Those dandelions, clover, and other broadleaf weeds that were a problem all summer should be controlled this fall. The period from late September through October is the ideal time to control broadleaf weeds in turfgrass because broadleaf weeds are most susceptible to herbicides at this time. The turf and weeds must be green and actively […]
Currently advertised on television and in home improvement stores are “winterizer” fertilizers. There’s good and bad about winterizer fertilizers. It’s good that they are emphasizing fall and late fall fertilizer. These fertilizers usually contain the same amount of potassium as nitrogen (nitrogen is the first of the three prominent numbers on the bag while potassium […]
The trees are dropping their leaves and it is important to prevent a heavy layer of leaves from building-up on your turf before winter. Heavy layers of tree leaves that shade the grass can smother and kill grass yet this fall. Plus tree leaf cover favors a damaging winter turf disease called snow mold. The […]
Nitrogen stimulates increased photosynthesis and the extra energy derived from this goes directly into growth, respiration to maintain the plant (similar to humans), or into storage. In early November, the temperature is still adequate for photosynthesis, but cool enough to minimize respiration demands and too cold for significant growth. Therefore, most of the extra energy […]
Late September through October is the best time to control weeds like dandelion, clover, and chickweed with an application of a broadleaf weed herbicide. Broadleaf weed herbicides are systemic and move through the plant in the phloem, which also transports photosynthate. The more areas of the plant that the herbicide translocates to, the more effective […]
For anyone who watched major college football in the Midwest this fall, you’ve noticed that the fields are tearing up with divots and blow outs. Some major universities have even resodded their fields after the opening few games in hopes of improving traction. In a nutshell, this is why fields are tearing up: Root […]
At this weekend’s Homecoming activities, Randy Brehmer will receive the Agronomic Award of Distinction from Purdue’s Department of Agronomy. This award is reserved for those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help the Department of Agronomy and Randy is especially deserving of this award for all he has done to […]
We are out of the optimum window for seeding turfgrasses in Indiana. However, many are still hoping to seed. Following is a summary of our studies in the early 90’s on seeding at less than optimum times of the year. For optimum establishment, seeding should be done in late August or early September. Waiting as […]
The summer’s heat and humidity have taken an unusually high toll on turf in lawns, athletic fields, and golf courses. Most of the decline can be attributed to poor root growth weakening cool-season grasses and starting an avalanche of secondary factors leading to further decline. Root growth of cool-season grasses reaches a peak in mid-spring […]
After the rains have returned, broadleaf weed herbicides should become effective. However, don’t be in too much of a rush to apply because our data suggests that better control is obtained with October applications in than in September. We found that herbicides applied from October 1 through November 1 improved long-term ground ivy control compared […]
With the returning rains in the state, now is the most important time to fertilize cool-season turfgrasses like creeping bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall or fine fescue. September fertilization is crucial on all turf areas regardless if it is a lawn, athletic field, or golf course green, tee or fairway. Fertilization in mid-September […]
It now almost too late to seed this fall to expect the seedlings to form a good stand before winter, especially with the dry conditions that remain in the forecast. The optimum time to seed cool-season turfgrasses is between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15 in central IN, a week earlier in northern IN, and a […]
A few rust calls are starting to trickle in, which is typical at this time of the year. Rust symptoms are reddish-orange lesions or spots on the leaf blades and a rust-colored powder that you can rub off with your fingers. Rust will rarely kill a turf area, but it can thin a turf stand […]
The dry summer allowed sandbur to get a competitive edge over the other lawn grasses on the sandy soils in northern Indiana. Most people don’t realize they have sandbur in their lawn until they come into painful contact with it, and unfortunately it is too late to do anything about it then. Sandbur is an […]
Mark your calendars for Nov 15-16 for MRTF’s Turf and Ornamental Seminar. Like last year, the course is advanced for lawn care, golf course, sports turf, and sales staff. Topics include recovery from summer damage, bill bugs and white grubs, patch diseases, managing the toughest weeds, and weed ID. A number of new ornamental speakers […]
Openings are still available for the MRTF Golf Day on Oct 13 at the Hale Irwin-designed Coyote Crossing Golf Club in West Lafayette. This is the seventh annual event held to promote turfgrass research, raise awareness of the Purdue Turfgrass Science Program, and provide an enjoyable day of golf. It’s an early morning event starting […]
Random patches of wilted turfgrass that are unresponsive to irrigation, assume a gray/green appearance and then turn tan/brown just before dying MAY be suffering from nematodes. These symptoms are somewhat characteristic of several diseases, insect infestations and even environmental stresses, so when making a determination, all possible causes must be considered. The symptoms of nematode […]
With the heat and humidity of this summer, our cool-season grasses continue to thin making it one of the better years in recent memory for crabgrass and nutsedge. In Lafayette, we’ve had 50 days of temperatures higher than 85F, 18 of which were over 90F. Maximum photosynthesis and shoot growth of cool-season grasses occur between […]
Reports of turfgrass damage due to white grub feeding are beginning to trickle in. Damage potential seems to be widely variable this year. Some areas that were dry during the beetle egg laying season last year reported very few Japanese beetles during the entire summer. Other areas, especially in the central and southern portion of […]
There have been numerous reports of gray leaf spot outbreaks throughout Indiana and the lower Midwest during the past three weeks. We generally expect that hot humid conditions will favor gray leaf spot development. However, you may recall that outbreaks also occurred during the summer of 2004, a year in which temperatures reached 90 F […]
