Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
May/June 2018
T he Educat ion Issue
featuring
Virginia’s High School Turf Programs Virginia Tech’s New School of Plant and Environmental Sciences Plus, Winterkill Updates
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | May/June 2018
20
14 14 Cover Story
Virginia’s High School Turfgrass Programs 20 Feature Story
Introducing Virginia Tech’s New School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
22 Applied Research
A Pocket Guide to Insects and Related Organisms of Virginia Turfgrass
24 Education Initiatives
Don’t Miss Dr. Beth Guertal at the Short Course
26 Winter Kill Update
Review and Prevention for 2018–19 4 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal May/June 2018 www.vaturf.org
11 Departments 6 President’s Message
from Scott Woodward
8 Director’s Corner
from Tom Tracy, Ph.D.
9 Virginia Tech Turf Team 10 VTF Report
from Betty B. Parker
11 Industry News 12 VTC Membership Application 27 Calendar of Events 27 Index of Advertisers
Virginia Turfgrass Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 5989 Virginia Beach, VA 23471 Office: (757) 464-1004 Fax: (757) 282-2693 vaturf@verizon.net Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com Editor Mark Vaughn, CGCS VTC OFFICERS President Scott Woodward Woodward Turf Farms (540) 727-0020 Vice President Michael Skelton Culpeper County (540) 727-3412 Treasurer Jimmy Viars, CGM Gloucester County Public Schools (804) 815-2779 Secretary Phil Bailey, CGCS Cypress Creek Golfer’s Club (757) 357-7995 Past President Rick Owens, CGCS Laurel Hill Golf Club (703) 674-6934 VTC DIRECTORS Wes Bray Scott Caskie Tony Montgomery Jesse Pritchard, CSFM David Smith T.J. Skirsky Craig Zeigler VTC ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Mike Goatley, Ph.D. (Chair) Shawn Askew, Ph.D. Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. David McCall Ph.D. Executive Director/ Director of PROGRAMS Tom Tracy, Ph.D. (757) 464-1004 Virginia Turfgrass Foundation Betty Parker (757) 574-9061
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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President’s Message
Moving Forward Our
industry was hit hard this winter and spring -- it was long, cold and wet! I am sure I speak for all of us when I say we waited impatiently to see if our Bermuda fairways, ballfields, lawns and sod fields survived the winter… and for a lot of us, they didn’t fare so well. Extremely wet months washed, flooded or just plain soaked our turf to the breaking point, a turf manager’s worst nightmare. Now the mad dash to repair or replace those areas is on! What’s next? SUMMER!
That’s why the benefits of being part of the VTC family are so valuable with the networking capabilities; working with colleges, professors and members to discover new solutions to move forward in overcoming seasons like this. This is the time that we should be reaching out to each other to work together to keep our industry strong and profitable. In addition, we must make an ongoing effort to educate ourselves and others by learning more and challenging ourselves in areas unfamiliar to us. Maybe we can sharpen our skills at one of the upcoming events below:
Scott Woodward 2018 President
Along with the rest of the board, I would like to thank all of our members for your ongoing support and dedication to get the word out about VTC and member benefits. Go Turf! Sincerely,
Scott Woodward
resident, P Virginia Turfgrass Council
The Virginia Tech Research Golf Tournament & Field Day (rescheduled from May): September 18
Revised Certified Turfgrass Professional Program (CTP): Ongoing
Virginia Tech Lawn, Landscape, and Sports Turf Field Day: Virginia Tech Campus, Blacksburg VA – August 14th, 2018
Turfgrass Short Course (Regular & Advanced): December 10th – 13th at the Belmont Recreation Center in Henrico County. Featured speaker, Dr. Beth Guertal of Auburn University
Mid Atlantic Turfgrass Expo M-A-T-E: January 28th – 31st, 2019. This year’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Frank Rossi
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Director’s Corner
Come to the Valley was a
Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director
Success! This
column rarely focuses on individuals but I want to highlight the May Come to the Valley conference (CTV) and any meaningful discussion about that event must focus on Ed Eagle, C.D. Prillaman, Chapman Williams, Mike Goatley, and Doug Horn. Ed Eagle was responsible for us selecting the Frontier Culture Museum as the location for CTV. Ten months before the event, Ed and I met with the sales director, toured the facility, and recommended to the committee to hold the conference there. Without a doubt, C.D. Prillaman was the mastermind behind CTV. It was his idea to expand our Staunton pesticide recertification class to a
multi-day conference that included a focus on the landscape design process. He spent months developing that portion of CTV, which culminated with installing plants around the Frontier Culture Museum’s sign. He worked with Trenda Leavitt , a great Licensed Landscape Architect, to design and to oversee the planting. C.D. not only volunteered time, but he also contributed equipment and many of the plants used in the training. I am not being an extremist by saying the landscape design process day would not have happened without C.D. Prillaman. Chapman Williams was the proverbial behind the scenes person who enabled everything to run smoothly. His knowledge of the Frontier Culture Museum was invaluable as the event
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happened. Our Wednesday lunch was a fantastic cookout with the burgers and all the fixings provided by Chapman and his staff. Like C.D. Prillaman, Chapman donated equipment and supplies for the landscape design process day. Mike Goatley is behind nearly everything we do. Come to the Valley was no exception. In particular, he worked with Karen Carter and Jimmy Viars to develop and present the Certified Turfgrass Professional training program. That two-day training was a hit! More will be written about it in the upcoming months. Doug Horn taught classes. He led the calibration demonstration – which was the very best one I have ever attended. He took soil tests. He sowed different types of turfgrasses as a demonstration. He laid out a test grid that showed different results of differing fertilizer and weed control regimes. I could keep going with the list of his contributions but space is limited. If you see Doug, make sure you ask him how to determine wind speed by looking at American flags at local school yards. Come to the Valley was a success. And only so because of persons who selflessly gave of their time and resources. I look forward to an expanded conference next year! c
Virginia Tech Turf Team Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-5807 saskew@vt.edu
Jeffrey F. Derr, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 (757) 363-3912 jderr@vt.edu
Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D.
Virginia Tech 420 Smyth Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-2951 goatley@vt.edu
David McCall, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-9598 dsmccall@vt.edu
With Support from: Thomas P. Kuhar, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech Dept. of Entomology 216 Price Hall 170 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-6129 tkuhar@vt.edu
Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC) 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, Virginia Turfgrass Journal, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or VTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this bimonthly publication. Copyright Š2018 by the Virginia Turfgrass Council. Virginia Turfgrass Journal is published bimonthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of VTC. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to VTC, P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471. Postage guaranteed. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Virginia Turfgrass Journal allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to VTC. 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 37068-0142, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524. Deadlines are the first of the month prior to the following month’s publication. (Example: August 1 for the September issue.)
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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VTF Report
We are the VTF! Our President, Jeff Everhart, reported to the board on May 30th that at the last turf industry outing he attended, he polled his fellow turf constituents as to their knowledge of the VTF. Much to his dismay, he found there were very few people that had ever heard of it and the handful that did know that VTF stood for Virginia Turfgrass Foundation were unaware of its service to this industry. Perhaps those that had heard of it were aware that they had at least been a part of contributions that are funneled into this foundation, but for what purpose and why the VTF? First let me clarify that the best explanation is not WHAT IS, but WHO IS the VTF? In a nutshell: YOU are the VTF. Our board members represent every sector of your industry:
Sod producers:
Jeff Everhart and Shawn Woodhouse
Golf Course Superintendents: Eric Frazier, Fred Biggers and Rick Owens
Sports Turf and Grounds Management:
Dean Whitehead and Mike Skelton
Turf industry Vendors: Jim Wilson
The VTF was established as a unique and solitary entity whose sole purpose was to provide support and promote quality, innovative turf research. In doing so we would be collectively pooling all research dollars that were ear-marked for Turfgrass research. This would allow us to establish a stable
10 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal May/June 2018 www.vaturf.org
Betty B. Parker VTF Manager
endowment fund that would eventually be sufficiently large to sustain itself, while still funding a significant amount of research using only the interest earned. It is every Foundation’s goal and dream to reach that mark. Sometimes it is difficult to convince individuals that turfgrass research is worthy of their hard-earned dollars with so many other foundations and charities holding out their hands. Let’s just say for argument’s sake the entire Turfgrass Industry got on board with our line of thinking. What can WE do collectively that they can’t under their individual umbrellas? There is power in numbers and if every sector of our industry committed themselves to just one pot of research dollars, we would have reached our goal many years ago. Bottom line: there would be a lot more Turfgrass research funded in this state. The VTF endowment fund is approaching our one million dollar mark, but we need your help. We need the VTC, VSTMA VGCSA, VSP, VNLA, VAC and the VSGA to all be on board with this. And to that end we are coming to talk to you. We will be more vocal, we will be more vigilant in educating our industry about our goals and we will be more productive to YOU as we provide funding for the research that makes your goals easier. We promise you this, and we have a dynamic board that is willing to go above and beyond their call of duty. We will make sure you know WHO the VTF is! c
Industry News
Congratulations to
Nearby flooding on May 20th
VT Turfgrass Research Classic & Field Day Update
The
Award and Scholarship Recipients Presented at the 2018 Mid Atlantic Turfgrass Expo
By David McCall, Ph.D.
second annual Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Classic & Field Day was scheduled for May 21 at Independence Golf Club. The day was guaranteed to be a success after vastly exceeding our inaugural event goals while raising over $47,000 for Virginia Tech Turf Team research. The Research Classic sold out a full month before the scheduled golf tournament. The skies would be brilliant blue. The golf course would be perfect. And the new research putting greens would be on full display for all participants to enjoy at Field Day. However, Mother Nature had different plans for the day and those plans trumped everything that we had in place. Approximately one foot of rainfall leading up to the event caused severe flooding and damage across portions of the property, including on the Bon Secours Mentor Short Course that houses Virginia Tech’s research facility. More importantly, Mother Nature also threw a major wrench into our plans with a series of weather events that led to substantial winter injury across the property. Many of our newly established research greens were lost. The silver lining was that the resulting injury opened the doors for new research opportunities to minimize the likelihood of winter-related injury and to develop best management strategies for recovery. The setbacks did not cancel our event but did cause us to postpone. Our makeup date is scheduled for September 18. Many of the new projects which were a result of our spring struggles will be discussed during our Field Day. We hope that this will be a time when your summer struggles are in the rear-view mirror and that you will take the time to join us for a fun and education-filled event. c Aerial view of a research site with significant winter injury
Awards Lifetime Membership: Frank Flanagan VTC Award: Ray Funkhouser Silver Tray Award: Erik Ervin President’s Award: Liz Nutter
Scholarships Thomas Hutcheson Memorial Scholarship: Matt Hermann Robert Ruff Sr. Memorial Scholarship: Riki Farmer, Austin Jennings, William Lannon
Corn Hole Tournament First Place: Jason McMillan (Newsom Seed) and Edward Moore (Collins Wharf Sod) Second Place: Jesse Pritchard (University of Virginia) and Greg Austin (Revels Tractor)
Virginia Turfgrass Foundation Raffle & Flag Challenge Joseph Baird (Cypress Creek Golfer’s Club) Neil Jones (Buy Sod) Scott Caskie (Meadows Farm Golf Course) Matt Hall (Meadowspring Turf Farm) Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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VTC Membership
Join the
Today!
Membership Benefits For ALL members include: ree pesticide recertification training at the one-day F regional seminars. Free Certified Fertilizer Applicator training at the MidAtlantic Turfgrass Expo in January (M-A-T-E) and the Come to the Bay (February) and Come to the Valley (May) regional conferences. Free entry to the research tour of turfgrass studies in June at the Hampton Roads AREC. Free subscription to our bi-monthly Virginia Turfgrass Journal, offering research and industry updates. Valuable assistance on state and local legislative and bureaucratic issues. Do you know that every member of Virginia’s General Assembly receives our bi-monthly Virginia Turfgrass Journal? Several Delegates and Senators have said how much they appreciate being on our mailing list. Monthly email of job postings. Discounts to every one of our activities.
Join as a Group or as an Individual Individual Membership One Year — $85 Individual Membership Two Years — $150 Platinum Group Membership Membership fee of $1,250 includes: 11 to 20 members. Send up to 100 of your employees to one of our Regional Pesticide Training Classes — AT NO COST. Year-round membership listing and link from VTC website. Fertilizer Certification Training and Recertification Training (3A, 3B 60) at your site. Gold Group Membership Membership fee of $800 includes: 6 to 10 members Silver Group Membership Membership fee of $400 includes: 1 to 5 members
12 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal May/June 2018 www.vaturf.org
Membership Application Complete this application form and —
OR Join/Renew online at
www.vaturf.org
• Mail it to the address at the bottom of this page. • Or fax it to 757-282-2693
Member Information First Name____________________________________________ Last Name___________________________________________ Company or Organization____________________________________________________________________________________ Address____________________________________________________________________________________________________ City__________________________________________________ State__________ Zip____________________________________ Phone________________________________________________ Fax__________________________________________________ E-Mail_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Payment Select One Platinum Group Membership (11 or more members + Year-round listing and link from VTC website)...................$1,250 Gold Group Membership (6 – 10 members)...................................................................................................................$800 Silver Group Membership (1 – 5 members)....................................................................................................................$400 Individual for Two Years...................................................................................................................................................$150 Individual for One Year....................................................................................................................................................$85
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Virginia Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 5989 Virginia Beach, VA 23471 • Phone: 757-464-1004 • Fax: 757-282-2693 Email: vaturf@verizon.net • Web: www.vaturf.org Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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High School Programs
Cover Story
Plant Seeds for the Next Generation of Turfgrass Professionals
The
future of the turfgrass industry will be directly impacted by how we teach and lead the next generation of researchers, professors, golf course managers, sports turf managers and lawn care professionals. There are numerous ways to enter the field, but what is key in attracting a top-notch workforce is introducing turfgrass management as a career option early, and showing students how rewarding this type of career can be. Leading the charge in Virginia in this effort are five high school turfgrass program directors who each bring enthusiasm and dedication to the work and the students they lead. The time, energy and monetary investments are significant for this role, and it is incredible to see just how much each of these men do to help teens get started in turfgrass. In order to keep the standard high for these programs, as well as attract and retain students interested in the industry, Turf Students create the signature honeycomb end zone
the turfgrass community at large is instrumental. Whether it’s time, knowledge, equipment or supplies, we can all contribute to the growth and bright future of these students and the future of our profession. Read on to learn how these programs are functioning and succeeding in starting promising careers early.
Wilson Memorial High School Director: Jeremiah Major — Agriculture Teacher/Turfgrass Instructor/Turfgrass Manager/Assistant Athletic Director/ Head Football Coach How long have you offered a Turfgrass Program? 7 years In that time how has the program changed? The Turfgrass Program has actually kept our Agriculture Department a two-person department. Fishersville has been designated as a growth area for Augusta County, so there are many agricultural properties being converted to subdivisions. Since this is the case, we have fewer students being raised on farms. However, I have used turfgrass to reach students that play sports, and those that don’t, who still want to learn how to take care of and have pride in their fields. What are challenges and opportunities that you see in your turfgrass classes? The biggest challenge that we face is funding. We rely on our athletic department for funding for materials. I also personally fund this program. I have bought instructional materials and equipment, and I attend every turfgrass educational opportunity to make me a better educator. There are opportunities for my students every day to not only become more knowledgeable of turfgrass, but to become a
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better person and leader. I stress work ethic, being prompt, teamwork, communication, and dedication. Our students can have all the knowledge in the world about turfgrass, but if they cannot show up to work on time, work with others, properly communicate with others, or dedicate themselves to a business/organization, they will not be successful in life. How many students participate in your program? During the 2017–18 school year, I had 36 students take turfgrass. It is also important to note that 11 of the 36 students in my class were female. Where do you see the turfgrass industry going in the next ten years, based on what you see in your club/classes? I believe that this question is best answered based on high school programs. If we as high school teachers don’t first educate 8th grade students before they come into high school about the career opportunities that are available in the turfgrass industry, then our programs will not grow. If our programs do not grow, then I see the turfgrass industry
Students and community volunteers remove snow before game day
struggling with having educated and knowledgeable young people working in the field. My observation of the turfgrass industry in Virginia is that those involved only get educated once they get a job in the field or by going to things that VSTMA offers, and I am one of those. I also believe that the turfgrass industry, businesses and institutions, need to get behind the high school programs and support them. I am not necessarily saying financially, but taking the time to speak to the kids, take them outside to show them things they do on a daily basis, expectations that they would have for the students if they became employees.
John S. Battle High School Director: Jesse Morris — Agricultural Education Teacher, campus grounds maintenance, machinery service How long has your school offered a Turfgrass program? We are beginning our 4th year with the introductory class of Turfgrass Establishment and Maintenance. In that time, how has the program changed? The turf program has evolved over the past few years. We now have more involvement with the athletic fields and building a program with positive public recognition and feedback.
Field prepared for graduation Friday night in October
What are challenges and opportunities that you see in your turfgrass classes? We always face the challenges of getting youth involved and invested in their learning, as well as understanding the potential reward, aspects of knowledge, skills and a positive work ethic. How many students participate in your program? I usually teach 100+ students on a year-round basis. Where do you see the turfgrass industry going in the next ten years, based on what you see in your club/classes? With the local support of a couple golf courses, I think the opportunity for growth for the green industry is very promising. Having the assistance and encouragement of Virginia Tech, we are in good shape to keep our programs “well fed”. We are proud to have several students from John S. Battle who have been given and completed a cooperative learning with well-known golf courses and a minor league baseball affiliation. Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Cover Story continued
Atlee High School Director: Marc Moran — Agriculture/Horticulture Teacher since 1999. Teacher of numerous agriculture/horticulture courses, manager of 4000 sq.ft. greenhouse facility, manage and maintain my agricultural mechanics laboratory, Co-Advisor for FFA Chapter, supervise students and their SAE projects, head football coach for Middle School Football Program.
Hard work pays off in the football stadium end zone
How long has your school offered a Turfgrass program? We were the first program in the state to have a full turf science course. We began our program in 2002 with 20 students. We currently have a two-year course sequence. In that time, how has the program changed? We have grown -- we now average about 60 students per year in the program, between our first- and second-year classes. Aside from the growth, we have expanded the services we offer to our athletic program. In the beginning, we helped manage two rectangular football/soccer fields and we assisted with our stadium facility. As we grew, we expanded our services to include all the fields on our campus. We now are contracted for mowing, painting, spraying, traffic management and nutrient applications. Through our efforts, our program has won 4 National Field of the Year Awards from the STMA in various sports. We are the only facility to have earned 4 awards. My program has ZERO responsibilities to our athletic facility. My position as a teacher does not come with sports turf management or facility duties. My program operates like a business and we are contracted by our athletic department to provide services. We have also grown our fleet of equipment in order to meet the needs and demands of our athletic programs. All my students go through pesticide training and over 80% of them have restricted use pesticide certifications of some type. What are challenges and opportunities that you see in your turfgrass classes? Opportunities are endless, given support and resources. I suggest any agricultural education program who is looking to grow or diversify, to consider turf science as an option. First, it allows you to be relevant to a growing youth base as well as to changing communities. I still teach agronomy, but now I relate it to a different crop. Public appeal to our program has grown because of our connection with our athletic department and the visual presence our work has on the facility. People see our work each night and it is tough to deny the benefits we have brought to our campus and our community. Through this exposure, we have been able to place students in great careers and great education opportunities beyond high school. People in MLB, NFL and the NCAA know about our program and the types of student-workers we turn out each year. Challenges are everywhere. Being in a public school, funding is always changing. The school system’s responsibility is to focus their resources on educating children and
Students learn preparation techniques
that is where it should be. When funding cycles fluctuate, the powers in charge need to take care of job number one: educating kids. That being said, athletic departments have to build finances to support their goals. We have been fortunate to have a group of boosters and industry partners that have helped us along the way to work through the financial challenges and have allowed us to provide high quality facilities for all of our athletes. We have not only grown in school population over the years, but also the number of sports we have offered our students. Our facility was built on a soccer/football model and our facilities were designed and set up to work within that model. Since the time the school opened, we have now added field hockey and women’s and men’s lacrosse to the mix. Those added sports as well as the traffic they generate has made the job a little tougher. With those challenges, come new opportunities as well. We have a strong relationship with those teams and we work with them, through education, to help them help us by managing their field use and their traffic patterns. Shifting practice areas, as a coach, costs zero dollars but solves a lot of problems. So our communication strategy has been expanded to be proactive vs. reactive. How many students participate in your program? We average about 60 students each year. We have 40 in the Turf Establishment and Maintenance Course and 20 in our Advanced Turfgrass Applications Course. Where do you see the turfgrass industry going in the next ten years, based on what you see in your club/classes? With regards to our program, about one-third or more of
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Cover Story continued
my students will enter the turfgrass industry directly, either through an education path or directly into the industry as workers or small business owners. As an industry, we are seeing a focus on environmental stewardship and safety. We are already implementing BMP’s and Nutrient Management practices to reduce our application of nitrogen and phosphorus as well as doing calculated applications of pesticides. Ultimately, we are driven by the
end user and that end user is wanting a cleaner and greener product. What they also want is the same quality, playability and safety standards they are accustomed to currently. We need to continue to showcase ourselves as stewards of the land and professionals in our field and lead the way by being proactive and not reactive. Being the solution is sometimes hard, but it is much easier than being targeted as a cause.
Louisa County High School Director: Logan Horne — Turf Management/Landscaping Teacher and Head Sports Turf Manager. I manage 4 athletic fields; 3 of those fields we do 100% of the maintenance from start to finish – softball, stadium field (football, field hockey, and soccer), and practice field (football and soccer). I also help out a lot on the baseball field. I manage most of the landscaping for the school and manage our 2.5 miles of walking trails behind the high school. I do the majority of my equipment maintenance, including work on mowers, carts, weed eaters, tractors, etc. How long has the school offered this program? Since 2005. I teach around 100 students per year through three different classes – Advanced Turfgrass Management (yearlong), General Turfgrass Management, and Landscaping.
In that time how has it changed? The program has changed drastically in the time that is has been at LCHS. It started in 2005 and I was among the first students to enter the program. It has had a lot of highs and lows since then. Field of the Year was awarded and won by Mike Hopkins, who was the Turf Management teacher at Louisa County High School in 2011. Since then, Mike has retired and the turf program has gone through several changes, including an earthquake in 2011, which demolished the high school and many parts of our town. We have since rebuilt our high school and gone through another teacher who managed the program after Mike. A lot has changed since Mike was the teacher and I am sure a lot will continue to change. I had a few goals when I took over as the new turf teacher and my number one was restoring my beloved turf program into a nationally recognized program again and number two is show my students what hard work can achieve. What are some challenges and opportunities that you see in your turf classes? Challenges are building student work ethic, instilling values in the students, teaching classes and managing fields and equipment, trusting students to operate equipment. There are great opportunities as well -- using many different types of equipment, you get to be outside, the students get to learn about this industry and see if it is what they want to do for a career. Students learn how to work on an athletic field, and they have a lot of fun with working games and getting ready for them. Where do you see the turfgrass industry going in the next ten years, based on what you see in your club/classes? It is really tough to say where this industry will be in 10 years. All I really can focus on is showing my students what this industry has to offer and what hard work and determination will get you. I don’t always steer people towards turf management because it is not what is best for everybody. I merely let them try it out to show them what kind of jobs and applications there are through this type of work. Do you have any student success stories? I have had at least 5 students go to VT for the turf program. Most notably Austin Robinson who is in his 2nd year at VT and currently doing an internship with the Baltimore Orioles. Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Cover Story continued
Brentsville District High School, Nokesville Director: Drew Miller How long has your school offered a Turfgrass program? This is the first year that any school in Prince William County and Northern Virginia has offered a Turfgrass Management program. Our students care for all Turfgrass areas from the football stadium to all of the landscape work at the high school and elementary school down the street. In that time, how has the program changed? In that year we have taken an old program with a focus in horticulture and revamped it into the Brentsville turf program with a focus in Turf and Landscape. We have experienced an exponential growth in program population as we have grown from our original 102 students to enrollment of 197 students this coming fall where we will be adding a second teacher. What are some challenges and opportunities that you see in your turfgrass classes? Classroom management can be a challenge. We need to make sure that all of the students have a job when working
in class because there are not 20 pieces of machinery at our disposal. It is hard to ensure that every student is engaged when there are not enough machines or funds. There is endless opportunity in our program as we are a young program looking to grow. With the help of Prince William County Schools, we plan to create a world-class program that will prepare students for jobs in the industry directly out of high school. We hope to create a portion of our program where the students will be maintaining a par three course on the back part of our school property. We hope to add even more to the landscape classes, where students will go out into the community and have specific tasks for specific homes. We hope to place students in internships during the summer on a larger scale. We aim to provide any and every opportunity for our students to become turfgrass managers in any capacity. Where do you see the turfgrass industry going in the next ten years, based on what you see in your club/classes? I believe that there is a great opportunity to grow the turfgrass industry and have students begin their careers in high school to get firsthand exposure not only in our classroom, but the workplace as well, through summer internships. This will allow these students to have a head start on the students who start their careers in college, because as most turf managers know, experience is just as important as education. In the classroom I have seen students come to the realization that this could become a career, not just their 5th block class. I have seen many individuals truly enjoy what they are learning and understand how they can do this as a career. Any success Stories? One alumnus works on the Virginia Tech Grounds Crew, two students have started their own landscape companies and are self-sufficient and growing at a fast rate. One student spent three years at Robert Trent Jones Golf Course in Gainsville, Virginia. Six students have started their careers as interns at Brentsville Turf with the Potomac Nationals. Two students are in the process of being hired by Ruppert Landscape, one of the top companies in the state of Virginia, and three students are working in the greenhouses at Merrifield Gardens in Gainsville, Virginia. c
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Feature Story
Introducing
Virginia Tech’s New School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
The
big news at Virginia Tech this summer is the school’s newly reorganized School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. This new department shouldn’t only be exciting news to Virginia Tech, but also to the agriculture industry as a whole, and turfgrass in particular. On July 1, 2018, the official changeover took place combining three schools – Crop and Soil Environmental Science; Horticulture; and Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science. While these three programs represent a variety of disciplines, they will all converge under the broader umbrella of Plant and Environmental Sciences in an effort to grow and improve all of the areas which they influence.
New Leadership Michael Evans, the director of the newly reorganized school, is a native Virginian whose agricultural background traces back to his early years of pulling tobacco for neighbors and raising soy beans and winter wheat with his father. In fact, he owes his first set of wheels to the 10 acres that was “his” to farm. If that doesn’t instill a love of agriculture from an early age, we’re not sure what would. Dr. Evans’ career has included work at several land grant universities across the country, from the University of Florida to Iowa State to University of Arkansas, before this return to his alma mater, Virginia Tech. The common thread, he says, is those institu-
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tions’ commitment to the people and the welfare of the state.
New Vision Dr. Evans says the reason for the change is simple. “We want to break down barriers and create an opportunity for people to work together to share ideas. The old ‘silos’ in ag no longer make sense.” Indeed, the shift in the program and the industry at large has been in the works for quite some time. “The thought and planning process behind this change was happening before I was in the picture,” Dr. Evans says. The issues and challenges in turfgrass, along with all other disciplines
Environmental Science
Crop and Soil Sciences
Environmental Horticulture
Landscape Contracting
Turfgrass Program (A specialization in the school of Crop and Soil Sciences) 2014......13 2015......15
166
2016......9 2017......13 TOTAL = 50 62
*Four-year average
51 20
12*
Average Yearly Enrollment over past 5 years
within the school, require multidisciplinary approaches for those “A-Ha!” moments. “Taking down the artificial boundaries between programs will allow more creative collisions where disruptive innovation can happen,” says Evans. The new school aims to “make new investments to increase the college’s capacity and tackle the many challenges in agriculture and food security, the green industry, plant biology, and the environment.”
Turfgrass Training Changes in workforce trends in recent years have created a new dynamic for turfgrass professionals that will
require an evolving approach to training, education and employment. For those pursuing undergraduate degrees in turfgrass, the Virginia Tech program change promises an education that evolves with the research and experience of all the disciplines surrounding turfgrass. The turfgrass program is a specialized course within the school of Crop and Soil Science, and enrollment numbers have remained consistent over a four-year period. Enrollment in the broader courses that are part of the new department have also remained steady over a five-year period. (See Chart) The re-organization of these programs aims to strengthen each individually, as well as the department as a whole.
“We always want to evaluate our curriculum and stay current,” says Dr. Evans. And with all related fields under the same leadership, that interdisciplinary approach will be organic and in real time. The next generation of Virginia golf course superintendents, sports turf managers and lawn care professionals, whether they are students of this program or not, will benefit from this expanded vision for the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. It is essential that we continue to invest our best resources in the training and education of our students to advance not only their careers, but our industry and professionalism as a whole. It is programs like Virginia Tech’s that are paving the path to a bright future. c Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Applied Research
A Pocket Guide
to Insects and Related Organisms of Virginia Turfgrass By Thomas Kuhar, Ph.D. and Curtis Laub, Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech
D
ozens of pests can damage turfgrass to a degree that can be costly. Correctly identifying the pest organism is a critical first step in any pest management program. Inaccurate pest identifications can lead to unnecessary or incorrect pesticide applications. Photographs and drawings of insect pests and beneficial arthropods may be available in books and on the internet, but many turfgrass consultants, golf course superintendents, and lawn care
professionals would greatly value a durable, pocket-sized, high-quality color photo guide to assist them in making on-site identifications. Beginning in 2016, we worked collaboratively with Drs. Rick Brandenburg, turf entomologist from North Carolina State University, David Shettler, retired turf entomologist from Ohio State University, and former Virginia Tech postdoc Dr. Kathy Kamminga to gather over 100 images of insects and related organisms found in turfgrass in the eastern U.S. With funding from the Virginia Turfgrass Foundation and assistance from Virginia Cooperative Extension, we are now happy to offer the following finished product:
This guide is designed to help identify invertebrate pests at different stages of the life cycle to allow turf professionals to reduce the damage they cause. The guide can be downloaded from Virginia Cooperative Extension publications:
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/ENTO/ENTO-237/ENTO-237.html Hard copies will be made available at turfgrass meetings in Virginia while supplies last. c 22 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal May/June 2018 www.vaturf.org
Education Initiatives
Training and Education
Keep Turfgrass Strong
In
all turfgrass sectors, a well-trained and educated workforce means a thriving community and prosperous business for the individuals who work hard to make our industry great. It is the commitment to staying informed of new techniques, products and research that guarantees the best processes and results on our golf courses, sports fields and lawns and green spaces. As the turfgrass industry continues to evolve and improve, it is essential that we hold ourselves and each other accountable for not only continuing our own education and training, but also for encouraging each other and the next generation of turfgrass professionals to meet the high standards we strive for ourselves. Many of us have felt the effects of a labor shortage. Companies have been
forced to turn down new business as a result of lack of labor. While our industry can offer year-round work, benefits and competitive starting wages, many potential employees accept lowerpaying jobs instead. It is this trend that inspires educators and organizations to seek out ways to find and retain quality workers, whether it begins in high school or with advanced degrees and certification.
Create and Foster A Pipeline Because Virginia has such a strong foundation in agriculture, it is a natural fit for our high school students who are involved in FFA and other agriculture programs to be introduced to turfgrass as a job opportunity well
24 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal May/June 2018 www.vaturf.org
before they join the full-time workforce. Having students exposed to the basics of careers in turfgrass is the start of building a labor force with all levels of training and experience. Some students may choose to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees in turfgrass management, while some elect to complete two-year programs at trade or vocational schools. Still others gain knowledge through on-the-job experience. It takes all levels of skill and certification to maintain a strong workforce.
Certifications and Continuing Education A quick look back at research from just two years ago will reveal that turfgrass is an industry that changes fast.
From new products and processes to all the curveballs Mother Nature can throw at us, we can never be stagnant in this field. From association and regional conferences to workshops and field days, there are a multitude of opportunities to stay informed, and it is vital that we absorb and pass on that information to benefit ourselves and each other. This shared knowledge results in a collaborative, and therefore flourishing, community.
Beyond the Research You have probably heard of “soft skills”, but maybe didn’t give much thought to how they might help you grow and succeed in your career. While much of our work in turfgrass is scientific and labor intensive, business and interpersonal skills also matter. Understanding
your work from the consumer’s point of view can only improve your standards of turfgrass management. Considering the golfer, sports team or business or home owner who will use your product or service goes a long way toward helping you provide the result they seek. Marketing, customer service, business management… these
are all skills that can make or break your business, regardless of how well you have mastered the “hard skills”. Even though our schedules are demanding, and sometimes training and education take a back seat to accomplishing today’s tasks, we should never forget that like turfgrass, we have to be fed and nourished to grow. c
Don’t Miss a Great Education Opportunity! Belmont Recreation Center and Golf Course in Henrico County will host two Short Courses December 10–13: Regular and Advanced Dr. Beth Guertal, a Professor in the Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department at Auburn University, will present detailed information on turfgrass fertility to the advanced group.
Register online at http://vaturf.org/short_course.html
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Winter Kill Update
W interkill Review and Prevention for 2018–19
By Mike Goatley Ph.D., Extension Turfgrass Specialist and David McCall Ph.D., Extension Turfgrass Pathologist
W
arm season turfgrass recovery from the winter of 2017–18 continues around the region well into summer. In reflecting upon “what happened” this past year, the consensus among researchers and practitioners alike is that the following factors were contributors: 1) extreme, persistent cold just after Christmas; 2) a warmer than average February; 3) a colder than average March; 4) below average moisture. The weather was truly a roller coaster this past winter. In general, the standard cold tolerant varieties that have traditionally withstood the test of time in Blacksburg variety trials (Latitude 36, Patriot, Northbridge, Midlawn, Yukon and Riviera) still outperformed other standard cold tolerant varieties, but even those grasses were damaged in areas where winterkill is usually an afterthought. New varieties like TifTuf performed reasonably well and in our campus variety trials, the newly named Tahoma 31 showed great promise as a next generation dense, cold-hardy vegetative bermudagrass. Worsham Field at Virginia Tech uses Latitude 36 and it had to be re-sodded this spring, whereas less than 0.5 mile away at the VT Turfgrass Research Center, just about any bermudagrass in our variety trials came through the winter just fine. Obvious differences? Cutting heights, levels of maintenance, traffic and native soil vs. sand. But the differences in survival rates were still very surprising. Besides the dead grass, what is most unfortunate about this loss of turf is the questions being asked of the turfgrass managers, with the primary one being “What did you do wrong?” The answer most likely is “nothing”. Welcome to the transition zone. We had spring in February, revisited winter during March, and the roller coaster has continued throughout spring and
summer (late June had a couple of days of cloudy, October-like weather, followed immediately by an extreme heat wave). As recovery continues, it is never too early to reflect upon what factors might have contributed to winterkill at your site: Excessive Traffic. Damage is always most prominent on any turf stand in ANY winter that is heavily trafficked during the winter and spring, whether it be a soccer field or the entry/exit points to golf course fairways etc. Traffic not only wears down the protective cover of the warm-season canopy, it also increases soil compaction, reduces soil oxygen levels, restricts water movement, etc. Heavy traffic and temperature extremes in an already challenging climate are a very effective combination for winterkill. One of the biggest challenges I see in this area is the expansion of our sporting seasons to almost 12 months of the year. This type of use in meeting the expectations of our clientele for golf and sports turf at essentially any time and any season is simply not realistic when one is talking about a biological entity expected to perform even under the harshest conditions. Shade. Again, year in/year out, some of the most predictable warmseason turf damage in any winter occurs where the turf gets restricted sunlight. These conditions consistently weaken the overall health of the turf and increase winterkill potential. Suboptimal mowing heights entering dormancy. Grasses maintained at very low cutting heights consistently showed more damage/stress as they emerged from winter dormancy during spring 2018 transition. A winter like this year serves as a good reminder of the possible value of raising those cutting heights before killing frosts arrive.
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Winter desiccation. This is a tough one to manage because many have to winterize irrigation systems. However, if we had to predict one environmental factor beyond the cold that likely increased winterkill in 2017–18, it’s a good bet that winter desiccation was in play. Winterkill remains predictably unpredictable. Showing just how coy Mother Nature is, some of the other “standard winterkill scenarios” really were not consistent this year. Southwest-facing slopes that typically promote better winter survival featured both living and dead turf this year. Poorly drained areas that are often the most likely damaged turfs outperformed well drained soils in many instances. Winterkill: you know what it is when you see it, but you just can’t tell exactly what it is. What can you say we learned? The genetic enhancements of the cold tolerance of our improved varieties was very beneficial, but certainly was no guarantee for winter survival under the stresses detailed. Where suited for intended use, Zoysia japonica outperformed many bermudagrasses in winter survival this year, so if you continue to fight winterkill on a regular basis, could this species fit your plans? Finally, even turf covers were no guarantee for absolute winter protection and when they are used, a winter like this reminds us that if left on too long to promote early spring greening, the turf can be damaged by late winter/ early spring frost/freeze events if not protected by using the covers. Although we are just now entering the dog days of summer, it’s not too early to start planning on your winterization program for your warm season grasses now. Plan on as many adjustments in your management as you can make — and then keep your fingers crossed! c
Calendar of Events August 14 Lawn and Landscape Field Day
Virginia Tech Blacksburg
September 18 Virginia Tech Research Classic and Field Day
Independence Golf Course Richmond
December 10–13 Short Course (Basic & Advanced)
Belmont Recreation Center Henrico County
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January 28–31, 2019 Mid Atlantic Turfgrass Expo
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Digital Marketplace
Progressive Turf Equipment, Inc............ 25 www.progressiveturfequip.com Smith Seed Services................................... 8 www.smithseed.com Smith Turf & Irrigation............ Back Cover www.smithturf.com The Cutting Edge of VA............................ 9 www.tce-va.com The Turfgrass Group................................. 7 www.theturfgrassgroup.com Virginia Sand & Stone............................. 12 www.virginiasand.com
Scan the QR code: Download your favorite QR reader to your phone and scan the code to learn more about these companies.
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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