Michigan Turfgrass Foundation News

Joe Vargas nailing “Johnny be good” at the Axelborg Hall in Copenhagen Denmark at the ITRC2022 closing dinner.

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 12:51:21 GMT

Joe Vargas nailing “Johnny be good” at the Axelborg Hall in Copenhagen Denmark at the ITRC2022 closing dinner.

The 14th International Research Conference happens every 4 years. The International Turfgrass Research Society was started by Dr. James Beard. It’s a 5 day conference and Dr Beard was recognized and Joe Vargas was among those who said words of tribute and even shed some tears. Its the top world wide conference for Turfgrass scientists. MSU and the MTF were represented by Joe (Dr. Vargas), Dr. Nikolai, who gave two presentations and Nancy Dykema.

Photos by Thomas Nikolai, Ph.D.

We love taking care of the fields, there's a lot that goes into it, and a lot of pride that comes out of it

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 14:22:33 GMT

Recently, Michigan State University hosted the Dean Shippey Diamond Classic at McLane Stadium. It gave us a chance to check in with Andy Flynn, Athletics Turf Manager for MSU and get an inside look at their operations.

Flynn and his team were preparing for upcoming MHSAA Girls State Soccer Finals as well as Baseball Semis and State Finals for all four divisions. It’s a lot of work that includes management of the entire facility during the events. In addition to the field maintenance, his crew takes care of all landscaping and the field equipment including the goals, nets, tarps, paint and clay work for each game.

“The guys that I work with, they’re the ones that make it all happen. I’m super fortunate to have a great group of guys working here. Four have turfgrass degrees, (2) four year degrees, (2) two year degrees. All MSU grads. 4 full time guys, 2 turfgrass students and a couple part time employees.”

Flynn took over as the Athletics Turf Manager two and a half years ago. After completing his Commercial Turf Degree in 2001 and Crop and Soil Science Degree in 2003, Flynn stayed at MSU, going to work at Forest Akers Golf Course.

Two years later he transferred to the athletic fields and is now in charge of all the maintenance and upkeep of the MSU Varsity Athletic Fields. It includes (2) soccer fields, baseball and softball fields, the practice football complex and Spartan Stadium (15 acres of high maintenance/ high value turf) and the general grounds (rough), Landscaping and other common areas.

The crew, at this point in the season, is a staff of 9 full and part time people. “Most of the turf students do internships somewhere in the summertime, we’re lucky enough to have some stick around. Spring and Fall we have more part time help because it's busier, and of course we have the turf students. We get them part time to help out with stuff. We are fortunate to have a turf program, just on the other side of campus.”

When asked about some of the differences between golf turf maintenance vs athletic fields, Flynn noted that golf courses are more turf intensive. “Athletic field cutting is at higher heights. We have other variables to deal with like 350 pound guys tearing up the field. We spend a lot of time regenerating plants and pushing recovery.”

“We love taking care of the fields, there's a lot that goes into it, and a lot of pride that comes out of it.”

The team was able to open up the inside facility for batting practice during a heavy rain delay during the Diamond Classic.

Flynn started his education at Central Michigan University. A book called “Careers in Sports” helped him discover the turf program at MSU.

Turfgrass professionals, are you hiring?

Mon, 09 May 2022 15:45:16 GMT

Turfgrass professionals, are you hiring?

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is now offering a new, jobs board resource for the turfgrass industry on our website, michiganturfgrass.org. Industry partners will now be able to post job openings, include a logo and a link to their own website or social media listing.

Ads will run for two full months on michiganturfgrass.org (unless the position is filled) and can be renewed for as many months as needed. Listings will also be shared via MTF social media outlets. The cost will be $0.50 per word. It will be offered to MTF Members at no charge.

June listings will be featured in our News Notes Summer Issue, set to be released June 1st, at no additional cost. The deadline for submission to be featured is May 13th.

To list on michiganturfgrass.org: use the button link to send us an email with wording, external link and attached logo.

Send Email

Turf Team Receives Recognition at GAM Awards

Fri, 06 May 2022 13:58:41 GMT

MSU Turf Team Recognized at GAM Awards Luncheon

It had been three years since the Golf Association of Michigan was able to hold an in person Annual Meeting. This year's event was held on Wednesday at Eagle Eye Golf Club in Bath, Michigan. Members of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation and the Michigan State University Turf Team were in attendance as the association recognized the team's contribution to golf in the state of Michigan.

Dr. Kevin Frank presents the latest Turf Research projects ongoing at MSU and the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation's Tee Times 4 Turf auction.

MTF Executive Director, Carey Mitchelson, presents the latest Michigan Turfgrass Foundation initiatives, including the Joe Vargas Chair in Turfgrass Pathology.

Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences Professor and Chairperson, Dr. Brian Horgan, discusses the program and introduces members of the Turf Team.

Dr. David Smitley accepts MSU Turf Team recognition.

Dr. Joe Vargas thanks the GAM for their impact on the game of golf in Michigan.

Auction closes at 7pm Sunday!

"If you keep inviting me, I will keep coming!"

MSU Professor Dr. Thom Nikolai, MSU Golfer James Piot, MTF Executive Director Carey Mitchelson

GAM Awards

Mia Melendez - 15 & Under Girls Player of the Year
Max VanderMolen - 15 & Under Boys Player of the Year
Sophie Stevens - Girls Player of the Year
PJ Maybank - Boys Player of the Year
Terry Delcamp - Senior Women's Player of the Year
Rick Herpich - Super Senior Player of the Year
Jerry Gunthorpe - Senior Player of the Year
Kimberly Dinh - Women's Player of the Year
James Piot - Men's Player of the Year

Ron Dahlin, The Meadows at GVSU - GAM Superintendent of Merit Award
Phil Holmblade - Course Rater of the Year
Erik Haneberg - James D. Standish Jr. Award - U of M
Christian Jackson - James D. Standish Jr. Award - MSU
LPGA USGA Girls Golf - MWGA - Champion of DE&I Award
Glenn Pulice, Royal Oak Golf Center - Club Services Award
Lee Juett, GAM President Emeritus - GAM Distinguished Service Award

MSU Extension and AgBioResearch Impact Update

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 13:47:40 GMT

Dear Legislative Members and Staff,

Michigan State University has been a leader in the plant sciences since MSU’s founding in 1855 and has maintained a stronghold in agriculture research. The MSU Plant Science Greenhouse Complex and its controlled environment complexes have supplied space for AgBioResearch and Project GREEEN related research, met our needs regarding teaching, and generated knowledge to be shared with stakeholders, growers, and industry through MSU Extension. Greenhouses and growth chambers are reliable, modern, and energy-efficient facilities that are necessary to foster research and assist in solutions for global food security. However, the greenhouse complex does not currently provide the space or technology to remain competitive. The MSU greenhouse and controlled environment complexes are too outdated to provide unique simulated environments necessary to meet the demands of modern research. For example, these facilities are no longer adequate to perform the types of research that simulate the stresses plants currently face and will likely face in the future.

Two-thirds of the greenhouses were built from 1955 to 1978 and lack modern, energy-efficient design. Moreover, the MSU greenhouses lack the climate-control systems that provide scientists with the precise conditions needed to perform targeted research trials. Updated greenhouses will help MSU scientists provide research to our industries and communities to prosper and thrive long into the future.

Learn more about plant science greenhouse research here. Stories you will find there include:

1. Greenhouses are an invaluable resource for faculty and students, but to maintain MSU’s leadership in plant science, upgrades are critical.

2. MSU microbial ecologist Ashley Shade is seeking to learn more about how microbes positively affect plant health and adapt to environmental pressures.

3. Rebecca Grumet has dedicated her career to assisting specialty crop growers as an expert in reproductive development and disease resistance in cucurbit crops such as cucumbers, melons, squash, and watermelons.

Sincerely,

Kelly Millenbah, Interim Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Quentin Tyler, Director, MSU Extension

George Smith, Director, AgBioResearch

Patrick Cudney, Director, Government and Stakeholder Relations

MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | canr.msu.edu

2021-2022 Scholarship Award Winners

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 21:31:12 GMT

Michigan Turfgrass Foundation Awards

Norman W. Kramer Outstanding Student Award
Spencer Cole

Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student Award
David Parker

Robert Hancock Award
Payton Perkinson

MTF Merit Scholars
Dennis Sullivan
Adam Nadeau
Ryan Wiggins

Michigan State University Awards

Hal and Mark Vogler Scholarship
Trevor Stahl
Josh Olrich
Jackson Severns
Tuck and Becky Tate Scholarship
David Parker
Cole Luck
Charles and Frances Osterman Scholarship
Matthew Dishon
Noah Wiles
Logan Complo
Jake Kilby
James and Harriet Beard Outstanding Turfgrass Graduate Student Award
Jackie Guevara

State Association Awards

Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association

Turfgrass Scholarship
Adam Nadeau
Connor McBride
Matthew DIshon
Brendan Stuchell

Michigan Sports Turf Managers Association
Logan Complo
Garrett Menko

National Awards

Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Chester Mendenhall Award
Payton Perkinson
GCSAA Scholarships
Spencer Cole
Brendan Stuchell

Samuel I. Russell Foundation Awards
Seth Jenkins
Anthony Kiser

Trans-Miss Golf Association Turfgrass Scholarships
Spencer Cole
Jack McCarthy

2022 Michigan Turfgrass Conference Schedule

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 16:47:23 GMT

Tuesday January 4

Golf Session (Black River Room)

12:00 PM WinterTurf Research Update – Dr. Kevin Frank, MSU
12:30 PM Turfgrass Physiology Research Update – Dr. Emily Merewitz, MSU
1:00 PM Golf Course Architecture and the Golf Course Superintendent - Andy Johnson, The Fried Egg
2:00 PM Poa365: A Deep Dive on the Most Interesting Weed in Turf – Dr. Jim Brosnan, University of Tennessee
3:00 PM Pathology Research Update – Dr. Joe Vargas, MSU
4:00 PM MTF Annual Meeting – Ojibway Room

Lawns, Athletic Fields and Grounds Sessions (Swan Creek Room)

12:00 PM Understanding NTEP: A Powerful Tool in Your Back Pocket – Jackie Guevara, MSU
1:00 PM Pricing and Developing Effective Home Lawn Programs – Ryan Bearss, MSU
2:00 PM Turfgrass Nutrient Management – Dr. Kevin Frank, MSU
3:00 PM Truck Hitches and Spray Equipment: Understanding the System – Dr. Fred Whitford, Purdue University

Equipment Technicians (Anishnabeg Room)

12:00 PM Introductions
12:30 PM How Golf Course Renovations Effect the EM – Ben Beard, Seth Sheldon, Victor Anderson
3:00 PM Different types of Fuel Systems – Ben Beard

Wednesday January 5

Golf Session (Black River Room)

8:00 AM Golf Course Native Grass Management – Gerald Husemann
9:00 AM Golf Course Architecture’s Impact on Turfgrass Maintenance – Andy Johnson, The Fried Egg
10:00 AM Non-Chemical Water Conditioners – Dr. Bernd Leinauer, New Mexico State University
11:00 AM Effects of Different Soil Testing Philosophies on Creeping Bentgrass and Annual Bluegrass Putting Greens – Jackie Guevara, MSU
11:15 AM USGA Golf Ball Reaction Study – Dr. Thomas Green, MSU
11:30 PM Research Update – Dr. Trey Rogers

LUNCH - Saginaw & Swan Creek Room

1:00 PM Natural Capital Value of Golf Courses – Dr. Brian Horgan, MSU
2:00 PM MDARD Updates: Staffing Changes, Certification & Renewal, METRO Institute Testing – Mike Stoliecki, MDARD
3:00 PM Sod Farms: Tournament Ready 24/7 – Diane and Greg Mischel

Equipment Technicians (Anishnabeg Room)

8:00 AM Shop Renovations on a Budget – Hector Velazquez
10:00 AM Tier 4 and The different types of Regeneration – John Garlets, Spartan Distributors

LUNCH Saginaw & Swan Creek Room

1:00 PM Keeping your Cutting Edge – Mike Rollins, SIP Grinders
3:00 PM Round Table

Lawns and Grounds (Ojibway Room)

8:00 AM New Herbicides for Cool-Season Turfgrass – Dr. Jim Brosnan, University of Tennessee
9:00 AM What We Can Learn From Truck Accidents – Dr. Fred Whitford, Purdue University
10:00 AM Diseases of Home Lawns and Sports Turf – Nancy Dykema, MSU
11:00 AM IPM of Kentucky Bluegrass Turf - Dr. Joe Vargas, MSU

LUNCH Saginaw & Swan Creek Room

1:00 PM Irrigation Water Quality and Understanding a Water Quality Test Report –Dr. Bernd Leinauer, New Mexico State University
2:00 PM Why do Some Applications Fail? –Dr. Paul Giordano, Harrells
3:00 PM What’s Happening in the Seed Industry –Dr. Wayne Horman, Landmark Seed

Athletic Fields (Fox Room 2nd floor)

8:00 AM Plant Growth Regulators for Sports Fields: What, Where, Why, and When – Aaron Hathaway, NuFarm
9:00 AM Athletic Field Diagnostics – Pam Sherratt, The Ohio State University
11:00 AM What’s Happening in the Seed Industry –Dr. Wayne Horman, Landmark
Seed

LUNCH Saginaw & Swan Creek Room

1:00 PM 2 Seasons, 1 Field – Kelly Rensel, Buffalo Bisons
2:00 PM Playing Surface Management Tips and Tricks – Pam Sherratt, The Ohio State University
3:00 PM FIFA Wold Cup 2026 Research Update – Dr. Trey Rogers, MSU
3:30 PM What’s in Your Infield Dirt and Why? – Ron Martin, Mar-Co Clay Products, Inc.

Thursday January 6

Golf Session (Black River Room)

8:00 AM On budget, on time, least disruption tee renovation –John and Lewis Nowakowski, Port Huron Golf Club
8:30 AM A Tale of Two Stations: Pump Station Upgrades at Treetops Resort – Tim Matty, Treetops
9:00 AM Using Data to Guide MaintenanceDecisions – Zach Nicoludis, USGA Green Section
10:00 AM Building a Better Fungicide Program – Dr. Paul Giordano, Harrells
11:00 AM Research Update – Dr. Thom Nikolai
12:00 PM ADJOURN

Lawns and Grounds (Ojibway Room)

8:00 AM Turfgrass Weed Management Update – Dr. Thom Nikolai, MSU
10:00 AM Professional Lawn Care and Landscape Pest Management in Michigan in 2022 – Dr. David Smitley, MSU
11:00 AM 2021 Year in Review – Dr. Kevin Frank, MSU
12:00 PM ADJOURN

Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Fred Whitford

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 15:21:53 GMT

Dr. Fred Whitford

Clinical Engagement Professor, Botany and Plant Pathology and Director of Purdue Pesticide Programs

Frederick “Fred” Whitford, Clinical Engagement Professor, Botany and Plant Pathology and Director of Purdue Pesticide Programs. Fred received his bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from Louisiana Tech. He received his master’s and doctorate degrees in entomology from lowa State University. He has served as the Coordinator of the Purdue Pesticide Program since 1991. He has authored more than 300 publications and become a popular speaker with more than 5,000 presentations given throughout Indiana and the United States.

Presentations:

Truck Hitches and Spray Equipment: Understanding the System What We Can Learn From Truck Accidents

Speaker Spotlight: Pam Sherratt

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 16:07:20 GMT

Speaker Spotlight:

Pam Sherratt
Turfgrass specialist and lecturer in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University

Pam Sherratt is a turfgrass specialist and lecturer in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University. Pam received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Lancashire in England and her master’s degree from The Ohio State University. Pam devises and implements the Buckeye Sports Turf Program and disseminates sports turf research to the industry. She is currently writing an online class for groundskeepers & athletic field managers and manages a website with 2800 subscribers. Pam makes 25-30 in-state visits to athletic fields each year, manages the annual sports turf short course, produces an annual sports turf calendar, speaks at several instate workshops and seminars, serves on several industry boards (in and out of state), and writes Extension/Outreach grants. Her research focuses on athletic field stability and reinforcement, sand selection for athletic fields, cool season grass traits; wear tolerance, establishment speed, overseeding options, rhizomatous tall fescues & other newer grass varieties.

Presentations:
Athletic Field Diagnostics Playing Surface Management Tips and Tricks

Conference Registration

Around The Industry 11/2/21

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 15:51:20 GMT

Publications from the Michigan State University Turf and Landscape Extension, the USGA Green Section, and the Michigan State University Turf Team have been recently released. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to share recent news and support these exceptional turf related programs at Michigan State University and turf related organizations throughout our industry.

Find out more about the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation by visiting our website or connecting with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

MTF Announces New Venue for 2022 Turfgrass Conference

The conference will be held at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort January 4-6, 2022.

The MTF and MSU are planning on delivering a very informative and rewarding education package offering CEU's from MDARD as well as the GCSAA. There will be three days of education and our goal is to increase awareness, education, and interest in the Turfgrass Industry while at the same time supporting our world renown MSU Turfgrass Program and its Professors who play such an integral role in informing, improving, and sustaining the Turfgrass Professional's knowledge, skills and career.

Follow the link for more information on the Conference, the Vendor Halftime Show, Conference Sponsorship Opportunities and the Dr. Paul Rieke Graduate Assistantship Silent Auction.

MSU Turf Team

MSU Turf School - December 13 - 16, 2021

The MSU Turf School is 4-day short course designed to teach the basics of turfgrass science as well as the practical techniques of managing turfgrass. The school will be "team taught" by MSU turfgrass faculty and staff. The curriculum is designed to deliver a wide range of turfgrass management topics including basic soils and soil management, turfgrass species identification, selection and physiology, turf establishment and renovation, fertilization, proper pesticide use, and environmental stewardship.

This year's school will be held Dec. 13-16, 2021 at the Graduate Hotel in downtown East Lansing.

MSU Turf & Landscape Digest

Fall armyworm damage on putting greens

David Smitley, Michigan State University, Department of Entomology, and Kevin Frank, Michigan State University, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences - October 21, 2021

While rating plots at the Michigan State University Hancock Turfgrass Research Center in East Lansing, Michigan, on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, I (Kevin Frank) happened to notice a large amount of what appeared to be ball mark type damage on a putting green.

Michigan pesticide applicator review sessions, recertifications credits and testing options for fall 2021

Jeremy Jubenville, Michigan State University Extension - October 20, 2021

In Michigan, autumn is a time when the commercial agricultural community starts to think about pesticide applicator certifications. For some, it may be because the new production season is approaching and they would like to make sure everything is in place before it begins. For others, it's because applicator certification credentials expire on Dec. 31 every third year.

USGA Green Section Record

Discussing 2021 Course Care Issues With USGA Agronomists

USGA Agronomists Zach Nicoludis (pictured), Jordan Booth, John Daniels and Paul Jacobs discussed course care issues they've seen out in the field this year.

Listen to Podcast

To Treat or Not to Treat?

By John Daniels, agronomist, Northeast Region

White grub damage has been showing up over the past several weeks in many areas of the Northeast. I wouldn’t be surprised to find grub activity in areas that were treated earlier in the year with a preventative insecticide because above-average precipitation like we experienced this summer can favor beetle activity and lessen insecticide performance.

Don't Spend Money Without a Plan

With many facilities seeing an increase in revenue due to more rounds being played, USGA agronomists are hearing an uptick in discussions about where investments can be made to improve golf courses. While this is good news, a desire to invest in golf course improvements also requires some caution to make sure that money is spent wisely. To get the most benefit from course improvement projects, it’s important to have an overall master plan to prioritize and guide investments.

2022 Conference Sponsorship Opportunities

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:47:17 GMT

Support from our Industry Partners is the key to the MTF's continued success in its mission to fund Turfgrass research and programs at Michigan State University. With your help, we can continue our combined efforts to advance study in the Turfgrass industry.

Sponsorship Opportunities
Michigan Turfgrass Conference - January 4-6, 2022
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Mt. Pleasant MI 48858

With the announcement of a new location, the anticipation is high for this year's Conference. We are expecting a large attendance and are happy to offer the following sponsorship opportunities:

Coffee (4 available) – $750.00
Coffee Cup (1 available) – $1,500.00
Founders Society Reception (4 available) – $500.00
Lanyard (1 available) – $1,250.00
Lunch (4 available) – $500.00
Meritorious Award Dinner (1 available) – $250.00
Speakers Dinner (1 available) – $250.00
Vendor Halftime Show Food (2 available) – $750.00

SPONSORSHIP REGISTRATION

Dr. Paul Rieke Graduate Assistantship Silent Auction

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 16:07:49 GMT

Dr. Paul Rieke Graduate Assistantship Silent Auction
Michigan Turfgrass Conference - January 4-6, 2022
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Mt. Pleasant MI 48858
Exhibit Function: January 5, 2022 / 4:00 - 6:30pm

The Silent Auction is always one of the highlights of the Michigan Turfgrass Conference. Held during the Halftime Show, the Silent Auction helps raise funds for the Graduate Assistantship for ongoing graduate student positions at MSU. These students provide critical turfgrass research, and participate in extension and teaching programs, which garner additional grant funding through research publications and further examination of turfgrass subjects.

Your support can reflect your business, product line, or simply be a "good will" gesture of any non-related item. Past items have included push spreaders, hand held equipment, sports memorabilia, sporting tickets, weekend getaways, and clothing. Auction tables will display your company name and logo along with contributed items.

For more information please contact Curt Boak at cmb@lawntechofmi.com or by phone at 517-490-5191.

Donation Form: https://forms.gle/9K85uhzWDcdWo9ob6

2022 Michigan Turfgrass Conference Page

Around The Industry 10/04/21

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 20:12:30 GMT

Around The Industry

Publications from the Michigan State University Turf and Landscape Extension, the USGA Green Section, and the Michigan State University Pest Management Digest have been recently released. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to share recent news and support these exceptional turf related programs at Michigan State University and turf related organizations throughout our industry.

MSU Pest Management Digest

Featured Events:

Pesticide Applicator Training (Online - On Demand)
Integrated Pest Management Academy (Online - On Demand)
MDARD In-Person Core Testing and Core Review (10/22 MSU)

Fall armyworm egg masses hatching now could bring new turf damage soon

David Smitley, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Entomology - September 24, 2021

New fall armyworm egg masses are appearing this week on golf courses, in yards and many other places in southern Michigan. The egg masses were deposited by moths that recently flew into the area. Fall armyworm moths may fly 100 miles or more before laying eggs, so they could be coming from outbreaks reported this summer in other midwestern states.

MSU Turf & Landscape Digest

Maintaining a grasses and sedges garden

David Lowenstein, Michigan State University Extension - September 13, 2021

The aesthetic and environmental value of ornamental grass and sedge gardens was described in the Michigan State University Extension article, “Starting a grasses and sedges garden.” This article will cover several strategies to keep your garden productive during the dormant season and ready for the following season. Under most conditions, ornamental grasses and sedges are tolerant of your USDA plant hardiness zone in Michigan. Many are especially accommodating to problem areas of the landscape that remain moist through the season or that become very dry. Well established plants should return and flourish in the following season after planting (Photo 1).

USGA Green Section Record

Welcome to the Trunk Show

When tree removal is not an option, pruning lower limbs may be the next best thing.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Rounds are still up, but when does too much of a good thing become a bad thing?Reador

It's Been a Pesty Year

As if the weather doesn’t already make balancing turf health and playability enough of a challenge, ants and armyworms decided they would like to join the party this year too.

Around The Industry 9/1/2021 Part 2

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 13:57:28 GMT

Around The Industry

Publications from the Michigan State University Turf and Landscape Extension, the USGA Green Section, the Michigan State University Turf and Landscape Digest, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have been recently released. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to share recent news and support these exceptional turf related programs at Michigan State University and turf related organizations throughout our industry.

USGA Green Section

Is Methiozolin the Holy Grail of Poa annua Control?

A newly registered Poa annua control herbicide is now being put through its paces on golf courses. Will it be the holy grail that many superintendents have been hoping for?

Make Every Herbicide Application Count

Don’t let herbicide antagonism get the best of your weed control efforts in fine fescue naturalized areas.

Happy Accidents

Sometimes mistakes on the golf course can prove to be valuable learning experiences if we are open to their lessons.

Getting a Handle on Thatchy Fairways

Excess thatch can be a concern on fairways, particularly during periods of wet weather like we have been experiencing lately.

Windshield Notepad

Trying to remember everything that needs to be completed during a busy day on the golf course can be difficult. If only a to-do list could be right in front of you throughout the day...

Preparing for Renovations

Many courses have renovation projects on the horizon. Start planning early so that you have everything in place to complete the project and protect the investment over the long-term.

Developing a Drought-Emergency Plan

Golf courses everywhere face the risk of drought and water restrictions. Whether your course experiences drought frequently or almost never, it’s important to have a drought emergency plan in place.

Around The Industry 9/1/2021 Part 1

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 13:37:13 GMT

Around The Industry

Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

Welcome Back to News Notes!

News Notes was a regular publication, years back, for the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation (MTF) with information on past events, current news and events, and Turf Team reports. We plan on bringing back that same information and more! This will be the first of two issues you will receive this year, with the second being published in the Fall.

We really hope you enjoy the magazine!

Turfgrass Field Day Recap - August 11, 2021

For the MSU Turf Team and the more than 400 participants who came out to learn, network and participate in the study of turfgrass, it turned out to be a great day. One day later, and it would have been a completely different story, as MSU along with many other Michigan areas, received 4 inches of rain overnight.

Highlights from the day included Dr. Vargas's turf dust - IRS comparison, Dr. Frank's barefoot test and learning that Poa Annua ranks only behind cockroaches on the toughness scale. Follow the link for a recap of the day.

Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development

Consumer Advisory: Beware of Scams around Mosquito Treatment, Applications

Find licensed companies online at Michigan.gov/MosquitoControlBusiness

LANSING, MI - After explosion of mosquito populations across the state, many Michiganders are turning to pesticides to combat these annoying pests. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is advising the public to avoid falling victim to scams and illegitimate businesses, and to only hire licensed mosquito control companies. A list of companies licensed to control mosquitoes in Michigan can be found at Michigan.gov/MosquitoControlBusiness.

MSU Turf & Landscape Digest

What growers and landscapers need to know about box tree moth

July 19 | Heidi Lindberg, Jeremy Jubenville, David Lowenstein and David Smitley

On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it had confirmed the presence of box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, in the continental United States and is working to contain and eradicate the invasive pest. Growers and landscapers can learn more about the situation on Aug. 5 when Michigan State University Extension will be partnering with Clemson University to offer a free webinar, “What Growers and Landscapers Need to Know About Box Tree Moth,” from 12:30-2 p.m. During the webinar, we will cover signs of the box tree moth and actions to take to treat the moths.

Help needed from Michigan residents: Protect America’s boxwood from invasive caterpillar

July 19 | Heidi Lindberg, Jeremy Jubenville, David Lowenstein and David Smitley

On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that they confirmed the presence of box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, in the continental United States and are working to contain and eradicate the invasive pest. The infested boxwood has been removed and surrounding host-material has been treated. Caterpillars of the invasive moth, native to east Asia, first consume the leaves and then the bark of the plant, thereby killing the shrubs. The box tree moth was first accidentally introduced in 2007 in Germany and since then has destroyed an estimated 75% of boxwood shrubs in Europe.

Around The Industry 7/8/2021 Part 2

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 21:33:35 GMT

Publications from the Michigan State University Turf and Landscape Extension, the USGA Green Section, the Michigan State University Extension/ Water Quality Digest, MSU Pest Management Digest, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have been recently released. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to share recent news and support these exceptional turf related programs at Michigan State University and turf related organizations throughout our industry.

MSU Water Quality Digest

Quentin Tyler named director of MSU Extension

Beth Stuever, Michigan State University Extension - June 9, 2021

After serving for one month as interim director of Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, Quentin Tyler, Ph.D., was named director on June 1, 2021. His professional background and forward-thinking vision impressed MSU Provost Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D., and College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dean Ron Hendrick, Ph.D.

Maximize profit with the new Drain Spacing Tool

June 29, 2021 | Ehsan Ghane

Michigan State University Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering has developed a new online app called the Drain Spacing Tool to maximize your profit.

MSU Pest Management Digest

MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics provides testing for hop viruses and viroids

Laura Miles and Jan Byrne, MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics; Carolyn Malmstrom, Kota Nakasato and Ellen Cole, MSU Department of Plant Biology; Rob Sirrine and Erin Lizotte, Michigan State University Extension - June 29, 2021

Hops are known to host several viruses and viroids that potentially impact profitability by reducing yield, quality and/or plant longevity. Several of these pathogens are widespread in Michigan and mixed infections of multiple viruses and viroids in a single plant are frequently found. The perennial nature of hop and common methods of propagation contribute to the the accumulation of these pathogens over time.

Viruses detected in Michigan wheat

June 21 | Jan Byrne and Martin Chilvers

The Michigan State University Plant & Pest Diagnostics lab receives samples from Michigan wheat growers. Samples that are symptomatic are tested for several viruses; this work is supported by funding from the Michigan Wheat Program. Viral symptoms in wheat can include yellowing or purpling, flecking on the foliage, and stunting. Two different wheat viruses, wheat streak mosaic and wheat spindle streak, were confirmed in samples received this growing season. While the names are similar, there are significant differences in the biology of these two wheat viruses.

Michigan Dept of Agriculture & Rural Development

MDARD Celebrates 100 Years of Service

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) marked a milestone today: the 100th anniversary of the department’s creation. Then known as the Michigan Department of Agriculture, the department was created by Act 13, Public Acts 1921, to promote the agricultural interests of the State of Michigan, effectively transferring powers from existing boards, departments, and commissions on July 1, 1921.

Around The Industry 7/8/2021 Part 1

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 21:21:57 GMT

Around The Industry

MSU Turf & Landscape Digest

Will my turf recover from recent flooding?

Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences - July 1, 2021

Recent rainfall events caused flooding on golf courses, lawns and other turf areas. Depending on how long the turf was submerged and whether soil deposition occurred will determine whether turf survives.

Heavy rain across many portions of Michigan in the last week dropped over 5 inches locally. Turf near streams and rivers and low-lying areas was under feet of water at least temporarily. Unlike flooding during the spring, damage to turf during the summer can be significant. Factors that determine turf survival under water include turfgrass species, submergence duration, submergence depth, water temperature and light intensity.

Drive-by botany: Poison hemlock and perennial pea

Jeremy Jubenville and Isabel Branstrom, Michigan State University Extension - July 6, 2021

Has a patch of flowers ever caught your eye as you travelled down the road? It certainly happens to us all the time! As gardeners and naturalists, we're always interested increasing functional diversity in our gardens and landscapes, so we thought it would be fun to consider some of the roadside plants that we see every day. Each article in this series will feature two plant species that are currently blooming and frequently observed from the road. Our goal is to answer two simple questions:

What are they?

Would they make good garden plants?

Master Gardener College: Registration Open to All

June 23 | Betsy Braid

To expand the reach of the 2021 Master Gardener College, registration is open to gardening enthusiasts, beyond those who are recertified MSU Extension Master Gardeners® or Trainees. We invite anyone with a horticultural passion and love for plants and gardening to join us for this annual event as we focus on Fresh Gardening Visions! Please visit the 2021 Master Gardener College website for all the details regarding this three-day event and to sign up!

USGA Green Section

Five Proven Methods to Improve Moisture Uniformity

July 02, 2021

Brian Whitlark, senior consulting agronomist, West Region

Distribution uniformity is the standard measure for irrigation system efficiency, but focusing on soil moisture uniformity is more impactful for superintendents that want firm conditions, healthy turf and efficient water use. Optimizing moisture uniformity requires a combination of irrigation techniques and cultural practices that help water penetrate the soil. The strategies detailed in this article are working well in extremely challenging irrigation settings, so they can almost certainly help improve moisture uniformity at your course.

Why Courses Topdress Greens

Regular topdressing is a key part of maintaining high-quality putting greens. While the sand may temporarily impact playability, the benefits are well worth some short-term disruption.

Watch the Video

Fairways for the Future

Upgrading the fairways at Corning Country Club to an improved bentgrass variety has not always been an easy process...

Why The Rough Isn't Perfect

There are many reasons why golfers shouldn’t expect lush, uniform rough across the entire golf course – with cost, irrigation coverage and trees being a few of the key factors.

The Perfect Edge for Less

There are many devices used to protect the grass around the hole from errant white paint. Some work better than others and some are very expensive for the one purpose they serve.

Around The Industry 6/30/2021

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 17:29:29 GMT

Around The Industry

Publications from the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Michigan State University Turf and Landscape Extension, the Michigan State University Extension/ Water Quality Digest and the USGA Green Section have been recently released. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to share recent news and support these exceptional turf related programs at Michigan State University and turf related organizations throughout our industry.

Careers in Agriculture & the Green Industries is ideal for employers who seek MSU’s top talent for Summer 2022 Internships and Entry-Level Opportunities. This event is a unique recruiting event – we encourage you to recruit for all functional areas in your organization. Students that attend are there to explore opportunities for internships and full-time employment in agribusiness, sales, marketing, logistics, research & development, technical roles. production agriculture or the green industries. Employers represent all aspects of Agriculture & Horticulture such as agronomy, dairy, equine, livestock, poultry, companion animal, fruit & vegetable, landscape & turf grass industries. MSU two-year Agriculture Technology certificate students, bachelor’s degree students (BS, BA, BLA) and advanced degree students (MS and PhD) attend this fair.

Date: Tuesday, September 28

Time: 3:00 – 6:00 pm EST

Location: Virtual on Handshake

Register online: https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/24869/employer_preview?token=GJ8Njz16VyxP6B9tYcx_0Wug7YBUtwZd8ZlE05jKgZXiTpqJSsg2fQ

Questions – contact Jill Cords, CANR Career Consultant at jcords@msu.edu

USGA Green Section Record

The Ins and Outs of Managing Poa Annua Putting Greens

By Zach Nicoludis, agronomist, Central Region

Although Poa annua putting greens sometimes face criticism, this grass can provide excellent conditions and is the preferred putting surface at some of the most famous courses in the country. There are also many courses where Poa annua greens are the reality regardless of superintendent or golfer preferences. Whatever the case may be, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of this grass is necessary for successful management. As is an in-depth understanding of the agronomics needed to optimize turf health and playing conditions.

Turf Program Receives New Tractor

On Thursday (6/10), a new John Deere tractor was delivered to Jesse Sholl, Turf Research Center Manager at the MSU Hancock Center. The tractor was funded, in part, with funds provided by the Founders Society Endowment. Learn more at michiganturfgrassfoundation.org

CONSUMER ADVISORY: Invasive box tree moth detected in Michigan nurseries, greenhouses

MDARD, USDA taking immediate action to safeguard against invasive pest

LANSING, MI - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has identified box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) in nurseries and greenhouses in the United States, including Michigan. This is the first detection of this invasive species in the nation. Box tree moth is not considered a forest pest because boxwood is not native to Michigan forests. However, if left unchecked, it could cause significant defoliation and death of boxwood in the landscape.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is advising anyone, including landscapers, who purchased boxwood plants within the last two months to inspect their plants very closely for the invasive pest. Signs of infestation include silky webbing and possibly caterpillars located deep inside of the plants.

Box tree moth caterpillars are green and yellow with white, yellow, and black stripes and black spots. The caterpillars feed only on boxwoods making them easy to spot. Adult box tree moth has two color forms. The most common form has white wings with dark brown borders, while the dark form has solid brown wings with a white streak or spot on each forewing. Both forms have a distinctive white dot or mark in the middle of each forewing.

“Boxwoods are commonly planted in North America as ornamentals with the largest plantings occurring in urban areas. In 2014, boxwood made up 15 percent of broadleaf evergreen sales in the United States with an estimated value of $126 million,” said Robin Rosenbaum, Plant Health Section Manager of MDARD’s Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division. “Ensuring this pest is quickly contained is crucial to protecting the state’s boxwood.”

To further prevent the introduction of box tree moth into the United States, USDA APHIS issued a Federal Order on May 26, 2021, prohibiting importation of all boxwood (Buxus spp.), euonymus (Euonymus spp.), and holly (Ilex spp.) plants for planting from Canada.

If you see signs of box tree moth on your boxwood plants, please contact MDARD’s nursery program at MDARD-NurseryCE@michigan.gov with your contact information, photos, and when and where you purchased the plant. You may also contact Michigan State University Diagnostic Services at pestid@msu.edu.

Visit the Michigan Invasive Species website to find photos and information about invasive plant pests in Michigan and contact information to report pests in your community. For more information on MDARD’s Pesticide and Plant Pesticide Management Division, visit Michigan.gov/MDARD.

Michigan State University Extension News Turf & Landscape Digest

Current News Stories

If you planted boxwood shrubs this spring, check them for box tree moth

By David Smitley

Box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, is a destructive pest of ornamental boxwoods (Buxus spp.) in Europe, where it was introduced from Asia. It was first discovered in North America in Toronto, Canada, in fall of 2018. It has not been previously found in the United States. Unfortunately, a few infested shrubs may have been sent to Michigan nurseries during spring 2021, despite being inspected and confirmed as free of boxwood tree moth by the source.

Help me save my blue spruce

ByJan Byrne, Bert Cregg, Jill O'Donnell and Monique Sakalidis

The Michigan State University Plant & Pest Diagnostics lab receives roughly 75 spruce samples a year from those looking to right all that is wrong with their spruce trees. There are also countless phone calls and emails made to the lab, Michigan State University Extension educators and specialists. The reality is not all ailing spruce trees can, or should, be saved. In most cases, there is no silver bullet to cure the affected tree.

Michigan State University Extension/ Water Quality Digest

Is your water garden having a RIPPLE effect on Michigan's waterways?

By Paige Filice

Wildlife sightings, soothing sounds and scenic beauty are a few benefits of backyard water gardens. While exotic fish such as koi can be attractive and friendly additions, and non-native ornamental plants such as water hyacinth add vibrant color to your yard all summer long, neither are native to Michigan. If they are let loose into our lakes and streams, they can have long-lasting, detrimental impacts.

Help make a difference on Michigan’s inland lakes. Join the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program today!

By Erik Elgin

The MiCorps Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP) is back and seeking volunteers who want to enjoy and protect Michigan’s 11,000 inland lakes.

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation Welcomes Paul Kuhna to Board of Directors

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 13:11:13 GMT

Paul Kuhna
Head Groundskeeper - Lansing Lugnuts (Oakland Athletics High A Affiliate)
Representing: Sports or Institutional Turf

Home town: Grosse Pointe, Michigan

How did you get interested in turf?

What made you decide to attend Michigan State University?

How did you end up with the Lansing Lugnuts?

What are your thoughts on being a board member with the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation?

Around The Industry 5/26/2021

Thu, 27 May 2021 19:47:52 GMT

Around The Industry

Publications from the Sports Turf Managers Association, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Michigan State University Turf and Landscape Extension and the USGA Green Section have been recently released. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to share recent news and support these exceptional turf related programs at Michigan State University and turf related organizations throughout our industry.

Sports Turf Managers Association Releases: Best Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager: A Professional Guide for Sports Field Management

Click the image for information and to view the guide

As you may know STMA just completed a year-long project– Best Environmental Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager - A Professional Guide. The Guide is presented in two formats: the national document in a PDF and a customizable Word template that can be edited to fit the needs for a specific region, state or organization.

This Guide is available to all in the green industry at no charge.

New podcast helps Michiganders prepare for mosquito season

"If you can prevent mosquito bites, you can prevent mosquito-borne diseases. The message seems simple enough-and it holds true for both humans and animals-but aside from spray-on repellant, what other tactics are there? And what are the dangers of not taking precautions?

In the latest edition of the "Fresh from the Field" podcast series from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), four experts discuss several strategies Michiganders can use to prevent or reduce the threat of mosquitoes when enjoying the beautiful outdoors."

Learn More

Michigan State University Extension News Turf & Landscape Digest

Featured Events

Michigan Beekeeping Webinar 6/14

Native Bees of Michigan: How to Identify and Support Our Native Pollinators 6/17

Current News Stories

Forecasted temperatures give a green light for planting

Frost and freezing temperatures and ways to protect plants

2021 status of herbicide-resistant weeds in Michigan

What are those dead grass tips in my lawn?

Stop the spread of invasive species with a few simple practices

USGA Green Section Record

Looking Ahead to the Next 100 Years

Looking Ahead to the Next 100 Years

Restoring Bethlehem Golf Club with Help from a USGA Agronomist

Restoring Bethlehem Golf Club with Help from a USGA Agronomist

What Are Your Ball Marks Telling You?

What Are Your Ball Marks Telling You?

Practice Tee Setup and Management

Practice Tee Setup and Management

Personal Invitation From Gordon LaFontaine

Mon, 24 May 2021 19:49:54 GMT

Colleagues and friends,

It's my pleasure to personally invite you to this year’s LaFontaine Golf Outing. As the former Executive Director of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation, I’m proud of the work we've done together to support the Turf Program at Michigan State University. This golf outing is part of the continuing efforts to fund Graduate Student work in the program, work that is so vital to the success of the department and the turfgrass industry.

In addition to a relaxing day on the links, this event is a chance to network with some of the great colleagues in our industry and to discuss the future of the program at MSU. We’re all excited to be back amongst friends, celebrating and supporting turfgrass research. I hope you will have a chance to join us!

Gordie LaFontaine

Past President, Executive Director - Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

DETAILS

$125 Per Golf Registration (includes continental breakfast, box lunch and awards/cocktail hour after golf)

$1,000 Corporate Sponsorship (includes foursome)

$150 Tee Sponsorship

$1,250 Lunch Sponsorship (includes foursome)

$250 Breakfast Sponsorship

$500 Cocktail Hour/ Prizes Sponsorship

Format: Scramble with Skins

SCHEDULE

8:00 a.m. Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start

Box Lunches provided

3:00 - 4:00 (approx.) Social Hour comments by Mr. Gordon LaFontaine and members of the MSU Turf Team

Around The Industry

Sat, 15 May 2021 00:15:27 GMT

Recent publications from the turf industry as well as newsletters from the Michigan State University Turf and Landscape Extension have been recently released. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to share recent news and support these exceptional turf related programs at Michigan State University and turf related organizations throughout our industry.

Michigan State University Extension News Turf & Landscape Digest

Featured Events

Plant Quest 2021 - “Nearly Natives—Plants of Merit with Deep Roots” 5/17
Plant Quest 2021 - “Smart Landscape Trees and Shrubs for Midwest Gardens”5/24

Current News Stories

Oak Wilt Awareness Month in Michigan

The best sampling procedures for accurate oak wilt testing

Smart waterfront plants to enhance your shoreline

MSU turf students expand skills through spring internships

Smart lake gardening; Planning your nearshore garden

On behalf of the Michigan Golf Alliance, we invite you to join us on the Capitol Lawn Thursday, June 3 for the “Economic, Environmental and Human Impact of Golf in Michigan”.

The Michigan Golf Alliance is happy to resume our long standing legislative day event. This socially distanced presentation will be held under two tents on the Capitol Lawn.

As we all know, golf is much more than a game. The business of golf benefits our state both economically and environmentally. In addition, the Michigan Golf Alliance wants to show how the golf industry is a leader in charitable giving and outreach programs for all generations.

We are inviting you to RSVP for one of the program presentation time slots below as well as an additional time to meet that day with members of the Michigan Golf Alliance.

Learn More

Turfgrass Disease Update with Dr. Joe Vargas for May 7, 2021

Dr. Joe Vargas joins Dr. Kevin Frank to discuss current turfgrass disease activity.

Weather Update with Dr. Jeff Andresen for May 11, 2021

Cool, frosty conditions persist but a gradual warming is on the way.

Join Us For One Of The Best Events Of The Year!

Fri, 14 May 2021 16:05:07 GMT

Join Us For One Of The Best Events Of The Year!

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is excited to announce the date for one of our favorite events of the year, the LaFontaine Golf Outing. Join us on Wednesday, June 23rd at Coyote Preserve Golf Club in Fenton, Michigan for a great day of golf while helping us raise funds for the Graduate Student Assistantship Fund.

Scramble Format with Skins
8:00 a.m. Registration & Continental Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start
Box Lunches provided
3:00 - 4:00 (approx.) Social Hour comments by Mr. Gordon LaFontaine and members of the MSU Turf Team
Corporate, Tee, Breakfast, Lunch, cocktail hour and prize sponsorships available.
$125 per golfer (includes continental breakfast, box lunch and awards/cocktail hour after golf)

Learn More & Sign Up

Join the MTF Board

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 14:03:57 GMT

Join the MTF Board

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is currently seeking candidates for the Board of Directors to represent Sports or Institutional Turf. Interested candidates should contact Dan Lucas, head of the Nominating Committee.

We would also like to thank Kelly Rensel (Great Lakes Loons) for the tireless work, dedication and the knowledge he shared during his time as a Board Member with the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation.

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is a non-profit organization which arose from the need for better turfgrasses and better methods of turfgrass maintenance. Since its incorporation in 1957, the MTF has achieved success in fulfilling these needs through research and education. Located at the Robert W. Hancock Turfgrass Research Center on the Michigan State University campus, the MTF continues its success in these areas by working closely with the University.

MTF members are representative of homeowners, golf courses, seed, sod and stolon growers, municipalities, parks and recreational areas, school boards, landscape contractors, lawn maintenance contractors, custom lawn applicators, athletic associations, cemetery associations and other facets of the industry.

The business affairs and the activities of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation are governed by a Board of Directors composed of twelve (12) members plus the Executive Director. The Board of Directors is composed of representatives from each of the following organizations or groups:

Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (4)

A Commercial Turfgrass Supplier's Representative

A Cemetery, Park, Sod or Sports Turf Representative

A Lawn Care Representative

A Lawn Maintenance Representative

A Lawn Applicator Representative

At Large Representatives (3)

Register today for our online golf auction benefiting turfgrass research. Some of the best Midwest and Michigan golf courses are up for grabs starting April 25th!

Thank You to our most recent TT4Turf Registrants!

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 16:09:32 GMT

The MTF would like to thank our newly registered TeeTimes4Turf golf courses, superintendents and others for their support of the MSU Turf Program. Course donations can be accepted all the way through the end of the auction on May 9th.

The Foundation appreciates all courses participating in this years event and thank those who are part of the process. Registering your course can be done quickly online or with a printable form mailed back to the Foundation. Click a link below and join the list of supporters!

ONLINE FORM

PRINTABLE FORM

Register today for our online golf auction benefiting turfgrass research. Some of the best Midwest and Michigan golf courses are up for grabs starting April 25th!

2021 MTF Scholarship Awardees

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 20:55:48 GMT

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation extends congratulations to our recent

2021 MSU Student Scholarship Awardees:

Ms. Payton Perkinson – The Norman Kramer Scholar Award

Mr. Colin King – The Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student Award

Mr. Keith Koch – Sports and Commercial Turf Award

The MTF is also pleased to congratulate the following students for their exemplary efforts during the interview process and recipients of scholarship funding.

Mr. Spencer Cole

Mr. Clayton Hoekwater

On behalf of the MTF the Scholarship Committee Congratulates all awardees.

Mr. Dan Lucas

MTF Scholarship Chairperson

2020 Committee Reports

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 18:19:33 GMT

MTF 2020 Annual Meeting Minutes

2020 LaFontaine Golf Outing

Membership Report

By-Laws Committee Report

Research Committee Report

TT4T Committee Report

2021 Annual Meeting Agenda

Executive Director Report

MSU Turf Team Update

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 18:09:00 GMT

MSU Turf Team Update, Weather Update with Dr. Jeff Andresen, October 13th, 2020

Dr. Jeff Andresen joins Dr. Kevin Frank to update current weather conditions across the state of Michigan. (Click the image for video)

MSU Virtual Field Day Recordings

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:12:10 GMT

The MSU Turfgrass Virtual Field Day was presented by the turfgrass science team on September 23rd. The recordings from both sessions are now available to view online.

Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

Lawn Care and Athletic Fields Virtual Field Day

The long term evaluation and comparison of naturally enhanced sand textured athletic field root zones. Dr. Thomas Green and Dr. Trey Rogers
Identification and management of summer diseases on home lawns. Dr. Joe Vargas and Nancy Dykema
Best management practices weed control research. Dr. Thom Nikolai.
Long term fate of fertilizer applications. Dr. Kevin Frank
Turfgrass species evaluation under minimal maintenance practices. Dr. Kevin Frank

Golf Turf Virtual Field Day

Latest management strategies for brown patch and crown rot anthracnose, including fungicide resistance issues. Dr. Joe Vargas and Nancy Dykema
Evaluation of the long-term soil physical and chemical properties of a variable depth putting green. Dr. Thomas Green and Dr. Jim Crum
Best management practices weed control research. Dr. Thom Nikolai
Effects of different soil testing interpretation philosophies on creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass putting greens. Jackie Guevara and Dr. Kevin Frank

Michigan Turf Grass Virtual Field Day

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 22:49:08 GMT

Dear MTF ,

Turfgrass Virtual Field Day - Tomorrow

September 23, 2020 Lawn and Atheltic Turf at 9 a.m. and Golf Turf at 11 a.m.

MSU Turfgrass Virtual Field Days

The MSU Turfgrass Virtual Field Days will present the latest research information from the turfgrass science team. Attendees will gain insight into the latest management recommendations for controlling pests and optimizing turfgrass performance.

Lawn Care and Athletic Fields Virtual Field Day

The long term evaluation and comparison of naturally enhanced sand textured athletic field root zones. Dr. Thomas Green and Dr. Trey Rogers
Identification and management of summer diseases on home lawns. Dr. Joe Vargas and Nancy Dykema
Best management practices weed control research. Dr. Thom Nikolai.
Long term fate of fertilizer applications. Dr. Kevin Frank
Turfgrass species evaluation under minimal maintenance practices. Dr. Kevin Frank

Golf Turf Virtual Field Day

Latest management strategies for brown patch and crown rot anthracnose, including fungicide resistance issues. Dr. Joe Vargas and Nancy Dykema
Evaluation of the long-term soil physical and chemical properties of a variable depth putting green. Dr. Thomas Green and Dr. Trey Rogers
Best management practices weed control research. Dr. Thom Nikolai
Effects of different soil testing interpretation philosophies on creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass putting greens. Jackie Guevara and Dr. Kevin Frank

MDARD Offering Tips for Mosquito Control

Fri, 29 May 2020 16:31:07 GMT

For Immediate Release: May 28, 2020
Program Contact: Brian Verhougstraete, 517-582-4573
Media Contact: Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724

MDARD Offering Tips for Mosquito Control

LANSING – With warmer summer weather finally here, Michiganders are urged to remember to take precautions against mosquitos, ticks and the diseases they carry. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is providing guidance for safely choosing and using insect repellants and insecticides.

Insect repellents applied to the skin are one of the most popular and effective products used to avoid insect bites. Other commonly used repellants include torches, table-top diffusers, candles and coils. When used as directed, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the active ingredients below are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women:

DEET
Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the US)
IR3535
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
2-undecanone

Larvicides and adulticides can also provide temporary control of mosquitos. Larvicides are products designed to be applied directly to water to control mosquito larvae. Adulticides are used in fogging and spraying to control adult mosquitoes. Both options can temporarily reduce the mosquito population in your area, but do not provide long-term solutions against mosquitos. Whether you use an insect repellent or insecticide, always remember to read and follow all label directions.

A safe alternative to applying insecticides yourself is hiring a mosquito control business. Mosquito control businesses are required to be licensed to apply pesticides in Michigan and must meet certain financial and experience requirements including proof of insurance, meet certain experience requirements, and employ certified pesticide applicators who have passed MDARD proficiency examinations. A list of Michigan firms licensed to apply pesticides is available online.

Other steps to take to safely reduce mosquito populations include:

Removing any puddles of water or standing water around your home to reduce breeding sites.
Keeping grass and shrubs trimmed short, reducing places for flying (adult) mosquitoes to rest.
Using permethrin to treat clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents) or buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.

More information is available online at Michigan.gov/MDARD.

MSU Turf Team Update, May 19, 2020

Tue, 19 May 2020 18:50:22 GMT

A months worth of rain in 48 hours across some areas of Michigan. Weekly weather update with Dr. Jeff Andresen, May 19, 2020 https://youtu.be/JXJj7LCOH2k via

@YouTube

Dr. Joe Vargas, along with a special guest, talks about disease activity in Michigan: June 19, 2020 https://youtu.be/XFh7B9qAFcU via

@YouTube

Turf Team Update May 12, 2020

Tue, 12 May 2020 18:35:44 GMT

After some record breaking cold nights finally some summer weather in the forecast. Weekly Weather Forecast with Dr. Jeff Andresen May 12, 2020

Survey Average Results - Dr. Thom Nikolai

Fri, 08 May 2020 15:58:15 GMT

It’s time for me to own it.

Thomas A. Nikolai, Ph.D.

I don’t recall the exact location or date, but sometime around the dawn of the 21^st century I was attending an open discussion among prominent turfgrass scientists when Dr. Karl Danneberger of The Ohio State University sarcastically asked, “I just want to know who the hell is telling superintendents to roll their greens”? I don’t think anyone expected an answer when a graduate student stood up and confessed “That would be me”. It was a stunning declaration considering two other universities concluded lightweight rolling was only useful to increase green speed on a short term basis and therefore recommended it only be used for special occasions such as tournaments.

I was confident recommending rolling on a frequent basis because I had performed the most continuous lightweight rolling research to date. Consistent results of MTF funded rolling research include decreased dollar spot, localized dry spot, and weeds with no increases in compaction or bruising of leaf tissue. Results from other MTF sponsored research include that rolling can replace mowing during periods of the year to relief traffic stress which can and lead to possible economic savings all while maintaining customer satisfaction.

Due in part to those studies I was nicknamed the “Dr. of Green Speed” and I have traveled the globe and spread the word about rolling putting greens. As I have travelled the world there has been one nagging question I get about frequent lightweight rolling which has been, “How do I stop my rolling program from injuring my collars”? I have always respectfully poo-pooed the problem, however, it recently occurred to me that I caused this problem. Given my enlightenment it is time for me to own this and do the best I can to solve this nagging condition of worn collars on putting surfaces.

Step one was to determine how big the problem of worn collars is in Michigan by releasing a survey with the assistance of Adam Ikamas and Carey Mitchelson. The average results of the survey are listed below. These results do not solve the problem, but they do provide an indication of how wide spread the problem may be and provided me enough data to sort out common practices that may exacerbate the dilemma of collars. This will lead to further analysis of this survey and a future study at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center. 155 people responded to this survey and I trust everyone will find the results interesting at this point. With that said, I want to thank the Michigan Turfgrass Association for their support.

Questions asked and the most popular responses are offered below.

The bench setting height of cut for my greens are:(155 responses)

.110 - .120 = 29.7%

.120 - .130 = 28.4%

.100 - .110 = 20.6%

.090 - .100 = 9.7%

I certainly made a small error on the HOC surveys by making the ranges cross over at the extremes, that is, .120 has a possibility of 2 options. My bad, but I think the results are still interesting and may assist in the worn collar issue.

The bench setting height of cut for my tees are:(154 responses)

.350 - .400 = 24.7%

.450 - .500 = 23.4%

.400 - .450 = 20.8%

.300 - .350 = 16.9%

The bench setting for my green collars are: (155 responses)

.450 - .500 = 24.5%

.350 - .400 = 21.9%

.400 - .450 = 20.0%

.300 - .350 = 15.5%

The bench setting for my fairway mowers are:(155 responses)

.450 - .500 = 36.1%

.400 - .450 = 23.2%

> .500 = 16.8%

.350 - .400 = 14.2%

For the majority of the year my greens are mowed with a:(153 responses)

Triplex 77.1%

Walk-behind 21.6%

Which best describes your putting green rolling frequency?(155 responses)

Rolled 1 – 3 times per week42.6%

Rolled 4 – 5 times per week25.2%

Rolled 6 – 7 times per week23.2%

Never rolled 4.5%

By the way, due to over 20 years of lightweight rolling research at MSU I recommend a frequency 3 times per week to no more than 2 times per day.

The roller type I use on most often on my putting surface is:(149 responses)

Sidewinder64.4%

Vibratory16.8%

Weighted triplex rollers 9.4%

Sidewinder & vibratory 3.4%

Pull behind 2.7%

Fairway roller 0.7%

If you use a sidewinder roller how do you change directions? (105 responses)

On the collar 41.0%

On the surrounds 26.7%

On the green23.8%

Rotate* 5.7%

*Comments provided about rotation included:

*Rotate changing direction on green or surrounds/never the collar.

*Rotate on the greens and collars.

*Rotate on collar, surrounds, and green and come to complete stop on greens.

The PGR program on my greens is best described as applied: (153 responses)

Every 2-weeks39.2%

Based upon GDD20.3%

Every week19.0%

Once a year at most 8.5%

Every 28-30 days 5.9%

When I apply a PGR on my putting greens I: (152 responses)

Also spray the collars88.8%

Try to avoid spraying the collars 7.9%

The most worn collars on my course that surround my putting greens show:

No visible impact from my putting green rolling program48.7%

Very little thinning from my putting green rolling program34.7%

Some wear damage from my putting green maintenance program 8.7%

Noticeable thinning from my putting green rolling program 4.7%

Show a lot of damage from my putting green rolling program 0.7%

The PGR I use the most often on my putting greens throughout the year include: (191 selections as many choose more than one option)

Primo Maxx (includes generic Trinexapac ethyl)59.6%

Proxy 10.4%

Trimmit 7.3%

Anuew 6.3%

Legacy 6.3%

Cutless 4.2%

My golf facility is best characterized as:(154 responses)

Private41.6%

Public32.5%

Semi Private13.6%

Resort 7.1%

Municipal 5.8%

Again, thank you all for the tremendous response. As I make time to statistically analyze the data for interactions I will get the data out through the MTF and MiGCSA.

Turf Team Update May 5, 2020

Tue, 05 May 2020 21:22:22 GMT

Two new video updates have been loaded to the Michigan State University Turfgrass Science YouTube channel.

Dr. Joe Vargas discusses Michrodochium patch on golf courses and leaf spot occurring on home lawns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isEyX0_NHek&t=12s

Dr. Jeff Andresen provides the weekly weather forecast - cool and dry conditions remain in the short term forecast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kWAF4C6nLM

Turf Team Webinar - Tuesday April 21

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 14:01:36 GMT

Join the MSU Turf Team for our weekly webinar at 1 pm EST. This week weather forecast from Dr. Jeff Andresen and comment on current conditions from MSU Turf Team.

When: Starting Apr 21, 2020 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: MSU Turf Team Update

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://msu.zoom.us/j/227473133?pwd=Y2NEK1JaVm9Pd0VZUWF1aVMvVDR4QT09
Password: 989266

Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +16468769923,,227473133# or +13126266799,,227473133#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799
Webinar ID: 227 473 133
International numbers available: https://msu.zoom.us/u/ad0BAr3fEX

Or an H.323/SIP room system:
H.323: 35.8.14.49
Meeting ID: 227 473 133
Password: 989266
SIP: 227473133@35.8.14.49

Password: 989266

Thank you

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

Cold temperatures extend application timing for crabgrass preemergence herbicides

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 18:17:21 GMT

Cold soil temperatures should extend timing for crabgrass preemergence herbicide applications.

Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences - April 16, 2020

Cold soil temperatures following a light snowfall on April 15, 2020. Photo by Kevin Frank, MSU.

The cold temperatures and even snow showers in many parts of Michigan this last week have really slowed down turfgrass growth and provided additional time for making crabgrass preemergence applications. According to GDDTracker, almost the entire Lower Peninsula is now in the optimum application window for crabgrass preemergence herbicides. Southern areas of the state are almost past the optimum application window but with the cold temperatures this week, soil temperatures have declined significantly. Soil temperatures at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center in East Lansing, Michigan, have declined from a high of 57 degrees Fahrenheit on April 8, 2020, to a high of 45 on April 15.

Growing degree day accumulation for East Lansing, Michigan, through April 15, 2020.

The growing degree day (GDD) model attempts to predict the optimum application timing for when the 0-2 inch depth soil temperature is consistently between 50-55 F. Applications in this soil temperature range provide adequate time for the preemergence herbicide to be applied and watered in before crabgrass germination. However, remember 80% percent of germination will occur when soil temperatures at the 0- to 2-inch depth are consistently between 60 and 70 F. For preemergence herbicides to be effective, they need to be applied before the soils reach this optimum temperature range.

Although GDD accumulation is indicating many areas of the state may be past the optimum application timing soon, with soil temperatures now lagging behind early spring GDD accumulation, we should have more time to apply preemergence herbicides and still achieve acceptable crabgrass control.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Turf Team Webinar - Tuesday April 14 1:00 pm

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 19:10:20 GMT

Join the MSU Turf Team for our weekly webinar at 1 pm EST. This week Dr. Jeff Andresen will provide a weather update, GCSAA President John Fulling from Kalamazoo CC will provide an update from GCSAA and then we will have a panel of superintendents from around the state discuss current maintenance operations. Superintendent panelists will include: John Fulling, Rob Steger, Steve Hammon, Doug Ware, Gene Davis and MiGCSA Executive Director Adam Ikamas.

You are invited to weekly Zoom webinars.

When: Starting Apr 14, 2020 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Every week on Tue, until May 19, 2020, 6 occurrence(s)

Apr 14, 2020 1:00 PM
Apr 21, 2020 1:00 PM
Apr 28, 2020 1:00 PM
May 5, 2020 1:00 PM
May 12, 2020 1:00 PM
May 19, 2020 1:00 PM

Put on your calendar for future dates:

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/v5Yqc-6rrzgpN_zpbzASV__UQ35CsXcmiQ/ics?icsToken=98tyKuuqqT8tGdWWs1-Ca7cqW9r_bOHmkl9xsLNfhj7WNR9sVzKlY8FRCrFyGemB
Topic: MSU Turf Team Update

To join the April 14 1:00 Webinar - Please click link below:

https://msu.zoom.us/j/227473133?pwd=Y2NEK1JaVm9Pd0VZUWF1aVMvVDR4QT09

Use Password: 989266

Also - Other Devices:

Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +16468769923,,227473133# or +13126266799,,227473133#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799
Webinar ID: 227 473 133
International numbers available: https://msu.zoom.us/u/ad0BAr3fEX

Or an H.323/SIP room system:
H.323: 35.8.14.49
Meeting ID: 227 473 133
Password: 989266
SIP: 227473133@35.8.14.49
Password: 989266

Thank you

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

Executive Order 2020-42 (COVID-19) Update April 13

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 18:29:39 GMT

New information regarding golf on the Q&A page regarding Executive Order 2020-42 FAQs .

Q: Are golf courses allowed to stay open?

A: No. While EO 2020-42 contemplates outdoor activity, opening a golf course to the public does not fall under the designation of critical infrastructure. Consequently, a golf course may not designate employees as critical infrastructure workers and authorize them come to work for that purpose. Golf courses may designate workers whose in-person presence is strictly necessary to conduct minimum basic operations, such as ensuring security. Minimum basic operations do not include serving the public. Under the order, all work must be carried out remotely to the greatest extent possible, and any in-person work that is permitted must be done in accordance with the mitigation measures required under section 10 of the order.

Section 10

10. Businesses, operations, and government agencies that continue in-person work must adhere to sound social distancing practices and measures, which include but are not limited to:

Developing a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, consistent with recommendations in Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, developed by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration and available here. Such plan must be available at company headquarters or the worksite.

Restricting the number of workers present on premises to no more than is strictly necessary to perform the business’s, operation’s, or government agency’s critical infrastructure functions or its minimum basic operations.

Promoting remote work to the fullest extent possible.

Keeping workers and patrons who are on premises at least six feet from one another to the maximum extent possible.

Increasing standards of facility cleaning and disinfection to limit worker and patron exposure to COVID-19, as well as adopting protocols to clean and disinfect in the event of a positive COVID-19 case in the workplace.

Adopting policies to prevent workers from entering the premises if they display respiratory symptoms or have had contact with a person with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.

Any other social distancing practices and mitigation measures recommended by the CDC.

Full Executive Order 2020-42 (COVID-19)

How Cutting Height Effects Top-Growth

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 22:17:14 GMT

April 6, 2020

How Cutting Height Effects Top-Growth
Dr. Thomas A. Nikolai & Dr. Kevin Frank

Essential maintenance for a golf course could be defined as anything normally performed on a regular basis that maintains long term turfgrass health. If we didn’t consider it essential maintenance, then it is unlikely it would be performed as it would simply cost money without any significant value in improving turf quality or performance.

Putting Green Height of Cut Study

Over the years there have been several height-of-cut (HOC) studies performed at Michigan State University. In 2013 we initiated a bentgrass putting green HOC study. Clipping weights are presented in Table 1. There were 3 HOC in the study and the results showed the lowest HOC always had the highest clipping weight (i.e. the lower the cutting height the more top-growth). The differences in clipping weights were especially greater in May than the summer months. If you can only mow your putting greens 3-4 times per week raising the HOC should reduce top-growth and reduce the likelihood of scalping resulting from reduced mowing frequency.

Table 1. 2013 Putting Green height of cut (HOC) study. Clippings weights in grams.

Lawn or Golf Course Rough Height of Cut Study

In 2019 a lawn care or golf course rough HOC study was initiated on a Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine leaf fescue mixture. HOC was 2, 2.5, and 3-inches. Clipping weights are presented in Table 2. Once again, the lowest HOC always produced the highest clipping weight.

Take Home Summary

These two studies show that raising mowing heights whether it’s for putting greens or higher cut turf such as lawns or golf course roughs will result in less top-growth between mowing.

Photo 1. Height of cut study funded by the MTF in 2019, will continue in 2020 and 2021.

Table 2. 2019 Lawn mixture height of cut (HOC) study results from 2019. Clipping weights in grams.

As a reminder Dr. Kevin Frank will be hosting a webinar, Tuesday at 1pm. Click the banner below for information.

MSU Turf Team Webinar 1pm April 7th

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 16:05:08 GMT

Next Tuesday, April 7th at 1:00 pm EDT the MSU Turf Team along with Dr. Jeff Andresen, State Climatologist for Michigan with MSU Department of Geography with support from the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation, will be hosting a live webinar to discuss the upcoming weather forecast and priorities for Superintendents who will be doing minimal maintenance during the closures of golf courses in Michigan. To make sure they are covering current topics they have asked for our members to submit questions for them to review and discuss during this meeting. Please take a minute to answer this one question survey with what you would like to know.

Click Here for the Survey

Click Here for the Meeting Link
Important you will need a password for this webinar it is: 989266

Reduced maintenance on athletic fields and lawns due to novel coronavirus

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:55:57 GMT

Reduced maintenance on athletic fields and lawns due to novel coronavirus

Turfgrass management considerations for athletic fields and home lawns during the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order.

Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences - March 30, 2020

At Governor Whitmer’s news conference on March 26, 2020, she stated that landscape services are not included as a business necessary to sustain or protect life. I’m honestly not sure if athletic field maintenance also falls under this prevue, but my best guess would be that it does. Proceeding under the premise that both athletic field and lawn care maintenance are to cease through the April 13 “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order, the following is important to consider when maintenance does resume.

Although it’s been an early spring to this point, Mother Nature is still somewhat on our side. My only turf observations now are limited to my lawn, lawns on my daily walk and pictures on social media. At least in mid-Michigan, lawns and athletic fields have not required mowing yet. My expectation would be that although top-growth will certainly begin to accelerate, growth will not spiral out of control in the next couple weeks. When mowing does resume, consideration may need to be given to mowing at a higher than standard mowing height and slowly decreasing it over time to prevent any scalping injury that would set the turf back. Obviously, homeowners may still mow their lawns, so these comments are directed at professional management of lawns and athletic fields.

Many might have questions about crabgrass preemergence herbicide applications at this time. Using GDD Tracker, most mid- to southern portions Michigan are quickly approaching the optimum application window for preventative herbicides. The optimum application window stretches from 250 to 500 growing degree days (GDD) using a base 32 temperature. East Lansing, Michigan, for example has accumulated 190 GDD through March 26 and is forecast to reach the optimum application window on March 30. Although we’ll hit the optimum application window next week, it’s likely we’ll stay there for at least two weeks if not longer.

Even if we’re outside of the optimum timing when business resumes, you still have options. Herbicides that contain the active ingredient dithiopyr (Dimension) are effective up to the two-leaf stage of crabgrass, which even this year probably wouldn’t occur until early May. I discussed this issue with Dave Gardner from the Ohio State University. He indicated that in the numerous trials he’s conducted over the years, as long as crabgrass is not visible in the stand, all the typical preemergence herbicides are still generally effective and possibly a better option than relying solely on postemergence control.

For athletic fields that may not typically apply a preemergence herbicide due to spring seeding, keep in mind the herbicides Mesotrione (Tenacity) and topramezone (Pylex) can be good choices in certain situations. Both of these products can be applied on the same day of seeding Kentucky bluegrass for crabgrass control during establishment, but be careful and read the label about applications on other cool-season turf species.

We are all clearly in unprecedented times as this is the time of year when turf management is usually busy with activity preparing turf for the coming season. Stay safe, we’ll get through this and I’m confident we’ll be able to get the turf back in top condition sooner rather than later.

Golf Course Minimal Maintenance

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 14:04:01 GMT

Dear {Contact_First_Name} {Contact_Last_Name},

Yesterday evening, March 26th, the Michigan Golf Alliance was informed of the new stance regarding golf on the Q&A page regarding Executive Order 2020-21 by the Governors Deputy Director of Public Affairs.

Q: Are golf courses allowed to stay open?

A: No. While EO 2020-21 contemplates outdoor activity, opening a golf course to the public does not fall under the designation of critical infrastructure. Consequently, a golf course may not designate employees as critical infrastructure employees and authorize them come to work

However please still refer to section 4b.

For purposes of this order, workers who are necessary to conduct minimum basic operations are those whose in-person presence is strictly necessary to allow the business or operation to maintain the value of inventory and equipment, care for animals, ensure security, process transactions (including payroll and employee benefits), or facilitate the ability of other workers to work remotely.

Businesses and operations must determine which of their workers are necessary to conduct minimum basic operations and inform such workers of that designation. Businesses and operations must make such designations in writing, whether by electronic message, public website, or other appropriate means. Such designations, however, may be made orally until March 31, 2020 at 11:59 pm.

The Alliance has submitted this letter regarding maintenance to the Governors office. It is still up to each facility to interpret Executive Order 2020-21 as it applies to their business and to consult with local authorities.

HERE IS TEMPLATE LANGUAGE FOR DESIGNATED ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL

Executive Order 2020-21 MTF Update March 24

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 13:42:01 GMT

The Michigan Golf Alliance has been in frequent direct contact over the last 24 hours with Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Press Secretary Tiffany Brown & Sarah Triplett her Deputy Chief of Staff to gain clarification on golf for play & the important maintenance needed in the spring. As soon as we get direct information from the Governor's office on this we will share across all Golf Alliance platforms immediately. This is the top priority for every member of the MGA and we are doing all we can to get answers as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

The MTF Congratulates 2020 Award Winners

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 17:37:05 GMT

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation would like to congratulate our 2020 Scholarship Awardees. Award Presentations will be held during the 2020 Michigan Turfgrass Conference. Early registration for the conference ends on December 27th https://michiganturfgrassfoundation.wildapricot.org/Michiga…

Norman W. Kramer Outstanding Student Award $2500

Michael Rabe

Robert Hancock Memorial Service Award $2000

Jerod Pell IV

Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student Award $2000

Alex Scott

2020 Conference Guide

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 15:18:50 GMT

2020 Michigan Turfgrass
Conference Guide - 90th Anniversary

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to present the Conference Guide for this year's Michigan Turfgrass Conference. Please click the photo above to read about this years event. Early Registration for the Conference ends on December 27th, so Sign Up today!

Sign Up

90 Years of Turfgrass Education

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 15:25:43 GMT

You won't want to miss the 2020 MTF Michigan Turfgrass Conference.
MSU Kellogg Center, East Lansing Michigan

Michigan Turfgrass Conference

January 7-9 2020, MSU Kellogg Center

The dates are set for the 2020 MTF Michigan Turfgrass Conference. We hope you can join us for this 90th year of continuing turfgrass education!

Register for this year's Conference

January 7-9, 2020
3 Day, 1 Day and Equipment Technicians sessions available. Click here for a full schedule and more information.

Donate to the Graduate Student Silent Auction

All proceeds from the Silent Auction support Graduate Assistantship for ongoing graduate student positions at MSU. Click here for the donation form.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Available Sponsorship's:
Coffee Sponsor
Founders Society Reception Sponsor
Speaker Sponsor
Vendor Halftime Food Sponsor
Click here for more information

Thank you to our latest Graduate Student Silent Auction Donor. A. John Harvey Golf Course Design is offering a 1/2 day visit to your club!

2020 MTF Turfgrass Conference Registration Now Open

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 14:41:21 GMT

Congratulations to Fritz McMullen

Recipient of the 2020 Meritorious Service Award

To register as a sponsor for the 2020 MTF Turfgrass Conference click on Fritz.

Sponsorships available - register below:

Donate to the 2020 Silent Auction

for Graduate Students

2020 MTF Turfgrass Conference Registration Now Open

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 17:28:33 GMT

Registration for the 2020 MTF Turfgrass Conference is now Open!

Join us in our 90th year of education.

Donate to the 2020 Silent Auction for Graduate Students:

Jim Kells joins MSU AgBioResearch, MSU Extension

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 15:49:47 GMT

Jim Kells joins MSU AgBioResearch, MSU Extension

We are pleased to announce that Jim Kells, most recently chair of the MSU Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences (PSM), will begin working for MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension in the coming weeks. Please join us in welcoming him to our organizations.

Dr. Kells will provide leadership and oversight of the day-to-day operations of Project GREEEN, a partnership between both organizations and the State of Michigan.

Within MSU AgBioResearch, Dr. Kells will serve as a member of our leadership team and contribute to the oversight and operations of the field research center network. He will also represent MSU AgBioResearch at various stakeholder gatherings and events.

Within MSU Extension, he will work to help further develop MSU’s hemp program and provide leadership on international programs and activities. He will also work on professional development and work team dynamics, faculty engagement and defining faculty expectations.

We’d like to thank Dr. Kells for his long-time service as department chair and for his commitment to supporting both MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension. We appreciate his hard work and dedication and look forward to working more closely with him in the near future.

Doug Buhler, director of MSU AgBioResearch

Jeff Dwyer, director of MSU Extension

The Current Situation of Ice on Putting Greens

Kevin Frank — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 19:18:25 GMT

Here in mid-Michigan winter was late to arrive but has certainly made its presence felt in the last several weeks. However, from Minnesota to Ontario I’ve been fielding questions since mid-December on ice cover on putting greens and what should or should not be done. This winter has been characterized by drastic swings in temperatures that have resulted in numerous melting and refreezing events and there have been ice storms mixed in for good measure that greeted some superintendents upon returning from the Golf Industry Show in San Diego.

As we approach the middle of February there is both good and bad to be recognized with this date. The key question for anyone dealing with ice is when did you start your ice clock? Many superintendents vividly remember the winter of 2013-2014 that resulted in thick ice sheets remaining in place for up to 80 days in some locations (http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/what_lies_beneath_ice). That winter produced ice on putting greens the first week of January and it never melted until March, which resulted in death from anoxia (suffocation). Remember, estimates of days of ice cover causing death for annual bluegrass range from 45-90 days and 120 days for creeping bentgrass. Just last year some locations in northern Minnesota suffered over 150 days of ice cover that killed not only annual bluegrass but also creeping bentgrass. So when did your clock start? If your ice clock only recently started I would have minimal concern in most areas as it is likely Mother Nature will “help the melt” before you reach 30-45 days of ice cover. If your ice clock started in early December and cover has been constant, then the turf is in the danger zone of life/death and it’s probably time to consider removal strategies.

Removing Ice

Whether or not to attempt ice removal is a difficult decision for golf course superintendents. The decision to remove ice can be based on several factors including: turf sampling, duration of ice cover, current and future temperatures, ability to remove water following melting from the green, and labor.

1. Sampling – there’s a great YouTube video from Bob Vavrek of the USGA http://tinyurl.com/k9mbfjc on how to sample greens under ice to assess survival. An important point that Bob makes is that there is variability in sampling and just because your sample comes out alive doesn’t mean all areas on the green will survive – same can be said if your sample is dead.

2. Duration of ice cover – as discussed in the previous section, estimates of days of ice cover causing death vary from 45-90 for Poa annua and 120 days for creeping bentgrass. Check your ice clock and proceed accordingly.

3. Temperatures and sunshine – Check your local forecast for temperatures and hopefully sunshine that will facilitate ice removal and melt. Part of the concern with removing ice is exposing the turf to cold air temperatures after being insulated with snow and ice for long periods of time. In the past some superintendents have removed ice and then recovered the greens with snow to provide insulation against cold temperatures.

4. Physical ice removal – physical ice removal includes practices to fracture the ice with impact (hammers, chisels, aerifiers, slicers) and then remove the fractured ice sheet with shovels, tractors, or skid steers. Avoid direct impact with tools such as hammers, I’ve seen superintendents use a vibratory tamp with good results as it minimizes direct impact when shattering the ice. There’s always some risk associated with impact related ice removal but the alternative of leaving ice in place and rolling the dice on survival is also risky.

5. Melting ice – there are many different products that have been used to melt ice including black sand, dark colored natural organic fertilizers, sunflower seeds, and fertilizers. The key to any melting strategy is to be able to remove the water from the green following melting so it doesn’t refreeze and form another ice sheet. Hollman et al. (2017) published an article on the ‘Effects of De-Icing Products on Putting Green Turf’. The results indicated that urea-based chemicals have the potential to severely damage turfgrass when applied to snow/ice free turf in early March. We applied these same treatments at MSU in 2014 to an ice covered putting green but were unable to assess turfgrass injury as all the turfgrass was dead by the time the ice receded. A YouTube vide of this trial is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKK0QYUCIks. My simple message to selection of melt materials is keep in mind that whatever you apply will ultimately end up on the turf. If you don’t feel comfortable applying it to turf that should tell you something about applying it to ice.

6. Labor – if you’re going to remove ice you need help. Ice removal is not a 1-person job. If your golf course has 18 greens covered in ice even with several employees helping this is not going to be finished in 1 day.

There are Few Guarantees in Life or Ice Cover

There are no guarantees with respect to winterkill and whether or not ice is removed will save the turf. The days under ice cover for survival are estimates from research and conditions from course to course and even within the same course vary thereby effecting how long turf can survive under ice. For further winterkill information or if you simply want to view some great winterkill death photos, there’s a complete winterkill presentation on YouTube from the Great Lakes School of Turfgrass Science at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IfIAvZllyo

Doug Johanningsmeier, DSR Harrell’s LLC Elected President MTF

Doug Johanningsmeier — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 20:19:19 GMT

Doug Johanningsmeier, Southeast MI Territory Manager for Harrell’s LLC one of the nation’s largest distributors of branded fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides has been elected President of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation at the Foundations annual meeting Jan 22^nd in East Lansing MI.

Also elected were Curt Boak, from Lawn Tech as Vice President & Dan Mausolf, from Stine Turf and Snow as Treasure & Mark Wildeman CGCS from Clio CC as Secretary. The MTF which is governed by a twelve-member board, also welcomed Dan Jennings from ATS as a newly elected director replacing outgoing President Amy Fouty in the Sports & Commercial Turf position. Re-Elected to the Board were Eric Davey from Prestwick Village GC, Mark Wildeman CGCS from Clio CC. Craig Moore from Marquette CC was appointed to the Board to fulfill the term of Rob Pylar from Bayer who stepped down. The board also re-appointed Carey Mitchelson as Executive Director for 2019.

MTF was created in 1956 with 22 members and today manages over $2,000,000 in assets supporting Turfgrass research at Michigan State University and annually awards more then $100,000 in research and support grants to the Turfgrass program at MSU.

"The mission of the Foundation is to work in partnership with Michigan State University, supporting ongoing programs in research, education, and extension in the area of professional turfgrass management that will benefit all individuals who manage turfgrasses or derive pleasure from the results of such management."

Download hi-res image

Fairway Rolling by Dr. Thomas Nikolai

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 17:14:57 GMT

Fairway Rolling
Dr. Thomas Nikolai
Michigan State University

We are 1/3rd into July, hardly the dog days of summer, and dry hot weather is resulting in stressed turfgrass which too often leads to human stress. At this point I would like to remind you that rolling, in place of mowing, helps retain turfgrass health and soil moisture.

All the way back in 1996, with the aid of MTF funding, MSU discovered that maintaining a frequent rolling program on putting greens decreased localized dry spot (LDS). This summer, on plots measuring 20' x 195', on a Smithco Ultra 15 fairway rolling study current results indicate rolled plots average 6 times less LDS. I will keep you posted as the season progresses and invite you to attend Field Day at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center and check out the plots for yourself.

Got Seedheads? Aaron Hathaway and Dr. Kevin W. Frank Michigan State University

Thu, 31 May 2018 14:10:12 GMT

Thanks for your continued support of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation. The mission of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is to support the research, teaching, and extension programs at Michigan State University. The LaFontaine golf outing is scheduled for June 21 at Coyote Preserve Golf Course near Fenton. Please register to support turf research and help Gordie celebrate his induction into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame.

Got Seedheads?

We have been evaluating different products and different application timings for seedhead suppression for about 20 years at the Michigan State University Hancock Turfgrass Research Center. Embark is no longer being produced, so those who haven’t stockpiled it over the years can no longer use what has always been considered to be the most effective product for seedhead suppression.

Over the years, we have developed growing degree-day (GDD) models to better time applications of Embark, and Proxy plus Primo Maxx. After years of research and talking with other researchers and golf course superintendents, many applications still fail to effectively suppress seedhead production in annual bluegrass greens and fairways. Efforts to suppress seedheads in East Lansing, Michigan, failed in 2018 and many golf course superintendents also appeared to have struggled with seedhead control.

We applied different combinations of plant growth regulators in 2018 using the Proxy/Primo GDD timer within the application window of 200 and 500 GDDs base 32 F, available at GDD Tracker. This year in East Lansing, the application window was from March 30 to May 1, 2018. First applications were made April 25 and although there was some seedhead suppression, we consider it a failure as more than 10 percent of the surface area was covered with seedheads. We waited for the end of the application window because we had yet to mow until a few days before April 25 because it was so cold.

Many in Michigan experienced the same process by waiting for growth before making the first application. In 2017, the application window using the same GDD model ended April 10.

So, what went wrong this year? What good is a window of application if it can still fail?

It’s important to remember that seedhead production in annual bluegrass can be affected by many factors. We use a GDD model to time our applications that only accounts for the accumulation of heat units. There may be other climatic factors that affect the timing of peak seedhead flush that we aren’t measuring. Furthermore, annual bluegrass is so biologically diverse that seedhead production can vary greatly.

It’s difficult to know exactly why many seedhead suppression efforts failed this year. However, here are a few thoughts.

There is evidence to suggest that a PGR application must be timed before a seedhead emerges from the plant. The model is designed to signal application timing before emergence. Seedheads may emerge and not be easily viewed without some hands-on investigation of plants, so investigate. Look closely for emergence in south-facing slopes or other areas that may heat up faster than others. You could use these observations to help fine-tune your application even within the window given by GDD models. In the end, apply early rather than late. Once seedhead emergence begins, it is too late.

If you are applying Proxy plus Primo, start your applications in late fall. Proxy plus Primo fall applications followed by GDD-timed Proxy plus Primo applications in spring have proven to consistently provide better seedhead suppression than spring only applications. We have made our fall-timed applications in the end of October to the beginning of November and had good results. If you are spending the time and money in spring to control seedheads, add a fall-timed application for a little insurance.

Whether your seedhead suppression failed or not in 2018, keep trying. As a researcher, we observe the “failed” treatments next to the untreated plots, although the objective is 100 percent seedhead control, any amount of control makes a big difference when compared to the untreated plots.

Dr. Frank’s work is funded in part by MSU’s AgBioResearch.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

The mission of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is to support the research, teaching, and extension programs at Michigan State University. Join Us to become a member.

President's Message from the MTF

Sat, 12 May 2018 11:56:18 GMT

MTF President’s message- 5-11-2018

I want to take the opportunity every few months to let you know what the MTF is working on and doing for the Turfgrass Community in Michigan. We have a very active and dedicated board with several thoughtful concepts and many undertakings. Numerous have already been accomplished and others are in the process of being implemented.

Here are a few bullet points of our activity.

Tee Times 4 Turf will end Sunday May 13 at 8:00pm It is the MTF’s largest Fund Raising effort during the year. We appreciate all those that donated their course and we are pleased to acknowledge that the number of courses willing to donate were significantly higher than last year! Auction proceeds go directly to support the research at MSU by our Turf Team. All Board members participated in soliciting clubs to support this event. Thank you to those who support this event!
The Research Committee has been very active this spring with the turf team. The following is a link to the current research going on at MSU.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/msu-turfgrass-research-update-2017

**A little known fact about researching funding- all the funding for turfgrass research projects at MSU is raised thru grants, donations, sponsorships. The department does not provide support funding for professors research projects.

The Gordon LaFontaine Golf Outing: Registration will soon be underway. The date: June 21^st at The Coyote Preserve Golf Club. Hope you may be able to attend / or be a sponsor.
Founders Committee: Recently approved funding for some technology upgrades at the Hancock Turf Research Center. Thank you for your support!
Membership committee: has been hard at work over the past 6 months to correct information and get a mailing out for membership renewal. Thank you to those who once again have renewed your membership.

Finally, the MTF would like to congratulate Jesse Scholl on his new position at the Hancock Turf Research Center as the Farm Manager. Jesse replaces Mark Collins who retired this year after decades of caring for the HTRC. We are very happy for Jesse and his new position. We would also like to thank Mark for all his years of caring for the Facility. The MTF looks forward to supporting Jesse for many years to come.

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation goal is to provide our members with research information and we encourage those with comments and suggestions to please contact us.

Have a great summer!

Amy J. Fouty, CSFM President 2018

fouty@msu.edu

MSU - Students, Scholarships and Program

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 14:42:54 GMT

Student Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to all student scholarship winners from the 2018 Michigan Turfgrass Conference.

MTF Scholarship Award Winners
Left to Right
Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student Award - Reid Rahoi
MTF Scholarship Chairman - Dan Lucas
Memorial Service Award - Tom Robbins
Two Year Sports and Commercial Turf Award - Adam Vecitis
Norman Kramer Outstanding Student Award - Elana Cadenas Rivas (Not Pictured)

What's Happening at the MSU Turfgrass Programs!

Please take a moment to view what is going on at the MSU Turfgrass Program. Thanks to Dr. Trey Rogers for providing us with this material.

Turfgrass Talk Show

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:57:57 GMT

Turfgrass Talk Show
February 10, San Antonio Convention Center

Free Beer, Edutainment and Munchies.

Attention MTF & MiGCSA members attending the 2018 GIS in San Antonio. MSU’s Dr. Nikolai offers the perfect meeting place for distant friends to kick-off their stay in San Antonio.

The Turfgrass Talk Show takes place from 3:00-5:00 pm February 5 in the San Antonio Convention Center Stars at Night Ballroom.

Doors open at 2:45 pm and the first 500 attendees receive two beer tickets for a reception that immediately follows the event.

The Talk Show and Reception is sponsored by Tru-Turf, a proud supporter of MSU Turfgrass Research, that is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

New From the MIGCSA

Registration is now open for the brand new Match Play Championship. New for 2018, two person handicapped best ball match play championship. $25 per person, 100% of entry awarded back as prize money. Meet new members at a neutral site on your own pace. Starts April 1 2018, ends at the 2018 State Championship on Wednesday, August 29th at Hawk Hollow in Bath. Limited space in each bracket, first come first serve.

Click here for more information.

Hot, Dry Weather Impacts Fall Turf Management - Dr. Kevin Frank, Aaron Hathaway, Dr. Joe Vargas, and Dr. David Smitley

Kevin Frank — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 17:09:00 GMT

It seems that August and September switched places this year as September delivered record setting heat and generally a lack of precipitation. High temperature records were shattered across many areas of Michigan from September 21-26 when in the Lansing area and throughout of most of the lower peninsula of Michigan high temperatures exceeded 90 degrees. Combined with the high temperatures, many areas of the lower peninsula are still under or near drought conditions. Although forecasts indicate temperatures should be moderating, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center is forecasting above average temperatures over the next three months. The combination of warm, dry weather has created some interesting challenges for fall turf management.

Broadleaf Weed Control

Fall is one of the best times to treat difficult to control broadleaf weeds such as ground ivy, wild violet, dandelion, and white clover. Weeds that have endured droughty conditions may be weak and burning down the above-ground foliage with a contact herbicide in addition to a translocating herbicide will help in control this fall. Some contact, ”burn down”, active ingredients (a.i.) include carfentrazone, sulfentrazone, pyraflufen. Traditional translocating a.i. (2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, triclopyr, clopyralid, fluroxypyr, quinclorac, etc.) move into a targeted weed quickly after application, and then move with sugars to an active site where it kills the weed. If the weed isn’t growing due to drought or high temperatures then the herbicide cannot effectively move to the active site in the weed. Although a contact or “burn down” a.i. doesn’t move to an active site, it does disrupt the membrane of the plant, which only requires that it be applied to the surface of the plant. The recommendation for herbicide applications during this dry fall is to attempt to hedge your bets by applying a herbicide that mixes systemic (translocating) active ingredients with a contact (burndown) a.i. (e.g. products include SpeedZone, 4-Speed XT, RedZone, Surge, SureZone, etc.). The translocating a.i. have at least a chance to move to the active site, while the contact will provide some extra burndown, which is not dependent on the growth of the weeds in unirrigated sites.

Disease Management

On golf courses there have been many cases of Waitea patch occurring from late summer through early fall. Waitea patch is caused by Rhizoctonia zeae and any of the good brown patch fungicides will help to manage it. However, chlorothalonil is not very effective in controlling Waitea patch. Again this year as summer wound down and fall arrived, resistance raised its ugly head again. Similar to last year the Vargas lab has been receiving calls about fungicides providing only 7 days control of dollar spot. This is called quantitative resistance, which shows up as a shorting of the interval of control compared to the qualitative resistance where the fungicide no longer works at all at any interval. Fungicide resistance is becoming more prevalent in Michigan and golf course superintendents need to be aware of resistance and adjust fungicide application schedules accordingly. Unfortunately, resistance results in shorter intervals between fungicide applications, an increase in number of applications, and increased cost from additional fungicide applications.

Rust has become very prevalent this fall, especially in un-irrigated areas. Rust diseases are characterized by yellow to dark brown urediospore infestations that, from a distance, make turf stands appear orange or yellow. As a general rule in almost all cases, rust is considered a cosmetic turfgrass disease that, although it may discolor the turf, will not result in widespread turfgrass death. Fungicides are not usually recommended for control, precipitation and a fertilizer application to stimulate growth will help the turf recover from rust infestations.

Fertilizer Applications

Similar to the issue with weed control in un-irrigated turf, fertilizer applications may require special considerations. I’d proceed with any scheduled October fertilizer applications in irrigated, growing turf as planned. However, for drought stressed dormant turf, unless the fertilizer is primarily slow release I would wait until rainfall returns and growth resumes before making an application. Fast release sources such as urea that are applied to dry, dormant turf could result in high gaseous volatility losses. Stabilized urea fertilizers contain a urease inhibitor to suppress volatilization and would be beneficial. However, even if you plan on using these products I’d probably wait until some precipitation returns to stimulate turf growth before making an application.

Insect Management

In the last three years Japanese beetle has spread further into the thumb area, up to Houghton Lake and Pinconning on the eastern side of the state, and up to Traverse City on the western side. All of these areas are seeing new turf damage from Japanese beetle grubs as the skunks and raccoons dig turf to find them. This includes golf course, home lawns and sod farms. During fall, Sevin or Dylox can be used to control Japanese beetle and European chafer grubs in turf. Sevin should only be used if the soil pH is less than 7.8. New research on the pathogen we introduced to control Japanese beetle indicates that infestations of Japanese beetle in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and much of the greater Detroit area have declined by 75% as the pathogen built-up from 2001 to 2016. We are now distributing infected beetles to the rest of the state.

European crane fly populations have built-up to damage levels in much of the greater Detroit and Grand Rapids areas, with a big emergence of crane flies reported by many in late September, 2017. After leatherjackets are found October treatments can be made to prevent most of the crane fly damage expected in late October and next April and May. October treatment options include insecticides with the following a.i.: bifenthrin, carbaryl, chlorantraniliprole, imidacloprid, and trichlorfon.

Ant Mounding on Tees, Greens, and Fairways - Dr. David Smitley

Kevin Frank — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 15:35:40 GMT

Ant mounding activity is reaching peak levels right now in Michigan. Typically, ant mounding increases in May and June, then slowly declines in July and August, so that if the ants are undisturbed the number of mounds present in September may be one half one third of what was present in June. Nearly 100% of the ant mounds on golf courses in Michigan are made by one species: the Turfgrass Ant (Lasius neoniger). This ant is pretty small: workers are only 3 mm long, and mounds are usually 1 – 2” wide. Still, they can be so abundant that the mounds interfere with putting or stifle the turf under them. For these reasons the turfgrass ant is usually suppressed on tees, greens and fairways. In golf course roughs and home lawns it is considered beneficial because the ants are good predators that help keep turf pests under control.

You have probably noticed that most of the ant mounds are along the edges of fairways, tees and greens, with much less or no ant mounding in the center. This is because the surrounding turf supports many colonies of turfgrass ants that will establish satellite colonies on the fairways, tees and greens. Insecticide applied to suppress ant mounding should also be sprayed 10 – 20’ into the surrounding rough to slow the spread back onto the short-mowed turf areas.

In research funded by the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation we have evaluated insecticides used on golf courses in Michigan to suppress ant mounding. Superintendents can expect 6 months of ant suppression following a single application of Aloft, Arena or Meridian at the highest labeled rate when applied in May or early June. In ¼-fairway plots (replicated 6 times) we were able to reduce ant mounding by 90% compared with only a 50% reduction in our standard-sized plots (10’ x 20’). Efficacy was reduced in the smaller plots because the ants spread back into the plots from surrounding areas. Merit and other imidacloprid products may also work well for suppressing ants, but the results tend to be less consistent. This means that if golf course superintendents treat 20’ beyond the edges of tees, greens and fairways, it will reduce re-colonization and dramatically improve ant control, especially along the edges of fairways, tees and greens. These insecticides are also used for grub control (Japanese beetle and European chafer). If applied in late May or early June they should control grubs and provide ant suppression. However, late May is too early to apply an insecticide for European crane fly, so a second application may be needed in mid-September for crane flies on some golf courses in the Detroit and Grand Rapids areas. Spot-treating tees and greens with a surface spray of a pyrethroid insecticide (Talstar, Scimitar, DeltaGard, Astro, Tempo, and others) will provide a week or two of suppression before the mounds begin to appear again.

Dr. David Smitley

Michigan State University

The Heat is On

Kevin Frank — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 13:40:39 GMT

It’s already been a crazy weather year with unusually warm temperatures in February followed by more seasonable temperatures in March and excessive rainfall in April and May. June has started nicely but the forecast in the next week is going to leave not only us but the turf feeling oppressed with high temperatures forecast in the high 80’s and low 90’s combined with high humidity. Here are some simple reminders as the heat ramps up this weekend.

1. Check the Irrigation System

For the most part irrigation systems have been resting this year as Mother Nature has blessed us with cool temperatures and adequate rainfall. Everyone has certainly used their irrigation system by this point in the year but it might not be a bad idea to go out and actually observe the system operating in critical areas. Any inefficiencies, misaligned, or malfunctioning heads may have been disguised by rainfall to this point but that will not be the case in the next week.

Areas that reveal poor irrigation coverage first are typically edges of fairways, banks of greens, tees, and bunkers, and the rough. Many of these areas are also high traffic areas that are subject to another stress, compaction.

2. Syringing

In an effort to compensate for poor irrigation coverage and improve water management, hand watering is commonplace on golf courses. In Michigan, we are accustomed to syringing greens during periods of drought but usually not fairways. Dr. Vargas has reminded me that in Mediterranean climates like southern Europe where it does not rain from the middle of May until the middle of September and the temperatures are in the 90’s every day, the superintendent will usually have 3 or more people assigned every day to syringe fairways. When we have similar conditions it may become necessary to syringe fairways, we’re not necessarily talking about the hose crew but rather a short irrigation cycle. It is commonly perceived that noon is the warmest part of the day, when in reality it is often later in the day around 4 to 6 p.m. Syringing late in the afternoon might make the difference this year between healthy, heat stressed turf.

3. Heat Tracking

Heat tracks will be an issue on home lawns and golf courses. Anytime you put traffic from a cart, mower, or spreader on turf that is nearing the wilting point or has already wilted, you will likely see a track in the following days or week. If possible, avoid mowing during the heat of the afternoon.

4. Wetting Agents

Wetting agents are critical tools in the arsenal for alleviating localized dry spot but even with wetting agents hand watering may be necessary if it stays hot and dry.

5. Scout and Plan for Diseases

High temperatures will be accompanied by high humidity and warm night-time temperatures. Conditions may become favorable for dollar spot, brown patch and even Pythium blight. Most superintendents treat for dollar spot and brown patch on a regular basis. Pythium blight is not normally treated for on a regular basis in Michigan but when day time high temperatures are in the 90’s and night temperatures above 70°F following a rain, chances are optimal for a Pythium blight outbreak. If caught in time, the turf should recover from the dollar spot, brown patch and Pythium blight, which are primarily foliar diseases.

Crown rot anthracnose (CRA) can also be a problem in the warm weather on annual bluegrass greens especially if the warm weather is accompanied by excess moisture from frequent rains. Wide spread resistant of Colletotrichum cereale, the CRA fungus, to the benzimidazole and the Qo I fungicides has been reported. Alternative fungicide chemistries should used to control CRA. Adequate nitrogen fertility is also necessary the control this disease.

Summer patch is becoming an ever-increasing problem. The early 65 and 75-degree models for scheduling fungicide applications that worked so well for so many years have not worked that well recently in our research trials. We are now suggesting fungicide applications the first of June, July, and August. The products of choice should be the DMI fungicides and they should be watered into the top inch of the turf where the elongated crown of the turfgrass plant is. If you can keep the crown of the plant healthy the plant will survive no matter how many roots become infected.

6. Hydrate

Just a reminder to keep your self hydrated during the hot weather. There are bound to be some long days and if you’re acclimated to temps in the 60’s and 70’s, temps in the 90’s may cause us to wilt as much as the turf.

Many Broadleaf Weeds are Currently Flowering in Turf Dr. Kevin W. Frank and Aaron Hathaway Michigan State University

Tue, 09 May 2017 17:28:37 GMT

Thanks for your continued support of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation. The mission of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is to support the research, teaching, and extension programs at Michigan State University. If you are not a member and are interested in joining the MTF please Join Us. Another avenue to support the MTF and MSU Turf Team is to participate in bidding or spreading the word of our current TeeTimes4Turf auction, currently over 117 golf courses are available via an on-line auction at www.teetimes4turf.com. The auction ends on Sunday, May 14 at 7 p.m.

Broadleaf Weeds Flowering

In the last week, dandelions have been lighting up the landscape with their brilliant yellow flowers. In most areas, the first flush of dandelion flowers has come and gone and now the puff ball stage is in full effect. According to Michigan State University Extension, applying a herbicide at the puff-ball stage can be very effective as this is the time the dandelion is at its weakest because it has just spent all that energy pushing out flowers. Applications prior to puff-ball stage can be effective at burning down the rosette and preventing puff-balls but keep in mind if you really want to get ‘em, schedule a fall application.

In addition to dandelions, many other broadleaf weeds are flowering in turf right now. Common chickweed, henbit, shepherd’s purse, yellow rocket, corn speedwell, wild violet and ground ivy are all flowering. All but wild violet and ground ivy are winter annuals. The life cycle of a winter annual is they germinate in the fall, overwinter, and then flower and produce seed in the spring. After flowering in the spring, winter annuals are usually only two to three weeks from dying. If you apply herbicides now, they will be dead and gone in two to three weeks and if you do nothing, they will be dead and gone in two to three weeks. Get it?

Similar to the strategy of controlling dandelions, there are some very tough to control weeds that are also flowering right now. Ground ivy (AKA Creeping Charlie), wild violet, and several speedwells (Germander and Creeping) are actively flowering. The flowering period is the best opportunity to kill them until fall arrives. The typical broadleaf combination herbicide containing 2,4-D provides fair control at flowering but if you can find combination herbicides with the active ingredients quinclorac, triclopyr, fluroxypyr, or carfentrazone you should achieve better than fair control.

Dr. Frank’s work is funded in part by MSU’s AgBioResearch.

The mission of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is to support the research, teaching, and extension programs at Michigan State University. Join Us to become a member.

Will my turf recover from spring flooding? Dr. Kevin W. Frank Michigan State University

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 15:01:34 GMT

In the last week, heavy rains blanketed most of Michigan, resulting in streams and rivers overflowing their banks and flooding in many low-lying areas. The water has slowly started to subside and turf that was flooded may be exhibiting damage symptoms. Factors that determine turf survival under water include turfgrass species, submergence duration, submergence depth, water temperature and light intensity.

Turfgrass species differ in their ability to survive flooding. Unfortunately, there are no hard fast numbers such as Kentucky bluegrass will survive five days and creeping bentgrass 15 days under water. Instead, species have been assigned relative submersion tolerance ratings: creeping bentgrass–excellent; Kentucky bluegrass–medium; Poa annua and perennial ryegrass–fair.

As submergence depth increases, the potential for injury increases. If the leaf tissue is above the water line–even just a little bit–the turf will probably survive. On golf courses, many have observed creeping bentgrass floating on the edge and even growing out into a lake. This is a perfect example of turf surviving when partially submerged.

The final two factors affecting turf survival are water temperature and light intensity. Both of these factors are working in our favor right now as the air and water temperatures have been cool. Flooding during the summer months when temperatures are higher often result in damage to the turf when it’s submerged for even a short time.

As the water recedes, the turf may be yellow or brown. The discoloration is related to the turf losing its ability to take up nutrients. It doesn’t take long once turf is submerged for soil oxygen levels to decline and root hairs to begin to die. As the root system becomes impaired, nutrient extraction and water uptake will be limited. Keep this in mind once the water has receded as the turf may benefit from a light fertilizer application.

Yellowing of turf following flooding

To assess if submersion has caused injury, Michigan State University Extension advises extracting several plants from the flooded site and cutting a horizontal cross section through the crown. If the crown is white and firm, it has survived. If the crown is brown and mushy, it’s dead, so time to develop a reestablishment plan.

Finally, for those areas that were flooded due to a stream or river overflowing a bank, you are probably dealing with silt or soil deposition. Removal of soil deposition can be difficult and seeding into the deposited soil can be an option. Once you’ve successfully reestablished soil, cultivation such as core aeration or slicing will benefit the turf by breaking through deposited soil layers to facilitate rooting and water infiltration.

If you have concerns on the effects of flooding on trees, Dr. Bert Cregg from the Dept. of Horticulture has written an article addressing this issue http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/trees_and_flooding

Dr. Frank’s work is funded in part by MSU’s AgBioResearch.

Timing crabgrass pre-emergence applications When is the correct time to apply crabgrass pre-emergence herbicides?

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:40:28 GMT

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

Spring 2017 has been a roller coaster ride of temperature peaks and valleys. What started as an early spring with warm temperatures melting snow and many golf courses locally opening the third weekend of February has since stalled. There have been many questions from those tracking growing degree-days (GDD) at GDDTracker this year as to whether or not the models are accurate.

GDDTracker starts counting GDDs on Feb. 15. The crabgrass pre-emergence model uses GDD (base 32 degrees Fahrenheit) to indirectly measure soil temperatures in a turf situation (enter your zip code under the map and then click on “Crabgrass PR”). The GDD model attempts to predict the optimum application timing for when the 0-2 inch depth soil temperatures consistently reach 50-55 F. Applications made at this time provide adequate time for the pre-emergence herbicide to be applied and watered in before crabgrass germination occurs.

Summer annual grasses such as crabgrass require proper soil temperature and moisture to germinate and establish. Eighty percent of germination will occur when soil temperatures at the 0-2 inch depth are consistently between 60-70 F. For pre-emergence herbicides to be effective, they need to be applied before the soils reach this optimum temperature range. At the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center on Michigan State University’s campus, we have yet to record a soil temperature of 50 F at a 2-inch depth. The warmest soil temperature recorded this spring was actually 45 F on March 1, and currently soil temperatures are hovering around 36-37 F, well below the range of 50-55 F we’re targeting.

GDD Tracker pre-emergence model.

Currently, the GDDTracker model has most of the state south of a line from Grand Rapids-Lansing-Detroit in the optimum application window. I think it’s important to remember that these models are meant to serve as “guides” and not absolutes. At least so far it appears the models are ahead of soil temperatures, but also keep in mind the range the optimum application window extends from 250-500 GDD. You don’t have to apply the first day the model indicates optimum.

My best guess, and it’s nothing more than a guess based on the 10-14 day weather forecast, is that the application window GDDTracker is predicting will last into the first couple of weeks of April at a minimum.

In addition to using soil temperatures and GDDTracker, a good environmental indicator for pre-emergence timing is when forsythia bushes are blooming with their bright yellow flowers. Every year I watch a forsythia bush near my office—it happens to be located on the south side of a building so it’s a warm site and usually blooms a little early. I haven’t seen any color from blooms yet.

Although GDDTracker tells me it’s go-time, the other indicators of soil temperature and forsythia blooming don’t. For now, I’d hold off on making crabgrass pre-emergence applications. When it’s all said and done, I’m guessing the typical target date of around April 15 in mid-Michigan will be about right this year. It’s interesting to note that through March 22, 2017, GDDs (246 GDD) are actually behind 2016 (254 GDD).

If you have already applied a pre-emergence application or are still planning on making applications in the next week, the applications will still be effective but you’ll just want to be on the lookout for any late spring/summer crabgrass germination escapes that would require post-emergence control. Another strategy for dealing with an early application would be to follow-up with a “booster shot” second pre-emergence application at half the label rate in approximately 30-45 days after the first application.

Remember, the practices that encourage a healthy, dense turf stand, such as mowing high, returning clippings and adequate fertilization, are all part of an effective crabgrass prevention strategy.

Dr. Frank’s work is funded in part by MSU’s AgBioResearch.

Controlling annual bluegrass seedheads: Spray now or wait?

Thu, 09 Mar 2017 15:30:09 GMT

Growing degree-days have accumulated quickly, but it may not yet be time to apply plant growth regulators to control annual bluegrass seedheads on golf courses.

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

The quick start to the growing season in 2017 has resulted in many questions regarding growing degree-days (GDD) and application timing for Proxy/Primo to control annual bluegrass seedheads. The green wave of GDD reaching the application timing has swept into Michigan (see figure).

Many golf course superintendents use two applications of Proxy/Primo for managing annual bluegrass seedheads on putting greens. This combination has proven to be a reliable way to suppress seedheads and enhance turf quality in the spring.

GDDTracker starts measuring GDD on Feb. 15 and uses anything over 220 GDD (base temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit) as a guide to making the first application. However, Michigan State University Extension advises considering some factors. Both products are foliar absorbed and need living, green plant tissue for uptake. Applying Proxy/Primo to dormant turf will not be effective.

The decision of when to apply Proxy/Primo should consider the following factors:

GDD total greater than 220 (base 32 F).
Mowed at least twice.
Turf is 100 percent green.

There is no benefit from applying your Proxy/Primo to dormant turf. However, if you have green-up, mowed and already made an application, the cold temperatures should extend control. Air temperatures drive the metabolism of Proxy. Part of the reason the application range is so generous is that in cold weather it takes longer to get active in the plant, and in warmer weather it gets active faster. The activity of Proxy/Primo will either be “extended” by cold weather or “activated” by warm weather.

Typically, the second application is made 14-21 days after the initial application. Temperatures are forecast to be cold for the next week, so the second application could be delayed a week or more, as the product will remain in the plant longer in cold weather.

Annual bluegrass seeding in a fairway. Photo: Kevin Frank, MSU.

Dr. Frank’s work is funded in part by MSU’s AgBioResearch.

Low-Temperature Chamber for Winterkill Research

Ronald Calhoun — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 12:33:42 GMT

Low-Temperature Chamber for Winterkill Research
Dr. Kevin W. Frank and Dr. Emily Merewitz
Michigan State University

The low-temperature growth chamber that was purchased earlier this year by a partnership between the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation’s Founders Society, MSU AgBio Research, and the MSU Growth Chamber Facility has arrived at MSU. The chamber will be used by MSU turf researchers to investigate winterkill of Poa annuaputting greens. Initial research projects have been funded by the USGA, MSU Project GREEEN and Syngenta and began earlier this summer at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center. Research is focusing on the effects of plant growth regulators and plant health treatments on turfgrass survival under ice. Turfgrass cores from the field plots have been extracted and are in the process of being acclimated for ice treatment in the low-temperature chamber. The objectives of these research projects are to determine treatments that can ultimately be used by golf course superintendents to minimize the risk of winterkill on putting greens.

Thanks to the MTF Founders Society, MSU AgBio Research, and the MSU Growth Chamber Facility for purchasing the low-temperature chamber to facilitate our winterkill research efforts.

Graduate student Kevin Laskowski adjusting the temperature of the low-temperature chamber.

Ataenius and Cutworms Active on Golf Courses

Ronald Calhoun — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 11:36:13 GMT

Dr. David Smitley, Terry Davis, and Dr. Kevin W. Frank
Michigan State University

In the last week both Ataenius grubs (Ataenius Spretulus) and cutworms (Agrotis Ipsilon) have been observed feeding in Poa annua and creeping bentgrass putting greens. Ataenius grubs have been found causing significant injury on Poa annua greens that have recently recovered from winterkill. Due to the rather short root system of recovering Poa, it appears in some area the Ataenius grubs are causing injury at lower than normal thresholds. The typical threshold for recommending a curative insecticide application is 40 grubs/ft.2. For curative insecticide applications use carbaryl or triclorfon. These insecticides need to be applied at the full application rate and watered in with ½ inch of water following application. Additional information on Ataenius can be found at
http://msuturfinsects.net/details/_/ataenius_and_aphodius_6/

Skunk and bird damage from feeding on grubs.Cutworms are also active on putting greens. Damage looks similar to an unrepaired ball mark. Cutworms will often chew the stems of grass plants around the entrance to their tunnel, leaving a yellow ‘ball-mark’ patch. A “disclosing solution” consisting of 1 oz of liquid detergent in 3 gal of water can be poured over suspected infestations to force the cutworms to the surface. In approximately 3-5 min the larvae will come to the surface and will be very evident. Synthetic pyrethroid insecticides such as deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, permethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin will work very well to reduce damage from cutworms. Safe alternative products include Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) and insect parasitic nematodes. Any insecticide applied to tees, greens or fairways may need to be reapplied every two weeks during periods of maximum cutworm moth activity, because most of the insecticide residue is removed daily or every other day with the clippings. Additional information on cutworms can be found athttp://msuturfinsects.net/details/_/cutworm_10/

See article photos here: http://msuturf.blogspot.com/

What Lies Beneath: Ice?

Ronald Calhoun — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 11:37:37 GMT

Dr. Kevin W. Frank
Associate Professor & Extension Turfgrass Specialist
Michigan State University

Some might remember 'What Lies Beneath' as the title of a horror movie but currently ice is a real life potential horror for golf course superintendents worried about winterkill.

Weather Scenario
The winter of 2013-2014 will be remembered for many years to come. The first significant event was the ice storm of Dec. 21-22 that knocked out power for thousands and coated everything, included exposed turf, with a perfect coating of ice.
Tall fescue encased in ice.

Most turf areas were covered with snow prior to the icing event and as the rain percolated through the snow it formed a very porous, crusty ice-snow layer. This type of ice-snow layer is not a concern for turfgrass as it is porous and allows for gas exchange from the turf/soil interface to the atmosphere.

Two inch porous snow-ice layer + 1 in. snow on top.

Five days after the ice storm (Dec. 27) temperatures at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center (HTRC) warmed to 38 °F and were accompanied by 0.15 in. of rain. On Dec. 28 and 29 temperatures were above 40 °F. The warm temperatures resulted in melting and I believe this is when the first ice layer formed. On Dec. 30 temperatures dropped and we all learned what a Polar Vortex meant as day time high temperatures were in the single digits and nighttime lows were well below 0°F. The Vortex combined with a foot or more of snow closed MSU for Jan. 6 and 7 but by Friday Jan. 10 the HTRC recorded a daytime high temperature of 38 °F and by Jan. 13 the high temperature was 44 °F. This resulted in another melting event and another ice forming event as temperatures in the day melted snow and nighttime temperatures refroze any remaining water. Some superintendents that were clearing snow from putting greens throughout the winter may have been successful at removing any ice that existed or formed during these melts. However, depending on available labor and equipment many superintendents are not able to constantly remove snow during the winter so ice formation is inevitable. Since the melting ended on Jan. 13-14 the temperatures have been well below the point where any further melting would occur. Not every green at the HTRC is covered in ice but at least one poorly draining Poa annua putting green is now covered in a 1-2 inch ice sheet. I believe this ice sheet initially formed during the Dec. 28-29 melt so as of today (Jan. 29) the Poa has been under ice for 31 days.

Two inch ice sheet on Poa annua green at HTRC.

Ice Sheets
In Michigan especially for Poa annua greens, crown hydration and subsequent refreezing are often the primary culprits of winterkill. However, this year ice sheets are a cause for concern. In the 1960’s James B Beard conducted research at MSU on survival of creeping bentgrass and Poa annua under ice sheets. Creeping bentgrass survived 120 days of ice cover without significant injury while annual bluegrass was killed somewhere between 75 and 90 days of ice cover. More recently Darrell Tompkins conducted research at the Prairie Turfgrass Research Center in Canada that suggested Poa annua greens could be damaged in as few as 45 days under ice. The primary cause of death to turfgrass under ice sheets is most likely from toxic gas accumulation under the ice sheet from soil and turfgrass respiration. The day estimates for turf survival are just that, estimates, use them as a guide but know that they are not absolutes.

Remove Ice?
Whether or not to attempt ice removal is a difficult decision for golf course superintendents. The decision to remove ice can be based on several factors including: turf sampling, duration of ice cover, current and future temperatures, ability to remove water following melting from the green, and labor.
1. Sampling – Bob Vavrek from the USGA recently posted a great YouTube video http://tinyurl.com/k9mbfjc on how to sample greens under ice to assess survival. An important point that Bob makes is that there is variability in sampling and just because your sample comes out alive doesn’t mean all areas on the green will survive – same can be said if your sample is dead.
2. Duration of ice cover – as discussed in the previous section, estimates of days of ice cover causing death vary from 45-90 for Poa annua and 120 days for creeping bentgrass. At this point I’m less concerned for creeping bentgrass surfaces as I’d expect significant melting before we reach a 120 day threshold as this would be well into April. Poa annua is less certain as at the HTRC we will approach 45 days under ice cover by mid-February. Check your calendar and start counting.

Ice sheet at HTRC, 31 days and counting.

3. Temperatures – our 10 day forecast does not look good for trying to remove ice as day time high temperatures are forecast in the teens to low 20's with nighttime lows in the single digits. Part of the concern with removing ice is exposing the turf to cold air temperatures after being insulated with snow and ice since mid-December. In the past, some superintendents have removed ice and then recovered the greens with snow to provide insulation against cold temperatures.
4. Physical ice removal – physical ice removal includes practices to fracture the ice with impact (hammers, chisels, aerifiers, slicers) and then remove the fractured ice sheet with shovels, tractors, or skid steers. I recommend avoiding direct impact with tools such as hammers to less impact concentrated equipment such as slicers and aerifiers. There’s always some risk associated with impact related ice removal but the alternative of leaving ice in place and rolling the dice on survival is also risky.

Damage from a hammer used to crack ice.

5. Melting ice – there are many different products that have been used to melt ice including black sand, dark colored natural organic fertilizers, and synthetic fertilizers. The key to any melting strategy is to be able to remove the water from the green following melting so it doesn’t refreeze and form another ice sheet. We will be testing products to melt ice at the HTRC in cooperation with researchers from the Univ. of Minnesota in the coming weeks.
6. Labor – if you’re going to remove ice you need help. Ice removal is not a 1-person job. If your golf course has 18 greens covered in ice even with several employees this is not a one day job.

No Guarantees
Unfortunately there are no guarantees with respect to winterkill and whether or not ice is removed. The days under ice cover for survival are estimates from research and conditions from course to course and even within the same course vary thereby effecting how long turf can survive under ice. It’s already been a long hard winter and let’s all hope our turf survives so it’s not a long hard spring reestablishing grass.

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