WHAT: An Indiana Pesticide Clean Sweep Project designed to collect and dispose of suspended, canceled, banned, unusable, opened, unopened or just unwanted pesticides (weed killers, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, miticides, etc.) is being sponsored by the Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC). This disposal service is free of charge up to 250 pounds per participant. Over…Read more about 2014 Clean Sweep Dates Now Available[Read More]
As we exit the end of the first full week of July 2014 in the aftermath of the “PolarVortex” many winter-survival questions still remain. Here is what we do know… spring green-up was extremely slow and regional weather conditions continue to be suboptimal for aggressive warm-season grass growth. While individual cultural practices for a particular…Read more about Bermudagrass Cultivar Winter Survival Update[Read More]
This winter has resulted in significant winterkill on bermudagrass throughout the nation and Indiana was not an exception. Brutally cold temperatures, coined as the polar vortex, swept through the country in early January with many other subsequent cold days and nights to follow. The below link summarizes the damage that I have observed this spring,…Read more about Winterkill Here on Bermudagrass! Now What?[Read More]
On Tuesday, July 15, 2014 the Purdue Turf Program and the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation will host the Turf and Landscape Field Day. The Turf and Landscape Field Day is Indiana’s largest green industry field day. This will be the second year with landscape research tours added. Specialists from four different departments in the College…Read more about Purdue Turf and Landscape Field Day, July 15, 2014[Read More]
Yellow Nutsedge Biology: Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus), also known as chufa (chufa is a non-weedy variety that is used for wildlife food plots and is not a cold hardy weed like yellow nutsedge), nutgrass, or watergrass, is a troublesome, difficult-to-control perennial weed found throughout the United States. It is important to understand…Read more about Yellow Nutsedge[Read More]
Ground Ivy Biology: Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), also known as creeping Charlie, is a very difficult to control perennial broadleaf weed. It can often be seen growing in the shade and invading turfgrass and other mowed areas throughout the United States. Ground ivy thrives in moist, rich soils located in shaded areas, but…Read more about Ground Ivy[Read More]
Mouse-ear Chickweed Biology: Mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum) is a broadleaf weed that normally acts as a perennial; however, it has the ability to act as a winter annual depending climate conditions. Mouse-ear chickweed germinates by seed from late summer to fall or early spring. As long as cool climate conditions and moist soil…Read more about Mouse-ear Chickweed[Read More]
Common Chickweed Biology: Common chickweed (Stellaria media) is a winter annual broadleaf weed. It forms dense, prostrate patches in turfgrass throughout North America, though it can grow much taller when it’s not mowed. Common chickweed germinates from seed in late summer or early fall. However, germination timings can vary throughout the year if…Read more about Common Chickweed[Read More]
Wild Garlic Biology: Wild Garlic (Allium vineale) is a monocotyledonous cool-season perennial that can be found throughout most of the eastern and southern United States. Despite having linear leaves and parallel veins, wild garlic is neither a grass nor a sedge; it is a member of the lily family. Wild garlic is more…Read more about Wild Garlic[Read More]
Annual Bluegrass Biology: Annual bluegrass, commonly referred to by its scientific name Poa annua (sometimes pronounced Po anna on TV), is a winter annual grass that is a difficult-to-control weed in turf. Seeds germinate in late summer, early autumn, and spring. Annual bluegrass is found throughout the United States, particularly in highly compacted, excessively…Read more about Annual Bluegrass[Read More]
Henbit Biology: Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) is a common winter annual broadleaf weed found throughout the United States. It can often be mistaken for another closely related winter annual broadleaf, purple deadnettle. Both can be observed by their showy pink to purple flowers which are primarily produced in April, but can appear from March…Read more about Henbit[Read More]
Black Medic Biology: Black Medic (Medicago lupulina) is a summer annual (or less commonly a winter annual) broadleaf weed that can be found throughout the United States. Seeds germinate in the spring and are capable of establishing in drought-prone or disturbed soils. Black medic is a legume, meaning that it has the capabilities…Read more about Black Medic[Read More]
White Clover Biology: White clover (Trifolium repens) is a perennial broadleaf weed that can be found throughout the United States. Seeds can germinate in moist-cool conditions in spring, early summer, or early fall. Because it tolerates close mowing, can grow in multiple soil types, and has the ability to fix its own…Read more about White Clover[Read More]
Nimblewill Biology: Nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi) is a warm-season perennial grass found throughout the northeast, southeast, and Midwestern United States. It can often be mistaken for other mat-forming grasses with blue-green foliage such as bermudagrass or creeping bentgrass. It grows well in moist, shady areas but it is also found in…Read more about Nimblewill[Read More]
A key step in most lawn maintenance practices such as seeding and fertilizing as well as with double-checking your calibration and application accuracy is to determine the size of the turf area. Determining your lawn area will help you calculate how much seed you need, how much sod to order, how much fertilizer to apply,…Read more about How Big is Your Lawn?[Read More]
This time of year many have questions about crabgrass control. Below are several previous Purdue turf tips that answer the most commonly asked questions about crabgrass control. When will crabgrass germinate? When should I apply my preemergence herbicide (crabgrass preventer)? Which preemergence herbicide should I use? How do I control crabgrass in spring seeded turf?…Read more about Crabgrass Germination Coming Soon![Read More]
This winter has been cold and long. From December 2013 through February 2014, Indiana had it’s 9th coldest winter on record and its coldest since 1979, 1978 was coldest on record (Fig. 1). With such cold temperatures, many are worried about winterkill. Fig. 1. In the past 120 years, this was the 9th coldest…Read more about Cool-Season Turf Winterkill: Potential Losses and a Pathway to Recovery[Read More]
With colder than normal temperatures in Indiana this winter, we are anticipating some minor winter damage. To help prepare for this we are publishing a three part series on this topic to help turfgrass managers prepare for what may await them in the spring. Look forward to the following topics over the next week. Part…Read more about Warm-season Turf Winterkill 2014: What Can you Expect and NOW WHAT?[Read More]
In January (January 8-10, 2014) the Purdue Turf Program and the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation hosted the Indiana Green Expo (IGE) in cooperation with the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association. The IGE is Indiana’s most comprehensive green industry educational conference and trade show. It is a time of education, new products and networking with industry…Read more about Another Successful Indiana Green Expo Despite the Polar Vortex[Read More]
Winners of the first ever Midwest Regional Turf Foundation (MRTF) Green Awards were announced just a few weeks ago at the Indiana Green Expo in Indianapolis during the MRTF Distinguished Service Award Reception. The purpose of this award is to recognize MRTF member facilities that show outstanding environmental stewardship, who implement the highest standard of…Read more about MRTF Green Award Winners Announced![Read More]
