Virginia Turfgrass Journal - November/December 2018 by leadingedgepubs

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

November/December 2018

Shade and Implications For Turfgrass Health

Plus, 2018 Year in Review From the Virginia Tech Turf Team

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | November/December 2018

24 Departments

14 Save the Dates for these Upcoming Events: M.A.T.E. and Come to the Bay

18 Cover Story

2018 Year in Review from Virginia Tech’s Turf Team 22 Spotlight on Business Overcoming the 5 Obstacles to Cooperation 24 Feature Story Shade and Implications for Turfgrass Health 4 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

6 President’s Message

from Scott Woodward

7 Director’s Corner

from Tom Tracy, Ph.D.

8 Editor’s Perspective

from Mark Vaughn, CGCS

9 Virginia Tech Turf Team 9 Calendar of Events 10 VTF Report

from Betty B. Parker

12 VTC Membership Application 27 Index of Advertisers

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 ÂŠ2018 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 monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s publication. (Example: August 1 for the September issue.)

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

President’s Message

Happy Holidays &

Scott Woodward 2018 President

Welcome Winter!

Happy December Fellow VTC Members,

With the cool season’s grasses slowing to a crawl and warm season grasses all but dormant, now is the time to catch up. All is not lost as we prepare for the next season. How long has your equipment been sitting in your barn in need of repairs? Do you need new tires, belt replacements, oil changes, cleaning out your irrigation systems or just a good ol’ fashion scrub down? Well, now is the time to invest in yourself to get these things done. If your equipment is up to PAR, perhaps it’s time to go meet up with your customers and suppliers

for a round of golf in the South. You can never go wrong when you take time to connect with the people who have helped you become successful. While we all await to see what Mother Nature has in store for us, and in addition to maintenance activities and continuing to build relationships, educate yourself. Take a look back at what you can do moving forward to better your company and your industry. This brings me to M.A.T.E and our conference in January. We are looking forward to seeing what our VTC professors and students are working on to help ease our pain. If you, as a member, have ideas that you want to share, please reach out to your VTC Board who can help pass those ideas along.

6 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

In advance, the board would like to give a special shout out to our VT Turf Team for the educational session that they are preparing for M.A.T.E in January. It is sure to be a hit so please don’t miss it!!! Again, we thank you for your continued support to spread the word and bring new members to our community so that we can continue to work together to be stronger together! Remember to be thankful and grateful for all the gifts you do have in your life and to cherish your loved ones. Happy Holidays!

Scott H. Woodward VTC President

Director’s Corner 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

Focus on the Greater Good

“P

lease put me on the conference agenda to talk about our program. I welcome the opportunity to educate VTC members about the need to reduce – or even eliminate – lawns.” While the exact words from that exchange have faded, their intent rings clear: I want to come and advance my agenda. There was no room for discussion. No room for advocating for proper turfgrass management. No room for “we.” Fortunately, that meeting with an unwavering advocate was atypical. But it was sad because both her group and the VTC lost a great opportunity to work together. Fortunately, we have many other robust and productive relationships, many of them with environmental groups, including the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, the Elizabeth River Project, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. We work together to enhance both the industry and the environment. Why do some partnership ventures thrive and others spiral downward in flames? I have found the difference between success and failure is the ability of all parties to push aside personal agendas – without sacrificing core values – and to focus on the greater good.

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

This issue of the Journal contains an article on collaboration. Read it for some insights into what works and what fails as organizations seek to join efforts. The need to unite is huge, especially in this day and age of interconnectedness. Each of the VTC’s endeavors is only possible because of various groups who identify desired outcomes and work together to achieve them. Here is a short list of those endeavors: • Virginia Tech Lawn and Landscape Field Day held in Blacksburg • Virginia Tech Field Day at the Hampton Roads AREC • Virginia Tech Golf Field Day • Mid Atlantic Turfgrass Expo • Come to the Bay • Come to the Valley • Certified Turfgrass Professional Program Whatever happened to the person I mentioned at the beginning of this article? While our paths occasionally cross, she has not been invited to speak at our events. The door is always open, but first her “me” must become “we.” c

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

Editor’s Perspective

“ But now the days grow short I’m in the autumn of the year And now I think of my life as vintage wine From fine old kegs From the brim to the dregs And it poured sweet and clear It was a very good year”

No,

I’m not dying, and neither are any of the guys pictured. Insofar as I know, anyway. I had a little brush with mortality this summer, but got my oil changed and my radiator flushed so I should be good for another 20K miles or so. Well, actually, yes we are. And so are you. Hey, hold on... before you throw this magazine in the trash like it’s infected with Ebola, grab a beverage and some Cheetos and come along with me. Summer of 1976, Greensboro North Carolina. The Cardinal Golf Club, Gary Stafford Superintendent.

My job for the summer: stripper (of sod), weedeater, resident mud turtle (there was no such thing as an “irrigation tech” in those days), pesticide applicator (John Beam 300-gallon tow-behind spray tank and a handgun) and occasional cup changer/tee, greens, collar mower. I’m pretty sure everybody in this picture could tell a similar tale. The occasion of the gathering that brought all of us together was a celebration. On the surface that may seem strange, since you don’t usually celebrate when a good friend has their long-time employer tell them thanks for the memories. I can tell you my

8 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

Mark Vaughn, CGCS Virginia Turfgrass Journal Editor

first emotion was not gratitude when I heard that The Tides management had made the decision to close The Golden Eagle Golf Club. I, and everyone in the photo, thought about our buddy Sterling Caudle and what the future held for him. And after the initial shock wore off, thought a little more about what the future holds for US. I don’t know who gets the credit, maybe Sterling himself, but it didn’t take long for the depression to wear off and thoughts of camaraderie to develop. In a matter of a couple of weeks, the gathering of friends went from thought to reality. And what a good day it was. I’m ashamed to admit that October day was my first visit to The Golden Eagle. Oh sure, I’d been telling Sterling for over 20 years that I was coming to see him, but I always seemed to talk myself out of it. It’s a long way, it’s too hot/cold, I’m busy/he’s busy, I’ll do it next month/year. Yeah, that’s it. Next year in this crazy business will be …….not so crazy. My point in telling you my summer of ’76 story was twofold, neither of which was to make you feel sorry for me. When I dropped my passengers off in Richmond after our celebration with Sterling, I still had 2.5 hours of seat time in the pickup to Danville (told you it was a long way). Plenty of time on good ol’ lonely US 360 to think. I didn’t have the digital picture in hand at the time, but in my mind’s

Calendar of Events eye I could remember the faces. A few young’uns were there because of their connection to Sterling. But by and large, the group had at least some hint of gray/white hair. The ones that didn’t, I’m thinking Grecian Formula. Anyway... the scene from Dead Poets Society when Professor Keating (Robin Williams) asks his students to gaze upon the faces of former students pictured in the trophy case kept circling in my brain. Just like those students, most of us that had gathered earlier in the day were the “Young Turks” in 1976. How fast it has gone. Which leads to my second point. The best I can calculate, there’s around 700 years of turf experience in that photo. Whether we realize it or not, in this profession we are a band of brothers. And no, I haven’t forgotten in this predominantly male industry that there are also “sisters” who have chosen to make this journey with us. And no, I’m not inferring we in any way are putting ourselves on the line the same as someone on a military battlefield. But we all go out every year, not in the same physical foxhole, but spread out all over the region, and fight the pretty similar battle of whatever unpredictability Mother Nature and our clients throw at us. And when the season is over, and the next one, and the next one, and the next one, it will be the people that have made the journey with us that will be most important. So that’s why that day in October 2018 was a celebration. For the great things that Sterling has done for so, so long to make The Golden Eagle what it is. Most of us never saw the blood, sweat, and tears that he put into his facility, the successes and the failures, the glory days and the struggles. But we had an idea because our journey was not much different. We hoped for him, and for ourselves, that the future holds even better things. And because we got to share this journey with our friend, we get to say, like Ol’ Blue Eyes, it was a very good year. Carpe diem, Young Turks. c

January 22–25, 2019

February 2–7, 2019

STMA Conference and Exhibition

Golf Industry Show

Phoenix, AZ

San Diego Convention Center San Diego, CA

February 18–21, 2019

January 28–31, 2019 Mid Atlantic Turfgrass Expo Fredericksburg Expo Center Fredericksburg, VA

TPI International Education Conference & Field Day (Turfgrass Producers Intl.) The Westin Charlotte Charlotte, NC

February 26–27, 2019 Come to the Bay Sheraton Oceanfront Virginia Beach, VA

Virginia Tech Turf Team Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D.

David McCall, Ph.D.

Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-5807 askew@vt.edu

Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-9598 dsmccall@vt.edu

Jeffrey F. Derr, Ph.D.

With Support from:

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.

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 Tech 420 Smyth Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-2951 goatley@vt.edu

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

VTF Report

Collaboration

The

VTF is working toward a renewed transparency that allows all sectors of the turfgrass industry to understand, appreciate, and ultimately support its mission to develop funds to support and promote research, education and extension programs in the management and science

of turfgrass and its related environment in Virginia. Our board has revised its 30-yearold bylaws to foster a harmonious relationship between all sectors of Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Turfgrass Industry. The VTF is currently seeking seven new members from the major Turfgrass organizations in our state. Letters have been

Betty B. Parker VTF Manager

sent out to the executive directors and their current presidents to invite them to attend our meetings and influence the direction of our decisions. It is our hope that by doing this we will better recognize the needs and desires of our industry when endorsing and funding the research projects each year. Collaboration is defined as: the act of working with someone to produce or create something. We are doing just that. We are charged to create an endowment that will perpetually fund the Turfgrass research being done at Virginia Tech. We also work collaboratively with the turf team at Virginia Tech to identify and investigate the problems most prevalent to all who maintain and care for turfgrass. Please consider being a part of our solution to best fund the most pertinent, innovative research in Virginia. We want to represent the entire industry. We want you to educate us to your needs and investigate the problems you face through turfgrass research. We need your help. Give us a call, shoot us an email, or interrogate one of our directors at your next turfgrass function. Chances are one of these fine persons can be found at just such an event. Jeff Everhart Eric Frazier Allison Moyer CD Prillaman

Mike Skelton Dean Whitehead Jim Wilson

Or contact me, Betty Parker at thevtf@gmail.com (757) 574-9061 c 10 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

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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 (October) 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 $1,500 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

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12 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 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)...................$1,500 Gold Group Membership (6 – 10 members)...................................................................................................................$800 Silver Group Membership (1 – 5 members)....................................................................................................................$400 Individual for Two Years...................................................................................................................................................$150 Individual for One Year....................................................................................................................................................$85

Pay by Check or by Credit Card Please check appropriate box:

Check

AMEX

VISA

MasterCard

Card #:_______________________________________________ Print Cardholder Name:_______________________________ Security Code:_________________________________________ Expiration Date:_ _____________________________________ Dues may be deductible as a business expense but not as a charitable contribution. Based on 2013 activity, one percent (1%) of dues are not deductible in accordance with IRS Section 6033.

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

| 13

Upcoming Event

M-A-T-E

Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo January 28 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 31, 2019 Fredericksburg Expo Center Fredericksburg, Virginia

Sponsors 2019 Diamond Sponsors

Hotels 2019 Platinum Sponsors

Hilton Garden Inn (easy walk to Expo Center) 1060 Hospitality Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22401 540-548-8822

Homewood Suites (shares a parking lot with Expo Center) 1040 Hospitality Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22401 540-786-9700

2019 Gold Sponsor Hampton Inn (easy walk to Expo Center) 1080 Hospitality Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22401 540-786-5530

14 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

The VTC is proud to offer a varied slate of education opportunities. Don’t miss these excellent offerings:

Certified Turfgrass Professional Program 3-Day Course: Monday, January 28th through Wednesday, January 30th

This program is designed for industry professionals in the mid-Atlantic region who desire to demonstrate their mastery of turfgrass establishment and maintenance.

Becoming a Certified Turfgrass Professional requires the successful candidate to demonstrate a wide knowledge of turfgrass management principles and strategies unique to the transition zone. The certification training manual was developed to serve as a comprehensive review of 13 major areas of importance in managing healthy, environmentally sound turfgrass.

• One fee will cover the training class, materials, and the subsequent exam; • Persons will need to wait at least thirty days after the class before they can take the exam; • All four parts of the exam must be passed; • One free retake of the exam is allowed – there is a $60 fee for additional retakes;

• A person becomes certified when the exam is passed, when the VTC has proof that the applicant is either a Certified Fertilizer Applicator (CFA) or a Certified Nutrient Management planner (CNM) , and when the VTC sends the approval; • Certifications end on either December 31 or June 30 three years following a new certification date; • Certified persons must maintain either the CFA or the CNM; and • Renewing certifications requires completing twelve credits from the approved list and completing the application.

M-A-T-E Mechanic’s Seminar 2019 Tuesday, January 29

Wednesday, January 30

Thursday, January 31

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Sprayers

(Pump Repair and Calibration)

Reel Preparation Before Grinding

Injection System Do’s and Don’ts

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch and Trade Show

Lunch on your own

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The Roller Tamer

Tier 4 Engines

Lunch and Trade Show 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Club Car Maintenance

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

STIHL Products Updates

For a full conference schedule and other information, please visit us at

www.turfconference.org

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 15

Registration Form

Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo (M-A-T-E) January 28 – 31, 2019 • Fredericksburg Expo Center • Fredericksburg, Virginia Check the appropriate box or boxes. – You may also register and pay online at www.turfconference.org VTC Membership – Join or Renew (January 01 – December 31).............................................................Regular: $85 Corn Hole Tournament – Team of Two (January 29).....................................................................................$20 Registration: VTC Member

Registration: Non VTC Member

Thursday Only.........................................................Free

Thursday Only............................................................ $85

One Day Only (Not Thursday)............................. $115

One Day Only (Not Thursday)............................. $150

Any Two Days............................................................. $195

Any Two Days............................................................. $230

Any Three Days.......................................................... $275

Any Three Days.......................................................... $310

Mechanics Seminar Only.......................................... $95

Mechanics Seminar Only........................................ $120

Certified Turfgrass Professional Only.................... $355

Certified Turfgrass Professional Only.................... $395

Trade Show and Lunch Only............................$20/Day

When are you attending? Circle the day(s). Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Mechanic’s Seminar

Certified Turfgrass Professional

Amount Enclosed:_________________ Make checks payable to: Virginia Turfgrass Council, P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471 Or charge to credit card:

AMEX

VISA

MasterCard

Card #:_______________________________________________ Cardholder Name:_ ___________________________________ Verification Code:______________________________________ Expiration Date:_ _____________________________________ Please type or print clearly: Name:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Company:__________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________________________________________________ City:__________________________________________________ State:______________ Zip Code:_ ________________________ Telephone:(______)_________________________________________________________________________________________ Email:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Contact Information: Virginia Turfgrass Council, P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471 (757) 464-1004 • virginiaturf@gmail.com

16 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 17

Cover Story

Year in Review

2018 – The Year That Seemingly Will Never End for Turfgrass Managers From the Virginia Tech Turf Team: Mike Goatley Ph.D., Shawn Askew Ph.D., David McCall Ph.D., Jeff Derr Ph.D., Tom Kuhar Ph.D., Jordan Booth

The

VT Turf Team prides itself on finding and providing answers or at least a novel approach to try when it comes to the challenges that Virginia’s turfgrass managers face year in and year out in the transition zone. Unfortunately, this year we had to face the facts -- the challenges were too many in 2018 regardless of location throughout the state or what grass was being managed. The weather since late-December 2017 has been as difficult and frustrating for our industry as any in recent memory. Years like 2018 in the Mid-Atlantic region are not normal. After all, the “normal” temperature and moisture data are just summarized over a few decades to arrive at a “normal” average of abnormal years! Let’s look at how Mother Nature was “signaled for piling on” turfed sites in the mid-Atlantic in 2018. Seasonal stress is not uncommon in the Mid-Atlantic. Virginia lies in the climatic Transition Zone. A 200-mile plus zone between where bermudagrasses are more truly adapted in areas to the South and where cool season grasses are more truly adapted in the cool humid regions to the North. In the transition zone, most turf grasses require more diligent and skilled management to persist. Management highlights practices that attempt to make up for the potential negative impacts of cold winters or short seasons on the warm season grasses and the hot, humid summers impacting the cool season grasses. Colder winters and cooler than normal and/or shortened growing seasons are hard on bermudagrass and other warm season grasses. In warmer than normal summers, the cool season grasses (creeping bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and the troublesome annual bluegrass) experience significant heat and drought stress. Expert management is needed

every year in the transition zone since grasses we use in fine turf can have different stresses each year. The primary stress factors in 2018 included 1) winter kill and a delayed spring green up (bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass); and 2) excessive rainfall (all grasses). How was 2018 different? Virginia had weather extremes that were well beyond the norm in 2018. In southeast Virginia, there were six days in January when the minimum temperature was below 20° F based on data from the Norfolk airport, including two days when the low was 10° F. The average low is 32° F. In February, there were 12 days when the high temperature was over 60° F, while the average high is 51° F. In March there were five days when the low temperature was below 32° F. In October there were 11 days with a high over 80° F, while the average high is 71° F. This was quite a roller coaster of temperatures for late winter and early spring, combined with above average temperatures in October. The 2018 Impact on Bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass: We in Virginia are used to the occasional unpredictable cold winters that result in bermudagrass winterkill every 7 to 15 years or so. This past winter was one of those years for winter kill across much of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast. There was a massive bermudagrass winterkill problem statewide, plus winterkill of St. Augustine in southeast Virginia. Yet summer-like conditions necessary for bermudagrass spring 2018 regrowth and replanting was delayed at least a month. That delayed the unmasking of bermudagrass winter kill and recovery strategies until after the delayed spring greenup. This also shortened the bermudagrass growing season. We came out of winter with weaker and dead areas of turf.

18 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

The 2018 impact on cool season grasses: Cool season grasses had a number of stresses working against them during the summer months and late into the growing season. Besides the “normal” heat and moisture stress of the transition zone, 2018 was wet. Ask any turf manager what stresses they need to control to have a good year, and they will tell you number one is water and soil moisture! Experience matters in such a wet/stressful year. Yet when was the last year that hit us like this one? There is little in the manager’s tool box to remove the effects of excess water. All that can be done within Best Management Practices involve having adequate surface and internal drainage. This is much like investing in real estate where it is all about location, location, location; in turf it is about surface and internal drainage, drainage, drainage! In 2018, even sites with the best designed drainage may have also had problems since this was a year of prolonged rainfall patterns that repeatedly saturated soils. Plant roots need soil air (aeration) to be healthy; to take up water and nutrients. The plant can then continue to grow and cool itself (transpirational cooling) during high temperature stress. Excessive soil moisture interferes with these plant functions. This is more problematic on unmodified native soils with poor surface drainage. Sand modified sports turf and putting greens designed with both surface and internal drainage have a real leg up on areas that do not. Instead of irrigation water being judiciously managed during dry-down periods in a “normal” summer, rainfall was unrelenting in frequency and amount, making soil moisture uncontrollable on many turf sites. Additionally, no two turfgrass sites are alike when it comes to inherent turf, soil and microclimate that combine to impact turf quality. Those impacts are often magnified when multiple plant stresses combine to threaten turf quality and performance. So, turf damage can vary greatly with each property or with areas contained within one property. The main factor that set up a number of pest issues was uncontrolled soil moisture from excessive amount and periods of rainfall. The efficacy challenge of plant protectant chemicals in 2018. There simply was a lot of dilution and hydrolysis (the chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water) of our chemistry due to the abundant amount and frequency of summer rainfall. Thus there were massive breakthroughs in weed populations, and recurring instances of just about every spring, summer, or fall disease that we can experience in Virginia. Fungal diseases were worse than in a “normal” year – three contributing factors: 1) On areas where fungicides were not budgeted and not treated, turfgrass disease damage was likely greater from microclimate favoring disease outbreaks. 2) In areas where soil moisture was excessive, the fungal disease problems were greater due to a weakened plant.

Winterkill damage on bermudagrass

3) Higher night time temperatures for prolonged periods in 2018 “piled on” to favored fungal disease activity. In 2018 we also were still seeing Pythium and Brown Patch in golf, sports turf, and home lawn settings well into October. Turf managers that normally breathe a sigh of relief when Labor Day finally arrives, bringing with it anticipated night time temperatures that finally consistently get into the 60s, didn’t really start experiencing the cool night temperatures until Columbus Day (October 8th) in 2018. One constant theme around the mid-Atlantic wasn’t that our temperature extremes were so high, but that our nighttime lows were some of the warmest on record. There certainly wasn’t a lot of this until well into October this year. The combination of continuously warm and wet soils led to some of the worst Pythium root rot outbreaks that we have experienced in many years. Problems persist even into November. Cool-season grasses that have been seeded this fall have struggled mightily with the excessive moisture that we have received. Saturated soils and high relative humidity are great for germination, and equally great for lots of seedling damping off diseases too. Great looking stands of tall fescue and ryegrass over-seedings have emerged and essentially evaporated this fall due to seedling diseases. Weed control in a wet 2018 was less effective – three contributing factors. 1) In areas treated for summer annual grasses with preemergence herbicides the control period may have broken down sooner than in a normal year due to herbicide breakdown in warm wet soils. The result was more noticeable crabgrass and possibly goosegrass by mid-summer and year’s end. 2) The greater soil moisture likely enhanced weed seed germination as opposed to that of a normal growing season where irrigation is deep and infrequent and then soil beneath the turf is not continually moist as in 2018. We’re already seeing bumper crops of winter annual weeds around Blacksburg this year, and remember that if you are planning on controlling them, earlier is better than later. However, you also need to be careful in your herbicide selections if you are still trying to get seed established. Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 19

Other factors contributing to turf stress in 2018 Algae – a common issue at soil surfaces in wet years that can impair air exchange into the soil. Drainage – stated earlier but worth repeating as a major issue! The lack of surface drainage for excess rainfall results in less efficient root function, a lush and disease-prone turf with less wear tolerant grass canopies.

Armyworms damage on tall fescue sod

3) Weeds are naturally going to be able to take a foothold due to lack of competition from a healthy turf in areas of thinning and dying turf. Turf is thinned and “opened up” due to 1) heat stress from wet wilt (excess moisture stress); 2) fungal disease activity; 3) greater thinning from traffic and wear; and 4) thinning from insect activity (armyworm, white grubs, annual bluegrass weevil; etc. ). Thin turf entering autumn opened up the turf for winter annual weeds as well. Damage from Insects and Nematodes in 2018: There was greater pressure from army worms in the late season that defoliated many turf sites. Virginia was hit with two other insect pests that took the headlines in 2018. First, annual bluegrass weevil (ABW) populations showed up in damaging levels on a number of golf courses around the Commonwealth, injuring both annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass fairways, collars, and tee boxes. This insect will probably be here to stay now, and Virginia will be a full-fledged participant in Weevil Trak with new locations planned for Blacksburg, Roanoke, and Richmond in 2019 to help monitor the life cycle of this pest and advise turf managers on proper control recommendations. Fall armyworms made their way to Virginia after the storms in the fall. This insect was causing problems in the Carolinas from mid-summer forward, and when they arrived in Virginia, they showed up en mass! Numbers were so large that even bermudagrass fairways and sports fields were being defoliated. There was even a scare of it possibly showing up en masse at Lane Stadium just in time for the big Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame football game. The armyworms did not show up, and unfortunately, neither did the Hokies defense! The often-forgotten plant-parasitic nematodes have become increasingly problematic on putting greens. While high populations can cause problems alone, the combination with such miserable growing conditions intensifies the problem. One Richmond-area superintendent summed the problem up best when he explained that the turf “just won’t respond” when nematodes were preventing recovery.

Less drying down of turf/soil systems between rainfall events. Air movement associated with drying of soil and turf canopies is needed for healthy turf. Turf sites often remained wetter for longer time periods (days) especially in shaded or wind-blocked sites, resulting in extended periods of moisture and the issues that are aligned (enhanced disease, weak turf, greater soil compaction). Higher relative humidities, common with relentless weather patterns of repeated rainfall make it harder to dry down soil/turf systems and contribute to greater disease, less turf vigor (weak thinning turf) and greater soil compaction. Mowing. Greater mowing frequency is needed, but often difficult to achieve in wet soils. This may necessitate less frequent mowing, resulting greater turf stress. Traffic and wear. Greater soil compaction occurs from foot and vehicle traffic in moist soils Reduced sunlight reaching turf. The lack of sunlight was further compounded in shaded situations that resulted in algae blooms and disease pressure that had never been seen of that magnitude. Where to go from here? There are no easy fixes for any of these situations, but it certainly emphasizes the importance of both drainage and sunlight while providing an opportunity to revisit this with your clientele regarding the need to improve the environment in which you are trying to grow grass. Re-establishment planting and fertilizer. Soil temperatures in early November were still at or near 60° F in many locations, so seed germination was still possible, but every day that passed put us one day closer to winter and one less day for establishment to take place. There aren’t a lot of inexpensive solutions to these challenges either. Germination cloth will certainly help improve both moisture and soil warming, but it comes with its own cost of product and installation and removal. A compost application can help by providing a dark surface to absorb and radiate a little more of the sunlight, so where conditions permit, consider a 1/4 inch depth of compost over new seedings in order to prolong germination periods as long as possible. With our warmer soil temperatures, it also makes sense that our fertilization window was extended in 2018 further into November. Never apply fertilizer to frozen soil and keep the

20 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

Cover Story continued

rate at no more than 0.7 lb N/1000 sq ft/growing month level in mind, but for a year like this, don’t lock into a calendar date because Mother Nature has obviously not been paying attention to a calendar. 2018 was an excellent year to revisit and identify drainage and shade issues in just about every turf situation imaginable. In years like this, any limitations in surface drainage are exaggerated. We even had synthetic turf fields fail in northern VA because of their inability to properly drain the amounts of water being received. Plan now for your recovery strategies this spring and even beyond for summer of 2019. Dr. Dick Schmidt always reminds us that based on many years of his research (continued by Dr. Xunzhong Zhang here on campus) that these are exactly the types of situations where we can incorporate more of our supplemental turf management approaches with biostimulants, humic acids, seaweed extracts etc. into the program. They are not replacements for sound management, but they are valuable tools to implement. For some, the solution is sod, but even sod crops and installations had challenges this year from both the environment and pest pressure. The bottom line is that once November arrives, winter is inevitably approaching and there simply aren’t enough

growing days left to expect great things from newly established cool-season grasses. And given the weakened conditions of most of our grasses (warm or cool-season) pay particular attention to stresses that arrive this winter. A bermudagrass manager from Tidewater sarcastically said the other day “you watch and now we’ll have another dry winter where desiccation is a problem”. That’s definitely something to pay attention to as it no doubt was a big part of the loss of warm-season grasses last year. So, fellow turfgrass managers, you no doubt deserve a break, but Mother Nature simply doesn’t care about how difficult it has been. As instructors, the VT Turf Team is constantly reminding its students that the easy part of the job is growing the grass, and the challenges are with money and people. Well, even the grass growing hasn’t been easy this year, but it now gets really interesting trying to explain your challenges to a public that wants results and readily forgets how often you’ve provided an excellent turf. It’s not much consolation but every situation is an opportunity to learn something or improve upon – consider what an opportunity you have to really hone your communication skills in convincing your clientele “it’s not my fault”. And this time, you’re probably 100% correct. c

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 21

Spotlight on Business

Overcoming the

5 Obstacles

to Cooperation

eaders of Coors Brewing were surprised when Bill Shireman phoned. Once the shock wore off, Coors provided a corporate jet to fly Shireman, the leader of a California environmental coalition, to Denver. That phone call and subsequent meeting broke an impasse between beverage companies and groups who were concerned about the environmental impact of the glass bottles distributed by beverage companies. Both sides agreed to work together to draft and enact legislation that protected the industry and the environment, ensuring profits while curbing waste and pollution.

The unprecedented collaboration between beverage companies and environmental groups happened decades ago, but it still serves as a model for associations. Uniting disparate groups – even temporarily – for a common cause or to achieve a specific objective is a worthy goal. The synergistic benefits of such collaborations reach beyond one group’s ability. While much has been written on steps to successful collaborations, obstacles that doom such efforts are often ignored. Disparate cultures, myopic vision, lack of trust, vague purpose and the need to win are the challenges we must overcome in order to find the common ground

22 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

that creates opportunities for collaborations that can benefit all involved.

Disparate Cultures Don’t: Succumb to an “Us vs. Them” mentality. Do: Know yourself, get to know them. To overcome the challenge of an “Us versus Them” mentality, you must first know your organization’s culture, values and priorities. It is equally vital to understand the same things in other organizations. Examine these traits with the understanding that even simple things, such as language and terminology can mean different things to others. After years of collaboration with several environmental groups, an industry group has learned to be sensitive to phrases that have differing meanings. For instance, to industry persons “grass to the water’s edge” means properly selected and properly maintained turfgrass with no fertilizer entering the water. To others, that same phrase invokes images of fertilizer spreaders broadcasting pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus directly into streams and lakes. Identifying your differences, goals and non-negotiables before embarking on a collaboration with another organization helps prevent misunderstandings and avoid needless offenses.

collaboration. Without trust, one or more of the partners must exert high levels of control which creates a stifling, toxic partnership. Do the partners trust each other? Trust is the belief that a partner will act according to agreements. And trust extends beyond what is in print – it also examines the spirit that formed the words. What was the intent behind the words in the agreement? Abiding by the spirit also means decisions are made based on what the other partners perceive to be true about an action.

Vague Purpose Don’t: Assume everyone is on the same page. Do: Define your goals. Lack of purpose is another obstacle to collaboration. All partners must understand the purpose of working together. A clear reason to exist minimizes intensity of disagreements because all parties focus on a common goal. Defining and clearly stating the partnership’s purpose also establishes a measure to determine a collaboration’s success and provides a time element. Some partnerships are designed to last decades, or centuries. Others, such as the coalition working on bottle legislation in California, only lasted until the law was enacted.

Myopic Vision

The Need to Win

Don’t: Focus only on your own desired result Do: Consider alternatives that benefit all parties.

Don’t: Ignore deceptive tactics. Do: Keep your team accountable.

Focusing exclusively on one’s own wants and desires, the very essence of a myopic vision, is a cancer that destroys collaboration. It results in distrust, withholding crucial information, and demonization of the “them.” The application is clear: Collaborations are destined to fail if partners separate into divisive camps. Instead, take the time to integrate both parties’ vision and goals and focus on how to overcome goals that are seemingly at odds. Often, with some creativity and flexibility from both parties, a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached.

Partners with a consuming need to win will use any means available to advance their agenda. Deceptive tactics might be used, which eventually cause distrust or derail the whole endeavor. Shifting vision from “me” to “we” requires a great deal of discipline but recognizing ulterior motives and redirecting those attitudes from “victory at all costs” to a teamcentric result is vital to success. Not only must each team be aware of such strategies from potential new partners, but be accountable for those within their own organization.

Lack of Trust

Collaborations are extremely valuable and should be aggressively pursued. Properly designed and managed, they enable synergistic outcomes that far surpass any one group’s ability to achieve. But beware of the obstacles that can derail that potential. c

Don’t: Assume the worst. Do: Live up to your word. Trust produces efficiency. According to Mike Leavitt, former governor and member George W. Bush’s cabinet, “When people trust one another, business arrangements and innovative solutions can be achieved quickly.” All parties are fully engaged to accomplish the mission of the

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 23

Feature Story

Shade

and Implications for Turfgrass Health

By Casey Reynolds, Ph.D., Executive Director at Turfgrass Producers International

anaging turfgrasses in shade can be one of the more challenging aspects encountered by turfgrass managers everywhere. Unlike weeds, insects, or diseases you can’t simply spray something to correct it. Furthermore, who doesn’t love a good shade tree on a hot summer day? Privacy fences, homes or other structures, trees, shrubs, etc. all have the capacity to block sunlight from reaching turfgrasses and thereby create shade. In this brief article, we’ll explore the fundamentals behind shade, its impact on turfgrass health, and recent research designed to determine exactly how much sunlight is necessary to meet the needs of various turfgrass species. In order to understand shade, it’s important to first understand the sunlight that it’s blocking. Sunlight has properties of both particles and waves. Particles of light called photons contain energy that is delivered in various wavelengths which are defined by the distance between successive crests. The electromagnetic spectrum (Figure 1) includes the entire range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation delivered to the Earth’s surface by the sun. Unfortunately, not all of these wavelengths are useful for plant growth. In fact, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which is what drives growth in plants, makes up a very small amount of this spectrum. The entire 300 nanometer (nm) range of PAR from 400-700 nm, when compared to the entire electromagnetic spectrum, is equivalent to the width of a dime when compared to the distance in driving from New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA. This tiny portion of light is all that’s useful to plants. As a result, one can imagine that it doesn’t take much additional shade from cloud cover, trees, homes, etc. to limit turfgrass growth in shade. Turfgrasses, like all plants, require sunlight in order to supply energy to support photosynthesis, which literally

means “synthesis using light”. As photosynthesis occurs, solar energy is used to drive the synthesis of carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. In shaded environments, photosynthesis is reduced which can result in decreased growth rates of turfgrasses, thinning, and even death. This is because plant survival dictates that net photosynthesis (carbon gains) exceed respiration (carbon losses) in order for the plant to continue to grow, produce new tissues, store carbon, etc. The point at which this pendulum swings in either direction is called the light compensation point, or the point at which photosynthetic CO2 uptake exactly balances CO2 release through respiration. Generally speaking, cool-season turfgrasses reach light saturation, the point at which any additional sunlight cannot be effectively used for photosynthesis, at approximately 50% of full sunlight. By contrast, warm-season turfgrasses typically require full sunlight to reach light saturation. This introduces a series of questions such as “how much full sunlight do various turfgrass species and varieties need to grow?”, “is afternoon sun better than morning sun?”, “is 4 hours of shade/partial sun better or worse than 2 hours of full sun?”, “how do we measure it?”, and so on. Light intensity varies by location, diurnal cycle, time of year, atmospheric conditions, cloud cover, shade, etc. Sometimes this is measured as photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) in units of μmol m-2 s-1, which provides an instantaneous value for how much PAR is reaching a leaf’s surface. However, the item of most interest to turfgrass researchers is how much photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) strikes a surface throughout the course of a day, season, or year. This integrates PPFD into a term called the Daily Light Integral (DLI) and is much more useful for quantifying shade tolerance in plants. They are also useful

24 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

because there are simple, inexpensive devices capable of measuring DLI that are commercially available to turfgrass managers. Publicly available data on DLIs, such as the information in Figure 2, illustrate the amount of PAR striking the Earth’s surface at various points in the United States at different times of year. One can see from this data the substantial differences that exist based on location and season. For example, during the spring months there can be 46% more PAR in the desert southwest than the northeast United States and from January to August in Houston, TX the amount of PAR increases by 142%. These types of baseline data are important for calculating percent reductions using light meters under various shade levels. Much of the current turfgrass shade research with regard to determining minimum required DLIs is focused primarily on warm-season turfgrasses. Cool-season turfgrasses are typically more shade tolerant than warm-season turfgrass species, so generally speaking DLIs for cool-season turfgrass are much lower than those for many warm-season turfgrasses. Reported DLIs for several warm-season species and cultivars are reported in Table 2. Bermudagrass, as expected, has the highest DLIs ranging from 13.9 – 18.6 mol m-2 d-1 in the spring/fall and 18.6 – 22.4 mol m-2 d-1 in the summer. This was followed by Centipedegrass (13.4 – 14.7), Seashore paspalum (11.1 – 13.0), St. Augustinegrass (10.6 – 11.5), and Zoysiagrass (9.7 – 11.3). Therefore, for clients dealing with substantial shade who want to use warmseason turfgrasses, zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass offer the highest shade tolerance (lowest DLI) and greatest likelihood for success. Within zoysiagrass varieties, additional research has shown that fine textured species that are

Figure 1

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Figure 2

Outdoor Daily Light Integral Maps for the continental United States.

Developed by Jim Faust, Clemson University January

April

February

May

March

June

Outdoor Average daily light integral

(mol • m-2 • d-1)

5 - 10 10 - 15 July

August

September

15 - 20 20 - 25 25 - 30 30 - 35 35 - 40

October

November

December

40 - 45 45 - 50 50 - 55 55 - 60

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 25

Feature Story continued

Table 1

Relative shade tolerance of turfgrasses

Tolerance

Cool-season species

Warm-season species

Highly Shade Tolerant Annual bluegrass Fine fescue Tall fescue

None

Shade Tolerant

Roughstalk bluegrass

Centipedegrass Seashore paspalum St. Augustinegrass Zoysiagrass

Shade Intolerant

Kentucky bluegrass

Bermudagrass

Highly Shade Intolerant

Creeping bentgrass Perennial ryegrass

Bahiagrass Buffalograss Carpetgrass

Gardner and Goss, 2013. Management of Turfgrass in Shade and Turgeon, 1995.

Table 2

Reported DLI values (mol m-2 d-1) for various warmseason turfgrass species.

Species/Cultivar

Spring/Fall

Summer

Tifeagle bermudagrass

n/a1

32.6

Tifway bermudagrass

17.4 – 18.6

21.4 – 22.4

Celebration bermudagrass

14.2 – 15.7

19.5 – 20.2

Tifgrand bermudagrass

13.9 – 15.4

18.6 – 20.9

Tifblair centipedegrass

13.4 – 14.7

13.3 – 14.7

Seadwarf seashore paspalum

11.1

13.0

Captiva St. Augustinegrass

10.8

10.6

Floratam St. Augustinegrass

10.8

11.5

Palisades zoysiagrass

10.5 – 11.3

10.9 – 11.3

Diamond zoysiagrass

10.1 – 11.1

11.0 – 11.1

Jamur zoysiagrass

9.7

9.9

data not available compiled from Bunnell et al. (2005) Glenn et al. (2012) and Zhang et al. (2017)

2 Data

Table 3

Commercially Available Light Meter for determining DLI.

often interspecific crosses of Z. japonica and Z. matrella or Z. pacifica typically have better shade tolerance than coarse textured varieties of Z. japonica. However, it is worth noting that in the northern parts of the transition zone, the lack of cold tolerance in St. Augustinegrass and fine-textured zoysiagrass needs to be considered during turfgrass selection. While the order in which these warm-season turfgrass species ranked with regard to shade tolerance is not groundbreaking, this type of research begins to establish known DLI values that turfgrass producers, managers, and clients can measure for success. Reliable, relatively inexpensive light meters (Figure 3) can be purchased online that will allow users to document DLIs in their lawns, stadiums, or golf courses to determine which turfgrass species and varieties are best suited for use. Future research is also currently being conducted to relate these known DLIs to hours of morning or afternoon sun such that new guidelines can be designed to determine the hours of sunlight needed for adequate growth. It is important to remember that most, if not all, turfgrass species will perform best in full sun. Shade tolerance varies among species and cultivar and selecting the appropriate one for use is the first line of defense in managing healthy turfgrass in moderate to dense shade. Also, next time you see your shadow on the lawn remember that the particles of sunlight hitting your back just traveled 93 million miles only to be obstructed from hitting your turfgrass in the last few feet thanks to you!

Tips for growing turfgrass in shade elect the appropriate species and cultivar. Fine fescue S provide great shade tolerance for cool-season grasses while St. Augustinegrass and Zoysiagrass provide the highest shade-tolerance in warm-season turfgrasses. hade source matters: Trees are more likely to alter light S quality (red light, blue light, red/far red ratios) than buildings or other structures which primarily reduce light quantity ree species matters: Evergreen trees provide more shade T than deciduous trees owing height: Mow turfgrasses on the upper end of M their recommended height range ertilization: Reduce nitrogen applications. Excessive leaf F growth comes at the expense of roots and other stored carbon sources. raffic: Limit traffic when possible, turfgrasses under T shade grow less vigorously and therefore won’t recover as rapidly as in full sun lant growth regulators: PGRs have been shown to inP crease turfgrass quality in closely-mowed turf when grown under moderate shade. c

26 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal November/December 2018 www.vaturf.org

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 27

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