Arkansas Turfgrass - Spring 2019

continued

• Cov e r S to ry

T h e A r ka n s a s T u r f g ra s s A s s o c i at i o n M ag az i n e • S p r i n g 2019

Winter Injury

on Arkansas Turf

Plus, Highlights from the

ATA Conference

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T h e A r ka n s a s T u r f g ra s s A s s o c i at i o n M ag az i n e Co n t e n t s • S p r i n g 2019

8

12

Features

8 Cover Story —

Winter Injury on Arkansas Turf

Departments 12

Recent Event –

Arkansas Turfgrass Conference

5 Index of Advertisers 6 President’s Message 7 Welcome to Arkansas Turfgrass 7 University of Arkansas Turf Team

4 • A r k a n s a s T u r f g r a s s • Spring 2019

A dv e rt i s e r I n d e x Agra Turf, Inc............................................... 7 www.agrainc.com Bayou Bend Turfgrass................................ 7 www.bayoubendturfgrass.com Leading Edge Communications............... 11 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com Progressive Turf Equipment Inc.............. 10 www.progressiveturfequip.com R.W. Distributors.........................Back Cover www.rwdistributors.com Smith Seed Services................................... 5 www.smithseed.com Syngenta Turf.............................................. 5 www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com The Turfgrass Group......Inside Front Cover www.theturfgrassgroup.com

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Trimax Mowing Systems............................ 3 www.trimaxmowers.com Winrock Grass Farm Inc............................ 15 www.winrockgrassfarm.com

Shawn Emmack | 404-353-1291 Shawn.Emmack@Syngenta.com @SyngentaTurf #Time4Manuscript

©2019 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your state or local extension service to ensure registration status. GreenCast®, Manuscript®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective company.

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The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Arkansas Turfgrass Association, its staff, or its board of directors, Arkansas Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Arkansas Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2019 by the Arkansas Turfgrass Association. Arkansas Turfgrass is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Arkansas Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display advertising rates and insertion please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 7903718, www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

Spring 2019

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Arkansas Turfgrass Association P.O. Box 185 Bryant, AR 72089 Tel: 501-860-0187

P r e s i d e n t ’s M e ssag e

Get Involved!

Kyle Sanders, ATA President

F

irst, I want to thank the association for allowing me to serve as President and be a part of an organization that not only gives knowledge back, but also allows friendships to be created within the industry. Started by a group of forward-thinking pioneers in 1988, The Arkansas Turfgrass Association has steadily grown in membership and influence over the years, and I am humbled to be following the footsteps of some great leaders of our association and in our state. The mission of our association is to constantly pursue a goal of success for turfgrass managers in Arkansas by hosting a forum for discussion and a platform for information. We will always strive to do this by keeping our members up-todate on the latest cutting-edge techniques and new industry products, along with integrated pest management strategies, and the best cultural practices for turfgrass management for golf courses, sports fields, commercial and residential turf sites within the borders of our state.

Over the next few months our board of directors will be preparing for several opportunities that will be available throughout the year to meet for certification, education, as well as networking with individuals within our industry. I have been a part of the ATA for many years, and networking has allowed several opportunities to come my way that otherwise would not have been available. Networking is a part of our industry and this organization has a wealth of knowledge. From this I have cultivated some long-term relationships which I consider priceless.

Upcoming events include: • Field Day at the University of Arkansas Research Center on July 24th • Our members-only education event at Bass Pro Shops on October 2nd • The ATA Annual Conference and Trade Show at the Hot Springs Convention Center on January 9th and 10th, 2020 For our current and prospective members, I want to assure you that the intention of this board is to grow the Arkansas Turfgrass Association without limits. We will stay focused on continuing to be a benefit to our members and also stay current with industry standards and requirements. Our board is excited about the opportunity to give something back to our membership and they do a great job representing each sector of our industry across the state.

So, from myself and all of our Board of Directors, thank you for your membership and support. We promise to keep evolving to serve you and look forward to a productive and successful year. We invite each of you to participate, and most importantly, GET INVOLVED! Kyle Sanders President

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Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, TN 37064 Tel: 615-790-3718 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com ATA Officers Kyle Sanders, President Sanders Ground Essentials 501-315-9395 kylesanders@sandersground.com Richard Covert, Vice President Baptist Health Systems Richard.covert@baptist-health.org Jeff Haskins, Treasurer Paragould Country Club 870-780-5883 Ja1116@earthlink.net Mary Beth Rogers, Executive Secretary 501-860-0187 arkturfgrassassn@att.net Doug Karcher, Ph.D., Education Chair University of Arkansas • 479-575-5723 karcher@uark.edu Pat Berger, Director Emeritus University of Arkansas • 479-575-6887 pberger@uark.edu Charlie Bowen, Director Emeritus Arkansas Hydroseed • 501-315-7333 charliebowen@yahoo.com Mark Mowrey, Director Emeritus Oaklawn • 501-538-1600 bntgrns@yahoo.com Mark Brown UALR • 501-749-7459 rmbrown2@ualr.edu Rodney Fisher Life Member, Founding Member Agra Turf, Inc. • 501-268-7036 agrarod@yahoo.com Ron Fisher Agra Turf, Inc. • 501-268-7036 agraron@yahoo.com Steve Ibbotson Conway Parks & Rec. • 501-328-4173 Steve.ibbotson@cityofconway.org Michael Rush Rush Lawn Care • 501-279-8980 mrush@rushlawn.com Andrew Simpson Arkansas State Plant Board 501-225-1598 Andrew.simpson@ agriculture.arkansas.gov Bill Tippit 501-258-8676 Bill.tippit@sbcglobal.net

U n i v e r s i ty o f A r ka n sas T u r f T e a m

Welcome to

Arkansas Turfgrass Magazine!

From Dr. Douglas Karcher, Education Director

G

reetings from the University of Arkansas Turfgrass Science program! As the director of the Arkansas Turfgrass Association’s educational program, I am excited about the launch of Arkansas Turfgrass Magazine and the opportunity this will give Dr. Richardson and me to communicate with our turfgrass industry. We will do our best to ensure that each issue of Arkansas Turfgrass has an educational article that is specifically relevant to Arkansan turfgrass managers.

I encourage you to subscribe to our ARKTURF listserv, so that you can receive timely information on current turf management issues (pests or weather-related) and upcoming educational events. You may subscribe by selecting the “Sign Up for Our Listserv” button on the turf.uark.edu home page. Also, please note that we will hold our Turfgrass Field Day on July 24 this year, and more info on this will be published in the June edition of Arkansas Turfgrass.

Finally, I’d like to hear from you regarding the types of educational information that you would like to see published in Arkansas Turfgrass, or presented at our Field Day and the ATA Annual Conference. Send your ideas and comments to me at karcher@uark.edu.

Dr. Richardson and I wish you a productive 2019 growing season! •

Doug Karcher Professor 479-575-5723 karcher@uark.edu

John H. McCalla Jr. Program Technician III 479-575-5033 jmccall@uark.edu

Mike Richardson Professor 479-575-2860 mricha@uark.edu

Daniel P. O’Brien Program Technician/ M.S. Student 479-575-2603 dpo001@uark.edu

John Boyd Visiting Assistant Professor Cooperative Extension Service Little Rock 479-575-2354 Jwb019@uark.edu

Tyler Carr M.S. Student Eric DeBoer Ph.D. Student

Matthew Bertucci Research Scientist 479-575-3979 bertucci@uark.edu

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Spring 2019

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Cov e r S to ry

Winter Injury on Arkansas Turf

By Eric DeBoer, Mike Richardson, Ph.D., and Doug Karcher, Ph.D.

The

Arkansas climate is such that injury to warm-season turfgrasses is almost always a possibility during the winter months, especially in the northern region of the state. The most common causes of winter injury are sustained low temperatures, low temperature spikes, unseasonably warm temperatures followed by freezing temperatures, and turfgrass tissue desiccation. Certain species of turf have a better chance of surviving extreme cold temperatures than others. Turfgrasses that produce underground stems (rhizomes), such as bermudagrass and zoysiagrass, are better equipped to withstand extreme cold temperatures when compared to grasses like St. Augustinegrass or centipedegrass, which produce only aboveground stems (stolons). Many cultivars of bermudagrass, including Latitude 36, North8 • A r k a n s a s T u r f g r a s s • Spring 2019

bridge, Riviera, and Tahoma 31, have demonstrated increased resistance to winter injury when compared to older bermudagrass cultivars. Certain sitespecific characteristics can also play a role in determining the extent to which low temperatures will injure a stand of turf. Areas receiving large amounts of traffic, north facing slopes, heavily shaded areas, and poorly drained soils all have an elevated risk of winter injury.

Until now (mid-January at the time of this writing), the winter weather of 2018/2019 has been somewhat atypical in Arkansas. The duck hunters across the state can certainly attest that some early cool weather in November pushed a lot of ducks and geese into the state, but milder conditions in most of December and early January then slowed the migration considerably. As December and January are typically the

coldest months of the year, we would normally expect a few extreme lowtemperature periods during that time. This winter, we have only had a few days where low temperatures in the northern half of the state dipped below 20 °F and only one or two days where temperatures were near 15 °F (see Figure 1), which is the target temperature where we might expect some low-temperature damage. In addition, we have had over six inches of rain in most of the state since early December and that has been coming consistently from week to week, so concerns over excessively dry conditions and turf desiccation should also be at a minimum. Compared to last year, where we had extended periods of singledigit lows and very dry and windy conditions, we should be in much better shape coming out of this winter.

Of course, turfgrass managers should

1

2

not let their guard down as some cold weather (a few days of single-digit lows) is being predicted at the time of this writing. This is especially true for those maintaining ultradwarf bermudagrass greens.

There are multiple ways that golf course superintendents managing

Figure 1: Minimum daily temperature and rainfall in Fayetteville, AR Figure 2: Spring green-up of three cultivars of bermudagrass covered at various low-temperature thresholds in Fayetteville, AR. Note that covering only when low temperature dropped to 15° still provided excellent winter survival relative to uncovered plots.

Figure 3: Effect of winter wetting agent application on ultradwarf bermudagrass green-up in Fayetteville, AR.

3

Cov e r S to ry • continued ultradwarf bermudagrass putting greens can assure themselves a great chance for winter survival and start the spring with a healthy stand of turf.

First, invest in protective covers. The investment will pay for itself quickly when compared to the lost revenue from closing a golf course and renovating several putting greens. If the budget allows, putting greens should be covered when the low temperature is forecast to drop to 25 °F or lower.

USGA-funded research from the University of Arkansas suggests the potential to lower this threshold as many as 10 degrees without significantly increasing winter injury. Special care should be taken to protect greens that reside in low-lying areas or shaded environments that may be prone to colder air and soil temperatures. During times of extreme low temperature predictions, many superintendents have minimized winter injury by creating a

10 • A r k a n s a s T u r f g r a s s • Spring 2019

dead-air gap underneath their protective covers. Similar to the insulation provided by the air inside doublepaned windows, an air gap underneath protective covers may help increase insulation during extreme cold events.

Some materials that can be placed under covers to create a dead-air gap include pine straw, sections of drainage pipe, and pool noodles.

Second, pay close attention to winter moisture in putting greens. Desiccation of plant tissue during the winter months can contribute to winter injury as much as exposure to extreme low temperatures. Make sure to pay attention to the moisture on tops of undulations and places that are known to dry out first, as winter injury is common in these areas. USGA-funded research from the University of Arkansas also suggests potential benefits from applying a wetting agent to greens prior to the first covering event of the winter.

It is also not uncommon for superintendents to make multiple wetting agent applications throughout the winter months to minimize the risk of localized dry spot formation.

With nearly two months remaining until the vernal equinox at the time of writing, it is still too far off to make predictions regarding the extent of winter injury that will be seen across the state of Arkansas this spring.

Regardless, it is important to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to dealing with potential turf winter injury situation. The following URL (https://horticulture.uark.edu/ research-extension/turf/turftips/ winterkill.php) points to a comprehensive UofA Turf Tip article with information about winter injury and a protocol for assessing possible winter injury without waiting until May to find out that you have significant winter injury on turfgrass stands. •

Recent Event

Conference Recap

The

Arkansas Turfgrass Conference was a great success! Held January 10th and 11th in Hot Springs, the conference offered a great variety of education sessions, as well as a trade show and awards ceremony. We’d like to offer a special thanks to our sponsors, board members and attendees for making it one to remember!

Charlie Bowen, Mark Mowrey and Pat Berger were named Emeritus Directors. Their contributions and commitment to ATA over the years has been integral to our success as an association!

Your ATA 2019 Board: Back Row, Left to Right: Charlie Bowen, Steve Ibbotson, Dr. Doug Karcher, Mark Mowrey, Jeff Haskins, Bill Tippit, Rodney Fisher, Mark Brown. Front Row: Pat Berger, Kyle Sanders, Richard Covert, Mary Beth Rogers.

P&K Equipment’s (Stillwater, Oklahoma) trade show display.

Ryan Fisher and Rodney Fisher, both of Agra Turf, working the Trade Show.

12 • A r k a n s a s T u r f g r a s s • Spring 2019

We would like to thank our conference sponsors:

Show sponsors:

ATA Awards Lunch sponsors:

Table Sponsors: BWI Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply

Grasshopper Company Harrell’s LLC Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation

Break Sponsors: Kansas State Golf

Dow/Corteva

Ladd’s

Syngenta

Quali-Pro

Helena Chemical

2018 Arkansas Turfgrass Association Awards ATA Field of the Year

Springdale Parks and Recreation for the Cal Ripken Fields located at the Randall Tyson Park in Springdale, Arkansas Pictured, Left to Right: Zach Walls, Chris Gibson and Chad Wolf of Springdale Parks and Recreation

The complex was built in 1990 and has hosted countless practices, games, tournaments and showcases. Three years ago, they established a field crew that is solely responsible for all work conducted on the sport fields. They currently have five full-time personnel that maintain the athletic fields on a daily basis. This crew manages and maintains all 34 athletic fields in the City of Springdale Parks Department.

(This complex is operational from March 1st to November 1st. It is home to their Cal Ripken youth baseball program in the spring and fall. They also host some of the largest youth baseball tournaments in the state. Thirteen USSSA tournaments were held at this complex between March and October with multiple tournaments of 150 teams or more.

They believe the Cal Ripken Sports Complex in Tyson Park is the best in the state because of the high standard of care, attention to detail and maintenance program set by the field crew. With these practices in place, the overall appearance of the complex and playability of the fields continue to improve even after 28 years of use.

Award Winners Continued on page 14

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R e c e n t E v e n t • continued

2018 Arkansas Turfgrass Association Awards ATA Turf Site of the Year Ace of Blades for Cross Church Pinnacle Hills in Rogers, Arkansas

Pictured: Josh Landreth, Owner of Ace of Blades

ATA Arkansas High School Field of the Year –

Shane Fullerton for Harding Academy High School Baseball Field in Searcy, Arkansas Pictured: Shane Fullerton of Harding Academy

Shane Fullerton is the head baseball coach and is also in charge of the maintenance of the baseball field at Harding Academy. He has been in charge of it since the fall of 2010 when he accepted the head baseball coach position. The field has existed since 2005. Shane and assistant coach Alex Smith

14 • A r k a n s a s T u r f g r a s s • Spring 2019

Ace of Blades, LLC was established in 2005 by Josh Landreth with the goal of providing the home and business owners of Northwest Arkansas more professional lawn care service than what was available at the time. Thanks to their valued customers, Josh believes that they are succeeding in that goal. Ace of Blades is locally owned and operated and takes pride in providing services that actually BENEFIT their customers. They like to develop relationships with their customers and truly want to be there for their needs. Josh has a Masters degree in Horticulture from the University of Arkansas.

Josh says that he is grateful to the customers that have chosen Ace of Blades as their lawn care provider. “I am blessed with the best group of customers that I could ask for, and I hope that each of you know that I am truly appreciative. The joy of my work is not the labor, but the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you.” This is the 3rd time that Ace of Blades has been awarded the ATA Turf Site of the Year.

work daily on the field. They conservatively estimate that over 500 man-hours go into the maintenance of the field per year. The field hosts around 15-20 home baseball games per year, varsity and junior varsity. It is also often chosen to host conference, regional and state baseball tournaments. They have been chosen to host the region tournament both of the last two seasons and four times in his eight years there. They have also hosted their conference tournament seven of those eight years.

They also host 100+ players each year for Baseball Crosstraining. This is an intense 7-day camp for young players from all over our state and surrounding states. The camp is always full, and the field is a great motivator for the campers.

The Arkansas High School Baseball Coaches Association last gave an award for “Field of the Year” in 2012, which this field recieved. Shane said, “The thing that makes our field so special is the daily care during the spring that is administered to it by our high school players. They each have a job that they perform daily for the last 15 minutes of practice to make sure that our field is in top playing condition.” Shane and his teams have been fortunate enough to win three state championships in his eight years, and he truly believes that the pride that the kids take in their field is a factor in their overall high expectations for how they conduct themselves and represent the school. “This pride, work ethic, and attention to detail is something that we are proud of and, we believe, will serve them for years to come.” •

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