Turf Tips Archives
For professionals: Avoid late summer weed control
Though this summer has been pretty kind for our cool-season grasses, a number of weeds may be at high enough populations to become problematic. With temperatures forecast in the high 80’s or 90’s for the next week, it is probably best to leave the herbicides locked in storage. Plus most of the problematic weeds (crabgrass, […]
Dollar Spot
Dollar spot is caused by a fungal pathogen, Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, that blights leaf tissues but does not affect turfgrass roots or crowns. The disease is a common concern on golf course turf, especially creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass greens, tees, and fairways, where it can result in poor turf quality and appearance. Dollar spot is one […]
Rust Diseases
Rust is a disease of taller mown turf. Outbreaks are most common on residential lawns, low budget athletic fields, and, occasionally, on golf course roughs. A variety of related fungi cause rust. Ccommon names include leaf rust, crown rust, and stem rust, and the disease occurs almost exclusively on Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. Rust […]
Professionals only: Rust/dollar spot thriving in lawns
The diseases rust and dollar spot are thriving in Indiana lawns right now, which is fairly typical for this time of the year. These are both low nitrogen diseases, so are almost inevitable as we try to keep lawns on the lean side during the summer to minimize devastating damage from pythium, brown patch, heat […]
Cicada killers: A Nuisance or a Danger?
A number of solitary bees and wasps reside in turfgrass and landscapes. Because of their ability to harm humans, these insects often evoke a great deal of anxiety. However, in reality they very rarely sting. Education is the single best strategy to help people deal with cicada killers. Cicada killers are one of the largest […]
Reminder: New golf course pesticide rule went into effect August 1, 2009
The Indiana State Chemists Office’s (ISCO) new pesticide rule went into effect Aug. 1 and includes: Any person applying any pesticide to a golf course must have a commercial pesticide applicator license or be under the direct supervision of a licensed commercial pesticide applicator. A non-certified applicator can apply pesticides if directly supervised by a […]
Goosegrass control is difficult in sports and golf turf
Goosegrass is a warm-season annual very similar to crabgrass, but germinates later than crabgrass and is tougher to control with both pre- and postemergence herbicides. It is most common in compacted, heavily used, poorly drained, and/or thinned turf, so cultural practices to help alleviate these conditions are essential. With low populations, cutting goosegrass out with […]
New web registration now available for the Midwest Regional Turf Field Day on July 21
We have just unveiled our new web registration for all MRTF functions, just time for Field Day on July 21. Registration for all events is at http://mrtf.org/php/education.php and registration for Field Day specifically is at http://mrtf.org/php/education.php#FieldDay. Some of the features of this year’s Field Day include A morning workshop in Spanish – Victoria Caceres will be teaching “White […]
For professionals only: Solitare herbicide now labeled for Indiana
FMC’s Solitare 75WG received its federal and state label for Indiana in June and is should be available from your professional product distributors. Solitare is a combination of sulfentrazone (Dismiss) and quinclorac (Drive and others) and should provide control of yellow nutsedge, crabgrass, clover and a wide variety of other broadleaf weeds that are currently […]
Controlling ground ivy and/or violets
As lawns start to thin from summer heat, ground ivy and violets begin to overtake the turf especially insahded areas. These two weeds remain tough to control in Indiana. Even though applications now can produce visible damage, long-term control does not compare to fall applications. We have been working on ground ivy for a number […]
The somewhat random world of herbicide burn injury on turf
With weather drying out and heating up, the risk of herbicide burn is increasing. In most cases, herbicide burn is similar to fertilizer burn in that the concentration of the herbicide spray residue on the leaf literally sucks the water out of the leaf, desiccating the leaf. This is similar to how urea fertilizer spilled […]
White Grub Biology and Control in Espanol
In response to requests from our industry, we will be teaching a workshop in Spanish at Field Day on July 21. “White Grub Biology and Control” will be taught by Victoria Caceres from the Department of Entomology. This is a great opportunity for you or any of your staff who are comfortable learning in Spanish […]
Patch Disease Symptoms Starting to Show in Dry Kentucky Bluegrass Lawns
Summer patch and necrotic ring spot are root-infecting diseases in Kentucky bluegrass lawns. Their symptoms are some of the most difficult to manage, much less control the disease. Although these diseases differ slightly in when they attack the roots, the pathogens generally are active in the late spring to early summer. Infection-impaired roots have a […]
Using clover for lawns?????
Recently I was contacted by a major newspaper reporter who was writing an article about more sustainable lawn systems, or lawns that would required fewer inputs, and was inquiring about the feasibility of using clover as a lawn turf. After a brief head-scratching and a few questions about his intent we had a nice conversation […]
Summer Mowing and Fertilization
By the time you read these words the longest day of the year has approached and the official calendar “Summer” season will have begun. Just as the weather changes as we transition between seasons from late-Spring to Summer the turfgrass plant changes too. First, both air and soil temperatures rise beyond what is optimal for […]
Moss in greens
I’ve gotten a number of questions about moss lately. Moss is becoming more common in greens as we decrease mowing heights and nitrogen fertility in pursuit of faster green speeds. Moss becomes more competitive as creeping bentgrass becomes less competitive. Though the herbicide QuickSilver has become the industry standard when applied at 6.7 oz/A, a […]
Reicher to join University of Nebraska in March
After 21 years at Purdue, 17 of which as the Extension Specialist, I will be leaving Purdue University. Kim and I will be moving to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where Kim will become the Director of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning in the School of Architecture in mid-August. I am what’s considered a “spousal hire” […]
Poa annua, Poa trivialis, and/or creeping bentgrass in lawns and sports fields
Poa annua (annual bluegrass), Poa trivialis (rough bluegrass) and creeping bentgrass are becoming common weeds in athletic fields and lawns. These weeds are important to distinguish because they require different controls. Poa annua: a winter annual that is lighter, more apple green than other lawn species. It is just past its aggressive seedhead stage, but you’ll likely still find […]
New topics and tours at the Turf Field Day on July 21
The Midwest Regional Turf Field Day that will be held on Tuesday, July 21 at the W.H. Daniel Turfgrass Research and Diagnostic Center in West Lafayette. A number of additions should make this one of the best field days yet. The field day includes: A morning workshop in Spanish – Victoria Caceres will be teaching “White […]
Believe it or not, drought symptoms appearing in turf
With no rain in Indiana last week (5/17-23) followed by extremely erratic and spotty rain this week (5/24-30), drought symptoms are starting to show up near sidewalks and driveways and in other hotspots like south-facing slopes, compacted soils, and fairly new sod laid over compacted soils. Symptoms are typical drought stress starting out with a […]