The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association and the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association
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 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2006
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F E AT U R E D A RT I C L E S
14 18 22
2006 TTA Conference Highlights
26 28 30
Turf Talk – Comparing Generic Fungicides
Restoring Cool-Season Lawns Applied Research – Using Plant Growth Regulators to Manage Annual Bluegrass in Creeping-Bentgrass Putting Greens
Turf Tips – Controlling Star-of-Bethlehem
18 Cover Story
An Insider’s Perspective – Slogans Won’t Save US
D E PA RT M E N T S
4
From the TTA President, Bill Francis
6
A Message from TVSTMA, Al Ray
8
News from the TTA
10
News from the TVSTMA
12
Calendar of Events
34
Index of Advertisers
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2006
28 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
Turf Tips
FROM THE PRESIDENT BILL FRANCIS
t is hard to believe that we just completed the 40th Annual Conference and Trade Show. That to me is quite a milestone, and it is truly an honor and my privilege to serve the Tennessee Turfgrass Association as president for the next two years. Together with a tremendous group of directors and advisors, you can rest assured we will continue moving in the positive direction that those leaders some forty years ago envisioned. For those of you who were unable to attend the conference this year, you certainly missed a good one. Dr. Tom Samples and the Education Committee once again did a fabulous job putting together a well-rounded education program. Interestingly, the slate of speakers represented ten states and six different universities. We can all be proud that the Tennessee Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show has become one of the best around. Congratulations to Lynn and Cindy Ray, who received the 2005 Turf Professional of the Year award. I cannot think of two individuals more deserving of such an honor. Their
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contributions to the TTA over the years are remarkable. In addition to maintaining the course in 2006, the board of directors has already been faced with a major decision. The 2007 conference and trade show will be held at the Marriott Cool Springs in Franklin, Tennessee. While Opryland has been a wonderful venue for many years, the dates they offered for 2007 were just not viable. Marriott Cool Springs is an exceptional facility, and we are looking forward to another great conference in 2007 (January 15–17, 2007). In closing, I want to thank each of you for your support of the TTA and remind you of this insight by Dee Hock, founder and former CEO of the VISA credit-card company — “An organization, no matter how well designed, is only as good as the people who live and work in it.”
Bill Francis
TTA President
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
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 Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email:info@leadingedgecommunications.com Editor Mr. Bobby Stringer TTA OFFICERS President Mr. Bill Francis The Ridges Golf & CC (423) 913-2276 Vice President Mr. Bob Hogan The Hogan Company (888) 224-6426 Secretary/Treasurer Mr. Bobby Stringer Germantown Country Club (901) 754-7755 Past President Mr. Jeff Case (901) 373-4344 Executive Secretary Mr. Jim Uden (615) 591-8286 TTA 2005 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mr. Cory Blair Mr. Bart Cash Ms. Monica Lalinde-Cooper Mr. Brad Erickson Ms. Shelia Finney Mr. Roger Frazier Mr. Mickey Lovett Mr. Bill Marbet Mr. Bob McCurdy Mr. Tommy Mittlesteadt Mr. Mitch Parker Mr. Frank Turner TTA ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Mr. Bill Blackburn Mr. Lynn Ray Dr. Tom Samples Dr. Dennis Shepard Dr. John Sorochan
FROM THE TVSTMA
would like to offer my sincere thanks to the TVSTMA membership for allowing me to serve as our chapter’s president for 2006. It is an honor to follow in the footsteps of our organization’s leadership. I enjoyed seeing old friends and making new ones at the TTA conference this year. The sports turf sessions were informative, the exchanges were open, honest and thought provoking, and they lead me to one conclusion: 2006 WILL BE THE BEST YEAR YET FOR THE TVSTMA. I joined the TVSTMA and attended my first meeting about six years ago. Since then, I’ve been to a bunch of them, from one end of the state to the other. In that time, I have developed a deep respect for our membership and made a lot of friends. There is a genuine camaraderie among this group that is something special. I immediately recognized this as a reflection of the professionalism of the association’s leaders, many of which we are still privileged to have in those roles. We are indeed fortunate to have within our ranks some of the most respected and knowledgeable individuals in the sports turf industry. This brings me to the importance of membership, which is a topic worthy of an article in itself and one to be included in an upcoming message. For now, let me just say this: be active, recruit new members and keep an open mind. As with anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. My goal is simple, as I feel our foundation is strong. It is to make the most of our available resources to grow our
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membership, participation and communication. Our current membership-renewal statements ask for your email addresses, and you have mine (aray@maurycounty-TN.gov). We will update our website and keep it updated. Open lines of communication and current information are vital for us to realize our potential and make the most of the opportunities to take time from our busy schedules to be together. Our Tennessee Field Days are scheduled, so get ready to mark your calendars. West Tennessee will be held at The Jackson Sportsplex currently under construction in Jackson, Tennessee, on April 13. Middle Tennessee will be held at Maury County Parks and Recreation in Columbia, Tennessee, on June 8. East Tennessee will be held in conjunction with the UT Turfgrass Field Day at UT Knoxville on August 3. On November 9, we will visit the Chattanooga Lookouts/Finley Stadium. Details will be included in the mailings you receive regarding these dates. Once again, thanks for your trust in me. I pledge to advance the TVSTMA to the best of my ability. I humbly ask that we stand united, positive and confident, giving back as much as we can to realize our potential. Lest we forget, to live in a land where we are free to do what we want, love what we do and do it with friends, we are truly blessed. Take time to thank those who have made this possible.
Al Ray
TVSTMA President
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
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 Š2006 by the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Tennessee Turfgrass is published bi-monthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. POSTMASTER: Send 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, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 7903718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
N E W S F R O M T H E T TA Announcing TTA’s Officers & Directors for 2006 PRESIDENT Bill Francis The Ridges Golf & CC Jonesborough, TN (423) 913-2276 Fax: (423) 913-2903 wlf20@comcast.net
VICE PRESIDENT Bob Hogan The Hogan Company Springfield, TN (888) 224-6426 Fax: (615) 384-6424 thehogancompany@att.net
SECRETARY/TREASURER Bobby Stringer Germantown CC Germantown, TN (901) 754-7755 Fax: (901) 754-3866 bstringer@germantowncountryclub.com
PAST PRESIDENT Jeff Case 3074 Long Bridge Lane Lakeland, TN 38002 (901) 373-4344
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Jim Uden Tennessee Turfgrass Assoc. 400 Franklin Road Franklin, TN 37069 (615) 591-8286 Fax: (615) 790-8600 tnturfgrass@aol.com
DIRECTORS Cory Blair Rarity Bay Golf & CC Sweetwater, TN (423) 884-3007 Fax: (423) 884-3013
Brad Erickson Richland Country Club Nashville, TN (615) 370-0060 Fax: (615) 371-8452
Mickey Lovett Syngenta Prof. Products Paris, TN (731) 642-0689 Fax: (731) 642-0684
Bart Cash Jackson Country Club Jackson, TN (731) 668-7486 Fax: (731) 668-7342
Shelia Finney Gaylord Springs Golf Links 18 Springhouse Lane Nashville, TN 37214 (615) 458-1714 Fax: (615) 871-5906
Bob McCurdy McCurdy Farms 81 State Route 185 Dyer, TN 38330 (731) 692-3515 Fax: (731) 692-3596
Mitch Parker Ladd’s Memphis, TN (901) 324-8801 Fax: (901) 324-6814
Roger Frazier Cattails at Meadowview Kingsport, TN (423) 578-6603 Fax: (423) 578-6607
Bill Marbet Southern Athletic Fields, Inc. Columbia, TN (800) 837-8062 Fax: (931) 380-0145
Frank Turner Cochran McDonalds 2501 Magnolia Avenue Knoxville, TN 37419 (865) 523-8828
Monica Lalinde Cooper Smyrna Municipal Golf Course Smyrna, TN (615) 459-9722 Fax: (615) 459-9776
Tommy Mittlesteadt Ladd’s 1146 Tanglewood Drive Cookeville, TN 38501 (931) 526-4211 Fax: (931) 520-3444
TTA ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
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Bill Blackburn Smith Turf & Irrigation Co. Nashville, TN (615) 726-8811 Fax: (615) 242-3274
Lynn Ray Golf Management Group Brentwood, TN (615) 373-9400 Fax: (615) 370-2585
Dr. Tom Samples University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-2595 Fax: (865) 974-6421
Dr. Scott McElroy University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-4324 Fax: (865) 974-1947
Jeff Rumph Gatlinburg Golf Course Gatlinburg, TN (865) 453-3638 Fax: (865) 429-1945
Dr. Dennis Shepard Syngenta Prof. Products Franklin, TN (615) 790-3281 Fax: (615) 599-3263
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2006
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
Dr. John Sorochan University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-7324 Fax: (865) 974-8850
Blitzes, bombs and relentless ground attacks — You need turf that will never surrender.
Defend sports fields against wear, heat and other enemies No matter what game is being played, keeping sports turf healthy can be a year-round contest. That’s what makes varieties in the Heat Tolerant Bluegrass Series such valuable players. They bounce back from attack through aggressive rhizomatous activity. They take the heat and humidity of the Transition Zone and remain actively growing and green longer than bermuda. Plus, they have the stamina to withstand Wisconsin’s
cold winters. Though each has its own unique characteristics, Thermal Blue, Solar Green, Thermal Blue Blaze and Dura Blue also show excellent disease resistance. For sports fields as stunning as they are rugged, insist on the Scotts® Heat Tolerant Bluegrass Series in your blends or mixtures. www.scottsproseed.com
For more information, contact Landmark Seed at 1-800-268-2379, The Scotts Company at 608-215-3518, or visit www.scottsproseed.com.
NEWS FROM THE TVSTMA Meet Your TVSTMA Team Leaders for 2006 At the TVSTMA business meeting held in Nashville on January 4, 2006, the following new officers for 2006 were elected.
PRESIDENT Al Ray Maury County Parks and Rec. Columbia, TN (931) 388-0303 Fax: (931) 381-3265 aray@maurycounty-tn.gov PRESIDENT ELECT (2007) Johnny Ponce Pioneer Manufacturing Company Franklin, TN (800) 877-1500 Fax: (800) 877-1511 jnt917@bellsouth.net COMMERCIAL VICE PRESIDENT Billy Clark Clarkland Sports Fields Division Fairview, TN (615) 799-8664 Fax: (615) 799-8664 clarklnd@bellsouth.net SECRETARY/TREASURER Bob Hogan Hogan Seed Company Springfield, TN (888) 224-6426 Fax: (615) 384-6424 thehogancompany@att.net PAST PRESIDENT Chris Pearl Houston Astros (formerly with the Nashville Sounds) chris-pearl@hotmail.com THE GODFATHER Bill Marbet Southern Athletic Fields, Inc. Columbia, TN (800) 837-8062 Fax: (931) 380-0145 bill@mulemix.com
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Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
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F E AT U R E S T O RY
Highlights from TTA’s 2006 Annual Conference and Trade Show
very year, we exhibit at several annual conferences and shows in the South, and I’d have to say that the Tennessee Turfgrass Association puts on perhaps the best one, especially in terms of the quality of its education program,” said a representative of one of this year’s exhibitors at the TTA’s 40th Annual Conference and Trade Show. Indeed, if you didn’t make it to this year’s event at Opryland Hotel in Nashville, held January 2-4, 2006, you missed an extraordinary opportunity to learn from some of the best turfgrass experts in the industry. Scientists, golf course superintendents and industry professionals from ten different states — Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Idaho, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Oregon and California — shared valuable information and timely tips to help
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TTA members make their jobs easier and more successful. From leadership skills to the most recent research results on turf techniques and products, the educational topics covered an extensive range of timely issues applicable for all turf managers. Additionally, several of the state’s leading turfgrass associations — the TTA, the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Association — held important business meetings to elect new officers for 2006 and to set their agendas for the coming year. Here, and on pages 15 and 16, you’ll see just a little bit of what you missed. Wish now that you’d been here? Mark your calendar now for the 2007 Conference and Trade Show, to be held January 15-17, at the Marriott Cool Springs in Franklin, TN!
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
CONTINUED 2005 TTA Award Winners Doug Ward, chair of TTA’s Awards and Scholarship Committee, announced that this year’s winner of the Ernest Hardison Scholarship Award is Dustin F. Lewis, from Riceville, TN. A student of Dr. Scott McElroy’s at the University of Tennessee, Dustin is majoring in Turfgrass Science and has worked for the past four summers at Cleveland Country Club. For the first time in TTA’s history, this year’s TTA Professional of the Year was awarded to a husband-andwife team. In introducing Lynn and Cindy Ray as the award recipients for 2005, TTA member Bill Blackburn said, “Whenever I think of Lynn Ray, three attributes come to my mind — loyal, dependable and trustworthy. He is a true gentleman of the industry. He and Cindy have put in untold hours on a volunteer basis in service to the Tennessee Turfgrass Association.”
Jim Uden, Executive Secretary of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, was one of the busiest — and most cheerful — TTA members at this year’s annual Conference and Trade Show.
Above, Dr. Scott McElroy (left) congratulates the 2005 winner of the Ernest Hardison Memorial Scholarship Award — Dustin Lewis (right), a turfgrass-science student at the University of Tennessee.
Above, Cindy and Lynn Ray (center) receive the 2005 TTA Professional of the Year award from last year’s winner, Dr. John Sorochan (left) and Doug Ward (right), TTA chair of the Awards and Scholarship Committee.
CONTINUED Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents’ Associations Help Fund Research and Katrina Relief Jeff Rumph, president of the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents’ Association, reported that the state’s three regional golf course associations had raised a total of almost $25,000 through their annual research golf tournaments held in 2005. While the associations donated the majority of these funds to turfgrass research, some funding was also allocated for Hurricane Katrina relief. East Tennessee GCSA Donations • $5,000 — University of Tennessee turfgrass research • $1,000 — scholarship to Dustin Lewis • $1,000 — scholarship to Jake Godsey • $1,000 — GCSAA Katrina relief Middle Tennessee GCSA • $2,500 — Dr. Tom Samples, University of Tennessee • $2,500 — Dr. John Sorochan, University of Tennessee • $2,000 — Dr. McElroy, University of Tennessee • $1,000 — Dr. Alan Windham, University of Tennessee • $500 — Dr. Terry Vassey, University of Tennessee-Martin Memphis Area GCSA • $6,000 — Mississippi Turfgrass Association for Katrina Relief Fund • $1,000 — Dr. Scott McElroy, University of Tennessee • $1,000 — Dr. Maria Peterson, Mississippi State University
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Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW
JANUARY 2ND – 4TH, 2006 A SINCERE THANKS TO OUR EXHIBITORS! BASF
LESCO, Inc.
Bayer Environmental Science
Mayes Turf Machines
Bel-Air Turf
Mid Tenn Turf
Bishop Enterprises
Oasis Irrigation, Inc.
BWI
Pennington Seed
Charles Williams & Assoc., Inc.
Precision Labs
Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply
Precision Reel Grinding
Dow Agro Sciences
Precision Sports Fields
Double Springs Grass Farms
ProSource One
Ewing Irrigation
Regal Chemical
Flowtronex
Shelton Landscape Supply
Golf Links
Sigma Organics, Inc.
Grassroots, Inc.
Smith Turf & Irrigation
Greenville Turf & Tractor
SouthEastern Turf, LLC
Harrell’s Custom Fertilizers
Southern Athletic Fields
Hogan Co.
Sur-Line Turf, Inc.
Huntsville Tractor & Equipment
Syngenta Professional Products
Hunter Industries
TN Crop Improvement Association
Jackson Sand
The Andersons
Keeling Company
Turfgrass America
Ladd’s
Vermeer of TN
COVER STORY
CONTINUED
Restoring Cool-Season Lawns By Mike Goatley, Ph.D., Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Tech
n many parts of Tennessee, last year’s hot summer and dry fall sent cool-season lawns into winter seriously weakened. While fall remains the preferred time to establish coolseason grasses, many lawns will need to be renovated this spring due to turf loss or renovation failure in fall 2005. Below, let’s consider the steps to take to improve your chances of success for spring establishments, particularly concentrating on the challenges of establishing cool-season grasses.
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1) Soil test. First of all, test your soil if you haven’t done so on the site in the past three years, and correct any pH deficiencies at any time prior to seeding. In an era with a justifiably renewed focus on nutrient management, apply additional nutrients based only on soil-test data. This is particularly critical for phosphorus, one of the major nutrients that can cause lots of problems if it reaches surface-water sources.
2) Determine your best seeding date. In the world of turf science, there are several ways to use temperature to predict plant response. A soil thermometer is a great tool to add to your list of equipment. It is functional, as well as impressive. Folks will want to know what you are doing with your thermometer, so look professional, write down some numbers on a form and tell them that you are gathering some extremely critical predictive modeling data! Research has shown that optimum soil-surface temperatures for germination of most cool-season turfgrasses range from 59° to 80°+ F, with obvious variations in germination rates depending on moisture, seed viability, etc. However, the daily fluctuations likely
in soil-surface temperatures due to ground cover, time of day, etc., can make them difficult to monitor and interpret. This variability has resulted in researchers often using and reporting what is termed a “biological” soil temperature, one that is typically measured at a 4" depth, resulting in a very stable value on a daily basis. A soil temperature of 50° F is very often used as a baseline temperature where cool-season grasses have very active growth and seed germination rates rapidly increase (similarly, warm-season grasses begin to emerge from winter dormancy at this base-line temperature). Cool-season seed germination is optimized at biological soil temperatures of 55° to 65° F, but I have usually found that the best chances for long-term success is to plant when these temperatures are in the low-to-mid 50° F range. This is because we need to get our cool-season seed germinated before crabgrass emerges, which is favored by 55° to 58° F soil temperatures. There is quite a bit of overlap in optimum temperatures for turf seed and crabgrass germination, and if the two are in competition with each other, the advantage as the days warm is always with the crabgrass.
3) Plan for crabgrass control. Related to temperature (but a lot easier to pinpoint) is the prediction of crabgrass germination based on the blooming of the forsythia. When this bright yellow shrub is in mid-to-full bloom, crabgrass germination is imminent. If you’re planning a spring seeding, you must carefully consider how a preemergent (PRE) herbicide may or may not fit your situation. Most of the popular PRE herbicides (e.g., pendimethalin, dithiopyr, prodiamine, etc.) are mitotic inhibitors that indiscriminately control seedlings in the soil, including turfgrass
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
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COVER STORY seedlings. There are two options in PRE chemistry, though, that possibly can be applied at seeding, depending on the turfgrass selected. Siduron (TupersanTM) continues to be a popular crabgrass-control product for spring seedings of cool-season grasses (but NOT warm-season grasses). Quinclorac (DriveTM) is an herbicide that can be applied just before or at seeding of most cool-season and warm-season turfgrasses, or after emergence of both turf and weedy grasses. Follow label directions very carefully with either of these chemicals — siduron or quinclorac — in order to maximize crabgrass control without damaging or killing turf seedlings. Also note that, when used as a postemergent herbicide, quinclorac requires an adjuvant such as a crop-oil concentrate or methylated seed oil to maximize its effectiveness.
4) Prepare the soil. Simply seeding into existing turf or sod with no attempt at soil preparation rarely results in a long-lasting, durable turf. Soil-toseed contact is essential, so plan on some method of surface disruption prior to seeding. There are several versions of power seeders that prep the soil and drop seed in one pass. You might also consider coreaerating in two or more directions prior to seeding, followed by applying the seed with a drop or rotary spreader, and then dragging or brushing the seed and soil cores into the canopy. Done prior to stressful environmental conditions, the coring will not typically weaken the turf; as a matter of fact, it might be very helpful, especially for lawns that were not aerified last fall due to drought. If you’re interested simply in coring without seeding, consider a schedule where aeration is done before the spring PRE herbicide is applied. This will help keep the desired chemical barrier intact in the soil.
5) Determine the appropriate seeding levels. Standard turfgrass seeding levels are presented in Table 1. The reason for the ranges given in seeding levels is to account for times when seeds are being planted in suboptimal environmental conditions. In general, use higher seeding levels in the spring for cool-season grasses and in the late summer/early fall for warm-season grasses.
Table 1. Recommended seeding levels for lawn grasses. Turfgrass Species
Seeding Level – pounds of pure live seed/1000 sq. ft.
Kentucky bluegrass
2 to 3 lbs.
Tall fescue
4 to 6 lbs.
Fine fescue
3 to 5 lbs.
Perennial ryegrass
3 to 5 lbs.
Bermudagrass*
0.5 to 1.5 lbs.
Zoysiagrass*
1 to 2 lbs.
Centipedegrass
0.25 to 0.5 lbs.
*Several of the improved cultivars can only be established by sod, plugs or sprigs.
watering and follow a more “deep and infrequent” strategy. For mowing, cut the grass as it is needed in order to maintain the “1/3rd rule” (never remove more than 1/3rd of the leaf blade at any single event). Mow cool-season turfs on the “high side” during this first season, and pay attention to watering requirements during the first summer. The root system from a spring-planted cool-season turf will be quite limited in depth and density and will require more frequent irrigation. This grass will be much more prone to environmental and/or pest-related stresses in this first summer period, so keep a close watch on the turf because problems will be likely to develop in a hurry.
6) Don’t forget sodding. Particularly for small areas requiring repair, sodding is always an option. The only regular concern with sodding for lawn repair is in matching sod appearance with existing turf. Also, don’t forget that appropriate soil preparation is still critical for sod installations, too. Never install sod directly on top of dead or dying turf and expect it to do very well.
7) Plan your basic irrigation and mowing strategies. Water to keep the seedbed moist, not saturated, and after germination is complete, slowly reduce the frequency of TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
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APPLIED RESEARCH Using Plant Growth Regulators to Manage Annual Bluegrass in Creeping-Bentgrass Putting Greens By Scott McElroy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Turfgrass Weed Science; Rodney Tocco, Graduate Research Assistant; John Sorochan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Turfgrass Science; and Greg Breeden, Research and Extension Associate; University of Tennessee
Annual bluegrass (or just simply “Poa”) contamination in bentgrass greens is truly the pinnacle of weed problems for golf course superintendents. If you have this problem, you wrestle with how to deal with it. If you do not have it, you worry that it will become a problem. Course managers pressure you to “do something about that Poa,” and yet you know that doing something could potentially harm the bentgrass. You are experiencing firsthand the proverbial “rock” and “hard place.”
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CONTINUED For some superintendents, the situation has gotten so bad that they don’t even try to control the Poa; instead, they just manage it. It’s like a tumor you can’t take out because it will kill you, knowing it will kill you eventually anyway. As if disease pressure is not bad enough on the bentgrass itself, now you have to manage the annual bluegrass with its propensity for “death by anthracnose.” In this situation, all a superintendent does is put off the inevitable. And one day when the weather is just right and your back is turned just a little too long, the weed you have depended on decides it has stayed around long enough. For those of you who don’t think you have options for Poa management in bentgrass greens, you do. But those options are not in the form of traditional herbicides — instead, plant growth regulators (PGR) are the right tool for this job.
Non-Treated Control
Why PGRs? If you have a Poa problem, the first thing you need to do is slow down. Take a breath and realize that this problem didn’t just appear yesterday, and it will not go away that fast either. The goal for Poa management in a bentgrass putting green is slow, steady removal of the Poa over time, allowing the bentgrass to replace the dead and dying Poa. You just don’t just want to kill the Poa off in one fell swoop, which would leave mottled brown spots in the green. Rather, the goal is a seamless transition. To achieve that seamless transition, there are basically two PGRs available — Cutless (flurprimidol) and Trimmit (paclobutrazol). Both have great safety on bentgrass. Here is how they work and how you should use them.
Scenario 1
Cutless (flurprimidol) This is your slow-acting weapon. It takes time, most likely two years of applications, to take out the Poa using Cutless. But let me re-emphasize — this is a good thing in some cases.
Trimmit (paclobutrazol) This is your fast-acting weapon. While both products have great safety on bentgrass, without a doubt Trimmit is more active on Poa than Cutless. But let me re-emphasize again — in some cases, fast removal is a bad thing.
Scenario 2
Now that you know what your tools are, you first need to set up the situation before you go out and start spraying. So, to determine which product program you should use, you need to answer a few questions.
O 1
How extensive is your Poa problem? If your green has 10 percent Poa contamination, the approach will be much different from a green that has 60 percent Poa. Once you determine how much Poa you have, add 10 percent to 20 percent because all superintendents think they have less than what they really have.
Scenario 3 Comparison of non-treated turf and the three different Poa management scenarios. Photos were taken on June 29, 2005, two weeks after the third application in each program. Note the fast action of Trimmit at 16 oz./acre, versus Trimmit at 8 oz./acre or Cutless.
APPLIED RESEARCH TABLE 1: Poa removal programs using PGR combinations. Please note that each program begins in early April and is continued every 28 days until November, for a total of eight applications. A = acre. SCENARIO
POA CONTAMINATION LEVEL
PROGRAM
1
greater than 60%
Cutless 50 WP: 0.5 lb./A; April and May Cutless 50 WP: 0.25 lb./A; June, July and August Cutless 50 WP: 0.5 lb./A; September, October and November
2
20% to 60%
Trimmit: 8 fl. oz./A; April and May Primo Maxx: 6.5 fl. oz./A; June, July and August Trimmit: 8 fl. oz./A; September, October, November
3
less than 20%
Trimmit: 16 fl. oz./A; April and May Primo Maxx: 6.5 fl. oz./A; June, July and August Trimmit: 8 fl. oz./A; September, October, November
O 3 O 2
How much time and money do you have? This process will take up to two years to achieve the desired goal, with monthly applications needed. If you start, you have to finish. If you just go halfway, you will end up with no progress made at all. Are your membership and greens committees behind you in this endeavor? If your greens are 40 percent or greater contaminated with Poa, you are tackling a problem that will consume a lot of your time. You cannot take on every “pet project” that the greens committee thinks you should do and still handle everything else your job throws at you.
Get with the program(s) Research projects conducted at the University of Tennessee over the past two years have pointed us to a few scenarios. These scenarios are based upon basically how much Poa contamination you have. For example, the more Poa you have
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(more than 60 percent), the slower the conversion needs to be. And the less you have, the more aggressive you can be. Table 1 outlines three potential scenarios for removal of Poa from bentgrass greens. (Please note, we have included Primo Maxx in some of these programs, but this is simply to enhance lateral spread of the bentgrass, not to control Poa.)
Final thoughts First, don’t let your application interval slip beyond 28 days. Doing this reduces the efficacy of the PGRs. Try to shoot for the 21- to 28-day range for application interval. Second, if you feel the Poa is going out too fast or too slow, simply change programs with your next application. Third, if all 18 greens are contaminated, you may not want to tackle every green in one year. Possibly start with the worst three to four greens, and add more over the years as you become more comfortable with using the PGRs. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and Poa isn’t killed in a day either. Poa management in bentgrass putting greens is as much about time and resource management as it is about selecting the right program for the job.
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T U R F TA L K
Fungicides: What a “Generic” Topic By David S. McCall, Turfgrass Research Specialist, Virginia Tech ithin the past few years, an increasing number of “generic” fungicides have become available. As patents run out on the active ingredients in brandname fungicides, other manufacturers can make and sell those ingredients under different product names. When this is done, some problems can arise, such as improper formulations or different percentages of active ingredient, both of which can alter the required use rate. In some instances, a modified formulation may cause more phytotoxicity or reduced efficacy.
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Research methods Previous research at Virginia Tech tested various brand-name products from BASF, LESCO and Makhteshim-Agan of North America (MANA). In this year’s studies, we compared a generic formulation of chlorothalonil (from MANA) to Daconil Ultrex, generic propiconazole (MANA) to Banner Max, and generic iprodione (BASF) to 26GT, respectively, for control of Rhizoctonia blight (also called brown patch). We tested each of these products on a creeping bentgrass green in Blacksburg. Propiconazole products were also compared on turf-type tall fescue on a sod farm in Doswell, VA.
Research results Weather conditions in 2005 were ideal for brown patch. In our bentgrass trial, we began to see moderate disease pressure by June 27, and the disease progressively worsened through July 12. During moderate disease pressure, both application rates of chlorothalonil (1.875 & 3.75 oz./1000 ft2) provided excellent control for each product. However, as disease pressure increased, the efficacy of each rate of MANA-chlorothalonil was slightly lower than Daconil Ultrex. Similarly, while disease pressure was low, Iprodione Pro performed slightly poorer than 26GT. As disease pressure increased, neither product adequately controlled the disease.
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At the highest rate of propiconazole tested (3.2 fl. oz./1000 ft2), each product successfully controlled Rhizoctonia blight. MANA-propiconazole and Banner Maxx performed similarly at this rate, as well as at 1.8 fl. oz./1000 ft2. Again, at the lowest rate (1 fl. oz./1000 ft2) the MANA-propiconazole did not perform as well as Banner Maxx.
Recommendations • When disease pressure is relatively low, a generic fungicide formulation may provide adequate control; however, as disease pressure increases, brand-name fungicides often perform more effectively. • When using generic products, always study the labels first, to make sure that you’re applying the proper amount of active ingredient. Don’t make the assumption that your old “standard” rates will apply. For example, LESCO Spectator T&O Fungicide contains propiconazole, as does Banner Maxx. However, the amount of active ingredient in Spectator is 41.8%, roughly three times that of Banner Maxx. Therefore, to achieve similar results, Spectator’s product use rate is lower than that of Banner Maxx. If applied at equal product rates, you may get greater control with Spectator, but you’ll also see significantly more phytotoxicity (not to mention fail to follow the label). • Check to see how the generic formulation compares with brandname products in university testing. Though the active ingredient may be the same in both products, inert ingredients (such as surfactants) may not be the same. This sometimes leads to decreased/increased performance or increased/decreased risk of phytotoxicity. • Take into account that the original manufacturer has years of experience with the product. The sales and technical staff will have a thorough understanding of the product’s limitations and compatibility issues. Many generic manufacturers are just now spending more resources to gain a better understanding of their products.
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Evaluation of Chlorothalonil for Control of Rhizoctonia Blight
untreated control MANA-chlorothalonil 1.875 oz./1000 ft2 MANA-chlorothalonil 3.75 oz./1000 ft2 Daconil Ultrex 1.875 oz./1000 ft2 Daconil Ultrex 3.75 oz./1000 ft2
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
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TURF TIPS
Star-of-Bethlehem… a Hard-to-Control SOB in Sod By Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Weed Science, Virginia Tech tar-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum, L.) (a.k.a. SOB) is a bulbous perennial that is difficult to control on sod farms where it has taken root. Not only poisonous, the plants also disrupt turfgrass uniformity and reduce sod value. SOB plants reproduce primarily by small bulbs that are spread by plowing and watershed. SOB grows vegetatively from January to June, but plants are not evident in summer and fall and may be overlooked in sod production until it is too late, after turfgrass seeds have already been planted. SOB is tolerant to most herbicides, including glyphosate, and Virginia Tech researchers have tested over 30 chemicals for its control in the past five years. Early research suggests that Gramoxone (paraquat) applied twice at 2.5 to 3 pt./A effectively controls SOB. However, selective control measures are still not available. Our work suggests that rates of dicamba (Clarity) as high as one gallon per acre controls the majority of SOB plants without harming tall fescue, and research conducted in Tennessee reported partial control with bromoxynil (Buctril) at normal labeled rates. Better selective controls are needed. Our goal was to evaluate a new herbicide — carfentrazone (Quicksilver) — and Buctril in various combinations with Clarity to improve selective SOB control.
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Research methods Experiments were conducted in April 2005 to evaluate combinations and rates of Clarity, Buctril and Quicksilver. Clarity was applied at 2 or 4 qt./A, Buctril at 2 pt./A, and
Quicksilver at 2 or 4 oz./A (A = acre). Various combinations, such as Clarity followed by Buctril, were also evaluated. Plots were visually rated for effects on tall-fescue turf and SOB weeds one month later, and plots have been marked for evaluation next year. Our comparison treatments included Gramoxone applied twice at 3 pt./A, Velocity applied twice at 45 g active ingredient/A, and aminopyralid applied once at 3.8 oz./A or twice at 1.7 oz./A.
Research results As in previous years, Gramoxone controlled SOB 96%, but it also injured tall fescue 95%. Treating with Clarity one week before treating with Buctril did increase the level of SOB control by 20% compared to either a single treatment of Clarity or Buctril, but the best control observed with this combination was 63% at one month after initial treatment. An unexpected result of this research was that Quicksilver at 4 fl. oz./A controlled SOB 96% one month after treatment. Combinations of Clarity followed one week later with two treatments of Quicksilver, each at 2 fl. oz./A, also controlled the weed 96%. Quicksilver, Clarity and Buctril did not injure tall fescue. Velocity and aminopyralid did not control SOB.
Recommendations After five years of research and the trial conducted in 2005, we can make the following recommendations: • To avoid SOB problems, scout rental fields in April, avoid tillage of infested areas and don’t attempt to renovate infested areas with glyphosate (Roundup).
Star-of-Bethlehem control by Clarity, Buctril and Quicksilver. Note turfgrass tolerance to all treatments and superior weed control by Quicksilver.
Nontreated 28
Clarity (dicamba) 4 qt./A – nonlabeled rate!
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Buctril (bromoxynil) at 4 pt./A
Quicksilver (carfentrazone) at 4 fl. oz./A
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• To control SOB selectively, apply Quicksilver at 4 fl. oz./A in late March. • To renovate areas infested with SOB, use paraquat (Gramoxone) at 3 pt./A applied twice at three-week intervals starting in late March. • To get more information on SOB, visit Dr. Askew’s website at www.turfweeds.net and enter its name in the search box. Be sure to use the proper formulation of carfentrazone for your situation. If seeking a product for use in sod production, use Aim herbicide. For athletic fields, golf courses and lawns, use Quicksilver T&O herbicide. For highway rights-of-way, fence rows and industrial vegetation control, use Quicksilver IVM herbicide. Always read and follow label instructions, regardless of results reported by Virginia Tech or any other research group.
AN INSIDE PERSPECTIVE
By Jim Harris, CGCS, Cottonwoods Golf Course, Cordova, TN
“We have actually convinced ourselves that slogans will save us. ‘Shoot up if you must, but use a clean needle.’ Or, ‘Enjoy sex whenever and with whomever you wish, but protect yourself.’ No! The answer is no! Not because it isn’t cool or smart or because you might wind up in jail or in an AIDS ward, but because it’s wrong. What Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai were not the ten suggestions, but the Ten Commandments!” Ted Koppel – ABC’s Nightline
once went shopping at one of those big “warehouse” hardware stores. I only wanted four things, so I wandered through the vast canyons of hardware in a search that equaled that of looking for the pair of ants in Noah’s Ark. Even though the things I sought were “everyday” household items, they were hidden away amongst the thousands of even more common and “everyday” things. There were pull-strings to turn on naked light bulbs, washers to prevent the garden hose from leaking all over your shoes and a most impressive display of fly swatters, but the things I needed were nowhere to be seen. Remembering my wife’s admonition to stop and ask directions, I spotted a store employee who was on his way somewhere in a hurry. His apron with the company logo was a dead giveaway as to his occupation and place of employment, so I was surprised when he seemed surprised that I stopped him. Instead of being eager to help me, he looked like he thought I was going to hit him. “Pardon me, but can you help me?” I ventured. Realizing I wasn’t going to hit him, he said, “Well, this is not really my department,” and hurried off. At that point, I almost wished I had hit him — at least I would have attracted another store employee or better yet, a manager. Failing to flag down two other employees, who were moving as hastily as the first, I continued the search myself. This added to my belief, as well as to my male ego, that there really wasn’t a need to ask directions and that surely the things I sought would miraculously appear if I just kept moving.
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Forty-five minutes later, I had two of the items I was looking for, and I rationalized that the store did not have the other two among the millions of items displayed. I decided to go and pay for my items and claim a victory because I had 50 percent of the things I came for, but then I had trouble negotiating a maze of abandoned shopping carts that were between the checkout counter and me. They all seemed to have various items in them, but no one was near them. Where were all the customers who had spent obviously endless hours accumulating these items? Weren’t they taking a great risk that someone less industrious might take the items out of their unguarded carts instead of mounting their own safari into the hardware jungle? Arriving at the front of the store, I was reminded of a bank, in that there were twelve checkout lanes but only one was open. This is obviously some management strategy that is well guarded by the banking (and now the hardware) industry. The one person at the checkout counter seemed to have two speeds — slow and slower — and had just downshifted. The fifteen people in line were obviously impatient at the progress the line was making, which was about nil. After what seemed like an eternity, a man halfway down the line finally interrupted the boredom with a loud, “To hell with this!” and walked out as he pushed his shopping cart to the side. It rolled with its cargo of unpurchased merchandise and hit the tangle of abandoned carts, revealing the mystery as to how they got there. Several other people soon followed suit and abandoned their semi-full carts as they left. I set my two
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continued items down in a cart and left before I became trapped in the store overnight by abandoned shopping carts. I swore an oath to never return. Recently, though, I decided to give the hardware supermarket another chance at earning my business (personal convenience being the main driver here). After being ignored by two salespeople who weren’t the least bit concerned whether I wanted to spend two dollars or two thousand, I went straight to the manager’s office. Enough is enough! Waiting for the manager to make an appearance, I had ample time to read a sign on display outside the administration area. First, the four-inch letters read “Service Is Our Claim To Fame.” Ha! Next, smaller letters said, “The Customer Is #1.” Another Ha! I intended to tell the manager, who still hadn’t made an appearance, that they needed to change their ways or change their slogans because they didn’t match. My eyes wandered to another wall where a professionally painted acronym read: We H.E.A.R. You. In smaller letters, the acronym was explained. The H stands for Helpful. The E stands for Energetic. The A stands for Accountability. The R stands for Responsive. The retching sound in my throat stands for contempt. If I had a marker or a dark crayon, I would have changed the acronym to: We’re D.E.A.F. D is for Don’t let the customer get in your way. E is for Expect to be looking for another job soon. A is for Always act like you’re busy. F is for Forget why you’re here in the • first place. • The store’s mottoes and slogans were • inspirational and motivating, but they were meaningless. The manager finally came out • and in a non-committal voice asked if she could help me. I decided to hold my anger • and just Dale Carnegie the socks right off of her. I said in a polite voice, “I seem to be having trouble getting someone to wait on me, and after reading these wonderful slogans on the wall, I wanted to know how I might become a recipient of this type of service.” Leaning on the counter and resting her chin in her hands, she stared off into the depths of the store and casually said, “Well, the workers here are pretty depressed because they are going to close this store and put us all out of work. After all our hard work… Blah… blah… blah.”
Not only did she not care about helping me, she wanted me to stand and listen to her problems. She didn’t realize it, but her biggest problem (other than finding new employment) was management. This was management’s fault for not monitoring, motivating or taking corrective action before the business got in this bad of shape. The mottoes and slogans couldn’t save the hardware store. Mottoes and slogans are just words; actions make them true or false. Ignore them instead of live them, and they simply become wall decorations. We need to put feet to our slogans and not just put them on the wall or wear them on a button. We have to make them work by believing in them and convincing others to believe in them. Mottoes and slogans are like policies and procedures, in that they are guidelines that must be put to work. They don’t hold any power in the way the words are organized or displayed on a button or wall. Mottoes and slogans hold power in their “intent.” Intent is like a rope — as long as you grab the end and lead it, it will always be right behind you; but if you try to push it, it will wind up getting in your way and tripping you.
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Verti-Drain Sales
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I N D E X O F A DV E RT I S E R S BWI Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.bwicompanies.com Covermaster, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 www.covermaster.com Dave Felder & Associates, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 www.dfadist.com E & S Soil and Peat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 www.eandssoil.com Greenville Turf & Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 www.greenvilleturf.com Harmon Turf Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 www.harmonturfservices.com Harrell’s Custom Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover www.harrells.com John Deere Landscapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 www.johndeerelandscapes.com K-Rain Manufacturing Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 www.krain.com Keeling Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 www.keelingcompany.com Kesmac Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 www.kesmac.com Mid Tenn Turf, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 midtennturf@cafes.net Patten Seed Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 www.pattenseed.com Princeton Delivery Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover www.piggy-back.com Prosource One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 www.prosourceone.com Regal Chemical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 www.regalchem.com Smith Turf & Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover www.smithturf.com Southeastern Turf, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 www.southeasternturf.com Syngenta Turf & Ornamental . . . . . . . . . . . 20 www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com The Scotts Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 www.scotts.com Turf Mountain Sod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 www.turfmountian.com Turfgrass America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 www.turfgrassamerica.com United Agriculture Services of America . . . . 7 Winstead Turf Farms, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 www.winsteadturf.com
CA L E N DA R O F E V E N T S March 2-5, 2006
Nashville Lawn & Garden Show Location: Nashville, TN
April 13, 2006
West TN TVSTMA Field Day Location: Jackson Sportsplex Jackson, TN
June 8, 2006
Middle TN TVSTMA Field Day Location: Maury Parks & Rec Columbia, TN
July 17-20, 2006
TPI Summer Convention & Field Days Location: Memphis, TN
August 3, 2006
West TN TVSTMA Field Day Location: University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN
August 3, 2006
UT Turfgrass Field Day Location: Knoxville, TN
November 9, 2006
TVSTMA Sports Tour Location: Chattanooga Lookouts/Finley Stadium Chattanooga, TN
January 15-17, 2007 41st Annual TTA Conference & Trade Show Location: Marriott Cool Springs Franklin, TN
Quality Cool Season Grasses 3277 Chimney Rock Road Hendersonville, NC 28792
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