reducing the time of a round for golfers by 25–33%. The positives: a course schedules more tee times, sells the use of more carts, and revenues increase. The negatives: walking golfers don’t fit this business model and the golf turf maintenance team has to deal with the additional traffic from the extra carts. When Mike shared this situation with me, it made me chuckle as I remembered from my first job on the golf course in central Kentucky the group we called (fondly… well usually fondly) the Old Goats (no relation to me, at that time I was a Young Goat). They were the first group off the tee in the
morning and there would be anywhere from 4 to 7 of the Goats in individual carts heading down the first fairway. I remember one of them telling me that “the day I have to
ride with someone in a cart is the last day I will play golf.” Who would have ever thought the Old Goats would actually be such trend setters in the 21st century?
Best wishes in your return to whatever normal becomes in turfgrass management for 2020!
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Summer 2020 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 17
Between the Lines
Between the Lines
Engineered Infield Soils — Field of the Future?
F
or Penn State researcher Evan Mascitti, soil mixtures for sports fields no longer need to be left to chance. “I’ve always been fascinated by how people use earth’s raw materials,” he says. “At my first groundskeeping job I became interested in the different kinds of soil we used for each area of the field. I was thrilled to discover that there’s an entire branch of science devoted to athletic field soils, which overlaps with my interest in sports.” Evan Mascitti’s work is focused on engineered soil mixtures for baseball infields. After earning his M.S. at Penn State in 2014 with a focus on thick-cut sod production, he worked for several years as a grounds manager in minor league and major league baseball before returning to graduate school. He is now pursuing his Ph.D. under Dr. Andrew McNitt.
Evan Mascitti laser grades a ball field. He will speak at the 25th Annual KAFMO/PRPS Field Conference on February 19, 2021.
What is Engineered Soil? So what exactly is an engineered infield soil? Mascitti explains that the word “engineered” simply means that the soil mix is designed and made for a specific purpose. The mixture exhibits better properties than any of its components alone. In the case of infield soil, washed sand, clay, and sometimes calcined clay will be shredded dry, screened, and combined to result in an optimal surface underfoot. Groundskeepers have experimented with amending their infield soils since the 1870s, adding things like ash and even sawdust, but today’s mixes are much more precise. Mascitti’s research is the first academic study of the composition and production of optimized infield soil. When asked when an engineered soil would be preferable to a traditional soil mix, Mascitti says that many different factors must be weighed. “Managing the infield skin has always been an art form best learned through experience,” he says. “A skilled groundskeeper knows how his or her infield will respond to wet or dry conditions.” Installing an engineered infield soil will help the field manager maintain the infield skin at the right consistency, neither too soft nor too hard, over a wider range of water content. This keeps the field playable under diverse weather conditions, giving the facility the potential for fewer cancellations and resulting loss of revenue.
The Cost Factor Engineered soils mean a considerable investment, however. They are expensive for several reasons. First, engineered soil mixes are more costly to manufacture; each component must be separately pulverized, screened, kept dry, and then carefully mixed together. Not every supplier has the equipment or the desire to go through this process. The suppliers who do produce these mixes are few and far between, so trucking costs are also high. Ultimately, a mixed soil may cost between $50 and $200 per ton, depending on the location of the quarry and the amount of processing that is done. “Traditional” subsoil usually costs from $25–$45 per ton, including delivery.
Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization 1451 Peter’s Mountain Road Dauphin, PA 17018-9504 www.KAFMO.org • Email: KAFMO@aol.com
18 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
Contact: Linda Kulp, Executive Secretary Phone: 717-497-4154 kulp1451@gmail.com
Contact: Dan Douglas, President Phone: 610-375-8469 x 212 KAFMO@aol.com
Is the extra investment worthwhile? Mascitti recognizes that for some facilities with overall budget constraints and multiple development goals, it is simply not realistic to spend this much on infield material. But if games are routinely being cancelled due to rain, the higher cost of an engineered soil mix can be justified by the revenue which is not lost due to a cancellation. He points out that some organizations choose a gradual soil amendment approach over several seasons. Installing engineered soil can be seen as a long-term investment that will show permanent benefits over many seasons. But it is up to every individual facility to decide what approach is right for them. If the field manager and the players and coaches are happy with the performance of their existing field, there is no need to make changes.
Grounding in Reality When asked how his background led him to this area of research, Evan Mascitti credits his years of practical experience with keeping him grounded in reality. Having worked on baseball fields at all levels from park-and-rec up to the MLB helps him to focus on topics that will have a tangible impact for sports field managers, not just on arcane scientific questions which will be buried in a technical journal. He says, “I enjoy using the scientific process to solve problems that many of us in the sports turf world wonder about but don’t have time to investigate deeply.” He particularly
recalled a key mentor in his youth, legendary groundskeeper Paul Zwaska. His involvement with Zwaska’s Little League exposed him to soil mixing and it was Zwaska who encouraged him to continue his education. A B.S. in Geology also provides a firm basis for Mascitti’s work. His enthusiasm for the subject is obvious. “Everything we use in daily life has come from the Earth,” he says. He points out that we tend to forget that the soils we have trucked in for our infields all started out as rock. “Clay is especially hard to study because the particles are too small to see, even with the most powerful light microscope — the smallest clay particle is only 10 times the size of an atom!” To know why soils act the way they do, we need to think simultaneously on nature’s largest and tiniest scales. Soil forms from the breakdown of rocks over hundreds of millions of years. The type of parent rock and the weathering conditions determine what type of soil will form. “Geology isn’t really the study of rocks,” he concludes, “it’s the study of Earth’s history, and rocks are the pages on which the history book is written. Rocks have a lot of stories to tell if you know how to listen!” Are engineered soils the future of sports fields in general? Evan Mascitti recognizes that everything comes in cycles. However, he is convinced that the popularity of engineered soils will continue to grow. The standards for athletic field quality are much higher than in days past and the ability to play through rain and maintain a safe field at all times will benefit facilities of all levels.
SPONSORS of KAFMO’s Waddington/Harper Scholarship Fund and the Little League World Series Grounds Crew
Summer 2020 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 19
