Thanks to all the 530 attendees and 32 exhibitors who attended the Midwest Regional Turfgrass Field Day Tuesday (July 19, 2011) at the W.H. Daniel Turfgrass Research Center in W. Lafayette, IN. We had golf and lawn research tours in the morning, two afternoon tours, and one afternoon workshop and addressed many current topics including […]
Annual bluegrass (Poa annua) is a common weed on golf courses, but is now also becoming a problem on higher mowed turf areas such as lawns and athletic fields. This grass is lighter colored than Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass and can be identified by its boat-shaped leaf tip and membranous ligule (see Turf Tip […]
A few weeks ago we posted information on herbicide damage to spruce and pine (link here). We are continuing to see some new cases of damage, but many with affected trees are simply waiting to see whether or not their trees will recover. For those of you who might have trees with suspected injury to […]
Last summer and fall we experienced some widespread drought throughout the state which we documented with turf tips in July, September, and November as well as tips on reestablishment this March (click here for an archive of these tips). Most were uncertain as to what the extent of the damage would be until the turf […]
Preemergence herbicides prevent emergence of crabgrass plants. These products must be applied prior to crabgrass germination which on an average year could occur as early as April 1 in southern Indiana and three or more weeks later in northern Indiana. It is essential to apply these products early in spring prior to crabgrass germination. Last […]
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is beginning to produce seedheads this time of year which are difficult to mow and can cause a lawn to appear uneven. However, there are other grasses such as annual bluegrass (Poa annua) that also produce similar looking seedheads. Annual bluegrass is a winter annual or weak perennial turfgrass species which […]
Fertilizer loading Fill spreaders over a hard surface such as a driveway, sidewalk, or other hard concrete or asphalt surface. This will allow easy clean-up if any material is spilled. Fertilizer spills over turf usually result in turf death to the affected spot. If product is spilled during loading (A), clean-up the material immediately by […]
Nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi) is a weed that thin patches in lawns. Since nimblewill is a warm-season grass, it will turn brown at the first frost and is very slow to green-up in the spring. The brown patches seen in lawns in the early spring may be nimblewill contamination. This weed spreads from seeds produced and […]
Spring is almost upon us and overwintering white grubs will soon be emerging from the depths to continue feeding for a short time before they pupate. These overwintering grubs typically spend the frigid months of December – February deep in the soil profile (up to 12 inches deep) to avoid freezing. As soil temperatures begin […]
This turf tip is part of a three part series on spring seeding. Most turfgrass herbicides are intended for use on established grasses. Thus, herbicide use on newly planted grasses should be very conservative. If possible, wait until the grass has gone through several mowings or a full growing season before using chemical weed control. […]
Part II: Preemergence and postemergence herbicides for crabgrass control in newly seeded areas This turf tip is part of a three part series on spring seeding. Early spring preemergence herbicides are often necessary in Indiana to prevent troublesome annual grassy weeds such as crabgrass and goosegrass. Additionally, these applications help to prevent the emergence of […]
We have been working hard this winter trying to help you be more efficient….. These tools/calculators are now available on our Purdue Turf Science web-site to help you answer various turf-related questions. An updated Turf Fertilizer Calculator. It still allows you to calculate granular fertilizer needs based on target nutrient rate and product analysis. It […]
The GDDTracker Team (Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio) is proud to launch the latest version of our turf pest tracking web site (http://www.gddtracker.net/). We have been very hard at work to bring you an even better product in 2011. You can now drop a star on the map to mark your location and with the […]
Part I: Spring seeding options (This turf tip is part of a three part series on spring seeding.) Seeding in spring is difficult and often unsuccessful. However, there are circumstances that warrant a spring seeding: Thin turf due to winter damage Poor turf density due to poor recovery from previous year’s problems, i.e., grub damage, […]
For those making the trip to Orlando for the Golf Industry Show, the Indiana Reception, Sponsored by the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation and Purdue Agronomy Department will be held Wednesday, February 9, 6:00 to 8:00 pm in Salon 8 of the Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Dr, Orlando, FL. It’s a great opportunity to catch […]
For those of you that had the opportunity January 17-19 to attend the Indiana Green Expo, I am sure that you noticed the eight educational sessions, six workshops, and trade show that was offered. Over 1,850 people attended the expo this year and we heard many good comments about the education program and the 126 […]
Cody Whitis, Justin Shirley, Joey Gerking, and Zak Peterson traveled to Austin, TX for the seventh annual Student Challenge Exam at the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Meetings. Purdue placed 1st out of 32 teams. The students worked hard to prepare for the competition and were surprised when announced in 1st place. “This motivates us […]
Tony Feitz, C.J. Coy, John Thackery, and Steve Vonderheide traveled to Austin, TX for the seventh annual Student Challenge Exam at the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Meetings. Purdue placed 8th out of 32 teams. The students worked hard to prepare for the competition and were surprised when Purdue was announced in 1st place. “I […]
Part II: Summer diseases in Residential Turf Part III: Summer weeds: Common summer weeds and their control Part I: Too hot: Why some turfgrass species look poor in summer Color Variation in Residential and Commercial Lawns Crabgrass Control Now is the time to seed lawns and other turf areas Choosing a Preemergence Herbicide Late Fall […]
