On Tuesday, July 9th, 2013 the Purdue Turf Program and the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation hosted the Turf and Landscape Field Day. The Turf and Landscape Field Day is Indiana’s largest green industry field day. It was a much cooler day than last year and we were thankful that the rain stayed away and the breeze made it nice and comfortable for our attendees.
A first at this year’s field day was the addition of landscape research tours, where specialists from four different departments in the College of Agriculture shared their findings and recommendations to Green Industry professionals. It was a great opportunity for those attending to receive education, research updates, product updates from the exhibitors, and also a great opportunity to network with others in the Green Industry.
The field day featured 38 exhibitors representing companies from around the region ranging the gamut from equipment, seed, fertilizers, pesticides, landscape plants, hardscape and more. The 474 attendees where mostly from Indiana and all its surrounding states but many national representatives were also there from various companies to learn more about Purdue’s latest green industry research. Attendees came from a variety of backgrounds including business owners, managers and staff of wholesale and retail nurseries, landscape management firms, greenhouse growers, golf course superintendents and staff, lawn care companies, grounds maintenance departments, landscape design and installation firms, garden centers, consulting firms, educational institutions, suppliers and more!
This year’s field day provided three morning research tours and four afternoon tours including a popular field trip to Purdue Horticulture Gardens. Sixteen different speakers were at the field day including Purdue faculty/staff from Agronomy, Botany and Plant Pathology, Entomology, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, and Forestry and Natural Resources. The field day was a success again this year and continues to be a leading provider of information and education among the Midwest turf professionals and the Green Industry.
Mark your calendars for next year’s Turf and Landscape Field Day, July 15, 2014.
Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist
Kyle Daniel, Landscape and Nursery Extension Specialist