Homeowner
Overseeding creeping bentgrass into thinning Poa annua
Dry and hot conditions may unfortunately favor early exit of Poa annua from golf turf. However, there is a silver lining to this. Rutgers reported that overseeding creeping bentgrass directly into a Poa stand in summer is effective for gradual conversion when done July 1. Rutgers produced significant (>25% cover) of bentgrass within 12 months […]
Velocity for Poa annua control….Potential and Precautions
Velocity (byspribac) was registered for Poa annua control in creeping bentgrass last November, so this is the first summer of potential widespread use. As with all new pesticides, we’ll learn more of the finer details as we use it. We have a number of studies at Purdue currently and I just stopped at a course […]
Facts and Advice on Turf Survival in Drought
There are many questions about turf survival in drought with the on-going drought in most parts of the state. Though we understand many of the mechanisms of turf survival in drought, it’s hard to duplicate all of the potential situations on research plots across the country and it’s difficult to give definite “black and white” […]
Quicksilver Receives 24C Registration for Moss on Greens in Indiana
FMC’s QuickSilver T&O herbicide has just received special local 24(c) registration for control of silvery thread moss in putting greens in Indiana. Though Quicksilver (carfentrazone) is used widely as a quick knockdown contact broadleaf herbicide, it has good efficacy on silvery thread moss. The recommended rate for moss is 6.7 fluid oz/A (0.154 oz/1000 ft2 followed […]
Purdue Urban Landscape Study
Curious about your lawn and landscape? We need your help! We’re looking for volunteers from Tippecanoe and adjacent counties to participate in our landscape study. Scientists from Purdue University will: • Survey your lawn and landscape for insects, weeds, and diseases • Determine what type(s) of turfgrasses are present • Conduct a free soil test […]
Early Dollar Spot Applications Make Sense
Dollar spot has arrived on golf courses. The standard mid- to late May fertilization of 0.75-1.0 lb N/1000 sq. ft. with primarily slow release N should have helped minimize some dollar spot. On golf courses with a long history of dollar spot, first and foremost review the fertilization practices and increase the annual N if […]
Update on Black Cutworm
Significant weather events from the south usually are responsible for the movement of the black cutworm moths into our area each spring beginning as early as March. Black light traps stationed throughout the state have failed to catch many black cutworms this year to date. This is good news for our industry and may spell […]
Maximizing Lawn Performance Under Drought
As low moisture conditions continue in Indiana and Indianapolis is already requesting volunteer reductions in water use, it is time to start preparing for a potentially serious drought. Generally, turf can survive 5 to 8 weeks of dry conditions without substantial thinning or death. However, poor soils, traffic, excess heat, low mowing and/or scalping, and […]
Interactive Turfgrass Identification Tool now available
After about 9 months of development a concept of mine has finally borne fruit. This week we rolled out the interactive, self-guided, online turfgrass identification tool, located at: http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/tool/index.html. Now you can probably identify the mystery grass in your lawn from the comfort of your own computer. If you still can’t identify it, you can always […]
Phosphorus Fertilization in Turf
Phosphorus (P) fertilization of turf is being questioned nationally for two reasons. Phosphorus fertilization almost never induces a visual turfgrass response and deficiency symptoms are rarely seen, thus calling into question the need for P fertilization. Secondly, higher levels of P contribute to algal blooms and decrease water quality of ponds, lakes, and streams. Since […]
Late May is Good Time to Fertilize Lawns
The annual phase of rapid cool-season shoot growth of cool-season grasses is nearly complete, though it was diminished this year because of the dry and cool weather. It’s now time to consider fertilizing your lawn because fertilizer now will not dramatically increase vertical growth as long as moderate nitrogen rates are used and it will […]
Which is it, Annual Bluegrass or Kentucky Bluegrass?
Kentucky bluegrass is currently producing seedheads that are difficult to mow and create an uneven appearance. However, annual bluegrass (Poa annua) is also producing similar looking seedheads. It’s important to distinguish the two because Kentucky bluegrass is highly desirable in a lawn, but annual bluegrass is a weed. It is a weed because it is […]
Don’t Trust the Tonics You Hear on TV
There’s a number of “tonics” recently extolled on local and national television that include ingredients like shampoo, ammonia, cola (not diet of course), beer (not light beer), hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap among others. Though you may think you see some effect of these products, there is little or no scientific basis for applying these […]
Season-long Grub Control from May Applications???
Grub control products are currently being displayed in the center aisles of retail department and discount stores and are advertised on the radio as providing season-long grub control when applied in early May. Certain insecticides, including imidacloprid (Merit) and halofenozide (Mach 2) do have a very long residual in the soil. However, they should not […]
Time is Running Out for Preemergence Control of Crabgrass
The below average temperatures the last few days has delayed crabgrass germination and thus premergence annual grass herbicides should still be effective if applied this week in the northern half to 2/3rds of the state. Most of the preemergence herbicides do have some post-emergence properties that will burn back small crabgrass (one or two leaf […]
Watch for Breakthrough from Early Preemergence Herbicide Applications
The extremely dry spring may reduce the effectiveness of preemergence herbicides. The products must be watered-in or rained-in to move them below the canopy and down to the soil where they will be effective. Herbicides not watered-in may also photodegrade faster than those wateredin. Early research showed a 44% loss in three days of preemergence […]
Rhizoctonia Large Patch (Zoysia Patch)
As our zoysiagrass fairways and tees are greening up this spring, we will soon begin to see the symptoms of Rhizoctonia Large Patch (zoysia patch). Rhizoctonia Large Patch (RLP) is the only major disease of zoysiagrass in Indiana. The pathogen is favored by moderate temperatures and long dew periods in the spring, fall and during […]
Slowly Greening Lawns
Many lawns are slow to green-up this year and it is mostly due to the presence of Kentucky bluegrass. Even though Kentucky bluegrass is the best lawn grass for the Midwest, it is much slower than perennial ryegrass and tall fescue to green up in the spring (photo). A little patience, some rain, and some […]
Tan Patches in an Otherwise Green Lawn
Tan patches in an otherwise green lawn at this time of the year are likely due to either slow-greening warm-season grasses or snow mold. The most common tan patch right now is warm-season grasses like nimblewill or zoysia (photos). Time, warming temperatures, and rainfall are the cures for most of these patches and they should […]