The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association and the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association
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The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association and the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association
TABLE OF CONTENTS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
FEATURED ARTICLES
10 12 16
Upcoming Event — UT Annual Field Day and Turf & Landscape Workshop Recent Event — 2007 Annual TTA Conference & Trade Show Cover Story — Preemergence Options for Crabgrass Control Turf Talk — Bermudagrass Varieties for TN
30
16 Cover Story
24
Turf Talk
30
Turf Tips
Turf Tips — What’s Your Exit Strategy?
DEPARTMENTS
4
From the TTA President, Bill Francis
6
From the TVSTMA, Al Ray
8
News from the TTA
34
News from the TVSTMA
35
Industry News
36
Calendar of Events
38
Index of Advertisers
38
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
FROM THE PRESIDENT
G
reetings from Upper East Tennessee! It was great to see so many of you at the TTA Annual Conference & Trade Show in Franklin on January 14-16. For those of you who were unable to attend, here is a little sample of what you missed. The Cool Springs Marriott proved to be a fabulous venue. I personally received nothing but positive feedback on the convention center, hotel accommodations and the education program. As always, Dr. Tom Samples and the TTA Education Committee did a remarkable job of putting together a well-rounded education program that included speakers from all over the country. Other than a few weather-related travel glitches for some of the speakers, the Conference went on without a snag. With our new venue and the later date, total attendance was up 18 percent from 2006. This year’s event leaves no doubt in my mind that the Tennessee Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show is truly one of the finest around. The highlight of the Awards Breakfast was when Dr. Samples presented Dr. Alan Windham with the 2006 Turf Professional of the Year award. In my opinion, no one is more deserving, as Dr. Windham has contributed so much to the turfgrass industry — not only in 2006, but throughout his career. In addition, the TTA awarded two $1,000 Ernest Hardison Memorial Scholarships. John Crawford of the University of Tennessee and Matthew Slaughter of Walters State Community College were this year’s recipients. Congratulations to both of these deserving young men. 6
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
B I L L F R A N C IS
During the annual business meeting, six individuals were elected to two-year terms. Cory Blair, Shelia Finney and Bill Marbet were re-elected to the board, while Scott McNeer, Scott Morgan and Robert Stroud are new directors. In addition, the membership committee proposed a bylaws change to allow for the addition of a Retired Membership category. This bylaw change was passed unanimously by the members present at the meeting. I believe we have an outstanding group of individuals on this year’s board, and I think together we will accomplish more great things in 2007. Also, I should mention that in 2006 the TTA earmarked $10,000 to the University of Tennessee for the construction of a bentgrass research putting green in Knoxville. In addition, we committed $11,600 per year for research to UT for 2006 and 2007. I feel we have some of the best educators and researchers in the country right here in Tennessee, and I am proud that the TTA has made a commitment to fund research here at home. With that said, be sure and mark your calendars for the UT Turf and Landscape Workshop in Knoxville on May 15 and 16. This looks to be an education program you will not want to miss, as well as an opportunity to show your support for the research team at UT. In closing, I want to thank each of you for your continued support of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Please keep the ideas and feedback coming, as we continue to look for ways to improve the value of your membership. T
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 Scientific Editor Dr. J. Scott McElroy 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 2007 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mr. Cory Blair Ms. Shelia Finney Mr. Roger Frazier Mr. Mickey Lovett Mr. Bill Marbet Mr. Bob McCurdy Mr. Scott McNeer Mr. Tommy Mittlesteadt Mr. Scott Morgan Mr. Mitch Parker Mr. Robert Stroud 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
Don’t Miss
the
TVSTMA
West Tenn essee
Field Day
April 26 , 2007 Bellevue B aptist Chu rch Cordova, TN
T
he tight schedules of the third week of January 2007 were unquestionably a challenge — the TTA Annual Conference & Trade Show (January 14-16), our annual TVSTMA business meeting (January 16), the STMA Annual Conference in San Antonio (January 17-21), rough weather, cancelled flights, lost bags and lots of lost sleep. Oh, yeah, and one other thing — it was GREAT! Without a doubt, I believe that week will prove to be a pivotal point for the TVSTMA. Out of the chaos came monumental strides towards becoming the chapter we all want to be. Hats off to TTA and everyone who participated in our annual business meeting and sports turf sessions! First let me thank you for the opportunity to serve another year for an organization I believe in with all my heart, made up of people I respect as professionals and cherish as friends. Thanks also for the excellent roster of leaders you elected and their willingness to serve. From this impressive list, you get an immediate sense of enthusiasm: Johnny Ponce (President Elect), Stephen Callis (Commercial Vice President) and Glenn Lucas (Treasurer). Committee Chairs for programs are: Jason Pannell (West), Marty Kaufman (Middle), Tom Garner (Upper East) and Bo Henley (Lower East). Johnny Ponce is our new Membership Chair, with Bill Zuckerman serving as Communications/Publicity Chair. Their enthusiasm, along with the cumulative expertise of this group, is what will push forward the ambitious agenda we set for ourselves in
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
January’s annual business meeting. That agenda includes the establishment of the position of a TVSTMA executive secretary for 2007, and that person will be Shannon Lovell. Shannon is a very organized, professional individual who currently provides similar service to a related organization. Her skills, along with our active members and strong leadership, will take us to the next level. Other initiatives for which we can all be proud include the sponsorship (in conjunction with TTA) of S.A.F.E. students during the STMA Conference, the TVSTMA Regional Fields of the Year awards and the TVSTMA scholarship. Is it ambitious? Yes. Is it worthwhile? Absolutely. Is it doable? With the talent and resources within our ranks — working together to grow all segments of membership, demonstrating the value of membership in all our endeavors and increasing the level of professionalism of Tennessee Valley sports turf managers — we can do this and more. T Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing. Abraham Lincoln 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 Š2007 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. Presorted standard 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) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
UPCOMING EVENT
Annual Turfgrass Field Day
at The University of Tennessee, Plus Turf & Landscape Workshop, May 15-16, 2007 / UT Plant Sciences Unit, Knoxville TUESDAY MORNING (MAY 15) FIELD DAY TOUR & TOPICS
PCP: 3 hours C3, 10, 12; 1 hour C6
WEDNESDAY MORNING (MAY 16) CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Registration Time: 7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Field Day Tour & Topics Time: 8:30 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. PCP: 3 hours C3, 10, 12; 1 hour C6 • Management of Creeping Bentgrass Disease • Putting Green Research • Control of Crabgrass & Broadleaf Weeds • Bluegrass, Fescue or Both for Tennessee? • Insect Detection and Control Timing • Understanding Diseases & Insects • Bermudagrass Wear Tolerance & Overseeding • Overseeding Removal & Poa Annua Control Field Day Lunch (provided) Time: 11:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON (MAY 15) CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS
Plant-Scaping Time: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Plant Biotechnology Bldg., Room 113 PCP: 4 hours C3, 10, 12; 1 hour C6 • How UT Extension Can Help You • Managing Adverse Soil Conditions • Perennial Plant Selection • Bedazzled by Color Turfgrass Management Time: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Plant Biotechnology Bldg., Room 160 PCP: 4 hours C3, 10, 12; 1 hour C6 • Bermudagrass: Tifway and Beyond • Zoysiagrass 101 • Being Prepared for 2007 • Plant Growth Regulators Pest Management Time: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Plant Biotechnology Bldg., Room 156/157 PCP: 4 hours C3, 10, 12; 1 hour C6 • Integrated Pest Management • Management of Bermudagrass Spring Dead Spot and Zoysia Patch • Disease Resistance: Detection, Management and Avoidance • There Are No Odd Weeds … Just Odd People
Managing Bermudagrass Athletic Fields in the Mid-South Region Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Plant Sciences Unit PCP: 4 hours C2, 10, 12; 1 hour C6 Managing Ornamental Colorscapes Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. UT Gardens
Registration Information Registration Fees until May 1, 2007: $40 for either Tuesday or Wednesday ($50 after May 1), $75 for both days ($90 after May 1) For a registration form, contact: East TN Research & Education Center (865) 974-7201 Or download the registration form at: http://turfweeds.utk.edu
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
RECENT EVENT Highlights from TTA’s Annual Conference & Trade Show, January 14–16, 2007
S
ometimes, a simple change of scenery can give even a traditionally successful event a much-needed spark of fresh enthusiasm and excitement. And that’s exactly what happened this year with the Tennessee Turfgrass Association’s decision to move its Annual Conference and Trade Show from the Opryland Hotel in Nashville to the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin, TN. The new venue proved extremely popular with both attendees and trade show exhibitors, who particularly appreciated the Marriott’s signature quality of service and accommodations, the convenience of the Marriott’s Conference Center amenities and the ample (and free!) parking just steps outside the seminar rooms and trade show. In fact, with the Conference’s top-notch educational sessions (coordinated by the TTA’s Education and Programs Committee and Dr. Tom Samples, with The University of Tennessee’s turfgrass program), as well as a roomy yet elegant trade show, overall Conference attendance was up by nearly 20 percent over last year’s event. Even the TTA’s Annual Business Meeting and Awards 12
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
Breakfast, which started at 6:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning, was packed with attendees eager to vote in TTA’s new directors and honor this year’s award recipients. After recognizing outgoing directors Bart Cash, Cory Blair, Monica LalindeCooper, Brad Erickson, Shelia Finney and Bill Marbet, the TTA membership re-elected Blair, Finney and Marbet and welcomed new board members Scott McNeer (Spring Creek Ranch in Collierville), Scott Morgan (Shelton Landscape Supply in Hixon) and Robert Stroud (The Turf Doctor in Franklin). Attendees also warmly congratulated this year’s winners of the Ernest Hardison Memorial Scholarship Award — Michael Crawford and Matthew Slaughter — and gave a standing ovation to the recipient of TTA’s Professional of the Year Award, Dr. Alan Windham. If you missed this year’s event, be sure to mark your calendars for January 13–15, 2008, when the TTA celebrates its 42nd Annual Conference and Trade Show again at the Cool Springs Marriott.
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
CONTINUED 2006 TTA Award Winners Frank Turner, chair of TTA’s Awards and Scholarship Committee, announced that, from about a dozen worthy candidates, the committee selected two winners of the Ernest Hardison Scholarship Award — Michael Crawford, a senior at The University of Tennessee, and Matthew Slaughter, a student at Walters State Community College. Dr. Tom Samples presented last year’s TTA Professional of the Year to Dr. Alan Windham, professor of plant pathology at The University of Tennessee. Dr. Windham was recognized particularly for bringing national and international attention to UT’s turfgrass program through his highly regarded GCSAA diseaseidentification workshops.
Dr. Alan Windham, professor of plant pathology at The University of Tennessee, received the coveted TTA Professional of the Year Award at the 2007 TTA Annual Conference & Trade Show.
Above, Frank Turner (right) congratulates one of the two 2006 winners of the Ernest Hardison Memorial Scholarship Award — Michael Crawford (left), a turfgrass-science student at The University of Tennessee.
Above, Frank Turner (right) congratulates one of the two 2006 winners of the Ernest Hardison Memorial Scholarship Award — Matthew Slaughter (left), a student at Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN.
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
13
RECENT EVENT Tennessee Turfgrass Association
Conference and trade show
JANUARY 14TH – 16TH, 2007 A Very Special Thanks to Our Trade Show Exhibitors!
14
Bayer Environmental Science
Mid Tenn Turf, Inc.
BWI Companies, Inc.
Oasis Irrigation, Inc.
Champion Field & Turf, LLC
Pennington Seed
Charles Williams & Assoc., Inc.
Precision Reel Grinding
Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply
Precision Sports Fields
Double Springs Grass Farms
ProSource One
Dow AgroSciences
Quail Valley Grasses
Ewing Irrigation
Regal Chemical Co.
Flowtronex
SePRO Corporation
Grassroots, Inc.
Shelton Irrigation
Greenville Turf & Tractor
Shelton Landscape Supply
Grigg Brothers
Sigma Organics
Harrell’s Custom Fertilizers
Smith Turf & Irrigation (STI)
Huntsville Tractor & Equipment
Southeastern Turf, LLC
IKEX, Inc.
Southern Athletic Fields
Jackson Sand
Sur-Line Turf
Jen Hill Construction Materials
Syngenta
Keeling Company
The Andersons
Ladd’s
The Hogan Company
Memphis Area Golf Course
The Turfgrass Group
Superintendents Association
Turfgrass America
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
CONTINUED
COVER STORY
By Greg Breeden, Weed Science Research and Extension Associate, and Scott McElroy, Ph.D., Turfgrass Weed Scientist and Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee
16
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
CONTINUED
C
rabgrass species (Digitaria spp.) are common annual grass weeds that are problematic in athletic fields, golf courses, home lawns and sod farms. Uncontrolled crabgrass will decrease the playability, usability and aesthetic quality of any turf situation. Preemergence herbicides are often the best options for management and control of crabgrass species. Crabgrass characteristics
The two primary crabgrass species in Tennessee are large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis; see Photo 1) and smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum; see Photo 2). Smooth and large crabgrass can be differentiated by evaluating the leaves and stems — large crabgrass has hairy leaves and stems, whereas smooth crabgrass has little to no hairs on the leaves and stems but does have hairs on the collar region (the intersection of the leaf and stem of the plant). Smooth crabgrass is the most prevalent species in turf situations in Tennessee. Both smooth and large crabgrass are summer annuals that germinate in the spring and grow through the summer, producing seeds. Both crabgrass species die with the first killing frost in the fall.
Crabgrass germination and preemergence herbicides Monitoring your soil temperatures will aid in the timing of the application of preemergence herbicides. Large and smooth crabgrass seeds germinate in the spring when the soil temperature reaches 55° F or when air temperature reaches 65° F or greater for four or more days. The blooming of forsythia, also known as golden bells (Photo 3), is a visual indicator that soil temperatures are increasing. In Tennessee, forsythia has showy yellow flowers that bloom in early spring, prior to crabgrass emergence. It is common throughout the state and can be found in a variety of landscapes. The initial preemergence application for crabgrass-species control should be in late February or early March in west Tennessee and mid-March to early April in east Tennessee. Using forsythia as an indicator, the first preemergence application of the season should be made before the last forsythia blooms fall. For extended residual activity, make a second application six to eight weeks after the initial application. A second application will also improve goosegrass (Eleusine indica) control. Correct timing of preemergence herbicides is important because of how the herbicides work. It is often mistakenly thought that preemergence herbicides prevent seeds from germinating. Instead, they actually prevent the germinating seedlings from developing after the germination process begins. For preemergence herbicides to work properly, they must be applied before seedling emergence, and they need H” of rainfall or overhead irrigation within 24 to 48 hours after application.
Photo 1 (TOP): Large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis). Photo 2 (BOTTOM): Smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum).
Key Points at a Glance • Prodiamine (Barricade), pendimethalin (Pendulum), dithiopyr (Dimension) and oxadiazon (Ronstar) are effective preemergence herbicides for crabgrass control, when utilized properly. • Sequential applications of these herbicides improve the longevity of crabgrass and goosegrass control. • Dithiopyr has limited postemergence herbicide activity, and crabgrass control in this method is inconsistent. • Tank-mixing MSMA or Drive with standard preemergence herbicides can control crabgrass in early postemergence.
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
17
COVER STORY Research on crabgrass preemergence control
Photo 3: Forsythia in bloom.
Every year, the University of Tennessee evaluates the numerous preemergence crabgrass options in different locations and environmental conditions. Our research has evaluated the different preemergence herbicides for crabgrass control, as well as single versus split applications (Figure 1). Since many granular and sprayable formulations of these herbicides exist, we will refer to them in terms of pounds (lb.) of active ingredient (ai) per acre (a) — lb. ai/a. In studies conducted in 2006, prodiamine at 0.97 lb. ai/a, dithiopyr at 0.5 lb. ai/a, pendimethalin at 3 lb. ai/a and oxadiazon at 4 lb. ai/a all provided effective control (more than 90 percent) throughout the season. Split applications (applied March 14 and May 9) of prodiamine at 0.38 lb. ai/a and dithiopyr at 0.38 lb. ai/a provided as good control of smooth crabgrass as single applications at 0.97 lb. ai/a and 0.5 lb. ai/a, respectively. While no difference was observed between single and split applications, previous research indicates that split applications are a good way to extend the length of residual control from preemergence herbicides. Other research has evaluated preemergence and early postemergence applications of dithiopyr (Figure 2). Dithiopyr is the only preemergence crabgrass herbicide that also has postemergence activity; however, control in this manner is
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 Application Dates: 1. March 14, 2006 2. May 9, 2006
30 20 10 0 % Smooth Crabgrass Control Compared to Non-Treated
Figure 1: Smooth-crabgrass control with single and sequential preemergence herbicides, 17 weeks after sequential application. 18
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
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CONTINUED inconsistent. Early postemergence applications of dithiopyr provided only 57 percent smooth-crabgrass control at 9 weeks after application, while a single effectively timed preemergence application of dithiopyr provided effective smooth-crabgrass control throughout the season. As a general rule, we recommend not developing a preemergence crabgrass program that relies on dithiopyr to provide postemergence control. Any postemergence activity should be viewed as an added bonus.
Final thoughts Taking a preventative approach – such as using a preemergence herbicide – is often the most effective means of weed management. Crabgrass is very competitive with turf and is aesthetically unpleasing. Why worry about managing a weed after it has infested an area, when instead you can stop it from entering? Since all of the preemergence herbicides for crabgrass-species control work well, figure out which herbicide works best for you and which one you are comfortable with. Keep in mind that multiple applications will improve goosegrass control, as well as improve the longevity of crabgrass control. Continued on page 21
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Preemergence Crabgrass Herbicides Several primary preemergence herbicides are available for crabgrass species control in turf. The following information is provided as a guide for these herbicides.
Trade Name: Dimension Chemical Name: dithiopyr Family: pyridine Use Areas: golf courses (except putting greens), athletic fields, sod farms, residential lawns and non-residential areas Turf Safety: all major established turfgrass species Application Type and Rate (Dimension): sprayable (2 qt./a) and granular (0.5 lb. ai/a)
Trade Name: Ronstar Chemical Name: oxadiazon Family: oxadiazole Use Areas: golf courses (except tees and putting greens), athletic fields, sod farms and non-residential areas (not labeled for residential lawn use) Turf Safety: all major established turfgrass species Application Type and Rate (Ronstar G): granular (100 to 200 lb./a) or sprayable (2 to 4 lb. ai/a) to dormant turf only
90 80
Trade Name: Pendulum Aquacap and others Chemical Name: pendimethalin Family: dinitroaniline Use Areas: golf courses (except tees and greens), athletic fields, sod farms, residential lawns and non-residential areas Turf Safety: all major established turfgrass species Application Type and Rate (Pendulum Aquacap): sprayable (1.5 to 3 qt./a) and granular (1.5 to 3 lb. ai/a)
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 % Smooth Crabgrass Control Compared to Non-Treated
Dithiopyr 0.5 lb ai/a - 1 Dithiopyr 0.5 lb ai/a - 2
Application Dates: 1. March 17, 2005 2. May 11, 2005
Trade Name: Barricade 4FL and 65 Chemical Name: prodiamine Family: dinitroaniline Use Areas: golf courses, athletic fields, sod farms, residential lawns and non-residential areas Turf Safety: all major established turfgrass species (for bentgrass, see label) Application Type and Rate (Barricade): sprayable (10 to 48 oz./a) and granular (0.5 to 1 lb. ai/a)
Figure 2: Smooth-crabgrass control with preemergence and early postemergence applications of dithiopyr, 9 weeks after postemergence application.
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
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CONTINUED Initial Preemergence Application
Steps to Developing a Preemergence Program Crabgrass Germination that all preemergence herbicides need rainfall or irrigation to be activated. The initial preemergence application for There are numerous factors to consider in choosing the crabgrass control should be in late February or early March Sequential herbicide you use. First consider the formulation and inPreemergence west Tennessee and mid-March to early April in east application. Is the herbicide labeled for the application area? Tennessee. For extended residual activity, make a second Application Do you prefer a liquid instead of a wettable powder? Does a application six to eight weeks after the initial application. To broadcast granular fit the situation better? reiterate, research at the University of Tennessee has shown It is important to remember that the preemergence Germination that properGoosegrass rate and application timing is more important herbicides evaluated at the University of Tennessee all than which preemergence herbicide you choose. provide similar crabgrass-species control when used according to label recommendations. But while we have observed no appreciable difference, we have noticed that many Step #3. Have a backup plan.Tank Mixes Preemergence + Postemergence end users do hold strong opinions as to which herbicide is If you miss the proper application timing of the preemergence the most effective. Therefore, probably the most important herbicide you choose, tank mixes of MSMA and Drive with aspect of choosing a preemergence herbicide is determining standard preemergence herbicides can provide effective which one works for you. Whichever preemergence herbicide control of crabgrass species as an early postemergence you choose, applying it at the right time and according to application. Apply Drive at 1 lb./a plus 1.5 pt./a of label recommendations will improve your success. methylated seed oil or MSMA (6 lb. ai/gal) at 1.3 qt./a with standard preemergence herbicides to small (one- to Step #2. Apply in a timely manner. three-leaf) crabgrass species. Both options provide effective After choosing the proper preemergence herbicide, make crabgrass-species control; however, both can severely injure sure it is applied in a timely manner (Figure 3). Keep in mind cool-season grasses under hot, dry conditions. T
Step #1. Choose a preemergence herbicide.
Initial Preemergence Application Crabgrass Germination Sequential Preemergence Application Goosegrass Germination Preemergence + Postemergence Tank Mixes
DEFINITIONS Initial Preemergence Application: Initial application should be made prior to germination of crabgrass species. Preemergence herbicides act by preventing germinating seedlings from developing. Sequential Preemergence Application: Sequential application should be made six to eight weeks after the initial application. A second application will extend residual crabgrass species control and increase goosegrass control. Preemergence + Postemergence Tank Mixes: Standard preemergence crabgrass herbicides tank mixed with postemergence herbicides (Drive and MSMA) can be applied to control germinated crabgrass species. Apply to small (one to three leaves) crabgrass to increase control of germinated crabgrass species. Crabgrass Germination: Crabgrass species germinate in the spring when soil temperatures reach 55° F or an air temperature of 65° F for four or more days. Once the soil temperature reaches 55° F crabgrass species can germinate over the next two to three months. Goosegrass Germination: Goosegrass starts to germinate later in the summer than crabgrass species. Goosegrass germination is more difficult to time than crabgrass species.
Figure 3: Timeline for crabgrass-species control.
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
21
TURF TALK
BERMUDAGRASSES for TENNESSEE
By Tom Samples, Ph.D.; J. Scott McElroy, Ph.D.; and John C. Sorochan, Ph.D., The University of Tennessee
B
24
ermudagrass – an aggressive, low-growing and very persistent sod-forming turfgrass – is actually native to Africa. Many of the turf-type bermudagrasses are hybrids of two Cynodon species: C. dactylon (L) Pers. and C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy. A healthy, actively growing bermudagrass turf is dense, resistant to weed invasion and capable of recovering from injury very quickly. Plants spread by above-ground runners (stolons) and below-ground runners (rhizomes). Leaves and stems become straw-brown as plants enter dormancy each fall. Bermudagrass grows best in full sun. The shade tolerance of most varieties in today’s marketplace is poor, although Dr. Wayne Hanna (professor of plant breeding and genetics at the University of Georgia and adjunct professor at The University of Tennessee) has recently discovered a clonal variety of bermudagrass that may persist in areas that receive less than 40 percent of incoming light.
While bermudagrass is adapted to soils ranging in texture from sand to clay, it does not grow well in infertile, poorly drained soils. The nitrogen (N) fertility requirement for bermudagrass generally ranges from H to 1-H pounds of N per 1,000 ft2 per growing month. Because the species produces excessive thatch, bermudagrass requires routine dethatching. Bermudagrass is often prone to several patch diseases, including pink snow mold, Rhizoctonia blight and spring dead spot. Several improved varieties of bermudagrass — including vegetative varieties such as ‘Champion’, ‘GN-1’, ‘Mini-Verde’, ‘MS-Choice’, ‘Patriot’, ‘TifEagle’ and ‘Tifton 10’, as well as seeded varieties such as ‘Mirage’, ‘Mohawk’, ‘Panama’, ‘Riviera’, ‘Savannah’, ‘Sultan’, ‘Sundance II’, ‘Sundevil II’, ‘Sunstar’, ‘Transcontinental’ and ‘Yuma’ — are now available in Tennessee. Additional experimental and named varieties are
‘Riviera’ is a seeded-type bermudagrass with a medium-dark color and a medium texture for golf courses, lawns, parks and sports turf.
‘Tifway’ bermudagrass, also known as Tifton 419, is a vegetatively produced variety with a dark-green color and excellent density.
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
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CONTINUED Vegetatively Propagated, Clonal-Type Bermudagrasses GN-1 Experimental Designation: CT-2 A rapidly growing hybrid bermudagrass, GN-1 was developed in Australia in 1989 and first marketed in the U.S. in 1995. Compared to Tifway, the variety is similar in leaf density, with wider leaves and a darker green color. MS-Choice Experimental Designation: MSB-30 MS-Choice was released by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station in 1991 after 11 years of research. This compact, leafy and dark-green variety was developed for sports fields, home lawns and golf courses (fairways and tees). Plants produce very few seedheads and rarely show scalping damage. The variety has improved resistance to leaf spot, but it is somewhat susceptible to dollar spot under medium levels of disease incidence. Patriot Experimental Designation: OKC 18-4 Patriot was developed by the Oklahoma State University Bermudagrass Breeding and Development Team. In the upper region of bermudagrass adaptation where cold winters are an issue, Patriot’s overall quality is usually equal to or better than that of Tifway. This low-temperature-hardy variety establishes rapidly from sprigs and has improved resistance to spring dead spot. Excellent aerial-shoot survival during winter, relatively short internodes and high shoot density may result in a need for routine dethatching under intensive management. Quickstand Selected from an old stand of unknown origin at the Plant Material Center in Quicksand, KY, Quickstand was released jointly in 1993 by the USDA - Natural Resources and Conservation Service and the University of Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. The variety establishes and spreads very rapidly. Plants have medium-green leaves and do not appear to produce viable pollen. Quickstand’s 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. Tifgreen Experimental Designation: Tifton 328 Created in 1951 and released jointly in 1956 by the Georgia AES and ARS Crops Research Division, Tifgreen is a cross between African bermudagrass and a fine-textured common bermudagrass from the fourth green on the Charlotte Country
Club. The low-growing variety rapidly spreads and is disease resistant. Although Tifgreen may produce a few yellowishgreen seedheads, no viable seeds are produced. Plants are forest green in color and have soft, narrow leaves. Tifgreen withstands very short mowing heights (e.g., less than 3/16”). TifSport Experimental Designation: Tift 94 TifSport was cooperatively released by the USDA - ARS and the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in April 1995. This hybrid — one of 66 finer-textured mutants induced by gamma-radiation of Midiron — was selected for overall turf quality, tolerance to close mowing, spring greenup characteristics and resistance to Southern mole cricket. In turf quality, TifSport is similar to Tifgreen and equal to Tifway II. Cold tolerance allows the variety to be grown as far north as Lexington, KY, and Stillwater, OK. Tifton 10 Released in 1988 by the Georgia Coastal Plain AES and ARS, Tifton 10 (marketed as T-10 in Tennessee) was originally collected in 1974 in Shanghai, China. The variety was selected for ease of establishment by stolons and overall turf quality. Resistant to drought and tolerant of high temperatures, the coarse-textured plants have dark bluishgreen foliage. Tifton 10 is recommended for home lawns, parks, sports turfs and golf course roughs. Tifway Experimental Designation: Tifton 37 or Tifton 419 Released to growers of certified sprigs in 1960, Tifway was selected and cooperatively tested by the USDA, the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station and the United States and Southern Golf Associations. Found in 1954 in a seed lot of African bermudagrasses from Johannesburg, South Africa, this chance hybrid between African and common bermudagrass will shed no pollen and set no seed. The dark-green, disease-resistant variety spreads faster than Tifgreen and is more resistant to sod webworm. Although it is not nearly as soft as Tifgreen, Tifway has superior cold hardiness. Vamont Experimental Designation: VPI c-1 Released to sod producers in 1980, this vigorous, mediumgreen bermudagrass was first seen growing on a golf course fairway in 1972. The region of adaptation of this winterhardy variety extends throughout the northern transition zone. Vamont tolerates traffic well and, because of its openness, is easily over-seeded.
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
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TURF TALK Seeded, Turf-Type Bermudagrasses Blackjack – Color: medium-dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and tees, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Olsen-Fennel Seed (Desert Sun Marketing) Blue-Muda – Experimental Designation: DSM-200 Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: lawns, parks and sports turfs Company: Desert Sun Marketing
Princess – Experimental Designation: FMC-77 Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Seeds West
Cheyenne – Color: light Texture: medium-coarse Intended Use: lawns and golf roughs Company: Pennington Seed Del Sol – Experimental Designation: B26-14 Color: medium-dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and tees, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Turf Merchants Guymon – Experimental Designation: GX59 Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Johnston Seed Jackpot – Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Simplot / Jacklin Seed Paloma – Experimental Designation: SRX9500 Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Seed Research of Oregon Majestic – Color: medium-dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: H & H Seed Mirage – Experimental Designation: CD90173 Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: International Seeds Mohawk – Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Seeds West / NuMex Panama – Color: medium-dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Pure Seed Testing / Seeds West
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
Primavera – Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Seed Research of Oregon / Seeds West
Pyramid – Experimental Designation: CD90183 Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Cebeco International Seeds Riviera – Experimental Designation: OKS 95-1 Color: medium-dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Johnston Seed / Seed Research of Oregon Sahara – Experimental Designation: NMS-1 Color: light Texture: medium-coarse Intended Use: lawns & golf roughs Company: Seeds West Savannah – Experimental Designation: PST-R64 Color: medium-dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Turf-Seed Shanghai – Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Patten Seed Shangri La – Color: medium-dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: ProSeeds Marketing Soliel – Experimental Designation: ED1, ED5 and MD2 Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns & sports turf Company: Cascade International Sonesta – Experimental Designation: NMS-3 Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: golf roughs & lawns Company: M. Scott & Son, 1993
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CONTINUED being evaluated at the Knoxville Research and Education Center in Knoxville and at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center in Jackson. Southern Star – Experimental Designation: J1224 Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Simplot / Jacklin Seed SR9554 – Color: dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Seed Research of Oregon Sultan – Experimental Designation: FMC-6 Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turfs Company: Seeds West Sundance – Experimental Designation: B14 Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turfs Company: LESCO, Inc. Sundevil I – Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: lawns and golf roughs Company: Medalist America
Vegetative, clonal varieties Clonal bermudagrasses do not produce viable seeds and therefore must be established vegetatively from sprigs, plugs or sod. They vary in overall quality, stand density, vertical and lateral growth rate, disease resistance and low-temperature hardiness. ‘Tifton 10’ (T-10) and ‘Mississippi Choice’ are especially well adapted in southwest and south-central Tennessee. ‘Patriot’, ‘Quickstand’, ‘TifSport’ and ‘Vamont’ have improved low-temperature hardiness and are maintained in the northern turfgrass transition zone. 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 that usually requires more intensive management than ‘Tifway’. ‘Tifgreen’ is a valued lawn grass in west Tennessee and is also maintained on a limited number of golf course greens at cutting heights of 3/16” or lower. Ultradwarf varieties such as ‘Champion’, ‘Mini-Verde’ and ‘TifEagle’, however, are replacing ‘Tifgreen’ as the variety of choice for bermudagrass golf greens.
Seeded varieties
Sundevil II – Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: lawns and golf roughs Company: Medalist America Sunstar – Experimental Designation: B618 Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: LESCO, Inc. Sydney – Experimental Designation: SWI-7 Color: medium-dark Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turf Company: Seeds West Transcontinental – Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways, roughs and tees; parks & sports turf Company: Turf Merchants / Turf Seed Yukon – Color: medium Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turfs Company: Johnston Seed / Seed Research of Oregon Yuma – Color: light Texture: medium Intended Use: golf fairways and roughs, lawns, parks & sports turfs Company: Seeds West
Seeds of common bermudagrass are often used to establish home lawns and utility turfs. Improved, common bermudagrasses such as ‘Riviera’ and ‘Yukon’ have better turfgrass quality, rooting, tolerance to low temperatures and resistance to spring dead spot than common and several inter-specific, hybrid bermudagrasses. Other improved, common bermudagrasses marketed in Tennessee include ‘Mirage’, ‘Pyramid’, ‘Southern Star’, ‘Sundance II’, ‘Sundevil I and II’, ‘Sunstar’ and ‘Transcontinental’. Presently, several bermudagrass seed blends are marketed in Tennessee, including ‘Enviro-Bermuda’ (a blend of ‘Mohawk’, ‘Sydney’ and ‘Panama’ or ‘Yuma’), ‘LaPrima’ (a blend of ‘SR9554’ and ‘La Paloma’), ‘Oasis’ (a blend of ‘Blackjack’, ‘Savannah’ and ‘Sundevil II’) and ‘Sunspot’ and ‘Triangle’ (blends of ‘Mohawk’, ‘Sultan’ and ‘Sydney’).
On the horizon Turfgrass breeders continue to develop new, improved bermudagrasses that can be established from seed. Seven of the 28 entries in the 1986 NTEP National Bermudagrass Test, 16 of the 26 entries in the 1991 NTEP National Bermudagrass Test and 18 of the 28 entries in the 1997 NTEP National Bermudagrass Test were seeded types. Of the 42 total entries in the most recent NTEP National Bermudagrass Test started in 2002, 29 produce viable seed. Information regarding the performance of specific bermudagrass varieties is available at the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program website (http://www.ntep.org).
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
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T U RF TALK Ultradwarf Bermudagrasses for Golf Greens Champion A vegetative selection from Tifdwarf collected in Texas, Champion often produces greater root mass than TifEagle. It has a relatively low N requirement. Its thatch accumulation is comparable to TifEagle. Mini-Verde Developed by Thomas Brothers Grass / Turfgrass America, Mini-Verde was first produced in 1992. A vegetative selection from what is believed to be a mutant of Tifdwarf, it has very fine leaves, a rapid lateral growth rate, improved stand density and uniform green color. MS-Supreme Experimental Designation: MSB40 Developed by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, MS-Supreme was discovered growing in a Tifgreen golf course green at Gulf Shores Country Club in Alabama. This forest-green vegetative variety has a very fine leaf-blade length and width, excellent aerial-shoot density and a highly prostrate growth habit. It maintains uniform color under cloudy conditions in the fall. TifEagle Developed by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the Georgia Agriculture Experiment Station, this sterile, fine-textured, medium-green vegetative variety is a cobalt-induced mutant of Tifway II. It grows well and displays very little purple discoloration in cool weather. T
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Crossroads Sod Farm, LLC Bermudas, Turf-Type Tall Fescues, and Zoysia Howard Pickett, Manager
166 Lester Limbaugh Lane • Belvedere, TN 37306 Cell: 931-703-9758 • Phone: 931-962-3481 Fax: 931-967-7865 member
TURF TIPS
By Liz Nutter, Managing Editor for Leading Edge Communications (publisher of Tennessee Turfgrass), with Chris Hartwiger, USGA Green Section
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or many golf course superintendents and sports turf managers, an overseeding program typically means planting a cool-season grass in the fall (to provide a blanket of temporary color over dormant bermudagrass) and then just letting Mother Nature take it out the next spring — i.e., the ryegrass goes away whenever the weather conditions are hot and dry enough to kill it out. With the new transition herbicides on the market today, however, turf managers can now control exactly when and how quickly that cool-season grass starts to fade away, regardless of the weather. Actually, it is critically important to take control of transitioning, says Chris Hartwiger, with the USGA Green Section. “If you want to have a sustainable overseeding program year after year, you need to give your bermudagrass
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base enough time to recover — and get strong enough through the summer — to handle overseeding the next fall,” he says. “Research conducted by Dr. Fred Yelverton at North Carolina State University suggests that bermudagrass needs a minimum of 100 days of growing weather — with no competition from a cool-season grass — in order to stay healthy through an overseeding program.” Most turf managers in Tennessee typically overseed in mid-September to mid-October. So, if you plan to overseed this coming fall in mid-September, the cool-season grass you planted last fall should be gone by June 1, in order to give your bermudagrass base at least 100 days of competition-free growth this summer. However, if you rely solely on this spring’s weather conditions to take out the ryegrass, it may not be gone by June 1.
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CONTINUED So your best course of action is to use a transition aid to predictably take out your ryegrass, regardless of weather. How you manage the “exit” of your cool-season grass the spring following overseeding is what Hartwiger calls an “exit strategy.”
Why “natural” transitions often don’t work To manage transitioning in years past, some turf managers would simply shut off the irrigation when the weather got warm in spring, hoping to make the ryegrass die quickly. “And sometimes that worked well, but it also took a toll on the bermudagrass as it was coming out of dormancy,” Hartwiger says. “Plus, since you never know when you’ll have a wet spring, you can’t really plan on controlling transition through irrigation. That school of thought just isn’t very predictable, and it could be painful.” Other turf managers have just let Mother Nature — i.e., the arrival of hot weather in late spring — take out the ryegrass. “Sometimes a natural transition will work, but only if the temperatures in spring gradually creep up, with no wide fluctuations and no late frosts, and if when it gets hot enough for optimum growth of the bermudagrass, it then stays hot,” Hartwiger comments. “But all of that is out of your hands — you are betting that the weather will cooperate. What if it doesn’t?” For instance, what about the kind of spring where temperatures fluctuate widely or where May is unusually cool and wet? “In that situation, neither the cut-off-theirrigation strategy nor the let-nature-take-it-out strategy will work effectively to get kill the ryegrass by June 1,” he says. “Instead, the ryegrass will still be flourishing at the end of May, and sometimes it may not be gone until July 4th. At that point, the bermudagrass will suffer because it won’t have 100 days of non-competitive growing conditions before it is time to overseed again in mid-September. That’s why it is vital that the turf manager plan an exit strategy for actively transitioning out of ryegrass to bermudagrass with a transition aid.”
A fast transition, or a slow one? The beauty of the transition herbicides now available is that turf managers can control exactly when and how quickly they take out their ryegrass. Typically, the slow-acting products will gradually take out ryegrass in three to four weeks, and the fast-acting products can accomplish the job in as little as one week. Hartwiger, however, refuses to recommend a specific product or timing schedule. “You simply can’t take a cookbook approach to this,” he insists. “What may work at one golf course or sports facility may not work at another place even just a few miles away. That is why each facility should have its own exit strategy.” So, where should you begin? To decide when and how quickly to take out your ryegrass, start thinking now about what your late-spring conditions will be like. Much of that prediction
should be based on what kind of shape your bermudagrass was in last fall. “If you overseeded weak bermudagrass last fall, it did not get stronger over the winter,” Hartwiger says. “In fact, this spring, it will probably be a notch below in quality. So, if you take out the ryegrass too rapidly or too soon, your golfers or athletes may see many weak spots of turf. However, if your bermudagrass base was really strong last fall when you ‘put it to bed,’ your chances of a better, smoother transition this spring are much better.” A common misconception, Hartwiger adds, is that hot weather in spring is what causes the ryegrass to die. Instead, under good growing conditions, the bermudagrass literally overruns and chokes out the ryegrass. “The healthier the bermudagrass was in fall, the healthier it will be when it greens up and the more quickly it will choke out the ryegrass on its own,” Hartwiger points out. The range of products available now for turf managers to manage their transition is a big plus. “If you need to hold onto your ryegrass a bit longer — for a late-spring baseball game or golf tournament, for instance — there are transition products that can quickly take it out afterwards,” Hartwiger points out. “Or if you feel you have a strong base of bermudagrass and you just want the ryegrass to melt away gradually as the bermuda takes over, there are products that can help do that, too. This type of flexibility to custom-tailor an exit strategy is something that turf managers have never really had before.”
Fertility considerations Hartwiger points out that, with any transition program using an herbicide to remove the ryegrass, you also need to apply a quick-release nitrogen source to boost the bermudagrass. “There’s an old saying that bermudagrass uses its last gallon of fuel to green up in spring, so you need to refuel it to help actively drive the transition from a competitive standpoint,” Hartwiger says. “I recommend putting down two applications of a quick-release nitrogen source, one application a week to ten days before you plan to apply your transition herbicide and the second application should come twenty-one days after the first application. Yes, that first application will make the ryegrass grow like crazy and you’ll have to plan on extra mowing during that timeframe, but the bermudagrass will also use that nitrogen, and it will come out stronger and more quickly.”
In short The real winner in all of this is the end user (golfer or athlete), says Hartwiger, because turf managers can now use whichever type of herbicides they need to develop an exit strategy that minimizes the chance for a bad transition. “And if you avoid a bad transition,” he concludes, “golfers and athletes will have a better turf to play on, with fewer complaints, and that makes everyone’s life so much happier.” T
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NEWS FROM THE TTA Announcing TTA’s Officers & Directors for 2007 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
Mickey Lovett Syngenta Prof. Products Paris, TN (731) 642-0689 Fax: (731) 642-0684
Scott McNeer Spring Creek Ranch Collierville, TN (901) 850-1129 Fax: (901) 850-9582
Mitch Parker Ladd’s Memphis, TN (901) 324-8801 Fax: (901) 324-6814
Shelia Finney Gaylord Springs Golf Links Nashville, TN (615) 458-1714 Fax: (615) 871-5906
Bill Marbet Southern Athletic Fields, Inc. Columbia, TN (800) 837-8062 Fax: (931) 380-0145
Tommy Mittlesteadt Ladd’s Cookeville, TN (931) 526-4211 Fax: (931) 520-3444
Robert Stroud The Turf Doctor Franklin, TN (615) 791-7779 Fax: (775) 252-0767
Roger Frazier Cattails at Meadowview Kingsport, TN (423) 578-6603 Fax: (423) 578-6607
Bob McCurdy McCurdy Farms Dyer, TN 38330 (731) 692-3515 Fax: (731) 692-3596
Scott Morgan Shelton Landscape Supply Hixson, TN (423) 842-1507 Fax: (423) 843-2640
Frank Turner Cochran McDonalds Knoxville, TN (865) 523-8828 Fax: (865) 523-0367
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. Dennis Shepard Syngenta Prof. Products Franklin, TN (615) 790-3281 Fax: (615) 599-3263
Dr. Scott McElroy University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-4324 Fax: (865) 974-1947
Dr. Tom Samples University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-2595 Fax: (865) 974-6421
Dr. John Sorochan University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-7324 Fax: (865) 974-8850
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007
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NEWS FROM THE TVSTMA Meet Your TVSTMA Team Leaders for 2007 On Tuesday, January 16, 2007, at the TVSTMA business meeting held at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin, TN, the following TVSTMA officers for 2007 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 (2008)
Johnny Ponce Pioneer Manufacturing Company Franklin, TN (800) 877-1500 Fax: (800) 877-1511 jnt917@bellsouth.net
COMMERCIAL VICE PRESIDENT Stephen Callis The Hogan Company Springfield, TN (888) 224-6426 Fax: (615) 384-6424 stephen@thehogancompany.us TREASURER Glenn Lucas Southern Athletic Fields, Inc. Columbia, TN (800) 837-8062 Fax: (931) 380-0145 glenn@mulemix.com PAST PRESIDENT Chris Pearl Houston Astros (formerly with the Nashville Sounds) chris-pearl@hotmail.com
SECTION PROGRAMS West: Jason Pannell Middle: Marty Kaufman Upper East: Tom Garner Lower East: Bo Henley MEMBERSHIP Johnny Ponce COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLICITY Bill Zuckerman THE GODFATHER Bill Marbet Southern Athletic Fields, Inc. Columbia, TN (800) 837-8062 Fax: (931) 380-0145 bill@mulemix.com
INDUSTRY NEWS
1913 – 2006
In Memory of Wayne B. Smith Sr. of Smith Turf & Irrigation
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true pioneer of the golf course maintenance industry in the Southeast, Wayne B. Smith Sr. passed away on November 26, 2006, at age 93. As chairman of the board of Smith Turf & Irrigation Company (the third-oldest distributor of Toro products in the U.S.), Mr. Smith and his sons had established the 260-employee company as one of the top 100 private companies in North Carolina and as the turf industry’s leading distributor in the nation. The son of the late E.J. and Irene Smith, Wayne was born in 1913 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The family moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where he graduated from Robert E. Lee High School and then attended the University of Alabama, where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. In 1933, he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he joined his father at E.J. Smith Company. He went on to serve as vice president of E.J. Smith & Sons Company and then chairman of Smith Turf & Irrigation Company. Mr. Smith was recognized by The Toro Company three times as its Distributor of Excellence (The Toro Company’s highest award). He was a lifetime member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), the Carolina Golf Course Superintendents Association (CGCSA) and the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina (TCNC), where he was presented with the prestigious TCNC Eagle Mentor Award as a leading mentor of the association.
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Mr. Smith was a founding member of Avondale Presbyterian Church, as well as a founding member of Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, NC, where he served as the club’s third president (the club’s North Course is dedicated in his honor). Additionally, Mr. Smith was a member of Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, NC, and Hound Ears Club in Blowing Rock, NC. Mr. Smith was a devoted and beloved father, grandfather and great grandfather. Preceded in death by his wife of 62 years (Lois Meacham Smith), Wayne is survived by three children: Wayne B. Smith Jr., and his wife Cindy; Stephen E. Smith, and his wife Tracy; Judy S. Martin, and her husband Dr. Edward S. Martin; and daughter-in-law Jonnie W. Smith; as well as seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Mr. Smith’s true essence was in his character. His legacy is the countless number of people who were touched by his compassionate and caring heart and who admired him for his honesty, integrity, kindness and fairness. A generous and unpretentious man, he always put others first, and he was a generous donor to many charities and schools. It was often said that he was a small man with a very big heart and one of the world’s great gentlemen. The turf industry — and all who knew Mr. Smith — will greatly miss him, yet his example will live on in the hearts of family and friends alike.
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Mayes Turf Machines. LLC Gerry Brouwer Acquires Brouwer Turf Products Line from Commercial Grounds Care
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erry Brouwer announced that effective October 12, 2006, his company purchased the business, products and assets of Brouwer Turf from Commercial Grounds Care, Inc., of Johnson Creek, WI. The Jacobsen Division of Textron formerly owned Brouwer Turf. This acquisition includes all of the current Brouwer Turf equipment products and associated intellectual property. No real estate is involved in the transaction. Gerry Brouwer stated, “This acquisition complements our existing turf equipment lines while strengthening and expanding our dealer network.” Brouwer’s primary objective is to deliver high-quality, dependable, productive equipment and services to the turf industry at affordable prices. To find out more about the Brouwer product line, contact: Brouwer Turf, Inc., 23324 Woodbine Ave., Keswick, Ontario Canada, L4P 3E9; 888-341-5113; www.kesmac.com
Nation Health and Livability Summit April 17-19, 2007
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he National Recreation and Park Association’s National Health and Livability Summit will be held April 17–19 in Atlanta, GA, to examine new management practices and investigate the vital contributions that park and recreation agencies make to increase the quality of life, health and livability of the individuals they serve. Park and recreation professionals, citizen advocates and local leaders are encouraged to take part in this national forum. Together, participants will assist in launching nationally recommended policies for communities to foster healthy lifestyles and more livable communities. For more information or to register for this event, visit www.nrpa.org.
PROFESSIONAL GRADE TURF MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT SALES & SPECIALIZED CONTRACT SERVICES
Phone: 270-306-9170 Email: MayesTurf@msn.com Visit our website for a full listing of equipment & services at:
www.MayesTurf.com
I N D E X O F ADVERTISE RS Brouwer Turf Limited.............................................................. 11 BWI Companies www.bwicompanies.com............................... 7, 28 Commercial Discount Parts www.cdpparts.com.......................... 37 Crossroads Sod Farm ........................................................... 28 Dixie Turf and Tree ............................................................... 32 E & S Soil and Peat www.eandssoil.com.................................... 32 Ewing Irrigation www.Ewing1.com.......................Inside Back Cover Greenville Turf & Tractor www.JohnDeere.com............................. 3 Harmon Turf Services, Inc . ........................... Inside Front Cover www.HarmonTurfServices.com
Jackson Sand ...................................................................... 37 John Deere Landscapes ............................................................... 35 www.JohnDeereLandscapes.com
K-Rain Manufacturing Corp. www.krain.com. ............................ 32 Keeling Company www.KeelingCompany.com.............................. 15 Kesmac, Inc. www.kesmac.com................................................ 22 Ladd’s www.BobLadd.com........................................................ 20 Mayes Turf Machines, LLC ........................................................... 37 www.MayesTurfMachines.com
Mid Tenn Turf www.MidTennTurf.com.......................................... 9 Pennington Seed, Inc. www.PenningtonSeed.com. ...................... 29 Regal Chemical www.regalchem.com. ....................................... 23 Smith Turf & Irrigation www.smithturf.com.....................Back Cover Southeastern Turf, LLC www.southeasternturf.com........................ 9 Syngenta
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www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com
Turf Mountain Sod
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www.turfmountain.com
Turf Specialties, Inc. Turfgrass America
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www.turfgrassamerica.com
Winstead Turf Farms Inc.
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www.winsteadturf.com
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 17–19 National Health and Livability Summit (National Recreation and Park Assn.) Location: OMNI CNN Center, Atlanta, Georgia April 26
TVSTMA West Tennessee Field Day Location: Bellevue Baptist, Cordova, TN
May 15–16 University of Tennessee Annual Field Day and Turf & Landscape Workshop Location: University of Tennessee, Knoxville June 7
TVSTMA Middle Tennessee Field Day Location: Ensworth School, Nashville
July 23–26
2007 TPI Summer Convention & Field Days (Turfgrass Producers International) Location: O.J. Noer Turfgrass Research Facility, Madison, WI
August
TVSTMA Upper East Tennessee Field Day Location: To be announced
November
TVSTMA Lower East Tennessee Field Day Location: To be announced
January 13-15, 2008 42nd Annual TTA Conference & Trade Show Location: Marriott Cool Springs, Franklin, TN January 16, 2008
GCSAA Seminar Location: Marriott Cool Springs, Franklin, TN