The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association and the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association
DISTRIBUTOR OF TURF & INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT
118 Park South Court • Nashville, TN 37210 Phone: (615) 244-9871 • Fax: (615) 255-4917
BOB LADD INC. P.O. Box 820269 • Memphis, TN 38182-0269 Phone: (901) 324-8801 • Fax: (901) 324-6814
The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association and the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S JUNE/JULY 2004
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F E AT U R E D A RT I C L E S
12 17 22
Bermudagrass in Tennessee— An Update Nitrogen Fertilization on Golf Courses: A Water Quality Problem? Topdressing Sports Fields
17
D E PA RT M E N T S
4
From the President, Jeff Case
6
A Message from TVSTMA, Billy Clark
8
Green Gatherings, Summer Color Field Day
10
Turf Talk, Putting Green Rootzones
26
Turf Tips, Irrigation During Drought
28
Green Lines, Bradford Pear Trees
30
Industry News
32
Index of Advertisers
34
Calendar of Events
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
JUNE/JULY 2004
22
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FROM THE PRESIDENT JEFF CASE The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association and the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association
Tennessee Turfgrass is the official publication of The Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road Franklin, Tennessee 37069 (615) 591-8286 tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
W
hat kind of projects do you have planned for completion this year? If you’re a golfcourse superintendent, will you be renovating greens or tees? How about bunkers or cart paths? Maybe you are a landscape contractor and plan to try out a new computer program. Or, as a sports-turf manager, maybe you plan on constructing new soccer or baseball fields. If you’re a sod farm operator, will you experiment with new varieties or perhaps purchase more acreage? More than likely, whatever type of turf you manage, you will deal with issues that other turf professionals will be very interested in. After all, most of us have benefited from others’ experiences, but only if we’ve been lucky enough to hear about them. I would like to invite each of our Tennessee Turfgrass Association members to relay some of your experiences to the rest of us. It would be great to hear about your projects, big or small. Just as you’d like to know what your peers are doing, they are also interested in what’s going on with your business. So, write an article about what you’re doing and email it to Derek Oglesby (chairman of our Magazine Committee, at NARANJAGRANDE@cs.com) or to Jim Uden (TTA Executive Secretary, at tnturfgrassassn@aol.com). Of course, you can also mail or fax it in. If you prefer, we’ll get someone else to write it—just call and tell one of us what you have going on. Wouldn’t it be cool to see an article about your idea, facility, project, etc. in our fine magazine?! Some of the most interesting articles are about folks that, on most days, do the same things we do. On another thought, your Education and Trade Show Committee are already at work on the 2005 Conference. We would like to know your thoughts—positive or negative—on any aspect of the Conference and Trade Show so that we can continually improve it. Feel free to contact me or any Board member. We’ll make sure your suggestions get to the appropriate group. Jim Uden has processed several applications for members whose memberships had lapsed. Many thanks to those of you who responded, as well as to Jim and the Membership Committee, for making the Member Reclamation Plan successful. The co-chairs of that committee are Bobby Stringer, Monica Cooper and Roger Frazier. If you see or talk to any of these dedicated TTA members, please pass along your thanks for their hard work. Jeff Case TTA President
Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC P.O. Box 680142 Franklin, Tennessee 37068-0142 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com Editors Mr. Bill Blackburn Mr. Derek Oglesby Mr. Lynn Ray Mr. Jeff Rumph TTA OFFICERS President Mr. Jeff Case Quail Ridge Golf Course (901) 388-9114 Vice President Mr. Phil Luckett Brentwood Country Club (615) 370-8054 Secretary/Treasurer Mr. Bill Francis The Ridges Golf & Country Club (423) 913-2276 Executive Secretary Jim Uden (615) 591-8286 TTA 2004 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mr. Dick Breedlove Mrs. Monica Lalinde-Cooper Mr. Bill Francis Mr. Roger Frazier Mr. Bob Hogan Mr. Mickey Lovett Mr. Tommy Mittlesteadt Mr. Derek Oglesby Mr. Mitch Parker Mr. Bobby Stringer Mr. Tommy Warden Mr. Scott Wicker TTA ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Mr. Bill Blackburn Mr. Jeff Rumph Mr. Lynn Ray Dr. Tom Samples Dr. Dennis Shepard Dr. John Sorochan
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
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www.southeasternturf.com Craig Sewell, CGCS • David Hilton • Marty Mayo • Shane Lamb
A MESSAGE FROM TVSTMA
B
y now, as we find ourselves well into the 2004 sports turf season, we have identified winter weed carryovers, overseeding mistakes, etc. I don’t feel any of us are immune to adverse situations. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone in a sports-field position to get involved with interactive organizations catering to sports-field needs. Our TVSTMA chapter hosted one of these interactive events at The Nashville Sounds on April 6, 2004. Dr. A. J. Powell from the University of Kentucky was our key speaker. Dr. Powell held a lengthy presentation on establishing bermudagrass sports turf. His entire presentation allowed audience interaction with ongoing questions and comments. Allen Curtis & Tom Jordan also presented an informative session on the do’s & don’ts of irrigation. In addition, Chris Pearl, Head Groundskeeper with the hosting Nashville Sounds baseball club, held an interactive session on the baseball field, outlining his work scope pertaining to his field maintenance. At these types of sessions, questions and comments usually hit home with all of us. Even in sports-field maintenance, there are no stupid questions. We have another great interactive event scheduled for June 24-25, 2004, in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee Softball Complex. We plan to make this first-time two-day event very interactive and lots of fun. On Thursday, June 24, we will tour the UT Turfgrass Research Facility, with presentations from UT’s Dr. Tom Samples, Dr. John Sorochan and Dr. Scott McElroy. The Vendor Show and dinner will be held in late afternoon and evening. On Friday, June 25, Steve Wightman, Manager with Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA, will be our keynote speaker. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of training for baseball and softball field operations by the experts! If I seem to overuse the term “interactive,” well, that was my intention. We, as members of the TVSTMA, thrive on sports-field solutions. Come, join in and be interactive!
Billy Clark President, TVSTMA The Tennessee Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Tennessee Turfgrass Magazine, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright ©2004 by the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Tennessee Turfgrass is published bi-monthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. POSTMASTER: Send
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
JUNE/JULY 2004
change of address notification to Tennessee Turfgrass Association, 400 Franklin Road, Franklin, TN 37069. Postage guaranteed. Third-class postage is paid at Franklin, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Turfgrass allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, P.O. Box 680142, Franklin, TN 37068-0142, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
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G R E E N G AT H E R I N G S UT-Knoxville Announces the First Summer Color Field Day, JUNE 29 IN KNOXVILLE by Tom Samples, Plant Sciences Department, The University of Tennessee The First Summer Color Field Day is scheduled for Tuesday, June 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at The University of Tennessee’s Knoxville Trial Gardens. The aim of this field day is to bring together members of Tennessee’s green industry, including commercialgreenhouse growers, landscape-service professionals and designers, plant breeders, grounds managers, suppliers and Master Gardeners. Also, Tennessee professional pesticide applicator re-certification credits will be available. And, rain or shine the program will go on!
Registration (includes a catered lunch) is $25.00 until June 22, or $30.00 at the gate. An industry tradeshow with up to 36 exhibitors will be featured, along with educational walks and tours of the UT Gardens’ Summer Variety Trials. After a barbeque lunch, an afternoon educational session will feature presentations on great landscape plants and how to utilize them for multiseasonal interest. For more information or to pre-register, please call 865-974-7324.
2004 UT Gardens Summer Color Field Day Program Morning Program 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Registration/Refreshments 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Self-guided tours of UT Gardens/Industry Variety Trials 9:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks from Dr. Tim Cross and Dr. Neil Rhodes 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Industry Booths Open 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Water Testing (pH & conductivity) 10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Morning Break
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
9:30 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. Guided Walks & Tours (four running concurrently)
(in a classroom/lecture theater)
1) Industry Variety Trials, with Dr. Sue Hamilton
2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Color Theory for Landscapes
2) Weeds in Color Beds, with Dr. Darren Robinson
Afternoon Program
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Great Annuals from the UT Trials
3) Diseases & Insects in Color Beds, with Dr. Frank Hale and Dr. Alan Windham 4) Green, Green Grass, with Dr. Tom Samples and Dr. John Sorochan
Lunch with Exhibitors 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
JUNE/JULY 2004
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Refreshment Break 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Carol Reese, Guest Speaker 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Turfgrass Research Update with Dr. John Sorochan and Dr. Tom Samples
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T U R F TA L K
By Tom Samples and John C. Sorochan, Plant Sciences Department, The University of Tennessee
B
ermudagrass—an aggressive, low-growing and very persistent sod-forming turfgrass—is native to Africa. A healthy, actively growing bermudagrass turf is dense, resistant to weed invasion and capable of quickly recovering from injury. Bermudagrass plants spread by above-ground runners (stolons) and below-ground runners (rhizomes). Intolerant of shade, bermudagrass grows best in full sun. Leaves and stems become straw-brown as plants enter dormancy each fall. Although bermudagrass can adapt to soils ranging in texture from sand to clay, plants do not usually grow well in infertile, poorly drained soils. The nitrogen (N) fertility requirement of bermudagrass is high, ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 pounds of N per 1,000 square feet per growing month. Because it produces an excessive layer of thatch, bermudagrass requires routine dethatching. The species is susceptible to several patch diseases, including Rhizoctonia blight and spring dead spot.
Varieties Vegetative, clonal-type varieties of bermudagrass do not produce viable seed and must be established from sprigs, plugs or sod. Clonal bermudagrasses vary in overall quality, vertical and lateral growth rate, disease resistance and low-temperature hardiness. Capable of being maintained throughout the turfgrass “transition zone,” Midlawn, Quickstand, TifSport, Tifway II 12
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
JUNE/JULY 2004
and Vamont have improved low-temperature hardiness. Although Tifway (Tifton 419) has limited cold hardiness, it is resistant to frost and remains a popular choice for lawns, parks, fairways and tees. Tifgreen (Tifton 328), a very dense, low-growing hybrid, usually requires more intensive management than Tifway. Tifgreen is a valued lawngrass and is also maintained on several golf greens at cutting heights of 3/16-inch or less. Due, in part, to excellent heat tolerance, drought hardiness and blue-green leaf color, Tifton 10 (T-10) continues to gain popularity. Ultra-dwarf varieties (including Champion, MiniVerde and Tifeagle) are replacing Tifgreen as the variety of choice for greens. Several bermudagrass varieties do yield seed. Common bermudagrass seed is often used to establish home lawns and utility turfs in west Tennessee. The improved, common bermudagrasses Riviera and Yukon have better turfgrass quality, low-temperature tolerance, rooting and resistance to spring dead spot than common bermudagrass. Other improved, common bermudagrasses marketed in Tennessee include Mirage, Pyramid, Savannah, Sonesta and Southern Star. Although the seeded bermudagrasses grow rapidly, they do not generally produce rhizomes during the first year of establishment. For information regarding the performance of 13 clonal-type and 29 seeded-type bermudagrasses presently being evaluated in the 2002 National Bermudagrass Test conducted in 20 states, please visit the National Turfgrass Evaluation Website at http://www.ntep.org.
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BERMUDAGRASS IN TENNESSEE
CONTINUED
Table 1. Descriptions of several vegetatively propagated, clonal-type bermudagrasses. Variety (Experimental Designation)
Description
Midlawn
This slow growing, dark-green hybrid ranks high for overall turf quality, texture, density, spring greenup and spring dead spot resistance. Cold tolerance is much better than that of Tifgreen but may be less than that of Vamont. Similar in quality to Tifgreen and Tifway when maintained at a medium-high level of management intensity. Midlawn was developed by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and cooperatively released by the Kansas and Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Stations through the Kansas State University Research Foundation in June 1991.
Quickstand
Selected from an old stand of unknown origin at the Plant Material Center in Quicksand, KY, this medium-green variety establishes and spreads rapidly. Overall turf quality is similar to that of Vamont, but Quickstand has thinner leaves. The variety has good winter hardiness and demonstrates a low incidence of spring dead spot. Quickstand was released jointly in 1993 by the USDA-Natural Resources and Conservation Service [formerly, SCS, the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS)] and The University of Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station (AES).
Tifgreen (Tifton 328)
A cross between African bermudagrass and a fine-textured common bermudagrass from the fourth green on the Charlotte Country Club, Tifgreen is low-growing, rapidly spreading and disease resistant. Although Tifgreen may produce a few yellowish-green seed heads, no viable seeds are produced. Plants are forest green in color and have soft, narrow leaves. Tifgreen withstands very short (e.g., less than 3/16") mowing heights. Tifgreen was created in 1951 and released jointly in 1956 by the Georgia AES and ARS Crops Research Division.
TifSport (Tift 94)
This hybrid—one of 66 finer-textured mutants induced by gamma-radiation of Midiron—was selected for overall turf quality, tolerance to close mowing, resistance to southern mole cricket and spring greenup characteristics. TifSport is similar to Tifgreen and equal to Tifway II in turf quality. Cold tolerance allows the variety to be grown as far north as Stillwater, OK, and Lexington, KY. TifSport was cooperatively released by the USDA-ARS and the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in April 1995.
Tifton 10 (T-10)
Drought resistant and high-temperature tolerant, Tifton 10 is coarse-textured, with dark bluish-green foliage. The variety was selected for ease of establishment by stolons and overall turf quality. Tifton 10 is recommended for home lawns, parks, sports turfs and golf-course roughs. Originally collected in Shanghai, China in 1974, Tifton 10 was released in 1988 by the Georgia Coastal Plain AES and ARS.
Tifway (Tifton 37 or Tifton 419)
This chance hybrid between African and common bermudagrass will shed no pollen and set no seed. The darkgreen, disease-resistant variety spreads faster than Tifgreen, is not nearly as soft and is more resistant to sod webworm. Tifway has cold hardiness superior to Tifgreen. First found in a seed lot of African bermudagrasses from Johannesburg in the spring of 1954, Tifway was selected and cooperatively tested by the USDA, the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, and the United States and Southern Golf Associations. Tifway was released to growers of certified sprigs in 1960.
Tifway II
Tifway II has many of the same desirable characteristics of Tifway and is more resistant to root knot, ring and sting nematodes, and it is more tolerant of frost. Tifway II may green up a little earlier in the spring than Tifway. Tifway II was developed cooperatively by the USDA, SEA/AR, the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station and the Department of Energy. The variety was produced in 1971 by irradiating dormant sprigs of Tifway.
Vamont
This vigorous, medium-green bermudagrass tolerates traffic well and, because of its openness, is easily over-seeded. The region of adaptation of this winter-hardy variety extends throughout the northern transition zone. First observed in 1972 growing on a golf-course fairway, Vamont was evaluated as VPI c-1 and released to sod producers in 1980.
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
13
BERMUDAGRASS IN TENNESSEE
CONTINUED
Table 2. A description of several vegetatively propagated, ultra-dwarf bermudagrasses for golf greens.
Variety (Experimental Designation)
Company
Description
Champion
A vegetative selection from Tifdwarf collected in Texas. Often produces greater root mass than Tifeagle and has relatively low N requirement. Thatch accumulation comparable to Tifeagle.
MiniVerde
Thomas Brothers Grass / Turfgrass America
First produced in 1992, a vegetative selection from what is believed to be a mutant of Tifdwarf. Has very fine leaves, a rapid lateral growth rate, improved stand density and uniform green color.
MS-Supreme (MSB40)
Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station
Discovered growing in a Tifgreen green on the Gulf Shores Country Club, Gulf Shores, AL. Forest green in color, with a very fine leaf blade length and width, excellent aerial shoot density and a highly prostrate growth habit. Maintains uniform color under cloudy conditions in the fall. Taxonomically identified as Cynodon x magennisii.
Tifeagle
US Department of Agriculture and Georgia Agriculture Experiment Station
This sterile, fine-textured, medium-green variety is a cobalt-induced mutant of Tifway II. Grows well and displays very little purple discoloration in cool weather.
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
JUNE/JULY 2004
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BERMUDAGRASS IN TENNESSEE
CONTINUED
Table 3. Characteristics of several varieties of seeded, turf-type bermudagrasses. Variety (Experimental Designation)
Company / Agriculture Experiment Station
Color
Texture
Intended Use
Blackjack
Medium-dark
Medium
Fairways, tees, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Olsen-Fennel Seed (Desert Sun Marketing)
Blue-muda (DSM-200)
Medium
Medium
Lawns, parks and sports turfs
Desert Sun Marketing
Cheyenne
Light
Medium-coarse
Golf roughs and lawns
Pennington Seed
Del Sol (B26-14)
Medium-dark
Medium
Fairways, tees, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Turf Merchants
Guymon (GX59)
Light
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Johnston Seed
Jackpot
Light
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Simplot / Jacklin Seed
LaPaloma (SRX9500)
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Seed Research of Oregon
Majestic
Medium-dark
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
H & H Seed
Mirage (CD90173)
Light
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
International Seeds
Mohawk
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Seeds West
NuMex-Sahara (NMS-1)
Light
Medium-coarse
Golf roughs and lawns
Seeds West
Panama
Medium-dark
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Pure Seed Testing / Seeds West
Primavera
Light
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Seed Research of Oregon / Seeds West
Princess (FMC-77)
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Seeds West
Pyramid (CD90183)
Light
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Cebeco International Seeds
Riviera (OKS 95-1)
Medium-dark
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Johnston Seed / Seed Research of Oregon
Savannah (PST-R64)
Medium-dark
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Turf-Seed
Shanghai
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Patten Seed
Shangri La
Medium-dark
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
ProSeeds Marketing
Soliel (ED1, ED5 and MD2)
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns and sports turfs
Cascade International
Sonesta (NMS-3)
Light
Medium
Golf roughs and lawns
O. M. Scott & Son, 1993
Southern Star (J1224)
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Simplot / Jacklin Seed
SR9554
Dark
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Seed Research of Oregon
Sultan (FMC-6)
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Seeds West
Sundance (B14)
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
LESCO
Sundevil I
Light
Medium
Golf roughs and lawns
Medalist America
Sundevil II
Light
Medium
Golf roughs and lawns
Medalist America
SunStar (B618)
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
LESCO
Sydney (SWI-7)
Medium-dark
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Seeds West
Transcontinental
Medium
Medium
Fairways, parks, roughs, sports turfs, tees
Turf Merchants / Turf Seed
Yukon
Medium
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Johnston Seed / Seed Research of Oregon
Yuma
Light
Medium
Fairways, roughs, lawns, parks and sports turfs
Seeds West
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
15
BERMUDAGRASS IN TENNESSEE
CONTINUED
Table 4. Chronological development of bermudagrasses in the United States.a Year
Variety
Agriculture Experiment Station (AES) / Company
Year
Variety
Agriculture Experiment Station (AES) / Company
1995
FloraDwarf
Florida AES
USGA Green Section and
1995
GN-1
Greg Norman Turf
ARS - USDAb
1995
MS-Choice
Mississippi AES
Vegetative, Clonal Types 1947
1952
Tiflawn
Georgia AES
1995
MS-Express
Mississippi AES
1953
Tiffine
Georgia AES
1995
MS-Pride
Mississippi AES
1956
Sunturf
Alabama AES
1995
Tift 94, TifSport
Georgia AES
1956
Tifgreen
Georgia AES
1996
Baby
Bladerunner Farms
1957
Texturf 1
Texas AES
1996
Tifeagle
Georgia AES
1957
Texturf 10
Texas AES
Seeded Types
1960
Bayshore
Florida AES
1982
Guymon
Oklahoma AES
1960
Tifway
Georgia AES
1987
Cheyenne
Jacklin / Pennington
1962
Everglades 1
Florida AES
1987
NuMex Sahara
New Mexico AES
1962
Ormond
Florida AES
1989
Primavera
Farmers Marketing
1962
Tufcote
Maryland AES
1992
Mirage
International Seeds
1965
Midway
Kansas AES
1992
Sonesta
Farmers Marketing
1965
Tifdwarf
Georgia AES
1992
Sultan
Seeds West
1967
Pee Dee
South Carolina AES
1992
Sundevil
Medalist America
1971
Midiron
Kansas AES
1993
Del Sol
GreenSeed
1981
Tifway II
Georgia AES
1993
Pyramid
International Seeds
1983
Tifgreen II
Georgia AES
1993
Sundance
LESCO
1986
Vamont
Virginia AES
1993
Sunstar
LESCO
1988
Tifton 10
Georgia AES
1993
Yuma Dwarf
Pennington
1991
Midlawn
Kansas & Oklahoma AES
1994
Jackpot
Jacklin
1993
Quickstand
Kentucky AES
1996
Yukon
Oklahoma AES
1994
FloraTex
Florida AES
1998
Savannah
Pure Seed Testing
a b
16
U3
From: Busey, P. and A. E. Dudeck, Bermudagrass varieties, http://floridaturf.com/bermuda/ ARS = Agricultural Research Service; USDA = United States Department of Agriculture; and USGA = United States Golf Association
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
JUNE/JULY 2004
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RESEARCH LINES
Summary: A three-year field study was conducted to determine whether golf courses were a major cause of nitrogen pollution of ground and surface water in eastern North Carolina. At experimental sites on ten golf courses, intensive testing indicated that little inorganic nitrogen leached from the turfgrass system and the potential for water pollution was very low. [Editor’s Note: This research-study article originally ran in the May/June 2004 issue of North Carolina Turfgrass. The study’s results may be equally helpful, however, to golf course superintendents in Tennessee.]
By Thomas Rufty and Daniel Bowman, Crop Science Department, North Carolina State University
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
17
N I T R O G E N F E R T I L I Z AT I O N . . . As is the case in many areas of the United States, there is concern in North Carolina about the quality of water supplies, especially in the eastern part of the state where periodic algal blooms and fish kills occur. The main culprit in these environmental systems is nitrate nitrogen. Many articles have been published in the popular press stating that golf-course
fertilization is a main cause of the waterquality problem, but there has been little scientific basis for this conclusion. We initiated a study several years ago to determine whether golf-course fertilization might actually be an environmental problem. When the project began, it quickly became obvious that past research would not supply the answer.
Quality Cool Season Grasses 3277 Chimney Rock Road Hendersonville, NC 28792
Toll Free: 888-685-3642 www.turfmountain.com
CONTINUED Many recent water-quality research projects had focused on fertilizer run-off. It seemed unlikely, however, that run-off was a major problem in North Carolina river basins, because best management practices (BMPs) are commonly used. The BMPs for turfgrass fertilization were established by N.C. State research/ extension faculty many years ago and are widely followed by turfgrass managers throughout the state. These practices specify that fertilizers should not be applied before anticipated rain events, and the practices prescribe light watering at the time of application to ensure rapid biological use. Most golf course superintendents are well informed, and they closely adhere to BMPs to minimize adverse environmental impacts and to control their own costs! If fertilizer run-off were not a problem, then the main concern would be nitrogen leaching downward in the soil. Indeed, information coming from environmental studies with natural and agronomic systems indicated that nitrate losses occurred primarily through leaching and not surface run-off. Research funded by the USGA had addressed nitrate leaching in turfgrass systems, but almost all experiments were done on newly constructed plots. Because soil characteristics and the ecology of established turfgrass fairways would be very different from those in constructed plots, there was no way to extrapolate results from the USGA project to a landscape scale.
Our Research Approach To try to clear up the issue of whether North Carolina golf courses were a major cause of water pollution, we initiated an extensive field-research project to follow the fate of nitrogen in bermudagrass fairways. The goal was to develop a nitrogen budget that would account for uptake by bermudagrass, retention and downward movement of nitrogen (N) in the soil profile, as well as any loss of N into adjacent streams and lakes. The scope of the project dictated its complexity. Detailing nitrogen movement 18
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
JUNE/JULY 2004
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N I T R O G E N F E R T I L I Z AT I O N . . . requires crossing several scientific disciplines, including turfgrass agronomy and physiology, soil physics and hydrology, and soil microbiology. As a consequence, a group of research faculty was assembled with expertise in each of the disciplines. The large project was made possible by environmental research grants from the North Carolina Legislature. Funding also was provided by the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina, which offered support even with the prospect of negative results for the turfgrass industry. Experimental sites were established on ten golf courses in eastern North Carolina. The locations were chosen based on several criteria. One was that they represented a variety of soil types, because soil texture strongly influences leaching. Secondly, we wanted to examine golf courses of different ages, thinking that older courses could have very different levels of organic matter and compaction compared to younger ones. Thirdly, it was important that the research be located on golf courses willing to cooperate and put up with our intrusion. As shown in Figure 1, multiple plots were established on each site for periodic collection of clippings during the bermudagrass growing season. Transects were run from adjacent natural areas, across roughs and fairways to a stream. Four transects were used at each site to allow appropriate statistical analysis of data. Along the transects, soil cores were taken to a depth of four feet, four times a year (bracketing fertilization periods), to resolve patterns of nitrate accumulation in the soil profile. Suction lysimeters were installed at 6", 12" and 18" depths, which allowed direct sampling of soil solution for nitrate analysis. The lysimeter samples were collected on a weekly basis. “Nests” of shallow wells, 8' to 20' deep, were installed for sampling of subsurface water flows. Water samples were collected weekly from streams at points where they entered and exited the golf course. As implied above, this was the first comprehensive study of nitrogen fate in bermudagrass fairways in a natural
CONTINUED
Figure 1. Experimental design for environmental studies at 10 golf courses in eastern NC. Nitrogen fate was followed by analysis of samples from clippings, soil cores, soil solution, shallow wells, and streams.
setting. The experiment ran for three years, and the golf course superintendents were asked to maintain their normal management practices throughout. The general fertilization protocol in this geographical area is to supply 2.5 lbs. to 3.5 lbs. of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. per year, mostly during the bermudagrass growing season from May through September.
into account fertilization rates and yearly rainfall (about 45" per yr), it was estimated that groundwater should contain about 50 – 100 ppm nitrate. From the earliest analyses, it became evident that our initial expectations were wrong.
Expected Results
Nitrogen in the Turfgrass/ Soil System
Our initial expectation was that we would find high nitrate levels in soil solution and subsurface water beneath the turfgrass system and, consequently, a high potential for water pollution. This came from simple reasoning: • The golf courses ranged from 10 to 100 years old, and even in the youngest, soil organic-nitrogen levels should have been in equilibrium or approaching equilibrium. That meant soil organic-nitrogen levels were stabilized and would not increase from year to year. • Since clippings were not removed from any of the sites, fertilizer inputs should approximate losses. Taking
One of the initial surprises in the study was the realization that more nitrogen was being incorporated into clippings during the growing season than was being supplied in fertilizer. Nitrogen-uptake efficiency was calculated from the clipping harvests and analyses, and values generally ranged from just over 100% to as high as 300%. The calculation indicates that nitrogen was being rapidly cycled in the system. In other words, fertilizer nitrogen was taken up into the grass; cut clippings were rapidly being degraded by soil microbes, releasing nitrogen back into the soil; and the soil nitrogen was being reabsorbed by the turfgrass. The soil cores revealed that nitrate
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N I T R O G E N F E R T I L I Z AT I O N . . .
Figure 2. Nitrate levels in subsurface water flowing beneath a fertilized fairway.
levels in the soil profile beneath the turf always were very low, ranging from 1 to 3 mg/kg of soil. The levels were similar to those found in natural areas adjacent to the course that were not fertilized, and the levels were much lower than those reported in studies with fertilized agricultural crops. The nitrate levels were uniformly low with depth from the soil surface, so there was no indication of accumulation anywhere within the soil profile. Also, nitrate was not elevated in the days and weeks following fertilizations, probably reflecting the high uptake efficiency by the turfgrass. Samples from the lysimeters, which were taken with greater frequency, also indicated that soilsolution nitrate was low. The placement of wells allowed sampling of subsurface water as it flowed beneath fertilized fairways from higher natural areas to low-lying streams. The subsurface flows would contain nitrate that leached downward through the soil to the water table. There were two major findings (Figure 2). First, some elevation in nitrate could be seen as subsurface water moved from unfertilized, natural areas to the fairways, but levels were relatively low, ranging from about 2 to 8 ppm. This is much lower
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CONTINUED
Figure 3. Nitrate concentrations in a stream as it entered and then exited a golf course.
than the predicted range of 50 to 100 ppm. Second, and most importantly, nitrate declined to almost undetectable levels (less than 1 ppm) as the flow approached streams. The water samples contained high levels of dissolved organic carbon (about 8 to 20 ppm). The high carbon levels, coupled with anaerobic conditions, presumably led to de-nitrification, i.e. transformation of nitrate to nitrogen gas that was released into the atmosphere. In agricultural fields, the leaching of fertilizer nitrate generally leads to nitrate accumulation in the soil that "bleeds" into adjacent streams or lakes over extended time periods. We have found no evidence that fertilization of golf-course fairways causes an increase in nitrate in adjacent streams. As shown in Figure 3, stream nitrate levels generally were low (less than 0.5 ppm) and actually tended to decrease during water passage through the golf course. All of the superintendents maintained vegetation along streams, which evidently absorbed a portion of the available nitrate.
Significance to the Industry The results from the field studies are consistent among all locations, always indicating a very low potential for nitrate
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contamination of ground and surface waters. In the past two years, the research has been expanded to include five additional sites in other parts of North Carolina where soils and topographies are different than those in the East. Up to this time, we have not found any evidence indicating significant pollution problems. Our findings may come as a surprise to many people working in the water quality area, just as they were to us. Turfgrass systems have particular characteristics, however, that are atypical of the agricultural world, where almost all previous landscapescale research has been done. One is the fertility approach. Turfgrasses are usually fertilized three or four times during the growing season with relatively small amounts of nitrogen (about 42 lbs./ac.), so the system is not overloaded and predisposed to leaching. Also, most of the root system is fully developed when the fertilizer is added. By contrast, a corn crop would receive the same total amount of fertilizer, but in one or two applications early in the growing season. It has been estimated that corn takes up only about 50% of the nitrogen applied. A second notable difference with turfgrasses is the density of the root system.
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CONTINUED Nitrogen-uptake efficiency is a function of root-absorption surface. The fine roots of turfgrasses typically form a dense matrix several inches into the soil, and individual roots can extend downward as much as two to three feet. Nitrogen entering the root zone is rapidly taken up from the soil solution. A third difference is the very high microbial activity in the soil just beneath turfgrasses. The thatch layer at the soil surface provides an ideal environment for microbial communities, and microbial biomass greatly exceeds that found in natural or agricultural soils. High microbial activity and efficient uptake by the root are key components of efficient nitrogen cycling, which causes fertilizer nitrogen to be retained within the system. Another key characteristic of turfgrasses that is different from traditional agriculture is the large amount of carbon being deposited into the soil. With irrigation and frequent fertilizations, bermudagrass is grown in a relatively stress-free environment. Large amounts of organic material are generated, and none is removed by harvesting. The carbon in the organic material provides an energy source for microbial activity that, in turn, drives degradation and de-nitrification processes. The evidence that we have assembled thus far suggests that managed turfgrasses may serve a similar function as the riparian buffers being constructed to protect streams and lakes from nitrate contamination. The purpose of the riparian buffers is, primarily, to intercept nitrate in subsurface water flows. Buffers function by providing a carbon source that is used by microbes for de-nitrification in the anaerobic conditions present close to stream banks, an effect analogous to that observed in our research. With this in mind, it is conceivable that turfgrass systems may occupy an important role in strategies to protect water supplies in the future. Collaborators: D.K. Cassel, J.W. Gilliam, C.H. Peacock, A.G. Wollum.
TURF TIPS
B Y
L I Z
N U T T E R ,
L E A D I N G
P
erhaps nowhere in the arena of turfgrass management is a smooth, level surface more important than on an athletic field. Oh, sure, a rut, ridge or ragged spot may mar the look of a lawn or deflect the roll of a golf ball. For an athlete, however, an uneven playing field can quickly lead to a serious—even career-ending—injury. That’s why topdressing has become such an indispensable turf-tending technique for sports turf managers.
Why Topdress? In turf technology, topdressing is defined as spreading a layer of structural material—either native soil, sand, a sand/soil mixture or a soil conditioner—over the top of a turf surface. While a turf manager’s initial reason for the application may be to solve a single problem, topdressing can actually yield several additional benefits at the same time. First, and most obvious, adding and dragging a layer of soil or sand over a rough area of turf can quickly level out the lumps and 22
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E D G E
C O M M U N I C A T I O N S
low spots. Not only does smooth turf allow for truer rolls and bounces of balls, but a consistent surface also makes the field’s footing safer for the athletes. Topdressing also improves footing by helping reduce excessive thatch. While a little thatch can provide a bit of softness and traction to an otherwise hard surface, a too-thick layer of thatch can create a spongy, boggy-feeling field—i.e., a field where cleats snag, where mower tires sink and reels end up scalping the turf, and where insects and diseases find a haven for wreaking havoc on the turf health. Mingling topdressed soil into the thatch helps speed up the decomposition of the thatch. When used in conjunction with aerification, topdressing can also be an excellent remedy for fields that suffer from soil compaction. Typically heavy in easily compressed particles of clay and silt, soil—especially when mixed with water and heavy foot traffic—can quickly compact to rival the hardness of concrete. By aerifying such soil and then mixing in larger
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CONTINUED particles of coarse sand, topdressing improves the permeability of the turf’s root zone, enhancing drainage and optimizing applications of fertilizer and herbicides. Finally, topdressing can aid in overseeding operations. The added layer of soil not only increases seed-to-soil contact, but it can also reduce the evaporation of soil-surface moisture, improving germination rates and seedling survival.
Which Material Should You Use? The extremely important first step in designing an intelligent topdressing program is to invest in a qualified physical soil test. This lab analysis will help to scientifically determine the existing soil-particle size and composition and will recommend corrective amendment-material characteristics. Ideally, the proposed sand/soil/organic-matter amendment material should also be lab analyzed. A good list of physical soil-testing laboratories can be found on the US Golf Association web site (www.usga.org) under Green Section/Construction/Physical Soil Testing Laboratories. If the soil on your field already drains well and resists compaction, it may not need modification with sand or other conditioners. If you are indeed so fortunate, topdressing with mat-dragged aerification cores may be all you need to periodically smooth the playing surface, control thatch or cover seeds. In all likelihood, though, your soil could use some help. Most native soils are composed of at least 60% clay and silt. In the opinion of some sports turf experts, the optimal soil composition for athletic fields is about 30% native soil (by weight) and 70% sand, which provides for a “lighter” root zone and better drainage. When selecting sand for topdressing, keep in mind that different “grades” of sand can vary widely in terms of particle size, from very fine to very coarse. When shopping for sand, select sand with uniform particles in the coarse range (80% between 0.5 and 1.0 mm, and 95% between 0.5 and 2.0 mm). Many field managers use concrete sand or DOT sand, which is often inexpensive and readily available. The problem with such sand is that a large percentage of the particles, perhaps as high as 15%, may be gravel. Field managers should look instead for a USGA-approved topdressing sand that has been screened to
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TOPDRESSING SPORTS FIELDS remove the gravel. Commonly available masonry sand, although relatively inexpensive, frequently has a small but undesirable clay content. On heavy clay fields, it can be virtually impossible to incorporate enough sand to have the desired effect. A better choice for modifying clay soils from the surface is to incorporate a high-quality organic matter such as a high-quality compost or sphagnum peat. Turf managers with adequate budgets may also consider topdressing with calcined clay, calcined diatomaceous earth or porous ceramics. With internal pore spaces that soak up and retain water, such heat-treated particles can aid in moisture control on fields that tend to stay too soggy, while improving soil permeability. Another alternative topdressing material is crumb rubber, which can strengthen a field’s wear resistance by providing a resilient, protective
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amendment around turf crowns. With any soil amendment or “conditioner,” however, it’s wise to seek out the advice of turf managers who’ve already used the material and who can share their insight into its pros and cons.
How Much Will You Need? Converting a heavy clay soil profile to a lighter, more porous soil mixture cannot be accomplished in one topdressing application, or even in one season of two or three applications. Topdressing experts recommend applying no more than 3/8" of amendment material at a single application (1/4" or less is better). A thicker layer may not incorporate into the soil adequately and, instead, may seriously abrade the turf (especially sand). Gradually amending your soil with aerifying and adding the correct amendment will most likely take several topdressings applied over a period of three to four years.
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CONTINUED To calculate the amount of material you’ll need for a single application, take the square feet of the field you want to cover, multiply that by the depth (in inches) of the topdressing layer you want to apply, and then multiply that number by 0.0031—the final number equals how many cubic yards of material you’ll need. In other words, use the following formula (recommended by a former sales manager for Turfco Manufacturing, a maker of topdressers): Square feet X topdressing depth X 0.0031 = cubic yards needed For instance, to topdress a football field (360' X 160' = 57,600 square feet) with 1/4" (0.25") of amendment, you’d need 45 cubic yards of material [57,600 square feet of field X 0.25" of material X 0.0031 = 44.64 cubic yards]. To topdress a youth soccer field (210' X 120' = 25,200 square feet) with 1/8" of
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TOPDRESSING SPORTS FIELDS material, you’d need 10 cubic yards of material [25,200 square feet of field X 0.125" X 0.0031 = 9.77 cubic yards].
Tips for Topdressing The best time to aerify and apply topdressing is when the turf is actively growing and can recover quickly. For both warm-season and cool-season grasses, this is typically in late spring through late summer. If at all possible, topdressing should be applied when field use/play is low or non-existent, to allow the turf to recover without additional stress from traffic injury. Before applying a topdressing, mow the turf to a relatively short height, to allow the material to more quickly fall through the grass down to the soil surface. Otherwise, the material may remain on the grass blades (possibly suffocating the turf) and will likely dull your mower blades. With any type of topdressing material, the buildup of a dissimilar amendment layer on the soil surface can cause additional turfgrass problems, such as shallow rooting. So, be sure to also aerify the field and follow-up your topdressing application with mat-dragging, brushing or vertical mowing to help push the material down into the aerification holes. Irrigating immediately after topdressing will also help the material filter more quickly down into the ground.
Topdressing Equipment Topdressing was a once time-consuming, labor-intensive operation requiring frequent loading of relatively small hoppers on equipment with narrow spread widths (i.e., more passes over the field). Today’s more efficiently designed equipment—with larger capacities and wider spreads—allow for faster, lighter applications done on a more frequent basis. Many topdressers are designed with hoppers for easy loading with a front-end loader or skid steer. When shopping for a topdresser, you’ll need to carefully consider its size in relation to your field dimensions and existing tow equipment. Applications take longer with smaller-capacity topdressers, but such units can often be
CONTINUED
towed with a utility vehicle or small tractor. Smaller equipment also can also make tighter turns, while leaving a lighter footprint. Large-capacity units often require a tractor with an operating PTO of at least 30 hp. Large-capacity units that hold more sand (and are consequently longer in length) also require a larger turning
radius, which may be impractical if your field fences or fans’ bleachers are close to the playing surface To be effective, topdressings must be applied accurately and uniformly, necessitating the use of good equipment. Consider working out an arrangement with a nearby golf course to borrow or lease a top-quality topdresser.
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T U R F TA L K
Rootzone Examination
on Putting Greens By Chris Hartwiger and Patrick O'Brien, USGA Green Section
T
hroughout the year we hear comments about poorly draining putting-green rootzones or about rootzone profiles that hold too much water. Poor internal drainage in a putting-green rootzone is a harbinger of bad things to come. Scientific research and field observations demonstrate over and over again that when a rootzone holds more water than desired, oxygen can become limited. Poor root growth, black layer and severe decline during periods of high temperatures become serious and real possibilities. Today’s turf manager has more cultivation equipment and amendments than ever before to alleviate these conditions. Before attempting a solution, however, it is essential to identify which portion of the rootzone is holding too much water. A couple of examples illustrate this
point. If there’s a clay layer 6" into the profile and you aerate with 3" tines to help the green drain better, the clay layer remains unaffected and the rate at which water moves through this layer will not change. Conversely, a sand-based putting green with high organic matter in the surface zone and excellent drainage beneath this zone might not receive much of a benefit from deep-tine aeration compared to standard core aeration. A recent article publish by Dr. Bob Carrow of the University of Georgia included an inexpensive and simple test (outlined below) to help you determine which portion of a rootzone is limiting drainage.
Test Your Drainage Step 1: Use an infiltrometer to determine the field SHC and record the value.
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Step 2: While the infiltrometer is still in place, push a 1/4"-diameter solid tine with a sharpened end to a depth of 3" a couple of times into the turf surface within the infiltrometer. Do not go deeper than 3" so that the zone that controls SHC can be identified. Remove the tine(s) from the holes. Repeat the infiltrometer reading. Record the value. If SHC greatly increases after creating macropores just within the 3" surface, then the controlling zone is at the surface. Step 3: If the reading is similar to the initial reading but low for both of the above determinations, push the rod in the same holes to the bottom of the rootzone mix (about 10" to 12") and determine SHC. If readings increase dramatically, this indicates that conditions from between 3" and 12" control SHC, rather than surface conditions.
Conclusion A good balance of air- and water-filled pores is a major contributor to providing turfgrass its needed access to adequate levels of air and water. If poor internal drainage is detected, it is necessary to first identify where the problem lies. Hopefully, the inexpensive three-step test discussed above can aid in this process.
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TURF TIPS
In Case of Drought‌ Guidelines for Athletic-Field Maintenance By Dr. Art Bruneau, Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University
H
ard, dry fields are potentially unsafe and can increase the possibility of player injury. If drought conditions occur, the following guidelines can help sportsturf managers optimize their irrigation schedules while conserving water. Essential fields (those that receive play or are expected to receive play in
the near future) should be irrigated to moisten the soil to a depth of 6 inches each time the field is irrigated. This should require no more than an inch of water (620 gallons of water per 1,000 sq. ft.) per application. It is best to irrigate early in the morning (4-6 a.m.) when winds are calm and there is little evaporative loss. Empty cans placed
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around the field can help determine the amount being applied. A soil probe can also be used to determine the depth of soil moisture. The field should not be irrigated again until symptoms of wilt (folded or curled leaves, footprinting, or bluish-green color) are apparent on 50% of the field. This will actually encourage deep rooting and result in more drought-tolerant plants. It is not essential to overseed most bermudagrass fields in the fall with ryegrass. Bermudagrass fields can often withstand moderate play even though the grass is dormant. Non-essential fields (fields taken out of play or will not receive play in the near future) should be irrigated lightly (1/4 inch of water per application). This light rate is required to prevent excessive plant loss and erosion, and it will not stimulate growth. Irrigation frequency will depend upon turf composition. In general, fields comprised of tall fescue should receive this light rate every two weeks, whereas bermudagrass and Kentucky bluegrass fields will go dormant or semi-dormant and can go without water for up to four weeks. When a non-essential field is returned to play, the irrigation practices discussed above (for essential fields) should be implemented six weeks before play is scheduled.
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lmost every golf course across beneath the foliage. Many of our feathered By Hubert P. Conlon, Tennessee has planted large numbers of UT Area Extension Specialist, friends will make quick meals of them. “Bradford” pear (Pyrus calleryana Bradford is a cultivar of the French callery Ornamental Horticulture “Bradford”). Bradford pear is actually a variety pear, first released by the USDA in 1948. Since of callery pear. Bradford pear has become so then, better cultivars have been developed. over-planted in cities and towns that it has become a tree that many Bradford is highly resistant to insects and disease, particularly fire people have grown to hate. blight, a bacterial disease that lays ruin to several callery pear A Bradford pear tree typically develops a formal, upright cultivars. If you have observed an outbreak of fire blight among a branching shape that fits well into most residential and commercial streetscape planting, most likely someone planted a susceptible planting schemes including golf courses, and its classic “cookiecultivar other than Bradford. cutter” pyramidal shape works in most garden designs. In fact, in Researchers at the University of Tennessee are continually most landscape categories, Bradford pear deserves high ratings, searching for greater resistance to fire-blight disease and a better except in durability. Unfortunately, the tree is structurally fragile, branching framework among the callery pears. At this time UT susceptible to wind, ice and snow. Generally, in most landscapes, Extension recommends ‘Cleveland Select’ (also called Bradford pear trees start to break up after 15 years. ‘Chanticleer’), ‘Capital’ and ‘Whitehouse.’ These three cultivars Bradford is a medium-size tree with a rapid growth rate, exhibit a more upright, narrow form with better branch structure and averaging 35 to 50 feet at maturity, often in as few as 20 years. All fire-blight resistance. Cleveland Select blooms seven to eight days callery pears prosper even in some of our worst disturbed and later than the earlier-blooming Bradford, which is frequently nipped droughty soils, as long as the planting site is well drained. by March frosts. We do not recommend planting the varieties Bradford has spotless glossy-green summer foliage, and the leaves ‘Aristocrat’ or ‘Redspire,’ which are susceptible to fire blight. gradually turn to shades of purple and scarlet maroon over several So, should you continue to plant Bradford pears on your golf weeks leading into late autumn. It is one of our last landscape trees course? The answer is definitely yes, provided your grounds to shed its leaves, often after Thanksgiving. committee has budgeted to replace them as they self-destruct 15 There is little cause to blame Tennessee landscapers for going years from now. Rather than Bradford, however, smarter choices "hog wild" over Bradford pear. From mid to late March, the trees would be Cleveland Select, Whitehouse and Capital cultivars. If are covered with masses of white blossoms, with their beauty your planting areas on the course and around the clubhouse have lasting over two weeks or more. Snow-white Bradford pears, become overpopulated with callery pears, several great planted among a grouping of golden yellow forsythias, are true alternatives include crabapples (Malus spp.), redbud (Cercis harbingers that spring has arrived in Tennessee. The small round canadensis), Chinese dogwood (Cornus kousa) and fringetree fruits in fall serve no ornamental value, as they are mostly hidden (Chionanthus virginicus). But, that’s another story. 30
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INDUSTRY NEWS New Golf Course & Landscape Management Program Offered at
the University of Tennessee–Martin By Terry L. Vassey, Ph.D., C.P.Ag., and assistant professor of Golf Course & Landscape Management at UT-Martin
L
ast August, UT-Martin introduced a new degree program in Golf Course & Landscape Management (GCLM). The curriculum focuses on the practical, technical and theoretical aspects of working in the green industry. Students will graduate with the foundation necessary to enter the workforce in such various careers as golf course management, landscape maintenance, nursery culture, sales and private ownership. The GCLM program is offered as an option in the Plant and Soil Science concentration taught in UT’s Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Dr. Jerry Gresham, who chairs the department, oversees the twelve Ag & NR faculty members who provide most of the instruction for the 410 students now in the department. Presently, about 20 students make up the core of the GCLM program. Although a newcomer to Tennessee, I believe I bring both the technical and practical experiences required to move the program in the right direction. For the last ten years, I have worked as a golf course superintendent and adjunct teaching instructor at various southeastern community colleges. My last post was as General Superintendent for a 2,500-acre, 54-hole golf resort in coastal North Carolina. This particular property was part of the "Grand Strand" golfing scene of Myrtle Beach. I obtained a BS in Agronomy from the University of Georgia in 1980 and later received my Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in the Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Group there in 1986. Presently, along with many local and state industry professionals and several UTM faculty, I have been busy putting in place the necessary infrastructure for GCLM program. We are in the process of building a turfgrass-and-landscape materials
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
JUNE/JULY 2004
facility located on the northern end of the campus, and we hope to have Phase I completed by this summer. The facility will include class space, two greenhouses, a 4,500square-foot plot area for turfgrass teaching and research, a 4,500square-foot teaching green and a two-acre demonstration area for horticultural and landscape plant materials. Eventually, we hope to construct a 10,000-square-foot research green designed to study management practices that best facilitate cold tolerance in bermudagrass putting greens. My hope is that this facility will provide meaningful learning opportunities for all UTM students, as well as provide a place where the local community can come for their turfgrass and landscape instructional needs. Hands-on exposure and outreach will be a major emphasis here and a part of the total package offered at UTM. Along with my teaching responsibilities, I hope to establish research in areas of cold tolerance in warm-season grasses, establishment strategies and weed-control practices in native and ornamental grasses, and collaborative efforts with other UTM faculty and with faculty members at UT-Knoxville, as well as with faculty at the proposed turfgrass research station in Jackson. I believe we are at the beginning of great things for the green industry in western Tennessee and for the students of UTMartin. My hope is that everyone will benefit from our mission and that no one will be left out. I am excited about the possibilities here, and I am asking each of you to get involved in some way. Call or visit us, and let us help you learn more about the green world. We are located in Brehm Hall on campus, and we can be reached at (731) 587-7266. I look forward to hearing from you.
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
Greenville Turf & Tractor 701 Sandy Springs Road Piedmont, SC 29673 1-866-485-8873
7526 Old Nashville Hwy. Murfreesboro, TN 37129 1-877-647-8873
I N D E X O F A DV E RT I S E R S Aquatrols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
CA L E N DA R O F E V E N T S June 21
ETGCSA Meeting Location: Springbrook CC, Niota
June 24-25
TVSTMA Summer Event Location: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
July 8-9
TNLA Conference & Trade Show (Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Assoc.) Location: Chattanooga Convention Center, Chattanooga, TN
July 14
GCSAA Regional Seminar on “Maximizing Turfgrass Disease Control” (Golf Course Superintendents Assoc. of America) Location: Jackson, MS
July 13
ETGCSA Meeting Location: Gettysvue G & CC, Knoxville
July 27-30
TPI Summer Convention & Field Day (Turf Producers International) Location: Manheim, PA
August 17
ETGCSA Meeting Location: Rivertrace GC, Greenville
Sept. 24-26
EXPO 2004: International Lawn, Garden & Power Equipment Expo Location: Louisville, KY
Nov. 3-6
The Green Industry Expo PLCAA 25th Green Industry Conference & GIE Preview (Professional Lawn Care Assoc. of America) 2004 PGMS School of Grounds Management (Professional Grounds Management Society) Location: Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, NC
Jan. 4-7 2005
Tennessee Turfgrass Association 39th Annual Conference & Trade Show Location: Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN
Jan. 19-23 2005
STMA Sport Turf Managers Association Annual Conference Location: Phoenix Civic Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Bayer Environmental Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Cleary Chemical Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Covermaster, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 E & S Soil and Peat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Flowtronex PSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Greenville Turf & Tractor, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Harrell’s Custom Fertilizers . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover Hunter Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Keeling Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Landforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Mid Tenn Turf, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Oldham Chemicals Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Orion Sod Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Patten Seed Company/Super Sod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 ProSource One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Quail Valley Grasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Smith Turf & Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover Southeastern Turf, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Sprigger’s Choice, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Syngenta Turf & Ornamental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Tieco, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 TifSport Growers Association . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover
2004 TTA DIRECTORY CORRECTION
Tri-Turf Sod Farms, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
The 2004 TTA/TVSTMA membership directory was mailed out in May. It has been brought to our attention that a mistake was made in the member listing for Robin McFall of McFall Sod Farm on page 18. The correct fax number is (931) 381-1667. Also, McFall Sod Farm was inadvertently omitted from the Company Contact List on page 24. Please make these changes in your personal copies. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Turf Mountain Sod, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Turf Solutions, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Turfgrass America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Winstead Turf Farms, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 34
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
JUNE/JULY 2004
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
Time.Your Most Important Resource.
So many blades of grass, so little time. When you are responsible for a golf course, it seems there aren’t enough hours in the day to meet all the challenges you face. That’s why STI has developed a portfolio of equipment, service and support that is unmatched in the golf industry. As the exclusive distributor of TORO irrigation systems and TORO commercial turf care equipment since 1925, we provide total turf solutions that maximize efficiencies. Time after time.
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