A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North CarolinaSeptember / October 2022 N.C. STATE’S ART BRUNEAU Looks Back on a Distinguished Career Plus, ORIGINS OF TURFGRASS
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FIND THIS ISSUE, PODCASTS, EVENTS AND MORE: THETURFZONE.COM From the President 6 Index of Advertisers 7 TCNC Deluxe Members 8 Welcome, New Members 8 NC State Turf Team 9 NCCTP Program 40 DEPARTMENTS 18 NC Turf Resources Series, Part 2: 2022 Sod Producers’ Report 14 NCSU Turfgrass Field Day 26 Introducing Sola St. Augustinegrass 28 Origins of Turfgrass 38 Leveraging Untapped Talent Pools FEATURE ARTICLES RECENT EVENT 10 COVER STORY N.C. STATE’S ART LooksBRUNEAUBackonaDistinguishedCareer September / October 2022 Table of Contents 10 2614 4 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
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There were roughly 200 attendees at the event. We were glad to see a few TCNC members attending the Water Symposium too. There were quality sponsors for the event like Symposium Host Sponsor, Site One Landscape Supply. Please visit NCGIC’s website to see a complete list of sponsors that make events like this comeCEU’stogether.were available for NC Landscape Contractors, NC Irrigation Contractors, Irrigation Association Certified Professionals, NC Certified Arborists, NC Pesticide License, NC Landscape Architects, NC Wastewater Operators, and NC Board for Engineers and Surveyors. Some of these are difficult to receive at other symposiums andAconferences.portionof your membership dues provides membership (and a voice) to the North Carolina Green Industry Council. You have to be a current member of a sup ported association to be a member of NCGIC. So thank you for a supporting the TCNC and NCGIC.
The event was a great success with excellent topics and presenters. The keynote speaker was Dr. Bill Hunt, Professor at NCSU in the Bio and Agricultural Engineer ing Department. He had an excellent presentation on “The Role of Green Infrastructure (Stormwater BMPs) in North Carolina”.
On 6 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022 From the President North Carolina Turfgrass is the official publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 110 Horizon Drive Suite Raleigh,210NC www.ncturfgrass.orgFax919.459.207027615919.459.2075 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marcy Cottle IMI Association LeadingPublished919.459.2070info@ncturfgrass.orgExecutivesby:EdgeCommunications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, TN info@leadingedgecommunications.comFax615.790.371837064615.794.4524 TCNC PRESIDENTOFFICERS KevinFairwayHerrmannGreen Inc. Raleigh, NC VICE PRESIDENT WilsonFallingSuttonCreek Golf Club Kinston, NC PAST PRESIDENT GeneWinstonNature'sQueenSelectSalem, NC TREASURER Jonathan Richardson, NCCTP NCCTP Chairman Green Resource Dunn, NC DIRECTORS Brian GregNature'sBeaneSelectPremiumTurfServicesWinston-Salem,NCHarrisLeapFrogLandCare, Inc. Cary, NC ShaunGatesKerrFour Golf and Country Club Fayetteville, NC ResourceAnNCGIC:Incredible
Kevin Herrmann TCNC President
Some of the topics included “What Is Green Infrastructure and Why Do We Care”, “Turfgrass Selection and Water Management for a More Sustainable Turf,” and “Getting to the Dirt of the Matter – Healthy soils for healthy plants while protecting water quality.” You can visit NCGIC’s website to see a complete list of presentations.
Please add next year’s NCGIC Water Symposium as a must-attend event. It will be sometime in July, so keep an eye out since this was a sold out event. We look forward to seeing you there.
July 21st, The Turfgrass Council of North Carolina was proud to help out and be a part of this year's NC Green Industry Council’s Water Symposium held at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh.
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A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 7 Index of Advertisers Amick's Superstore 33 Benchmarkwww.amickssuperstore.comBuildingsandIrrigation 35 Burlinghamwww.BBandI.comSeeds 19 Buywww.burlinghamseeds.comSod,Inc. 7 Carolinawww.buysod.comGreenCorp........................................ 9 Carolinawww.cgcfields.comTurfFarms, Inc. 27 Divots,carolinaturffarms.comInc. 39 DMGwww.divotssand.comTurf,Inc................................................ 37 Greenwww.dmgturf.comResource Back Cover Kesmacwww.green-resource.com 21 Mid-Atlanticwww.brouwerkesmac.comSTIHL 17 Modernwww.stihldealers.comTurf,Inc. 9 Morganwww.modernturf.comSandCompany 24 Progressivemorgansandco.comTurfEquipment Inc. 13 Qualitywww.progressiveturfequip.comTurf,Inc. 25
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www.cgcfields.com A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 9 Matt Martin Extension Associate matthew_martin@ncsu.edu910.409.5899 Dr. Travis Gannon Assistant Professor travis_gannon@ncsu.edu919.515.2647 Emily Erickson Crop Science Lecturer emily_erickson@ncsu.edu919.513.2034 Dr. Susana Milla-Lewis Professor & University Faculty Scholar susana_milla-lewis@ncsu.919.280.3443edu Dr. Grady Miller Professor & Extension Specialist grady_miller@ncsu.edu919.515.5656 Dr. Charles Peacock Professor and Director of Crop Science charles_peacock@ncsu.edu919.906.1324 Dr. Rob Richardson Associate Professor & Extension Specialist rob_richardson@ncsu.edu919.515.5653 Dr. Thomas Rufty Distinguished Professor tom_rufty@ncsu.edu919.515.3660 Dr. Wei Shi Professor wei_shi@ncsu.edu919.513.4641 Dr. Fred Yelverton Professor & Extension Specialist fred_yelverton@ncsu.edu919.515.5639 CROP AND SOIL SCIENCES Dr. Danesha Seth Carley Director, Southern IPM Center & Associate Professor danesha_carley@ncsu.edu919.513.8189 Dr. Terri Billeisen Extension Associate tlhoctor@ncsu.edu919.515.7464 Dr. Rick Brandenburg Extension Leader rick_brandenburg@919.515.8876ncsu.edu Butler NC State DiagnosticsTurfLab ebutler@ncsu.edu919.513.3878 Dr. James Kerns Professor and Extension Specialist jpkerns@ncsu.edu919.513.4820 ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/people/HORTICULTUREPATHOLOGYSCIENCE NC State Turf Team
rt Bruneau, Emeritus Professor and Emeritus Faculty at North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) Crop and Soil Department has played an important role in the turfgrass industry for many years. Bruneau takes a look back on a long and distinguished career. The following answers have been slightly modified for brevity and clarity.
What is your educational background?
A
Unfortunately, Caroline passed away 13 months ago after a long and valiant fight against lung cancer. I miss her every day but know that she is in good hands and with Christ.
• Ph.D. in Horticulture (Turf Physiology) in 1983 from the University of Nebraska.
• Bachelors of Science degree in Plant & Soil Sciences in 1968 from the University of Rhode Island.
Tell me a little bit about how you got into the turfgrass industry and what made you pursue this career?
N.C. STATE’S
Looks Back on a Distinguished BRUNEAUARTCareer
Tell me a little bit about your family and personal life.
COVER STORY 10 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
• Masters of Science degree in Plant & Soil Sciences in 1970 from the University of Rhode Island.
My wife Caroline and I married 30 years ago. Her youngest daughter and my daughter were best friends growing up. Since we were widow and widower, the two decided we should get married…the real-life “Parent Trap” scenario! Thus, we became a blended family which included five girls and two boys. As a result, we expanded to include eight adorable grandchildren.
I had an unorthodox and circuitous beginning, to put it mildly. I was born and raised in downtown Providence, Rhode Island where the words agriculture, 4-H, FFA, extension service, etc. were never mentioned and never given a thought. The closest I came to being associated with agriculture when I was young was from watching a popular TV sitcom called Green Acres (a spoof on rural America). The other association was when my relatives bought fresh corn and tomatoes along the roadside.
I started college with the intention of majoring in physics, but along the way I decided to take an elective in a totally different direction and something I knew very little about…agriculture. I found out that I could become a landscape architect and since I loved to draw in pencil and charcoal and took a course in mechanical drawing in high school, it seemed like a natural fit. But as fate would have it, it was not until I took a turfgrass course that I really felt at home and knew it would become my chosen profession. I loved working on the turf plots as well. Being outside and getting a tan (a mixture of baby oil and iodine) was also a benefit. The darker, the better back then. I think the fact that my dad was an avid golfer may have had something to
I knew when I graduated that I wanted to take an extension position at a university. I truly enjoyed helping turf managers and homeowners solve problems in the field and to present them with the latest research that would make their job easier and help to protect the environment. It just so happens that the position of Turfgrass Extension Specialist and Assistant Profes sor at NCSU became available at the perfect time in 1983. I ap plied and was accepted. It was the best thing that ever happened in my career. Since I moved from Nebraska where the terrain is flat and the trees are sparse, I couldn’t believe I was being paid to be in that environment. Pine trees, dogwoods and azaleas in bloom, two hours from the beach and three or so hours from the mountains, it couldn’t get any better!
After receiving my BS, a turfgrass professor named Dr. C. Richard Skogley took me under his wing and allowed me to pursue an MS degree evaluating the morphological, cytological and anatomical features of ‘Jamestown’ Chewings fescue. This grass, developed by Dr. Skogley, had just been released for commercialization. Following graduation, I took a position with the O.M. Scotts Co. in Ohio in their R & D program specializing in grass brands development. (1971-1979). Working closely with turfgrass breeders Drs Terry Riordan and Virgil Meier, I was responsible for evaluating the new grasses being released to determine how best to use them in blends and mixtures and how best to establish and manage them once planted.
do with it as well. He had a swing like Sam Snead and could hit a wonderful draw. Unfortunately, I never received that gene!
In 1979, I was contacted by Dr. Terry Riordan and Dr. Bob Shearman about applying for the turfgrass extension specialist position at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. (Both had held positions at O.M. Scotts prior to taking faculty positions at UNL and knew my capabilities.) I told them that I would love to apply but only if I could pursue a doctorate degree. UNL agreed and it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life in so many ways. The fact that it was basically a lateral move, and I could take two courses for $6.00 a semester made it a nobrainer. The funding for the non-tenure position came from a USDA grant that was designed to promote IPM (Integrated Pest Management) measures in the urban environment. Since it was one of the first grants of its kind, the program received national
attention and recognition. I still can’t believe how much I learned and how much we accomplished over that four-year pe riod. I really can’t thank Dr. Shearman and the rest of the turf grass faculty and staff enough for all they did in support of me.
A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 11
I knew very little about the transition zone or the southeastern U.S. at that time but was quick to learn. Drs. Joe DiPaola, Bill Gilbert, Bill Lewis and Leon Lucas were very helpful in my transition. I truly believe that most goals are reached using the team approach. I am very proud of the fact that with the turfgrass workgroup we were able to create ‘Turffiles’, produce a number of publications such as the ‘Pest Control Recommen dation Guide’ and the ‘Turf Pest Management Manual’ as well as create the week-long short course.
I kept tabs on what was going on with NC SPA after my re tirement but didn’t think it was my place to be directly involved.
the start once I was in the classroom. I learned more than the students the first several years as I prepared and fine-tuned the material. Eventually, I ended up teaching three different classes including a weed management class designed for both turf and ornamental students as well as a seminar class. At one point in time, there were eight labs and over 130 students in class. I loved every minute of it because of the student interaction. It is very rewarding to know that I may have played a small part in the lives of so many individuals. I am proud to say that many of them became and still are leaders in the industry. I cherish those days and the many friends I made as a result.
I had the wonderful opportunity to work alongside Gene Maples and other Turf Council of North Carolina (TCNC) board members as NC SPA came into being back in the early 1990s. For those who are unaware, NC SPA is a nonprofit association dedicated to supporting the sod industry in North Carolina. Before the creation of NC SPA, I remember Fred Pittilo came to one of our NCSU winter horticulture seminars and after my presentation, he introduced himself. He was a dairy farmer and wanted to know what it would take to become a sod farmer. I provided him with some basic information and before I knew it, he had invited me to see his new fledgling now Turf Mountain Sod that spring. The rest is history.
How long have you taught at NC State? What made you return to teaching/come out of retirement? What has been the most rewarding thing from your time spent as an educator?
Cover Story | continued 12 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
When I retired in 2009, the NCSU turfgrass group asked me if I wouldn’t mind if they started a golf tournament in my name to raise monies for well-deserving students. I thought it was a great idea and I was glad that I could play a part. I refer to it as the ‘Art Bruneau Almost Memorial tournament’. Over $75,000 has been raised since its inception in support of turf undergraduates and graduate students. It was not held last year because of Covid but it will be held this fall, October 26. I hope many will come in support of our students.
My appointment at NCSU was 87% Extension and 13% teaching which initially included teaching 30 students in an introductory turfgrass course. I did not give teaching much thought when I accepted the position but found it most rewarding from
NCSU started a PGM (PGA Golf Management) Program about 20 years ago and they asked me to be involved. I developed and taught the turfgrass class in the PGM program for future golf professionals. I continued to teach the class on a contractual basis following my retirement. My goal was not to make them golf course superintendents but to give them an appreciation of what is involved in maintaining a golf course and why it was essential for them to work as a team with the superintendent. I also think it would be beneficial for turf students to become familiar with the responsibilities of golf course professionals as well and why they need to interact with the pro shop. The worst-case scenario is for a player to go into the clubhouse and ask “What are they doing on the course?” and the pro doesn’t have a clue.
I read online about an annual Dr. Art Bruneau Golf Tourna ment and Scholarship Fundraiser that’s been ongoing for over a decade now. What is this and is that something you still orchestrate annually?
You’ve been the Executive Director of the North Carolina Sod Producers Association (NC SPA) for 12 years now. What made you want to take the executive director job at NCSPA? Why is this organization important to you and to the industry?
Then in the spring of 2011, Fred Pitillo and Keaton Vandemark approached me about becoming Executive Director. I told them I was happy playing golf, but they were adamant that I should take the position. I mentioned it to Jenifer Reynolds and Emily Erickson, and they said I should take the plunge so I accepted the position on the condition that they would assist me in the process. And boy did they ever. It truly was and has been a team effort. Jenifer left for greener pastures but thankfully Emily has remained and is my rock and salvation.
I believe that the future is very bright for NC SPA since a certain portion of the royalties to be generated from Dr. Susana Milla-Lewis’s very successful breeding program will be annually dedicated to the continued operation and support of NC SPA. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to come to North Carolina and be part of NCSU and NC SPA. As I men tioned, any success and accomplishments attributed to me are a result of the interactions and support from so many wonderful people such as my work family…the members of NC SPA.
Sod Solutions has helped successfully develop and release to the market over 20 different turfgrass varieties over the past 28 years including Palmetto® and CitraBlue® St. Augustine, EM PIRE® and Innovation™ Zoysia and Celebration®, Latitude 36® and NorthBridge® Bermudagrass. The company is based in the Charleston, SC area.
This article was written by Sod Solutions Media & Content Man ager, Cecilia Brown. For media inquiries or hi-resolution photos, email cecilia@sodsolutions.com.
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A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 13
I always considered NC SPA to be comprised of members who I consider family. It is hard to believe that we are now third-generation family members! I am honored and proud to be part of the family. Any success that we have achieved over the last 12 years has been made possible through the team effort of so many growers who have taken the time to become board members. It is only through their efforts as well as the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Marketing Division that we were able to obtain five USDA Specialty Crop Block Grants. These funds have been instrumental in allowing NC SPA to revise and expand its website and to market sod via PSA an nouncements and social media. It appears that our programs have increased market demand and we hope that our members are pleased with our efforts.
MOREIt was great to see so many faces at this year’s NCSU Turfgrass Field Day! SNAPSHOTS
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TCNC Members, industry experts, educators and students and vendors from across the state gathered on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at the Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Research Lab in Raleigh, NC. With more than two million acres of turfgrass grown in North Carolina, this annual event is a great way to learn about the latest research and connect with peers. Participants had an opportunity to view and learn about NC State’s Turfgrass Program and the ongoing research trials. NC State’s faculty and staff and other professionals were on hand to answer questions an provide insight into trends within the industry. Topics discussed included: INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT CULTURAL PRACTICES IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES AQUATIC WEED MANAGEMENT MOSQUITO MANAGEMENT in the LANDSCAPE WEED CONTROL and FROM FIELD DAY
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Feature 14 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
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TURFGRASSNCSU2022FIELDDAY
Additionally, attendees were able to obtain CEUs towards their NCDA & CS Pesticide Credits: A, B, D, L, N and X, as well as GCSAA Educational Points.
“Attending Field Day was a great opportunity to learn about the industry and meet people. It opened our eyes as to just how much opportunity there is and how much there is to learn.”
Ethan Botts, Wake Tech Community College & Camden Schiavone, East Carolina University TCNC Student Members
SNAPSHOTS FROM FIELD DAY
Feature | continued
Thanks to the ongoing partnership between the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina and North Carolina State Univer sity, TCNC members were able to attend the event for a dis counted fee of only $5.00. This included a delicious lunch from Parkers BBQ in Greenville, NC! TCNC Members saved $65.00.
16 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
On behalf of everyone at TCNC, we would like to extend a special thanks to the entire team at NC State for coordinating a successful day!
• There was a 23% increase in growers reporting that they grew proprietary grasses and a 4% increase in certified sod growers.
18 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
• The supply of zoysiagrass is expected to be worse in 2022 compared to 2021, with 67% of the producers expecting shortages.
• Production acreage was projected to increase in 2022.
• Total sod sales were reported to be 20% higher than the previous year.
• There was an 8% reduction in the average number of full-time employees per producer.
• No shortages for tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass sod were predicted for 2022.
In
Overview
• Prices have increased for all the turfgrass species, and pro ducers expect additional increases in 2022. Tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass had the biggest price increases (24%) from 2021. The warm-season species, bermudagrass had a 23% price increase and zoysiagrass had a 16% increase.
FEATURE
in NORTH CAROLINA for NORTH PRODUCERS’TURFRESOURCESCAROLINASODPART22022REPORT
• The supply of bermudagrass sod is similar to 2021, with most suppliers reporting adequate supplies for their expected de mand in 2022. There may be some shortages.
• The primary market for North Carolina sod producers continues to be landscape contractors, comprising 74% of sod sales.
March 2022, North Carolina State University conducted the seventh annual survey to examine the inventory and pricing of North Carolina sod.
In
By Grady Miller Professor, Turfgrass Management Crop and Soil Sciences North Carolina State University this series, we’re highlighting the resources that help turfgrass professionals work efficiently and respond quickly to the challenges of turf management.
• Half the producers expected shortages in St. Augustinegrass in 2022, and one-third predicted shortages of centipedegrass sod.
www.ntep.orgFor test results check www.burlinghamseeds.com
*Delivered to either closest urban market or within 100 miles of the farm
Six (27%) of the surveyed producers are growing St. Augustinegrass. Fifty-percent of these growers reported adequate inventory, but 50% anticipated a shortage during 2022.
Table 1 provides sod prices for all grass species in 2022. Prices shown include purchased on-the farm and delivered.
St. Augustinegrass (6) $0.48 $0.52
Zoysiagrass is being grown by 15 (68%) of the surveyed producers, which made it the second most popular turfgrass species grown by North Carolina sod producers. Thirty-three percent of these producers rated their inventory as adequate this year, although no producer indicated that it was excellent. For 2022, 67% of all zoysiagrass producers projected shortages, which was similar to 2021 estimates. Over the last six years, the percentage of producers reporting good inventory levels peaked in 2019 and has declined since then (Figure 1).
Tall fescue + Kentucky bluegrass (6) $0.42 $0.46 Kentucky bluegrass (2) $0.45 $0.51
20 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
Pricing
Twenty-two producers who represent the following farm sizes completed the anonymous online survey:
• Under 200 acres (nine participants)
Centipedegrass (13) $0.30 $0.34
Of the producers surveyed, 13 (59%) are growing centipedegrass. Fifty-four percent of these growers reported that they had adequate to excellent inventory. Thirty-one percent of all centi pedegrass growers anticipate a shortage during 2022.
Two producers surveyed (9%) reported growing Kentucky bluegrass. Of the two who responded to this survey, one anticipated an adequate supply during 2022, while one anticipated a shortage.
Pricing information included the farm price as well as the price for truckload orders delivered to the closest urban market or within 100 miles of the farms. All costs were reported as price per square foot of sod.
The North Carolina Sod Producers Association (NCSPA) re cords suggest that the number of completed surveys represents about 52% of the sod farms in North Carolina. The number of farms with the respective farm sizes suggests that the survey rep resents the majority of the sod production acreage in the state.
FIGURE 1. Percentage of bermudagrass, tall fescue, and zoysiagrass producers reporting adequate to excellent supply for the past six years.
• 501 to 800 acres (four participants)
Bermudagrass is being grown by 19 (86%) of the surveyed producers. This is currently the most popular turfgrass species grown by North Carolina sod producers. Fifty-eight percent of these producers rated their inventory as adequate this year, and 10% indicated that their inventory was excellent. More than 50% of producers projected inventory levels of bermudagrass as good during the last six years (Figure 1).
Inventories
Bermudagrass (19) $0.37 $0.38
TABLE 1. Sod price averages per square foot in 2022.
Eight (36%) of the producers are growing tall fescue. Seventyfive percent estimated that they would have adequate to excellent inventory, and 25% anticipated a shortage for 2022. For the last five years, more than 70% of producers reported good inventory levels of tall fescue (Figure 1).
Turfgrass (# of growers responding) On-the-farm Delivered*
We obtained inventory estimates for bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, tall fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass, as well as a tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass mix. These estimates were based on estimated sales and the availabil ity of sod that is excellent (more than 10% of demand), adequate (equal to demand), or poor (more than 10% shortage).
The average price per square foot was $0.37 for a truckload of bermudagrass sod at the farm and $0.38 delivered to the closest urban market or within 100 miles of the farm. The farm price ranged from $0.23 to $0.47, while delivered prices ranged from $0.29 to $0.54. The average on-farm prices for bermudagrass increased by 7 cents per square foot compared to 2021, which was a 23% increase.
Feature | continued
• Greater than 800 acres (three participants)
A mixture of tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass is being grown by 6 (27%) of the surveyed producers. Sixty-seven percent of these producers rated their inventory as adequate to excellent this year and 33% anticipated shortages.
Survey Details
Zoysiagrass (15) $0.52 $0.54
• 201 to 500 acres (six participants)
Tall Fescue (7) $0.41 $0.44
• Tall fescue – 71% expect price increases, 29% expect prices to remain steady, none expect prices to decrease
Figure 2 provides a six-year perspective of sod prices that shows fluctuations of particular species since 2017. The data represent the average price. The percentage change reported for each grass compared to the previous year was: bermudagrass, 23%; zoysiagrass, 16%; centipedegrass, 3%; St. Augustinegrass, 7%; tall fescue, 24%; tall fescue + Kentucky bluegrass, 20%; and Kentucky bluegrass, -2%. There were consistent price increases across all the major turfgrasses grown in North Carolina. Kentucky bluegrass prices were stable, although only two sod growers reported sales of this grass.
St. Augustinegrass prices in 2022 ranged from $0.43 to $0.52 per square foot and averaged $0.48. The price, when delivered, ranged from $0.46 to $0.59 and averaged $0.52. St. Augustine on-farm prices in 2022 were 7% higher than in 2021.
• Bermudagrass – 78% expect price increases, 22% expect prices to remain steady, none expect prices to decrease
Freight
• Tall fescue + Kentucky bluegrass – 29% expect price increases, 71% expect prices to remain steady, none expect prices to decrease
• St. Augustinegrass – 60% expect price increases, 40% expect prices to remain steady, none expect prices to decrease
• Centipedegrass – 92% expect price increases, 8% expect prices to remain steady, none expect prices to decrease
Zoysiagrass on-farm prices in 2022 ranged from $0.37 to $0.70 per square foot, and averaged $0.52 per square foot. This was the highest value turfgrass sold by North Carolina growers. The average price delivered to an urban market or within 100 miles of the farm was $0.54 and ranged from $0.36 to $0.77. The aver age on-farm price of zoysiagrass increased by 16% from 2021.
Centipedegrass prices in 2021 ranged from $0.19 to $0.42 per square foot and averaged $0.30. The price, when delivered, ranged from $0.22 to $0.42 and averaged $0.34. The average onfarm prices for centipedegrass increased 3% from 2021.
Projected Price Increases
Feature | continued 22 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
Delivery charges were based on a flat rate for 54% of respon dents and a per mile basis for 46%. Freight rates per mile shipped to the closest urban market ranged from $4.00 to $7.00 per mile and averaged $4.61 per mile, which was a 9.8% increase from the previous year. Six sod farms reported flat freight rates of $175 to $300 per shipment with a mean of $215, although these rates could vary depending on other factors such as distance from farm. Fifty-four percent of the respondents indicated that freight prices are included in the price quotes to customers, while 46% invoiced the freight charges separately.
In 2022, 50% of the growers surveyed grew some certified sod. This was a 4% increase from 2021. The average amount of certified grass reported by these farmers was 59% of their total sod acreage. Forty-four percent of these producers charged higher prices for certified grass—$0.02 to $0.04 more per square foot.
Most of the growers in the survey forecasted increased sod prices in 2022. A few producers predict steady prices for particu lar grasses. The percentages of producers with expectations for price changes in each grass were:
Proprietary Grass
In 2022, 59% of the surveyed growers reported that they grew some proprietary grasses on their farm. This is a 23% increase from 2021. The average percentage of their grasses that were proprietary was 30% with a reported range from 1% to 82%.
• Kentucky bluegrass – 100% expect prices to remain steady.
• Zoysiagrass – 79% expect price increases, 21% expect prices to remain steady, none expect prices to decrease
Kentucky bluegrass sod prices reported in 2022 were $0.45 per square foot by both sod farms. The price, when delivered, ranged from $0.49 to $0.52 and averaged $0.51. This is a 2% decrease in the on-farm price compared to 2021.
The mix of tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass sod prices in 2022 ranged from $0.36 to $0.45 per square foot and averaged $0.42. The price, when delivered, ranged from $0.36 to $0.56 and averaged $0.44. The on-farm prices increased by 20% compared to 2021.
Tall fescue prices in 2022 ranged from $0.27 to $0.56 per square foot and averaged $0.41. The price, when delivered, ranged from $0.36 to $0.56 and averaged $0.44. The average onfarm price of tall fescue in 2022 increased 24% from 2021.
Certified Grass
FIGURE 2. Historical perspective of average sod prices in North Carolina, 2017 to 2022.
No respondents charge an unloading fee. Eighty-six percent of respondents make additional drops on loads. The low-end charge for additional drops on a load was $25, the high-end charge was $150, and the average cost for additional drops was $70. Several respondents reported that the charge depended on the distance between drops, and that charges can be divided between buyers. Some also added a minimum drop fee (such as $25) plus a mileage rate (for instance $4.00 per mile).
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A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 23
Feature | continued 24 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022 Industry Segment Rank Average (%)* Landscape contractors 1 74.0 Homeowners 2 8.9 Sports/athletics 3 6.4 Golf courses 4 5.9 Retail garden centers 5 2.5 Brokers 6 2.3 *Average percent of total sales. TABLE 2. Ranking of Industry Segments for Sale of Turfgrass in 2022.
When asked how often producers adjust their sale prices, 55% indi cated that they adjust their prices yearly, while 45% make adjustments as needed. No producers adjust their prices quarterly or monthly.
Fourteen percent of respondents added a fuel surcharge. Relative fuel prices each year seem to influence this practice.
Twenty-seven percent of respondents charged a convenience fee for credit card purchases. This is an 8% increase compared to 2021.
Table 2 shows the industry segments where sod is sold. The producers estimated that landscape contractors constituted the largest segment with 74% of their sales. The next highest group was homeowners at 8.9%, fol lowed by sports/athletics and golf courses with 6.4% and 5.9%, respec tively. Retail garden centers were 2.5% and brokers 2.3%. The largest changes compared to previous years were the 19% increase in landscape contractor sales, the 44% decrease in direct homeowner sales, and the 22% decrease in sales to golf courses.
ChangesPrice
Credit ConvenienceCardFee
SurchargeFuel
Acreage in Production
Sales by Industry Segments
A total of 9% indicated that they re duced sod production acreage during 2021. The average decrease was 6%. No producer expected to reduce pro duction in 2022. One hundred percent of the growers indicated that they had increased acres during the previous three years. The average percentage of increase in acreage was 26%. The per centage of respondents who expected to increase production acreage in 2022 was 19% greater than in 2021.
Total sod sales for the 20 operations that reported data ranged from $85,000 to $6 million. The average sod sales were $1.648 million (a 20% increase from the previous year’s values). Total sod sales reported were $32,968,466. Eighty-two percent of the producers indicated their sales increased in 2021, 5% had a decrease, and 13% reported sales remained the same.
AG-809 Publication date: May 2022
Total Sod Sales
The average number of full-time employees at these sod production operations was 12, which represents an 8% decrease from 2021. Of the 22 operations that responded, the num ber of full-time employees ranged from 2 to 75. The average number of seasonal employees ranged from zero to 20, with an average of 3, which is a same as 2021.
The last year saw the third consecu tive year of growth in the sod indus try after several years of reducing acreage due to poor sod sales. In all species but one, there were increases in sod prices, with most having moderate increases. The primary lawn grasses (tall fescue, bermudagrass, and zoysiagrass) had price increases from 16% to 24%. New home construction remained strong in 2021 and into 2022, which drove high demand. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the supply chain and trucking. A strong house con struction market will continue to provide a great need for North Caro lina sod in 2022, which is important since the bulk of sod sales (74%) are now to landscape contractors. The total acreage of sod appears steady with a small amount of growth. Shortages of warm-season grasses, especially bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and St. Augustinegrass, are projected in 2022. Most producers expect sod prices to increase in 2022.
A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 25
Several questions about the number of employees and sod sales were added to this year’s survey. These data were collected as a requirement for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services grant that was awarded to NCSPA.
Summary
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Employees
“We set out to develop something that would beat Raleigh and it’s exciting that it outperforms it in so many different ways,”
REACHING OBJECTIVES
Pictured are Will Neisler of Oakland Plantation Turf Farm, Christian Broucqsault and Tobey Wagner of Sod Solutions, NC State Turfgrass Breeder Dr. Susana Milla-Lewis, Alfred Wooten of Quality Turf and John Williams of Oakland Plantation Turf Farm
The objective of the breeding program was to release an improved St. Augustinegrass cultivar better than Raleigh St. Augustine.“When the turfgrass breeding program was established in 2009, Raleigh was the only turfgrass cultivar NC State had re leased going back to the early 1980s. And despite it being old, it was still an important commercial cultivar that is widely grown” Milla-Lewis shared.
NC State University
Sola is the second cultivar to be released from Milla-Lewis' breeding program within the past year. Lobo™ Zoysiagrass was released in November 2021. Select NC sod producers, turfgrass research, development and marketing company Sod Solutions and the North Carolina Sod Producers Association (NC SPA) helped support the development of these grasses by teaming up to form Turf Research North Carolina (TRNC) in 2016. Growers made financial contributions over a six-year period to fund the research and development of Lobo, Sola, and other turfgrasses yet to come out of the program. All NC SPA participating growers contributing to the program will have exclusive access to the grasses when they are released. Sola St. Augustine will be exclusively licensed through Sod Solutions for commercial production and marketing.
Sola follows in the footsteps of long-standing cultivar Raleigh St. Augustinegrass from NC State, and adds several improvements including aggressive growth, shade tolerance, drought tolerance and superior sod strength in combination with turf quality. While the new line is comparable to Raleigh in terms of cold tolerance, it possesses a better pest resistance package, with better tolerance to chinch bugs and gray leaf spot.
orth Carolina State University’s Turfgrass Breed ing and Genetics program, under the direction of Dr. Susana Milla-Lewis, has released Sola™ St. Augustinegrass (experimental name XSA 11377). The grass, which has been evaluated over the past 11 years, had its much-anticipated name revealed at NC State’s 2022 Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Field Day held on August 10, before hundreds of turfgrass industry and landscape professionals.
FEATURE 26 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
SOLAReleases
She said that Sola is comparable to Raleigh in cold hardiness but has many characteristics in which it outperforms Raleigh, Palmetto and other St. Augustinegrass cultivars such as turf quality and density, shade tolerance, disease resistance, drought tolerance, aggressive growth and exceptional recovery.
2022 Lake Wheeler Field Day-Sola intro
“This is an exciting day for everyone involved in the research and development of this new St. Augustinegrass cultivar. I am hopeful both growers and consumers appreciate Sola for its many improved characteristics and overall turf quality,” Milla-Lewis said.
™ the Newest
“This is a monumental day for the turfgrass industry. Dr. Milla-Lewis and her team have put in years of research and hard work towards this new St. Augustinegrass cultivar. We are thrilled to be a part of this process and cannot wait to see the success of Sola in the marketplace for years to come,” said Sod Solutions President Tobey Wagner.
N St. Augustinegrass
QUALITY
Milla-Lewis anticipates the southern portion of the transition zone corridor will be one of the first areas where Sola will expand. She is eager to observe if this new cultivar will replace older St. Augustinegrasses throughout these regions over time.
All claims based on research results from National websiteState(NTEP)EvaluationTurfgrassProgramtrials&OklahomaUniversity.Visitourforfullreports.
Milla-Lewis reflected on her first presentations to the NC SPA back in 2009 and how the sod producers kept their faith in her as a new turf grass breeder. “For the past 12 years, through many meetings and field days, I would show the program's progress and promise something would come out of our work. Now here we are, with two new cultivars released,” she said. “They have been so supportive and incredibly patient. I am incredibly thankful to the NC SPA growers and the TRNC.”
Southern Hills Country Club, Oklahoma (collars)
Use less water. Takes 18% less water than TifTuf.
Plant Tahoma 31 further north for a strong base in the winter that fights wilt in the sumner.
COLD
See Tahoma 31 in the Transition Zone for yourself at:
A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 27
Sola St. Augustine will have limited commercial availability by late Summer 2024. For more information follow Sod Solutions on social media or visit www.sodsolutions.com. RELATED VIDEO: https://youtu.be/B6ht8BU3g5k Sod Solutions has helped successfully develop and release to the market over 20 different turfgrass varieties over the past 28 years including Palmetto ® and CitraBlue ® St. Augustine, EMPIRE ® and Innovation ® Zoysia and Celebration ® , Latitude 36 ® and NorthBridge ® Bermudagrass. The company is based in the Charleston, SC area.
Developed by the turfgrass experts at Oklahoma State University, Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass pushes the geographic boundaries of bermudagrass into the northernmost reaches of the Transition Zone. Highly cold tolerant, the name “Tahoma” comes from the Native American word that means “frozen water.”
Up next for NC State’s Turfgrass Breeding and Genetics program will be a new centipedegrass cultivar. Promising lines are currently in the last stages of testing in on-farm trials at Mackilwean Turf Farm, Quality Turf and at the Lake Wheeler Turf grass Field Laboratory. Following an improved centipede cultivar, MillaLewis anticipates promising lines of St. Augustinegrasses, Zoysiagrasses and possibly fescues will be released from the program. But for now, the release and expansion of Sola is a top priority.
Blue-green most of the year. Golden in dormancy. Earliest green-up for spring color.
PLAYABILITY
DROUGHT
Got trees? Handles up to 63% shade.
Use Tahoma 31 to design golf courses that are beautiful, sustainable, easier to maintain and play great.
Your New Go-To Grass
CAROLINA TURF FARMS PO Box 850, Raeford, NC 28376 carolinaturffarms.comncsodman@carolinaturffarms.com910-875-6141
Thick, dense turf. ¼ to ½-inch mowing height for tees, fairways.
Brook Hollow Golf Club, Dallas, TX (fairways, tees, roughs)
Milla-Lewis said. “As the breeder, one thing I’m most excited about is that I think this grass is going to make producers very happy because it is very aggressive to establish and regrow, and the sod quality is great.”
COLOR
Rated #1 for beauty and divotsHealsresilience.fastfrom&wear.
SHADE
Chillicothe Country Club, Ohio Liberty(fairways)National Golf Club, New Jersey (driving range tee)
Naval Academy Golf Club, Maryland (fairways, Congressionaltees) Country Club, Maryland (8-acre driving range)
urf consists of a layer of various plants cultivated to form a uniform ground cover, typically one that can tolerate foot traffic and routine mowing. The first known use of the word turf occurs before the 12th century and refers to the “upper stratum of soil bound by grass” (Merriam-Webster, 2022). Objectively, turf only exists in human-maintained systems; however, the species comprising various turf scenarios long predate human interference.
TFIGURE
1. Turfgrasses, such as the Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass) and perennial ryegrass pictured here, evolved under frequent grazing.
FIGURE 2. A traditional hay meadow where human interaction has selected for a complex ecosystem of grasses and forbs that can persist with very few inputs.
OF ORIGINSTURFGRASS
Those turfgrass species most frequently selected for turf scenarios have been subject to environmental pressures (notably, frequent grazing) that have selected for traits that enhance their value as turfgrasses. Valuable traits include color, texture, uniformity, growth habit, and durability under stress. Plant breeding, the introduction of non-native and exotic species, and recurrent selection for desirable traits have led to modern cultivars and varieties of turfgrass that predominate in maintained turf settings such as lawns, sports fields, golf courses, sod farms, and roadside rights-of-way.
Feature 28 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
The monocotyledonous (monocot) clade includes grasses and grass-like flowering plants with seeds that contain only one embryonic leaf (also known as a “cotyledon”). Monocots offer few obvious advantages for turf applications, as other flowering plants in the dicotyledonous clade (having two embryonic leaves) also persist under typical mowing heights as weeds or amenity forbs within various turf scenarios.
Turfgrasses are typically narrow-leaved species of relatively short stature that are somewhat regularly mown at heights of approximately four inches or less (Thompson and Kao-Kniffin, 2017). By convention, all grasses, including turfgrasses, belong to the Poaceae family of monocotyledonous flowering plants.
By Jay McCurdy Ph.D., Associate Professor, Turfgrass Extension Specialist Department of Plant & Soil Sciences • Mississippi State University
This is the first article of a multi-part series detailing the origins and future of turfgrass.
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Plants with the C4 pathway have improved metabolism and a competitive advantage over C3 plants under conditions of drought, high temperatures, and limited nitrogen or CO2
Feature | continued 30 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
NOT JUST GRASS
Cold Winter Humid Zone Mild Winter Humid Zone Hot Summer Arid Zone Cold Winter Arid Zone Hot Summer Humid Zone Transition SemitropicalZoneZone
FIGURE 3. Lawngrass zones of the United States (Freeze, 2022). Photo Credit: Tim Freeze, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Cool-season species have evolved a C 3 photosynthetic pathway for carbon fixation. They use an enzyme (called RuBisCO) to fix CO2. That carbon from CO2 forms a threecarbon sugar and then goes on to fuel plant growth and metabolism. Alternatively, warm-season species have evolved a C4 photosynthetic pathway that produces a four-carbon sugar.
Turfgrasses are broadly classified as cool- or warm-season plants. Cool-season species are the predominant turfgrass species in climates with cold winters and mild summers, as well as adequate soil moisture. Warm-season species predominate in climates with mild winters and hot summers. The overlapping area between the two is termed the transition zone, where cooland warm-season species grow equally successfully.
Cool- and warm-season species have different optimal temperatures for growth and metabolism. Warm-season species grow best when temperatures are above approximately 80°F and enter dormancy below their “base growth temperature” of around 50°F. Alternatively, cool-season species grow best when temperatures range from 60–75°F. Cool-season species enter a state of winter dormancy at temperatures below freezing and are often considered dormant during summer conditions that exceed their ideal growing temperatures, especially when soil moisture is limited. Growth models to predict the suitability and phenology of these species are largely based upon these parameters and estimates.
Lawngrass Zones of the United States
Blue ChlorpyrifosChelatedColorant5%Iron2.5% G Chlorpyrifos Mole Mole Cricket Bait MethylatedLatronDefoamerB–1956Seed Oil Snail Bait Soil Acidifier Soil Wetting Agent Soluble 10–30–20 Soluble 30–7–14 Soluble 12–0–0–6%TweakTurfTankHerbicidesSurfactantSpreader20–20–20StickerforCleanerGreeniron MilorganiteMillikenLebanonTurfGowanFMCCortevaCertisBioworksBioSafeBayerBASFAquatrolsAndersonsAMVACSystemsAgriscience YaraUPLSyngentaSunnilandSoloSipcamSePRORightlineQuali-ProPBIOldOHPNufarmCastle/GordonAgro Kieth Utt — West Central Florida (941) 809–1853 Jim Wells — West Central Florida (941) 720–2712 Bruce Bach — Southwest Florida (239) 989–9947 Roger Welker — East Coast Florida .............. (772) 260–0282 Kevin Downing — South Florida (561) 427–4501 Andrew Wampler — Western Carolinas (828) 674–2594 Bo Miller — Central North Carolina................ (704) 560–1852 Brandon Hicks — Central North Carolina (336) 906-0803 GOLF COURSE SALES STAFF MANUFACTURERS OF… DISTRIBUTORS FOR… FREE DELIVERY AVAILABLE www. SOUTHERNAG .comBoone, NC (828) Hendersonville,264-8843NC(828)692-2233Palmetto,FL(941)722-3285 Southern Agricultural Insecticides, Inc. is a distributor of pesticides, fertilizers, potting soils, and horticultural supplies with locations in Florida and North Carolina.
A lawn is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses or forbs that are maintained at a short height by mowing or grazing. Lawns may be situated in residential areas or commercial or shared public spaces. The word lawn originates from an ancient Celtic language, possibly Welsh. The Welsh word llan (pronounced ɬan, where ɬ has a slight sh sound), which is often used in compound words to describe a local place named for a saint, such as Llanbedr or St. Peter, has come to mean a cleared or enclosed area of land—perhaps around a church, business, or settlement. The common Brittonic word llan or laun came to mean an enclosure, most likely around a place of worship. Early lawns would have been used for communal gatherings and possibly grazing, although the area would have been distinct from agricultural fields. Lawns would have been composed of mixed grasses and forbs that were endemic to the area.
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Lawns are frequently attributed to European origins, but their purposes (e.g., communal gatherings, periodic grazing, aesthetics, etc.) and the ingredients to manage them (low-growing species and a suitable environment) have often coincided throughout global human history. For at least many thousands of years, humans have felled trees, grazed, and gardened their immediate surroundings. This behavior partly arose from the advent of agriculture, but also serves for defense—modern gardeners can easily relate to the struggle to keep deer or rabbits from ravaging gardens. An aesthetic preference for stately grounds certainly would have developed, but could only occur when safety, time, and labor were available. Grazing would have prevented cleared land from reverting to forest, and other, previously intangible benefits of a cultivated lawn would have been noticed.
32 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
There are approximately 40 million acres of turfgrass in the United States (2% of the total U.S. land cover) (Milesi et al. 2005). Several estimates suggest that residential lawns represent roughly 75% of U.S. cultivated turf (an area of approximately 30 million acres) (Roberts and Roberts, 1987; Vinlove and Torla, 1994).
Though they may not fit neatly within the contemporary definition of a lawn, early examples of maintained open spaces as “yards” or “lawns” are fairly commonplace the world over. They include examples like the plaza between mounds at the Cahokia complex in Illinois, where the stick-and-ball sport chunkey was played 900 years ago, and Japanese gardens that incorporated manicured grasses, mosses, and even trimmed bamboo. While not unique to Europe, most scholars agree that the modern American lawn aesthetic owes much to European origins.
FIGURE 4. A reconstructed Anglo-Saxon lodging. Lawns would have been places for work, gathering, and grazing.
EARLY LAWNS
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34 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
FIGURE 5. Turfgrass has transformed the aesthetic and ecology of the U.S. suburban landscape.
Lawns existed in Europe from the Middle Ages (in the 5th through the 15th century) onward. They were rudimentary by contemporary standards, with very practical purposes—line-ofsight for defense and communication, ease of movement, production of grain crops and vegetables, grazing, and fire prevention. Those early lawns must also have created vistas and an aesthetic that evolved with European civilization.
During the late 18th century, wealthy families of the Americas began maintaining lawns. In 1780, a Shaker community near Philadelphia began commercializing lawn seed. Thomas Jefferson is credited with the first English-style garden in the United States, circa 1806.
MOWING LEADS TO MODERN LAWNS
landscape. In some instances, they used lines and texture to deceive the eye—employing concepts like false horizons using “ha-ha walls” or cleared land that sloped uphill and decreased in width as it reached a ridge.
Before the advent of mechanical mowers, manicured turfgrass required animal grazing or human-powered scythes. The term “mower” dates to the 14th century, referring to one who cuts grass with a scythe. The term may have multiple origins—Old English mawan and the Greek term amao both mean “to reap a crop.” In 1830, Edward Beard Budding based his mowing machine on a cloth-cutting cylinder used to trim the irregular nap of wool cloth. Thus, modern mowing equipment was born.
The European lawn of the 17th and 18th centuries was a demonstration of wealth and power at some of the continent’s finest estates. The palace of Versailles’s tapis vert or green carpet—one of Europe’s first and finest garden lawns—was expanded by André Le Nôtre to two acres in the 1660s. A century later, the lawn had been cemented as an exemplar of Western Europe’s idealized built landscape. The architect Capability Brown refined the English lawn with natural or “romantic” estate settings for wealthy clientele. His landscapes featured smooth, undulating lawns running from “house to horizon,” sometimes with dammed rivers or creeks, serpentine lakes, clumps of vegetation and scatterings of trees, and a visible horizon line. These gardens often used grazed grass lawns or pastures to supplement the perception of scale within the
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The Victorian era’s penchant for sport spurred revolu tionary new mower designs to maintain sporting venues for golf, football, lawn bowls, lawn tennis, and cricket. In fact, the term “lawn-tennis” was coined in the 1880s.
FIGURE 8. 1920s and ’30s-era walking mowers on display.
FIGURE 7. A horse drawn reel mower.
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C.D., Dietz, J.B., Tuttle, B.T., & Nemani, R.R. (2005). Mapping and modeling the biogeochemical cycling of turf grasses in the United States. Environmental Man agement. 36(3), 426-38.
36 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
FIGURE 6. An early push propelled mower with an eight-inch blade width.
The ability to mow large areas without tending livestock or toiling over a scythe revolutionized the grounds maintenance industry and sparked a revolution in landscape design. Modern lawns look far different from their early predecessors. Lawns have been a mainstay of the U.S. built environment since the mid-20th century, during which large tracts of land were converted into suburban housing, recreational areas, and commercial real estate. This trend, spurred by population growth, technological advancements, and other socioeconomic factors, led to a reliance on turfgrass as a ground cover for newly constructed outdoor spaces.
This is to say almost nothing of the parallel and synergistic developments of the golf industry, which we will explore in a future article. It also says little about the historical changes in schools of thought regarding urban infrastructure and the development of parks and neighborhoods that were spurred by successive waves of soldiers returning from overseas wars, the effects of the Spanish flu pandemic and city dwellers’ migration to the suburbs, or Depression-era spending on public projects that transformed the U.S. landscape and natural spaces in ways that are evident to this day.
Mowing is the most common practice performed on maintained turfgrass and is by most accounts the most important and defining maintenance operation. The obvious purpose of mowing is to reduce the height of the turf, but it also serves other purposes, including the control of undesirable vegetation (i.e., weeds) and the production of a desirable sports surface (e.g., a “true” putting surface or a target surface firmness).
Roberts, E.C., and Roberts, B.C. (1987). Lawn and Sports Turf Benefits. Pleasant Hill, TN: The Lawn Institute. 31.
In a future article, we will explore the concepts of landscape sustainability and “future-proofing” for the modern turfgrass economy. In much of the U.S. and around the world, rooftops, parking lots, busy city streets, and home lawns are replacing natural habitats. These systems have, for better and worse, changed how we interact with, build, and perceive our environment. Turf is just one result of these changes.
Thompson, G. L., & Kao-Kniffin, J. (2017). Applying biodiversity and ecosystem function theory to turfgrass management. Crop Science, 57(S1), S-238.
Vinlove, F. K., & Torla, R. F. (1994). Comparative estimations of US home lawn area. Journal of Turfgrass Management, 1(1), 83-97.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Turf. In Merriam-Webster.com dic tionary. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.merriamMilesi,webster.com/dictionary/turfC.,Running,S.W.,Elvidge,
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 38 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022 TheTurfZone.com is the central hub for turfgrass research and information from multiple state turf associations.DOZENSofUpcomingEvents368 Podcasts and Many More to Come! 165 ISSUES of Turfgrasssales@leadingedgecommunications.comMagazines555,000+AnnualDigitalPageViewsfacebook.com/theturfzonetwitter.com/theturfzone888–707-7141ContactustodaytolearnabouteffectiveanduniqueTurfZonemarketingstrategiesthattargetturfindustryprofessionals. iring workers continues to get harder and harder. The latest jobs report shows that rather than in terest rate hikes slowing the economy as anticipated, jobs continue to be added at a furious pace. Unemployment remains historically low at 5.7 million people unemployed and there are more than 10.5 million jobs in the United States that remain unfilled. As a result, competition for workers is fierce, driving millions of people to quit their jobs each month in search of greener pastures and more money. LEVERAGINGH UNTAPPED TALENT POOLS
By Neal Glatt, Managing Partner, GrowTheBench • Email: Neal@GrowTheBench.com • GrowTheBench.com
programs may have to be revamped and expanded to include both more hard-skills and soft-skills. Company hiring policies could have to be adjusted to screen applicants less harshly based on experience or background checks. Perhaps transportation must be provided to and from jobsites.
Many organizations are simply giving up by cutting back sales to accommodate a shrinking workforce. The problem with this strategy is that when the next economic recession affects their market (which may be very soon) they may not be able to survive. The larger a quality customer base, the better the ability to withstand economic hardship.
The Turfgrass Council of North Carolina (TCNC) serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and repre sentation. The statements and opinions ex pressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, North Carolina Turf grass, or its editors. Likewise, the appear ance of advertisers, or TCNC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this bimonthly publication. Copyright © 2022 by the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina. North Carolina Turfgrass is published bi-monthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to mem bers of TCNC. Presorted standard post age is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: North Carolina Turfgrass allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to TCNC. We are not responsible for unsolicited free lance manuscripts and photographs. Con tact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communica tions, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, 615.790.3718, Fax 615.794.4524.
A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 39
DIGITAL MARKETPLACE • Scan the QR Code to learn more about this company.
So how can a team recruit new people to join to capitalize on the current market when the war for talent is so fierce? The same way that we win customers by specializing in a niche market. Rather than compete for every customer available to be serviced, companies increase profit by only working with those who meet specific criteria, so competition is lessened.
But when it comes to hiring, there is little thought given to the various talent pools from which we can recruit. One example of an untapped talent pool is recruiting employees who were former ly incarcerated. The Prison Policy Institute recently reported that more than 60% of people released from prison are currently job less. If a company could specifically target this group to recruit and retain, they would have a tremendous and reliable source of labor.
Yet we have this incredible gift in the green industry where these accommodations can be made. Our customers rarely if ever interact with our front-line employees, so appearance and professionalism are not issues. Working outside means that there is usually no sensitive or secure facility requirements for which a clean background check would be required. And we can leverage this fact to help individuals who desperately need a second chance in life to thrive while allowing our companies to grow.Whether the untapped talent pool that makes sense is those who are uneducated, unexperienced, long-term unemployed, retirees, formerly incarcerated, formerly addicts, immigrants, disabled, or veterans, there is certainly a niche market of em ployees who could be tapped to solve the labor crisis for any company. In fact, it may be the only sustainable recruitment strategy that is left.
Of course, managers must make some considerable adjust ments to properly engage and retain these workers. Job training
The NCCTP designation offers immediate confidence and credibility of turfgrass management practices to customers and prospective employers.
Enrollment Requirements:
• Your TCNC Member Directory listing is distinguished with the NCCTP logo.
• NCCTP Program Application: $150
Maintain a current TCNC membership as a means of demonstrating ongoing support for the industry. Submit an annual $50 renewal fee, which supports the NCCTP program and related promotional activities. Designation year is the same as the TCNC membership year, from July 1st to June 30th.
The NC Certified Turfgrass Professional designation (NCCTP), the NCCTP logo and related programs materials are the trademarked property of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina and cannot be used without TCNC’s written permission.
Candidates have six months from the date of their enrollment acceptance to complete the NCCTP exam. Candidates have six hours to complete the exam and must score 80% or more on each section to receive the NCCTP designation.
For additional information, contact TCNC at (919) 459-2070.
• A completed NCCTP application (current TCNC members may apply online).
Maintenance Requirements:
Have a minimum of one full year of work experience in the turfgrass industry.
Become a NC Certified Professional!Turfgrass
• Use NCCTP pins, uniform patches, and vehicle decals.
Exams will not be graded if any application information is missing or if TCNC membership status cannot be confirmed. Please allow two to three weeks for exam grading and Uponreports.successful completion of the exam, candidates will receive communication with their results and either next step options or their graduation packet.
This Short Course offers a full curriculum of the science of turfgrass management as well as Continuing Education Credits for NCDACS Pesticide and NCLCLB Landscape Contractors’ license holders, and it will help you prepare for the NCCTP exam.
• Use the NCCTP logo on your business materials.
40 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022
• Exam Fee: $50
Fast Facts about the NCCTPNCCTPTheProgram
Exams can be taken at the TCNC office in Raleigh during normal business hours, or arrangements can be made at your local NC State Extension location.
Curriculum and Exam:
Hold a current TCNC membership. If not currently a member, go to www.ncturfgrass.org and click ‘JOIN NOW’ to join online or download an application.
Agree to the Certified Turfgrass Professional Code of Ethics as detailed on the application form.
Hold a current NC Pesticide Applicator’s License. Subscribe to, actively support and uphold the TCNC Certification Code of Ethics.
This Short Course is recommended but not required to take the NCCTP exam.
Reasons to Begin Earning Your NCCTP Designation Today
The NCCTP program increases and enhances your turfgrass industry knowledge, career, and business development through a course of study of in-depth coverage of the science of turfgrass management.
Curriculum covers nine core areas: Turfgrass Characteristics; Establishing Turfgrass; Soils & Nutrient Management; Cultural Practices; Pests & Integrated Pest Management; Pesticides & Plant Growth Regulators; Landscape Safety & Pesticide Use; Calculations & Calibration; Turfgrass Business & Economics.
North Carolina Certified Turfgrass Professional (NCCTP) program is a comprehensive program developed to enhance the technical competency of turfgrass professionals, while elevating their professional image, that of your business and of the turfgrass management industry. Administered by the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina, the NCCTP designation confirms your expertise in turfgrass management to prospective customers and your peers.
•Submit:Acurrent and valid NC Pesticide Applicators license
Promote and market yourself as a North Carolina Certified Turfgrass Professional.
The NC State Turfgrass Professional Short Course, a comprehensive turfgrass education program, is offered at select NC State Extension offices and at NC State University.
We Are Partnered With The NC State Turfgrass Professional Short Course
• Self-Study Materials: $50
Name on Card Signature
CONTINUING EDUCATION: I agree to successfully complete additional future curriculum materials or sections that may be required as a result of new technology or regulation.
City State Zip Work Experience
Credit Card: AMEX Visa MC Discover Billing Zip Code
PESTICIDE LICENSE: I hold a current North Carolina Pesticide Ground Applicator License with subclass L, turf, and ornamental (or equivalent from another state).
State Zip
QUALIFICATIONS / REQUIREMENTS
TCNCE-Mail
NCCTP Application Fee: $150, Study Materials: $50, Exam Fee: $50, TCNC Dues (call for amount, based on date)
Name Phone
Company’s Address
Check Number__________________ (payable to TCNC)
EXPERIENCE: I have completed a minimum of one full year of turfgrass industry professional work experience.
CityAddress
Supervisor’s E-Mail
Describe your turfgrass industry professional work experience; one full year is required to apply.
NCCTP Certification Program ENROLLMENT APPLICATION
Company Title Supervisor Supervisor’s Phone
TOTAL $
EXAM: Upon acceptance into the program, I plan to complete my study and take the required exam within six months.
Signature Date
DUTY: I have initialed the following page of this application to show that I strongly support and willingly subscribe to the Certified Turfgrass Professional Code of Ethics, and I pledge to uphold the credibility and integrity of the program.
A Publication of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 41
Membership #* Pesticide Applicator License #
Please read the items below and check each one that is true for you.
By signing this application, I verify that all the information is true and correct, I acknowledge and assume full responsibility for the charges on this application, and I agree to honor and abide by the terms of this non-refundable payment.
Credit Card # Exp. Date Sec Code
MEMBERSHIP: I am now, or I am applying here to be, a member in good standing of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina.
Date
Please Return Entire NCCTP Application To TCNC Via: email:fax:info@ncturfgrass.org(919)459-2075
or mail: TCNC, 110 Horizon Dr. Ste 210, Raleigh, NC 27615
DUTY TO OUR FELLOW PROFESSIONALS
DUTY TO THE PUBLIC
Please read and initial each section below that you support and commit to uphold.
By signing this Code of Ethics, I agree to follow the duties and intentions outlined above, and I commit to supporting and upholding these ethics with consistency and integrity.
NCCTP Program | continued
42 North Carolina Turfgrass www.ncturfgrass.org September / October 2022 Printed SignatureName
DUTY TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Participate in association activities and events to help further the profession. Abstain from any unfair exploitation of my association, industry, or profession.
DUTY TO THE ASSOCIATION
Operate in such a manner to protect and preserve our environment. Use and monitor all equipment, products, and materials in a manner consistent with the label and safe for the environment.
Abide by all laws and regulations affecting the turf industry and support the enforcement of these laws.
I AGREE
Refrain from the use of false, misleading, or deceptive marketing and advertising practices. Practice and insist upon sound business management practices. Maintain the highest standard of personal conduct to reflect credit and add stature to the turf industry. Recognize the importance of strong relationships within the industry. Abstain from untruthful debasement, or encroachment upon, the professional reputation or practice of another turfgrass professional.
I AGREE I AGREE I AGREE I AGREE
Conduct service first and foremost with regards to the safety, health, and welfare of the general public. Provide service, recommendations, and information based upon honest experience, and scientifically accurate and factual knowledge.
CERTIFIED TURFGRASS PROFESSIONAL CODE OF ETHICS
DUTY TO THE LAWS OF OUR LAND
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