Tag: Homeowner

Keep mowing and don’t set the mower down

Many people ask how long to continue mowing into the fall. The answer is to keep mowing as long as the grass continues to grow which is normally into late October or early November. Frequency of mowing can decrease but...

Keep mowing to mulch those tree leaves!

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 will shade the grass can smother and kill grass yet this...

Poly Tanks for Farm Businesses Preventing Catastrophic Failures

High-density polyethylene tanks have been used successfully by growers and commercial pesticide application businesses for years. While the benefits of poly tank ownership are well established, the risk of tank failure is real. Like any piece of equipment, poly tanks need to be inspected and maintained to ensure that the benefits of use outweigh the risk of tank failure and product release.

(PPP-77)

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Openings still available for MRTF Golf Day on September 30

Openings are still available for the MRTF Golf Day at The Fort Golf Resort in Indianapolis on September 30. We also have the opportunity for you or your company to sponsor a tee sign. More information on sponsorship and a...

Controlling escaped fountaingrass in a lawn.

Fountain grass and other ornamental grasses have added tremendously to landscapes of homes, commercial sites, and golf courses. However, we are now seeing some of these grasses escape from the ornamental beds into the turf. One in particular is fountain...

Pesticides and Personal Protective Equipment

Decisions about personal protective equipment (PPE) are challenging for pesticide users on farms and in gardens, pest control businesses, and greenhouses. This publication discusses the links between safety, attitude, and organizational philosophy; explains why PPE is necessary; offers general guidance on selecting PPE; and provides suggestions for care of PPE.

(PPP-38)

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PDF version of Pesticides and Personal Protective Equipment

Cool temperatures allow a jump on beneficial fall maintenance practices

The recent record or near record low temperatures combine with adequate soil moisture is advantageous for our cool-season turfgrasses, especially compared to the typical August-September heat and drought. Fall fertilization can begin anytime, especially with rain in the forecast to...

Damping off diseases in new seedlings

Although the cool weather tends to limit disease in new seedlings, a spike in the temperatures could trigger outbreaks in juvenile turf yet this year. Late summer is clearly the best time of the year to seed for a variety...

MRTF Golf Day at The Fort in Indianapolis on September 30

Openings are still available for the MRTF Golf Day at The Fort Golf Resort in Indianapolis on September 30. This annual event is held to promote turfgrasss research, raise awareness of the Purdue Turfgrass Science Program, and provide an enjoyable...

Drought affects all turf areas differently

We are fielding a number of calls like “Why is my lawn is turning brown while my neighbors isn’t, even though neither of us irrigate?”. On any given turf area or in a neighborhood, we can see a wide variety...

Now is the Time to Start Improving Your Lawn

Tired of the way your lawn looks? If it hasn’t looked up to par this summer with the relatively good weather, it never will and reseeding your lawn is an option. Mid-August is the best time to seed a new...

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...

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...

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...

Securing The Load

Losing cargo on the road is serious business. The proper loading, positioning, and securing of cargo on a truck or trailer can prevent accidents in transit. This publication refers to government securement regulations and describes proper techniques for securing cargo on farm and commercial trucks and trailers.

(PPP-75)

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PDF version of Securing The Load

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...