New England Blade - March 2019

continued • Cover

Story

March 2019

NESTMA’s Best Year Yet! Turning Fenway into A Football Stadium Plus Overseeding Strategies for Non-Irrigated, Pesticide-Free Athletic Fields

YOUR HARRELL’S NEW ENGLAND TEAM How can we help today?

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CHUCK BRAMHALL Cape Cod cbramhall@harrells.com (508) 400-0600

JIM FAVREAU Massachusetts jfavreau@harrells.com (978) 227-2785

ROGER WHITAKER NH & VT rwhitaker@harrells.com (603) 505-1618

JIM COHEN Eastern MA & ME jcohen@harrells.com (978) 337-0222

MIKE KROIAN RI, MA mkroian@harrells.com (401) 265-5353

JIM WIERZBICKI CT, RI jwierzbicki@harrells.com (860) 424-7250

MIKE DUKETTE CT mdukette@harrells.com (860) 930-8888

For more information about Harrell’s including our core values: to serve, honor and glorify God, to take care of people, and to grow our financial strength, visit www.harrells.com.

800.282.8007 • www.harrells.com

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Contents • March 2019

Features

8 Recent Events

2018 Year in Review

16 Sports Turf Spotlight Turning Fenway into A Football Stadium

18 Feature Article

Overseeding Strategies for Non-Irrigated, PesticideFree Athletic Fields: An Update

20 Member Spotlight

NESTMA Board Member Brian Boesch

Departments

22 Irrigation Tips

The Intelligent Use of Water

7 NESTMA HQ Update

24 Turf Talk

12 Industry News

Why Every Sports Turf Manager Should Use PGRs

26 Research

14 Membership Matters 30 Index of Advertisers

Herbicide Resistance in Annual Bluegrasss

28 Carrying Capacity and

Pace Measurements on Natural Grass Tennis Courts

30 Upcoming Event 2019 NERTC Show

4 • New England BLADE • March 2019

6 President’s Message

Cover Photo: Congratulations to New England’s own Kyle Calhoon, Sports Turf Manager at the Hartford Yard Goats, for being selected as STMA’s sixth annual “Mowing Patterns Contest” winner.

SPORTS FIELD SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION www.sportscapesunlimited.com 617.913.8958 Duxbury, MA

Advancing professionalism in sports turf management and safety through education, research, and scholarships.

The official publication of the New England Sports Turf Managers Association (NESTMA), the New England Blade is dedicated to educating, advising, and informing members of the profession and furthering the goals of the Association. The New England Blade carries news and features related to the sports turf management profession. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication and to refuse advertising not in keeping with the goals of the Association. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the validity of claims in connection with items appearing in the New England Blade. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by the New England Blade, NESTMA, or Leading Edge Communications, or preference over similar products not mentioned. The New England Blade is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of NESTMA. Presorted standard postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

Officers

Directors

Board of Trustees

President Ben Polimer Town of Weston Weston, MA

Ed Ball Niantic, CT

Kim Britton Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH

President Elect Chris McGinty Framingham Parks Department Framingham, MA Treasurer Art Goodhind Town of Natick Natick, MA Secretary Brian Boesch University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI Past President Victoria Wallace UConn Extension Norwich, CT Special Advisor Mary Owen UMASS Turf Program Rochdale, MA

Mark Casey Finch Services, Inc. Andover, MA Mark DeWolf Brewster Academy Wolfeboro, NH Ed Downing Read Custom Soils/ A.D. Makepeace Hingham, MA Matt McDonnell The Governor’s Academy Byfield, MA Ed Olsen Town of Needham Parks & Forestry Needham, MA Jason Puopolo Clark University Worcester, MA Andrew Walsh Pine Banks Park Malden, MA

Michael Buras, CSFM Longwood Cricket Club Chestnut Hill, MA John Cunniff Walpole, MA Management Team Virginia Wood, Executive Director Peggy Benjamin, Finance Kristen Dreyer, Education Carrie Martin, Registration Charissa Sharkey, Membership & Sponsors NESTMA Headquarters 8-D Pleasant Street South Natick, MA 01760 P: (508) 653-1241 F: (508) 653-4112 NESTMAinfo@gmail.com Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, TN 37064 P: (615) 790-3718 info@leadingedge communications.com

March 2019 • New England Blade • 5

President’s Message

W

2019: Our Best Year Yet

hat a transformational year NESTMA had in 2018! We started with a strategic planning session and laid out goals for the future. One of the primary results of this important session was the decision to hire an association management firm. The Board conducted extensive interviews and we contracted with M.V. Wood Company on March 1, 2018.

M.V. Wood Company is a full-service, award-winning association management firm. I know many of you met our new management team — Virginia, Charissa, Carrie, Kristen, and Peggy – at NESTMA events throughout the year. They bring a proven 30-year track record of creating effective strategic growth for green industry trade associations in New England. We know they will play a large role in helping us achieve our goals of increasing membership, improving communication, promoting participation, building awareness, and streamlining systems.

As you read through the pages of this new and improved New England Blade magazine, you’ll see NESTMA’s accomplishments in providing the best education for sports turf professionals: an excellent Spring Turf Day at Governor’s Academy, a successful Summer Field Day at Wellesley College, and an informative Fall Workshop at URI. NESTMA members served as hosts at each facility and our Commercial Partners really stepped up to support our educational efforts. Thanks to everyone!

What’s ahead for 2019? Based on your feedback, we’re retooling the content, format, and timing of our educational programs and networking opportunities! Members can look forward to NESTMA offering the latest trends and technology in exciting new ways throughout the year.

At almost 400 members strong and growing, NESTMA is an amazing organization!

Many thanks to our great Board of Directors. They work hard for the membership every day and I am grateful for their support.

As always, we encourage you to stay actively involved and if you have colleagues or customers that are not NESTMA members, please invite them to join us. 2019 will be our best year yet!

Ben Polimer NESTMA President Fields and Grounds Coordinator Town of Weston, MA

6 • New England BLADE • March 2019

Thank You, Commercial Partners These companies partnered with NESTMA on one or more of our educational events in 2018. Please be sure to thank them for their support of our industry as you do business with them throughout the year.

Agresource, Inc. Atlantic Golf & Turf Atlantic Irrigation Boston Company Athletic Fields Crop Production Services FieldTurf Fince Services/John Deere Five Star Golf Carts & Utility Vehicles Geese Police of Boston GreensGroomer WorldWide Harrell’s Helena Agri Enterprises Hillcrest Turf Services MTE Turf Equipment Solutions New England Specialty Soils Northeast Nursery Golf & Turf Northern Playground Surfacing Perkins Power Equipment Pioneer Athletics PJC Ecological Land Care Read Custom Soils SiteOne Landscape Supply Smart Water Management Sodco, Inc. Tom Irwin Advisors Tuckahoe Turf Farm Turf Products Corp.

Turf Tank Winterberry Irrigation

NESTMA HQ Update

Hitting Refresh!

By M. Virginia Wood, Executive Director

N

ESTMA has been running on all cylinders in 2018 — and we couldn’t be more proud to be involved with this fantastic Association!

Since we joined NESTMA as its new management team last March, we’ve had the great pleasure of getting to know many volunteer leaders, members, and other fans of the sports turf industry.

What we’ve learned in our short tenure is that this arena is filled with knowledgeable, engaged, and committed

professionals — and we’re delighted to be on board.

As we continue to learn the ropes, one of our primary goals was to reboot the New England Blade — and here you have it. We hope you’ll see the friendly design and welcoming tone are meant to reflect the dedicated people who are at the center of this Association and our reinvigorated publication.

Please read and enjoy this newly redesigned issue of the New England Blade.

Our plan is to curate and publish lively content that’s relevant and helpful to you and your career as a sports turf professional.

This is your magazine!

We welcome your comments and your content contributions.

Please also stay tuned to email for regular updates and event invitations via NESTMA News. • Find out more at rainbird.com/sports

Protect your turf.

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Protect your players.

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PROTECT YOURPROTECT YOUR REPUTATION. REPUTATION.

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March 2019 • New England Blade • 7

Recent Events

2018

Year In Review Spring Turf Day a Success

Members came from near and far to participate in NESTMA’s Spring Turf Day on June 20, 2018. The weather was spectacular and provided the perfect backdrop for the beautiful fields and facilities at Governor’s Academy in Byfield, MA. In the morning, participants rotated through a series of informative education stations including trend-setting equipment and technology demonstrations provided by some of the industry’s leading suppliers.

Highlights included the latest drone technology, robotic field painting, and state-of-the- art turf management equipment.

The Governor’s Academy hockey arena provided a unique setting to enjoy a delicious midday barbecue, as well as the chance to catch up with friends and colleagues. The afternoon session, “Turfgrass Selection to Enhance Turf Health”, presented by Brad Park, Research and Outreach Agronomist at Rutgers University was well attended and informative.

Attendees also joined Matt McDonnell, Supervisor of Buildings & Grounds at Governor’s Academy, for an insider look at what it takes to manage sports fields at the oldest continuously operating boarding school in the United States.

At the end of the day, everyone came away with a fresh arsenal of best practices, great ideas, and new connections to keep their facilities running smoothly and profitably.

Summer Field Day A Hit Roth Schmigdall and his crew at Wellesley College hosted a fantastic Summer Field

Day on August 8, 2018. More than 100 members participated in a day filled with great education, informative field trials, and productive networking.

A highlight of the educational program was the keynote presentation by John Sorochan, Ph.D. of the University of Tennessee. John, one of the industry’s foremost experts on sports turf performance and safety, shared the latest research from the UT Center for Athletic Field Safety. The cutting-edge information he provided was eye opening and a lively audience discussion followed his presentation. A .pdf version of John’s PowerPoint presentation is available via the NESTMA website: NESTMA.org.

John Kelly, Corporate Agronomist with Redox Chemicals in Burley, Idaho provided the science behind the sustainable phosphorus management program at Wellesley College and Bob Mann, Director of State and Government Relations with the National Association of Landscape Professionals offered his insight on public policy affecting the sports turf profession.

Members also had a chance to visit Wellesley’s impressive athletic fields where Roth Schmigdall, Assistant Head of Grounds & Athletic Fields, has been examining the pros and cons of various sustainable turfgrass applications in athletic fields. Roth, along with his industry partners Redox Chemicals, Precision Labs, Hillcrest Turf Services, and Tom Irwin Advisors, provided a first-hand look at what’s working, what isn’t, and what they’ve learned through these extensive field trials.

NESTMA’s Summer Field Day at Wellesley College provided a great opportunity for industry thought-leaders,

researchers, and trend-setting suppliers to address the unique opportunities and challenges of managing sports turf in New England. Attendees took away powerful new connections, sure-fire solutions, and a fresh perspective on best practices and proven strategies for success.

Great Turnout at Golf Tournament NESTMA and MALCP members enjoyed a great round of golf for a good cause on October 4, 2018. Nearly 100 golfers gathered at Butter Brook Golf Club in Westford, MA to play this beautiful course. Golf was followed by a delicious barbecue lunch, the highlight of which was a silent auction and raffle. Proceeds from the annual Tournament benefit the Terry Mellor Scholarship Fund and MALCP’s scholarship programs.

Fall Workshop Provides Great Information Brian Boesch and his team at URI hosted a terrific Fall Workshop on October 10, 2018. NESTMA members and commercial partners spent the morning learning about pre-emergent herbicides and grassy weed control from Matthew Elmore, Ph.D. of Rutgers University; Heather Faubert of URI’s Plant Protection Clinic updated the group on what’s ahead with respect to pests and diseases in the landscape; and Brian Boesch led the group on a tour of URI’s impressive facilities that included his insight on best maintenance practices and IPM programs to support healthy athletic fields. •

Thank you to our commercial partners who generously supported NESTMA events throughout the year!

8 • New England BLADE • March 2019

Snapshots from an Eventful Year

March 2019 • New England Blade • 9

NESTMA HQ Update • continued

Annual Meeting & Luncheon Celebrating New England’s Sports Turf Professionals!

Mark your calendar now

for NESTMA’s best Annual Meeting yet. Our meeting and luncheon will be held during the popular New England Regional Turfgrass Conference in Providence on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Attendance is complimentary for current NESTMA members.

Stay tuned for details and start thinking about a sports turf colleague you’d like to bring as your guest to this fantastic networking event!

The NESTMA Annual Meeting and Luncheon are brought to you with the generous support of our friends at Tom Irwin, Inc. •

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New england Specialty Soils is a leading provider of athletic field materials throughout New england. centrally located in lancaster, Ma, we serve all corners of New england with consistent, quality materials! we have a lineup of native infield mixes, warning track mix, as well as packing clay and conditioners for all your baseball and softball field needs. we’ve also got you covered with everything from equestrian and tennis court soils to topdressing sands and root zone mixes. looking for a custom product? Not a problem. we can meet whatever material challenge you may have.

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Bob doran 978-230-2244 10 • New England BLADE • March 2019

Nate Miller 978-660-0480

John toomey 978-660-0175

Introducing NESTMA’s New Publishing Partner We’re excited to announce NESTMA’s new partnership with Leading Edge Communications. Leading Edge will produce our association magazine — the New England Blade — featuring the most relevant, up-to-the-minute research and information for our region’s sports turf professionals. The magazine will serve as a medium to reach fellow NESTMA members and share the latest trends, news and events.

Leading Edge has worked with state sports turf associations including Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania for more than 20 years.

A goal of our new partnership is to establish a multi-channel resource for our members. NESTMA will benefit from Leading Edge’s experience in magazine publishing, advertising, and podcast production, as well as digital asset development and maintenance.

And there’s more — #TheTurfZone

The Turf Zone is your online destination for all things turf related. Created for the industry by those who know the industry, The Turf Zone is a central information and news hub, bringing together professionals from turf associations across multiple states to share things to help you in your business — from up-to-the-minute research on turfgrass products to trends, initiatives and techniques.

Each month, The Turf Zone will feature podcasts, articles, an events calendar, product spotlights and more. It’s everything you need, all just one click away.

Get on-demand access to information that is driving sales, quality and growth across the industry: TheTurfZone.com.

Stay Tuned

We welcome your feedback on these new member benefits and ask you to be on the lookout for opportunities to submit editorial content and participate as a sponsor of these new and improved NESTMA communication channels. •

For more information, visit: LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

continued • NESTMA

HQ Update

The results Are In! A

fter an exciting year of educational programming, enthusiasm is building for 2019 NESTMA events.

The newly formed education committee created and distributed a survey to help inform their decisions for future programming. The response rate was terrific, with more than 25% of the membership providing feedback.

Here are some highlights from the survey: • The majority of members who responded were sports turf managers, grounds managers, or parks and recreation personnel, as well as commercial partners.

• More than 50% of respondents frequently participate in NESTMA events.

• Their primary reason for attending is the educational content and speakers, followed very closely by the opportunity to network and develop new contacts.

NESTMA Education Committee Ian Lacy Tom Irwin Advisors Matt McDonnell Governor’s Academy Ed Olsen Town of Needham Andrew Walsh Pine Banks Park

• Winter and summer are the seasons when members are best able to break away for NESTMA events.

• The top 10 topics members would like to see addressed are:

1. New trends and technology 2. Irrigation/water management 3. Managing multi-use fields 4. Weed management 5. Natural grass vs. synthetic turf 6. Athlete safety 7. Equipment and product updates 8. Insect and disease management 9. Soil fertility and testing 10. Attracting and retaining qualified labor

This year’s educational programming will feature many of the elements requested by the members, including several hands-on workshops; a new and improved Summer Field Day in early August that will focus on both cuttingedge education and the latest trends and technology for today’s sports turf professionals; and a new evening dinner meeting that will offer members the chance to learn and network after hours. Informative podcasts are being introduced through TheTurfZone.com and the traditional NESTMA/MALCP Golf Classic is on the books for early October.

Many thanks to the members who took the time to complete the program development survey. The electronic survey may be complete, but your feedback is always welcome! We want to know how we’re doing, so please continue to share your thoughts with NESTMA via email at NESTMAinfo@gmail.com or phone (508) 653-1241. •

Interested in Sponsoring?

NESTMA delivers the absolute best way to connect with New England’s leading sports turf professionals. Sponsorship and advertising opportunities abound, whether via our face-to-face meetings, advertising in the Blade, or on NESTMA digital platforms like TheTurfZone.com. NESTMA Commercial Partners receive a discount on every opportunity. Please contact Charissa at NESTMAinfo@gmail.com for more information. We are grateful to our sponsors for their generous support of NESTMA’s mission.

March 2019 • New England Blade • 11

Industry News

Legislative Update

By Bob Mann

The

political season is just getting underway now that swearing-in ceremonies have been completed in Washington and the state capitals. Given the fractious tone of politics of late, we are expecting a great deal of legislation to be introduced that would negatively affect the green industry.

In the realm of pesticides, the recent jury decision to award Dewayne Johnson, a former groundskeeper that was exposed to glyphosate, $289 million (now reduced to $79 million) after finding that the herbicide caused his Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma will prompt many state legislatures to consider banning the product.

Hundreds more lawsuits wait in the wings, however during the first week of January the judge overseeing the trials indicated that he was going to handle future trials differently by dividing them up into phases. First, in the causation phase, the plaintiff will have to prove that the Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was caused by exposure to glyphosate. If that is proven, the trial will move into a liability phase. This development is widely seen as a blow to the plaintiffs, as in the Johnson trial causation was discussed in unison with liability.

So far, and it’s still very early in the year, we have seen three bills introduced in the New York legislature about glyphosate, two that would ban the herbicide outright while the third would place a moratorium on use until a study committee reviewed the research to ensure the herbicide was safe. Doubtless more will follow in neighboring states.

Similarly, we expect legislation to be introduced that would either severely restrict or completely ban the use of neonicotinoid insecticides. Thus far we

12 • New England BLADE • March 2019

have been successful in turning back or toning down these efforts, but as we well know, environmental activists are nothing if not persistent.

Fallout from the complete pesticide bans enacted in the Portland, Maine area continue to be felt in neighboring states.

Maine does not have state preemption of pesticide regulations; local governments are free to enact more stringent regulations if they so choose, a consequence of the home rule tradition in that state.

Environmental activists see state preemption as a focal point for their attacks against pesticide use. In 2018, we saw legislation in Massachusetts that would remove the state’s preemptive power. We anticipate the Massachusetts bill to be reintroduced and there are rumblings that similar measures will be introduced in other states as well.

Nutrient management continues to be a hot issue. While researchers continue to find ways for sports turf managers to do more with less, regulators continue to misrepresent turfgrass as an environmental negative in their quest to further restrict the use of fertilizer.

The latest battlefield is in New York.

In 2018, a bill in the New York legislature that would have severely curtailed the use of fertilizer on Long Island, under the presumption that it eventually made its way into Long Island Sound, was turned back at the last moment under strong opposition from green industry groups.

In the wake of that loss, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation formed the Long Island Fertilizer Workgroup to draft recommendations for Nitrogen Turfgrass Application.

As it stands right now, these recommendations do not apply to agricultural turf or athletic fields, and rates for golf

courses are higher than those outlined for residential turfgrass. But, as was clear in the language of the 2018 nitrogen legislation, if what is tried on Long Island is seen to be working, it can be applied statewide in New York.

Most elements of the Long Island document are familiar, such as not applying when turf is dormant, clearing off-target product from impervious surfaces and setbacks from surface waters. What is interesting and concerning about the effort are the rates (0.6 # N/K per application and 1.8 # N/K annually irrespective of species and use) and an effort to restrict the nitrogen contained in the fertilizer to 12 percent.

A great deal of contentious debate centered on the inclusion of the low nitrogen language in the recommendations. Green industry advocates rightly pointed out that limiting the percentage was nonsensical and not part of any best management practice. Environmental activists insisted that it was widespread practice in other states (without submitting evidence that this is so) to limit nitrogen this way and that it was a safeguard against over application by professionals and homeowners after having already regulated the rates per application and per season. It was only in a communication from the DEC in late December that we noticed that the 12 percent nitrogen language had been removed from the recommendation.

Hopefully common sense will prevail on Long Island because any bad idea that gets by suddenly becomes the new shiny object in a neighboring state.

Bob Mann is the Director of State and Local Government Relations for the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Reach him at Bob@LandscapeProfessionals.org. •

continued • Industry

News from

STMA

News

Navigating the Market for your Facility” and Ian Lacy led two COTS sessions for chapter leaders from across the country.

Defining Terminology

STMA is recommending that sports turf professionals refer to their turfgrass fields as “natural grass fields” and to artificial surfaces as “synthetic turf fields”.

NESTMA will adopt this nomenclature as well. It is intended to help non-technical audiences — parents, coaches, athletic directors — better understand the types of playing surfaces and educate them on how to accurately reference them.

Echo Robotics Wins STMA Innovation Award

C

ongratulations to New England’s own Kyle Calhoon, Sports Turf Manager at the Hartford Yard Goats in Hartford, Connecticut, for being selected as STMA’s sixth annual “Mowing Patterns Contest” winner.

Calhoon was selected via a Facebook voting contest from October 22 to November 23 for his intricate design at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, home to the Hartford Yard Goats (Double-A, Colorado Rockies).

With expansive previous experience in Major League Baseball (Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees) and the National Football League, he most recently held the position of Grounds Manager for the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Hartford Yard Goats in 2016. In

2017 and 2018, Kyle received the Diamond Pro Eastern League Sports Field Manager of the Year award. Calhoon graduated from Penn State University with a certificate of Turfgrass Management.

Calhoon’s design was produced as a custom poster and featured at the 2018 STMA Conference & Exhibition in Phoenix, Arizona in January.

STMA Conference & Expo

The 30th Annual STMA Conference and Expo was held January 22 – 25, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. “Elevate Your Career” was the theme of the conference that was filled with informative seminars, innovative exhibits, local stadium tours, and great social events. NESTMA’s own Ben Polimer presented on “Smart Irrigation:

STMA awarded ECHO Robotics its Innovative Award for their Autonomous Mower TM-2000. The self-driving, selfcharging, self-sufficient unit mows up to 5 acres of turf efficiently while finely mulching clippings to promote turf health. Eight times more efficient than traditional units, this mower saves time and labor for facility managers, and can be remotely commanded via web platform or mobile app.

STMA’s Innovative Award Program recognizes STMA commercial company members who’ve developed a product, service, equipment or technology that substantially enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the sports turf manager and/or makes the playing surfaces safer and/or more playable for athletes. Chosen

by STMA’s Innovative Awards Task Group, entries are evaluated on a wide range of qualities including whether or not they fill a need, are creative, save time and resources, are cutting-edge, make a task easier or more productive, improve quality, protect the environment, and improve efficiency. Learn more at echorobotics.com.

NESTMA is a proud chapter of the Sports Turf Managers Association. Contact STMA at stma.org or (800) 323-3875. •

March 2019 • New England Blade • 13

NESTMA Membership

Membership Matters

By Charissa Sharkey, Membership Manager

In

the past year, NESTMA has grown to nearly 400 members, which includes general members, commercial partners, honorary members, students, allied organizations and members of academia. 2019 membership renewals are coming in strong. We consider every renewal a vote of confidence in the benefits NESTMA provides its members. If you haven’t sent your dues in yet, it’s not too late. It’s quick and easy at NESTMA.org.

NESTMA offers so many benefits and opportunities, including the fast approaching Annual Meeting on Wednesday March 6, 2019 at the New England Regional Turf Conference in Providence, RI. This is a popular and energizing event where members can catch up with old friends and make new connections. We’ll recap the past year and give a quick overview of what’s to come. Members receive a free lunch (thank you Tom Irwin!) and are encouraged to bring a guest.

NESTMA.org

Our new and improved association website – NESTMA.org – is an excellent member resource where you can: • Register for NESTMA meetings and events

• Receive quarterly NESTMA newsletter, the New England Blade

• Participate in the NESTMA/MALCP golf tournament

• Review archived issues of the New England Blade • Download podcasts from TheTurfZone • Browse or upload job listings • Update your member profile

• Access to TheTurfZone podcasts • Take advantage of valuable networking opportunities • Save on advertising and sponsorship opportunities

• Connect with colleagues and other valuable industry resources

• Stay current with industry news and trends

Use your email and password to log in at any page on the website. If you don’t know your password or need to set up a new log in simply click the “Forgot Password” link.

Don’t miss an issue!

• Discounted rates for NESTMA meetings and events

• Attend the Annual Meeting & Luncheon

• Renew membership dues

How To Log In

Membership has benefits

Any questions? Feel free to reach out to me via email: NESTMAinfo@gmail.com or phone: (508) 653-1241. I look forward to meeting you at an upcoming NESTMA event.

If you want to continue to receive the New England Blade magazine for free, be sure your NESTMA membership is current.

Join or renew online at NESTMA.org or call (508) 653-1241 for more information.

Membership Levels:

Commercial Partner – $150 – Persons engaged in commercial enterprises providing services or products to the sports turf profession. Active voting members eligible to hold elective office.

General Member – $95 – Persons engaged in maintenance, research, or teaching pertaining to sports turf surfaces at parks, educational institutions, municipalities or professional and private facilities. Active voting members eligible to hold elective office.

Commercial Affiliate – $100 – Additional member from an organization that already has a Commercial partner.

Non-voting member, not eligible to hold elective office.

Member Affiliate – $75 – Additional member from

Student – Free – Full-time college students are invited

an organization that already has a General member. Nonvoting member, not eligible to hold elective office.

14 • New England BLADE • March 2019

to join on a complimentary basis. Please call the NESTMA office to enroll. A photocopy of your school ID is required. •

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110 Boxford Rd. Rowley, MA * 978-388-5110 info@agresourceinc.com * www.agresourceinc.com March 2019 • New England Blade • 15

Sports Turf Spotlight

Turning Fenway into a

Football Stadium

By Tom Layman

N

ESTMA member David Mellor might have had the most important job before the 135th playing of The Game on Saturday afternoon, November 17, 2018, but he wasn’t found on a roster of Harvard or Yale. He wasn’t listed on the coaching or support staff either.

Mellor was responsible for turning Fenway Park into a football field. The

senior director of grounds and his team took the job seriously, and they were ready to show off their handiwork for one of college football’s most storied rivalries.

“I think it’s exciting,” Mellor said in an interview. “One of the best parts of my job is being behind the scenes and helping people create memories on the field.”

Mellor got his break in major league baseball with the Milwaukee Brewers 34

years ago, and has been with the Red Sox for the past 19.

Fenway Park was home to the Boston Patriots, now the New England Patriots, from 1963–68, and in recent years, football has made a comeback to the yard born in 1912. It hosted a matchup between Boston College and Notre Dame in 2015 and several regional high school football matchups in the last couple of years.

Photo by Aaron Goldman

16 • New England BLADE • March 2019

Part of Mellor’s job was making sure the playing surface met NCAA regulations.

The pitchers’ mound, used as recently as October 24 as the Red Sox marched through the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Dodgers to World Series victory, was removed and sod was shipped in from New Jersey to replace the dirt infield. Mellor also enlisted Sports Turf Specialties of Wrentham, Mass., to beef up his operations staff.

Strips of sod 4-feet wide by 35-feet long were laid down on the infield.

Mellor said the strips used to be half that size, but bigger strips make for better coverage with fewer seams. “It’s a healthier and safer playing surface,” he said.

A top dressing was added to the sod, and his crew went on hands and knees filling any gaps to make sure players’ spikes did not get stuck between the sod segments.

A few factors made a tighter schedule for Mellor. First, the Red Sox’ successful

playoff run extended the season almost a month. The team returned from Los Angeles and on Halloween held a Duck Boat rally, which kicked off at Fenway.

Then, the Boston area saw a significant amount of rain in the following weeks.

But everything stayed on track, according to Mellor, thanks to some later nights for him and his team.

Mellor said the Series run was a good problem to have. “It was exciting,” he said. “It condenses the timeline a little bit, and working with Mother Nature certainly has been challenging. Our crew has everything dialed in, and we are excited for game day.”

As for The Game, Mellor and his staff kept a watchful eye on both Harvard and Yale during warmups to see how the field behaved. He said he wanted to see how players are running on the surface, how they are cutting, and what challenges and suggestions they might have.

He worked directly with the umpiring crew to ensure the playing surface complied with NCAA regulations. And his team was on alert for repairs needed during play.

“We stress attention to detail,” Mellor said. “The crew takes a lot of pride in their work.”

Mellor has been a part of four World Series championship teams and also has had to work to turn Fenway into a haven for some of the biggest acts in the music business. In that sense, Fenway has become more than a baseball park. The Harvard/Yale matchup is another interesting line to add to his resume, and he was excited to be part of a tradition that means so much to both schools.

“It’s a very exciting game,” Mellor said. “We are humbled to be a part of it.”

Editor’s Note: Harvard won the game at Fenway 45 to 27. Reprinted from The Harvard Gazette, November 14, 2018. •

March 2019 • New England Blade • 17

Overseeding Strategies

Feature Story

for Non-Irrigated, Pesticide-Free Athletic Fields: An Update

By G.L. Maxey, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, with support from V.H. Wallace, Department of Extension and J.J. Henderson, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Connecticut, Storrs

Bio

I am a Missouri native and graduate research assistant for the University of Connecticut. I am working on my thesis to acquire a M.S. of Plant Science and Turf Management. My hope is that my research on pesticide-free turfgrass management here at UConn will help turf managers maintain high quality athletic fields. This project was funded with grants from the New England Sports Turf Managers Association and the New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation.

Introduction

Heavily used athletic fields receive intense traffic that can lead to increased soil surface compaction and reduced turfgrass density (Brosnan et al., 2014; Carrow and Petrovic, 1992). Preventing turfgrass cover loss on athletic fields is important to mitigating the risk of injuries (Chomiak et al., 2000; Dest and Ebdon, 2011; Harper et al., 1984). Aggressive and repetitive overseeding has been recommended as a critically important tool for the municipal turf manager to utilize in lieu of pesticides (Elford et al., 2008; Hoiberg et al., 2009; Minner et al., 2008; Miller and Henderson, 2012; Henderson et al., 2013; Stier et al., 2008).

It is important to determine if a difference exists in field safety and quality on non-irrigated fields overseeded with turftype tall fescue compared to the preferred mixture of perennial ryegrass/Kentucky bluegrass in New England. Additional research is needed for proven alternatives that can increase turfgrass cover and reduce weed pressure without the use of pesticides.

The objectives were to: 1) determine the effect of turfgrass species that meet the criteria developed by the Turfgrass 18 • New England BLADE • March 2019

Water Conservation Alliance and overseeding rate on turfgrass cover retention on non-irrigated athletic fields, and 2) demonstrate the effectiveness of aggressive overseeding on turfgrass cover retention on pesticide-free athletic fields.

Materials and Methods

A three-year field study was conducted on three different athletic fields in Connecticut including; Hebron Elementary School, Lebanon Middle School and Shetucket Park in Windham, CT. The athletic fields were all non-irrigated, maintained with a pesticide-free management regime and received consistent high levels of traffic. The research project was initiated on 20 September 2016. Individual treatments were repeated on five occasions: 20 September 2016, 1 May 2017, 23 August 2017, 9 May 2018, 7 September 2018.

This experiment was a randomized complete block design and arranged in a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial with three replications measuring 8.2 m × 23.8 m. The first factor of the experiment included three turfgrass species; perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), tall fescue (Festuca

arundinacea Scheb.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). The second factor, overseeding rate, was a high and low rate (Table 1). The third factor was either inclusion or exclusion of turfgrass cultivars on the Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA) list. Individual plots were 1.8 m x 2.7 m.

Each overseeding event began with hollow-tine cultivation in one direction using a Toro 648 walk-behind greens aerator set to 5 cm × 5 cm spacing to a depth of 6.5 cm with the cores returned within each plot. Pre-weighed seed was applied using handheld shakers and was lightly incorporated into the soil with a leaf rake. Then the plots were rolled with a weighted roller to promote seed to soil contact. Lastly, the plots were fertilized with Shaw’s Turf Food (14-25-10, Knox Fertilizer Company Inc.) at the rate of 5 g P2O5 m-2 and Harrell’s Polyon® (43-0-0; 100% Polymer coated urea) at a rate of 5 g N m-2. The total fertilizer applied with each overseeding event was 7 g N m-2 and 5 g P2O5 m-2.

Each location was evaluated for qualitative and quantitative measurements.

Qualitative measurements included

Table 1: Turfgrass species, cultivars and seeding rates evaluated at the three locations.

Species

Cultivar

Low a

High kg ha-1

TWCA rating

Kentucky bluegrass

Full Moon

146

292

TWCAb

Kentucky bluegrass

Brooklawn

146

292

Non-TWCA

Perennial ryegrass

Manhattan 5

391

782

TWCA

Perennial ryegrass

Divine

391

782

Non-TWCA

Tall Fescue

Falcon 4

391

782

TWCA

Tall Fescue

Aztec

391

782

Non-TWCA

b

Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance

percent total green cover, turf cover, and weed cover. Overall turf quality rating and color rating were based on a 1-9 scale. Quantitative measurements of Digital Image Analysis (DIA) (Karcher and Richardson, 2005) was used to calculate percent turfgrass cover and dark green color index (DGCI). One digital image per plot was quantified through Sigma Scan (Cranes Software International Ltd. 1991). Surface hardness was quantified with a 2.25 kg Clegg Impact Soil Tester (Lafayette Instrument Co.) (ASTM, 2010) and volumetric water content (VWC) using a Field Scout TDR 300 soil probe (Spectrum Technologies, Inc.).

Results and Discussion

The results showed many interactions with the most consistent high level interaction between species, rate, TWCA, and location. Perennial ryegrass (PRG), regardless of rate or TWCA, had significantly greater percent turfgrass than Kentucky bluegrass (KBG) and tall fescue (TF). Regardless of rate, TWCA or location, PRG exhibited the highest color rating, quality rating and least weed cover compared to KBG and TF. The DIA results showed an interaction of species and season. All species performed similarly in the summer (July-Aug.). During the spring (May-June) and fall months (Sept.– Nov.), PRG plots had significantly higher cover followed by TF and KBG. Averaged across years, locations and species, overall DIA results show the highest cover was in the summer (88%), then spring (83%) and fall (58%).

Literature Cited

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). 2010. ASTM F1702-10 Standard Test Method for Measuring Impact-Attenuation Characteristics of Natural Playing Surface Systems Using a Lightweight Portable Apparatus, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA. https://doi.org/ 10.1520/F1702-10.

Brosnan, J.T., K.H. Dickson, J.C. Sorochan, A.W. Thomas, and J.C. Stier. 2014. Large crabgrass, white clover, and hybrid bermudagrass athletic field playing quality in response to simulated traffic. Crop Sci. 54: 1838-1843.

UConn graduate research assistant Garrett Maxey conducting overseeding research in the field.

Carrow, R.N. and A.M. Petrovic. 1992.

Effects of traffic on turfgrass. In: D.V. Waddington, R.N. Carrow, and R.C. Shearman, editors, Turfgrass Agron.

Monogr. 32. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI. P.285-330.

Chomiak, J., A. Junge, L. Peterson, and J. Dvorak. 2000. Severe injuries in football players. Am. J. Sports Med. 28:S58–S68.

Dest, W. M., and J. S. Ebdon. 2011.

Study: Natural turf use levels.

SportsTurf. 27(5):p. 8, 10-11.

Elford, E.M.A., F.J. Tardif, D.E. Robinson, and E.M. Lyons. 2008.

Effect of perennial ryegrass overseeding on weed suppression and sward composition. Weed Technol. 22:231-239.

Harper, J.C., C.A. Morehouse, D.V. Waddington, and W.E. Buckley. 1984.

Turf management, athletic field conditions, and injuries in high school football. Progress Report 384. Pennsylvania State University, College of Agriculture, Agriculture Experiment Station, University Park, PA. Henderson, J., V. Wallace, and J. Campbell. 2013. Best management practices for pesticide free cool season athletic fields. Publication by UConn Turfgrass. http://www.turf.uconn.edu/ pdf/research/factsheets/OrganicFields

_BMP_2013.pdf (accessed 25 Oct. 2018).

Hoiberg, A. H., D. D. Minner, O. Valverde, and F. J. Valverde. 2009.

Seeding rates of annual ryegrass that maximize turf when sown during traffic. Int. Turfgrass Soc. Res. J. 11(1): 375-387.

Karcher, D.E., and M.D. Richardson.

2005. Batch analysis of digital images to evaluate turfgrass characteristics.

Crop Sci. 45:1536-1539.

Miller, N. A., and J. J. Henderson. 2012.

Organic management practices on athletic fields: Part 1: The effects on color, quality, cover, and weed populations. Crop Sci. 52(2):p. 890-903.

Minner, D.D., F.J. Valverde, and R.M. Pirtle. 2008. Seeding rates that maximize turf cover when sown during traffic. Acta Hortic. 783: 57-65.

Stier, J. C., E. J. Koeritz, and M. Garrison. 2008. Timing the establishment of Kentucky bluegrass: Perennial ryegrass mixtures for football fields. HortScience. 43(1):p. 240-244.

Editor’s Note: NESTMA is proud to have played a role in helping to fund this important research project. Final results, analysis and recommendations for sports turf managers will appear in the next issue of the New England Blade magazine. • March 2019 • New England Blade • 19

Member Spotlight

NESTMA Member Spotlight on

Brian Boesch

Turfgrass and Sports Field Manager • University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island When did you first get involved with NESTMA? After graduating and earning a job at the University of Rhode Island 11 years ago, I joined NESTMA and STMA. Since 2013, I have been part of the NESTMA board of directors.

Where did you go to school?

What was your major?

It’s a long story. I earned my undergraduate degree at the University at Buffalo majoring in Biochemistry. After changing career paths, I attended HorryGeorgetown Tech in Myrtle Beach, SC for golf course management. When I completed that program, I attended URI and earned a master’s degree in turfgrass/ environmental science in 2006.

What was your first job in the industry?

I was a part time employee working on the grounds crew at the Dunes Club in Myrtle Beach, SC while attending school back in the early 2000s. It was my first experience working on a professional grounds operation.

Where did you go from there?

I left Myrtle Beach and moved to Rhode Island in 2003 to obtain a graduate degree. After completing my master’s degree at URI, I was offered an interim position as the Director of Grounds Operations at the university. I worked in this role for one year before taking on my current role as the Sports Turf Manager at URI. Prior to my current position,

20 • New England BLADE • March 2019

URI didn’t have a dedicated sports turf professional on staff. During the period while I was working as Interim Grounds Director, the university leadership realized the positive benefits of having a dedicated turf person. They decided URI should have a permanent position to oversee the athletic facilities and manage other

Brian at URI football game

campus turf projects. That’s how my current job came into existence.

Who was your mentor when you were first starting out in the business?

I have had some influential teachers, classmates, and friends within the industry along the way that have been great

Brian leading a tour during the NESTMA workshop at URI.

networking partners. The guidance and support I received from these individuals have helped me succeed and grow professionally.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

The single most important piece of advice that left the greatest impression on me came from a former professor when I attended turf management school in Myrtle Beach. His advice may sound cliché, but coming from him – a successful businessperson himself – made a huge impact on not just me, but also my classmates and peers at the time. He continually stressed that the key to success in business, or in life, is mastering all forms of communication. That advice, I believe, has been the foundation of my accomplishments so far and no doubt will continue to guide me toward future success.

What advice would you share with people starting out in sports turf management today?

Get involved with your industry associations. Get to know people in the industry. Focus on getting a broad level of experience in different aspects of turf management. Find good people to work with who are willing to teach and share their knowledge and experience.

Since the beginning of your career, what is the biggest change you’ve seen in the sports turf industry?

Probably the biggest change I have noticed is expansion within the profession itself. The growth in youth sports and demand for higher quality sports facilities has reverberated all the way up through professional sports, which has created more demand and better opportunities for qualified sports turf managers.

Additionally, as our industry continues to grow, more and more turf professionals are migrating from the golf industry into sports turf.

What is the next game-changer you see on the horizon for the sports turf industry?

Automation. Technology is changing the way we do things at an accelerating pace. We already have sensors and computer operated systems that help control and manage facilities. Drone and automated equipment technology are sure to be at our doorstep within the next decade. The day will soon come when we will be managing crews of robots alongside our human assistants. I have already invested in robot technology that paints athletic fields with precision rivaling that of an experienced field crew.

What’s your favorite/most useful: • Equipment: Reelmower (Toro 5510 Reelmaster) • Product: Liquid Fertilizer (Growth Products 30-0-0) • Technology: Turf Tank Ion One Field Painting Robot

Lily, Brian and Sha Sha

Can you share a bit about your family life and what you enjoy doing in your free time?

I live with my wife and three-year-old in North Kingstown, RI. My wife, Sha Sha, and I met as graduate students at URI. I was studying turf and she was an economics student. She is from China so we have a bilingual/bicultural household, which is quite interesting and fun. I don’t speak much Chinese, but Sha Sha and daughter, Lily, are fluent. Some day I hope to find more time to learn the language, it’s not easy!

Outside of work, I am an avid golfer and my wife likes to play too. I also enjoy woodworking and building things. As a family, we spend as much time together as possible and each year take trips to visit our distant families in Rochester, NY or Tianjin, China.

What have you enjoyed most about being a NESTMA member?

Catching up and networking with my peers. I have met so many good people through NESTMA. I think that is the greatest benefit, at least for me. There are several other great benefits, especially the opportunities for learning and expanding your knowledge.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your fellow NESTMA members?

Love what you do and prosper. •

March 2019 • New England Blade • 21

Irrigation Tips

N The Intelligent Use of

ow is the perfect time of the year to begin strategizing for the irrigation season. Here are a few startup tips to get you off to a strong spring:

1

Water Heath Traver, CIC

I dentify and repair leaks and broken equipment.

It is relatively simple to locate and replace broken heads, but it is the less obvious issues that can often lead to larger problems. Small leaks in irrigation systems can go unnoticed for years. The EPA estimates that a leak about the thickness of a dime can cause water waste of 6,300 gallons per month. Systems are now available that allow you to detect and fix these leaks before they become very costly. We now have the ability to monitor realtime flow and react to any issues (broken heads, ruptured pipes, etc.). The system can identify the issue, isolate and shut down the problem zone and generate automated alerts that will allow the system manager to react proactively before smaller issues get out of hand.

2

ater at the W appropriate times.

There are a few reasons to water overnight, besides the obvious point that nobody is around to be inconvenienced.

Watering during the extreme heat of the day can be harmful to plant material.

These hot conditions can also cause the irrigation water to evaporate before it has the time to infiltrate the soil. This is very inefficient. In addition, watering too early in the evening can also be harmful.

Allowing the soil to remain moist for extended periods of time can promote fungal growth (mushrooms, moss, etc.).

The “sweet spot” would be to schedule the irrigation to complete its cycle at around 6 AM (give or take, depending on the needs of the individual property).

If this approach to scheduling is made difficult due to a high number of zones on the property, there are controllers available that have the ability to run as many as 8 zones simultaneously. This will significantly shorten the watering window, allowing us to irrigate the entire property in less time.

22 • New England BLADE • March 2019

3

onitor your M system.

The most common way to manage an irrigation system is to set the controller up in the spring, and maybe make an adjustment in the summer depending on temperature and rainfall. This is a very inefficient way to irrigate. New technology is available which gives us the ability to monitor local weather conditions and adjust the amount of irrigation water on a daily basis depending on how much water is needed. The EPA has estimated that this approach to landscape irrigating can cut down on water usage by 30–35%.

4

heck System C Efficiency

Setting up intelligent schedules is not the only thing to consider when it comes

to smart watering. System performance must also be taken into account. If we have an area which doesn’t get as much water as the rest of the sports field, this weak point will get stressed out first.

Typically, we would increase the zone times to make sure that the entire field looks healthy. By watering to that weak point, we are more than likely overwatering other parts of the sports field.

Another issue which would affect efficiency is irrigation water that does not end up finding its intended location. At high pressure, water tends to mist as it exits the sprinkler head. Wind can easily carry this mist away from its intended target.

By using pressure regulated heads, we can ensure that the heads are putting out the appropriate amount of pressure as specified by the manufacturer. The appropriate pressure will ensure larger water droplets, which are less susceptible to wind. Another way to increase efficiency is to use drip irrigation, which

applies the water directly to the intended area. Drip is the most efficient way to irrigate and is now being used in subsurface applications (even in lawn areas).

If you feel that your irrigation system is underperforming, an audit may be the correct course of action. A qualified irrigation professional would have the ability to go through the system, check scheduling and efficiency, and make recommendations on ways to improve the system. Water is our most valuable resource, and it is our responsibility to use it intelligently.

Heath Traver, CIC, CLIA is an Area Specification Manager for Rain Bird in the Northeast US. Before joining the Rain Bird team, Heath was an irrigation contractor in North New Jersey, where he still resides. He is a Certified Irrigation Contractor and Auditor and is licensed to perform irrigation in the state of New Jersey. Reach out to Heath at htraver@ rainbird.com. •

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March 2019 • New England Blade • 23

Why Turf Talk

Every Sports Turf Manager Should Consider Using PGRs

By Ben Polimer

P

lant Growth Regulators (PGRs) have been used in the turf industry for many years but only in the last 10 years have taken off in the sports turf world. This is mostly due to the price, as the trinexepac- ethyl (TE) patent ended only a few years ago, making off-patent product affordable. I also think the fear of using these products has come down with the increased use. For those who want to start slow with these products, consider using them in paint first. A gallon jug is inexpensive and will go a long way. I will address using the products in paint later.

The purpose of these products is to reduce growth. PGRs are classified in two categories: Type I and Type II. Type I are foliar adsorbed, an example is Mefluidide (Embark). Type II are broken into 2 categories, Class A- foliar adsorbed and gibberellic acid is inhibited late in the process. Examples are trinexapacethyl (Primo) and Prohexadione calcium (Anuew). Class B are root absorbed, gibberellic acid is inhibited early in the process. Examples are Paclobutrazol (Trimmit) and Flurprimidol (Cutless).

Most of my experiences are with Class A products, and I think sports turf managers unfamiliar with the use of PGRs should use Class A products to start.

PGRs are great products, but they are never a substitute for good agronomics.

PGRs should never be applied when turf is stressed. Do not apply them to dormant turf.

24 • New England BLADE • March 2019

Using Growing Degree Days (GDD) has become a very good tool for application of all kinds of products. Using GDD for PGR usage is a great way to predict timing for reapplication. I personally don’t use GDD for PGR application for a couple of reasons: I don’t own a sprayer and MA State laws restrict EPA labeled product application timing. If you want more information on using GDD. I highly recommend looking at Dr. Bill Kreuser’s work at University of Nebraska- Lincoln. http://turf.unl.edu/highlighted-research #regulator There are up to 10 benefits of using PGRs in your program. They are different for every turf manager and every facility. Here’s the top-10 list as referenced

by Pam Sherratt and Dr. John Street in Sportsfield Management magazine: • Reduce clippings • Enhance color, texture and density • Extend life of painted lines • Prevent tissue elongation • Increase sod strength and divot resistance • Better fall color and spring green up • Wear tolerance and recuperative potential (rebound) • Improved drought and heat stress tolerance • Improved shade tolerance • Increased root length and mass

Most of my PGR usage has been with TE and on cool season grasses, mainly on Kentucky Bluegrass/Ryegrass/Poa Annua mix sports fields. Usually I am applying TE with a “cocktail” of other products like insecticides, wetting agents, and herbicides. When applying TE, expect a 50% growth reduction in 3-5 after application.

Discoloration will happen! It will dissipate and then in subsequent applications the turf is used to the application and will in turn have darker turf.

When reducing vertical growth, that in turn increases density. Mowing alone will not replicate the density of turf without the application of TE. It is noticeable to the novice.

Extending the life of paint lines might be a great starting point for the sports turf manager with little to no experience with using PGRs. I recommend halving the rate of the label of TE and mixing it

with your bulk paint. Paint with PGR can be used every 3 to 4 weeks and will help keep lines. It can reduce the need for restringing during off play periods.

Can it work to hold logos in between home games? Will it hold numbers and hashes on a football field in between home games? I caution using TE in wheel -to-wheel painters. Play with the rate. It’s a great tool, I highly recommended it.

If you use growth covers, flooring, or other types of coverings on turf, you can use TE to “pre-condition” the turf.

Reduce the growth while under the cover and time the “rebound” when the covering comes up. A Penn State University study concluded that a sand-based root zone can have reduced divot size by 10– 20 percent. In a native soil field, the divot size can be reduced by 10 percent.

TE applications early in the spring and late in the fall can help with better spring

green up and better fall color. I have done applications late in the summer, it seems to hold color longer in those cool nights of the fall. With our application restrictions in Massachusetts, I have not done a fall application. I have seen painted lines in the fall green up faster than the surrounding turf.

Besides the use of PGRs in paint, using the “rebound” effect, the regrowth of the turf plant coming out of suppression, can be the turf manager’s best friend. If you have a field not used in the spring or summer (football only) but the field is under suppression all summer long, time the rebound when games start in early September. “Growing out” damage can help get through the tough season. If fields are not used in the summer, and mine are not, we apply PGRs in summer to reduce mowing. I time the last application to help “grow out” damage from fall soccer.

Other advantages with using PGRs will have reduced turf decline from both tree and stadium shade. This makes sense when reducing vertical growth. There have been mixed findings on increased root length and mass on cool season turf according to Sherratt and Street. Bermudagrass has shown an increased root length and mass.

Personally, I did not have great success with this product, but there is one on the market for reducing trimming around trees and fence lines. I thought it was very expensive and didn’t perform that well. Granular PGRs are still around and do have some application in small areas like lawns, little league baseball infields, anywhere spraying might not work.

Ben Polimer is Fields and Grounds Coordinator for the Town of Weston, Massachusetts. Reach him directly at polimerb@weston.org. • March 2019 • New England Blade • 25

Research

Herbicide Resistance in Annual Bluegrass

Annual bluegrass is one of the most common weeds of turfgrass on golf courses and it has developed resistance to common herbicides, threatening the profitability of the turfgrass industry that serves golf courses, sports fields and sod farms as well as commercial and private landscapes.

Photo by G. Breeden, courtesy UTIA.

By Patricia McDaniels

A

nnual bluegrass is one of the most common weeds of turfgrass on golf courses, sports fields and sod farms, not to mention residential and commercial lawns. Unfortunately this nemesis of pristine landscapes has also developed resistance to many common herbicides. Researchers with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) are participating in a national effort to address what many landscape managers call an epidemic of herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass plaguing managed turf systems.

As part of a $3.2 million, 15-state USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant, UTIA turfgrass researcher Jim Brosnan will lead a team of Tennessee weed scientists in sampling annual bluegrass populations across the state. The team will travel the state’s three grand divisions to take samples from golf courses, sports fields, and residential and commercial lawns, as well as sod production farms. The sampled specimens will then be propagated in a controlled laboratory setting and tested for resistance to commonly used herbicides. The goal is to quantify the scope of herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass populations across Tennessee. Additionally, Brosnan’s

26 • New England BLADE • March 2019

team will also be developing new diagnostic assays to detect herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass, researching annual bluegrass seed persistence in soil, as well as the effects of turfgrass cultural practices on annual bluegrass infestation.

“This is a landmark study bringing together weed scientists from across the United States to address the important issue of herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass. It is exciting for UTIA to be involved in an effort that will provide such comprehensive and valuable information to turfgrass managers,” said Brosnan.

In Tennessee, turfgrass is big business, contributing $5.8 billion to the state’s economy in 2013, the latest year for which measurements are available. In a survey of Tennessee turfgrass industry managers conducted by UTIA researchers including Brosnan, nearly all of the state’s golf, sports field, lawn care and sod production professionals indicated that weed control was an important and problematic issue influencing the profitability of their businesses. Nationally, the turf industry has been valued to exceed $62 billion, but that figure dates to the mid 2000s in an industry that is notoriously difficult to quantify. Weeds, however, are everybody’s problem.

Brosnan says the UTIA efforts will amount to $425,000 in funds from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) over the course of the next four years. The overall grant — $3.2 million spread across 15 different landgrant universities — is being coordinated

by Muthukumar Bagavathiannan, a weed scientist at Texas A&M University.

The UTIA studies should result in optimized annual bluegrass management plans that integrate both cultural and chemical techniques to mitigate herbicide resistance in Tennessee and beyond. “We will also be involved in extension and outreach activities to communicate findings to turfgrass managers across the United States,” said Brosnan.

Details about the study can be found online at the USDA-NIFA website: https: //reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/ 1016398-research-and-extension-toaddress-herbicide-resistance-epidemicin-annual-bluegrass-in-managed-turfsystems.html Reach out to Patricia McDaniels, UTIA Marketing and Communications by phone 615-835-4570 or email pmcdaniels@ tennessee.edu. http://ag.tennessee.edu •

Specimens of annual bluegrass are being collected across Tennessee and propagated in a controlled laboratory setting at the UT Institute of Agriculture to test for resistance to commonly used herbicides. The goal is to quantify the scope of herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass populations across Tennessee. Photo by J. Brosnan, courtesy UTIA.

March 2019 • New England Blade • 27

Research • continued

Carrying Capacity and Pace Measurements on Natural Grass Tennis Courts

By J. Scott Ebdon, Ph.D., Michelle DaCosta, Ph.D, and Jefferson Lu

T

hree official size single courts (78 by 27 ft) were established in 2016 at the Joseph Troll Turf Research and Education Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Each court was planted to evaluate pure stands of the same 8 species and cultivars: ‘Keeneland’ Kentucky bluegrass (KB), ‘Rubix’ KB, ‘Karma’ perennial ryegrass (PR), ‘Wicked’ PR, ‘Puritan’ colonial bentgrass (CLBG), ‘007’ creeping bentgrass (CBG), ‘Villa’ velvet bentgrass (VBG) and the Chambers Bay Dunes mix (creeping red fescue and Chewings fescue, FF). Net posts and base lines were installed and natural wear from actual match play was initiated in June of 2017. Maintenance personnel from Longwood Cricket Club (Director of Grounds Mike Buras and crew) assisted in the design and installation of the courts. This research is kindly funded by the New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation.

The grass courts are mowed daily at 0.3125 inch height of cut and rolled daily using a 2,200 lb roller (10 ft wide) to maintain firmness and uniform surface conditions for ball bounce. The following surface characteristics important to tennis were measured in 2018 on the different species-cultivars: ball bounce (i.e., coefficient of restitution, COR), surface friction (i.e., coefficient of friction, COF), surface hardness (Gmax, firmness), player traction (Nm), TDRvolumetric soil moisture content (TDRVSMC), as well as turfgrass physiological and morphological measurements.

Compared to acrylic (hard) court and clay court surfaces, grass courts are notoriously fast in how quickly they play because of their lower COF (i.e., less surface friction between the ball and grass surface) and lower COR (i.e., lower ball bounce). Court pace (speed of play) is 28 • New England BLADE • March 2019

derived from COF and COR measurements. Lower COF increase court pace by increasing the horizontal velocity of the ball after impact while lower COR increases pace and play by reducing the time between successive bounces. These court surface properties are not well understood and have not been thoroughly investigated in grass tennis. Furthermore, the research is important to those who play tennis and the managers who maintain natural grass court surfaces.

Despite daily mowing and rolling, there is significant variability in grass court CPR due to the variations in BB, COR, and COF. Such variability in grass courts is not unusual especially when compared to constructed surfaces (hard and clay courts) where BB and surface friction are more uniform. The variability caused by soil moisture, grass species, density and grass cover make COR and COF less uniform in natural grass surfaces. Among the different species evaluated, BG species were more variable in CPR due to greater variability in BB (COR) and surface friction (COF) when compared to KB, PR and FF grass surfaces.

Hours of play on each court was recorded daily to compute carrying capacity of the different grass species and cultivars. Carrying capacity is derived from wear injury measured as the loss in grass cover at the base lines on all courts (replicates) and main plots. Seventy-two players participated in 2017 with an average of 22 players per week on each court. By the end of the tennis playing season, 76 hours of match play were recorded on all three courts. Carrying capacities (hrs) were calculated in terms of hours of play required to diminish grass cover from 100 to 70% cover at the base line. Species carrying capacities in 2017

to cause 70% grass cover were as follows: PR (69.2 hrs) = KB (61.8 hrs) > VBG (52.9 hrs) > CBG (30.7 hrs) = CLBG (26.9 hrs) > FF (13.3 hrs). Cultivars of KB and PR exhibited a 2-fold greater carrying capacity (and wear tolerance) than most other species (bentgrass and fine fescue). After 76 hrs of match play the courts were closed (on 12 August, 2017) to begin overseeding of the base lines. Grass cover at the base line after 76 hrs of match play corresponded to PR (77%) = KB (72%) = VBG (65%) > CLBB (39%) = CBG (35%) = FF (11%).

Grass cover and carrying capacity at termination of match play was highly correlated with total cell wall content (i.e., cell wall thickening). Species-cultivars with greater carrying capacities, grass cover, and wear tolerance at the base line were associated with greater total cell wall content (TCW) measured in their shoots. Shoot TCW can be further partitioned into cell wall component fractions: ligno- and hemi-cellulose. Greater lignocellulose may offer leaf tissues greater rigidity while hemi-celluloses provide greater leaf flexibility. Greater BB and COR increased significantly with greater ligno-cellulose in the leaf tissues accounting for some 63% of the total variation in BB and COR. Greater rigidity in the grass surface afforded by ligno-celluloses may explain the greater BB and COR with this cell wall fraction.

The outsoles from grass tennis shoes were fitted to a traction apparatus for measuring the ability of the grass surface to resist slippage when a rotational force (measured as Nm, Newton meter) is applied. Traction measurements indicated that grass surfaces with greater carrying capacities (and wear tolerance) are not necessarily the best for traction. Species traction measurements in 2017 and 2018

1 were as follows: BG (33.1 Nm) = KB (32.3 Nm) > PR (29.5 Nm) = FF (29.1 Nm). Preliminary results suggest that KB is the only species to combine both superior traction and wear tolerance under grass court conditions. Perennial ryegrass was among the most tolerant to wear but players may be more prone to slip when compared to the other species even when wearing grass court shoes.

Grass court shoes may offer significantly better grip or traction than conventional tennis shoes. However, we would expect the potential for slip to be greater (i.e., lower Nm) if our traction apparatus were fitted with the outsoles of conventional tennis shoes.

This study will continue for two more years. Match play will reopen in 2019 for our second year of wear evaluations.

A second year of surface measurements (TDR-VSMC, COF, Gmax, COR) will follow in 2020. We are also planning to visit natural grass court facilities in New England and the Northeast to measure BB, COR and COF.

2

Scott Ebdon is Professor of AgronomyTurfgrass Science and Michelle DaCosta is Associate Professor of Turfgrass Physiology in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Jefferson Lu is a Ph.D. Student assisting in the investigation of wear tolerance and pace on grass tennis courts. •

Three Official Size Courts were established in 2016 at the Joseph Troll Turf Research Center Photo 1: Actual match play was used to wear down turfgrass plots along the baselines of grass courts. The capacity of the different grass species to tolerate traffic during tennis play was then assessed.

3

Photo 2: Following 76 hours of match play, differences in injuries caused by tennis play were more readily apparent on colonial bentgrass (plot to the right) compared to perennial ryegrass (plot to the left).

Photo 3: Perennial ryegrass plots (right) were more wear tolerant than most other species. However, grass court tennis shoes (outsoles, shown at right) are more likely to slip on perennial ryegrass compared to Kentucky bluegrass or bentgrass.

March 2019 • New England Blade • 29

Upcoming Event

Advertiser Index

2019 NERTC Show:

Agresource Inc..........................................15 www.agresourceinc.com

A Message from NERTF

S

ince 1998, the New England Regional Turfgrass Conference and show events have opened on Mondays and have concluded on Thursdays. When things first began, we thought a four-day program was just what the industry needed. 15 years later, industry communications suggest we could serve the industry better by shortening our show schedule. So we did.

In 2016, we compressed the schedule by starting at 1:00 p.m. on Monday and ending a little earlier on Thursday. This was met favorably, but it wasn’t long before we heard some of the same concerns and that we should have gone further. Education has always been our highest priority and what we believe separates us from other shows.

To balance in-depth education, enough trade show hours and enjoyable social activities is a challenge. As we listened to comments and concerns, just three years later, we are informing everyone that it is time to go a little further and do a little more refining of our conference and show.

Highlights of changes to our 2019 show scheduled for March 5 – 7, 2019: • There will be no show activities on Monday, March 4 • All two- and four-hour seminars will be held on Tuesday, March 5 starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m.

• Exhibitor move-in will begin early on Tuesday morning • The trade show will open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 6 and close at 5 p.m.

• Staggered education sessions will begin at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Wednesday and again at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the afternoon • The show auction will begin at 3 p.m. on Wednesday • Thursday’s education sessions will begin at 8 a.m.

• The trade show will open at 9 a.m. and close at 2 p.m. on Thursday

The Charles C. Hart Seed Co.....................15 www.hartseed.com Covermaster, Inc.......................................17 www.covermaster.com CoverSports USA.......................................23 www.coversports.com Geoponics Corporation...................... Inside Back Cover www.geoponicscorp.com Harrell’s LLC................... Inside Front Cover www.harrells.com Leading Edge Communications.................. 3 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com New England Specialty Soils....................10 www.nesoils.com Progressive Turf Equipment Inc..............27 www.progressiveturfequip.com Rain Bird...................................................... 7 www.rainbird.com Sportscapes Unlimited LLC........................ 5 www.sportscapesunlimited.com Turf Products Corp..................... Back Cover www.turfproductscorp.com/about

• There will be a second education session on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m.

• Education hours, trade show hours, credits and social opportunities should still remain the same even with a shortened schedule.

We are confident that through this compacted schedule attendees will receive all the value that they have received in the past. This show is your show. Please stay tuned as we work at processing all these changes and add in all the variables to make the best “Show on Turf” even better! •

22nd Annual New England Regional Turfgrass Conference • March 5 – 7, 2019 Rhode Island Convention Center • Providence, Rhode Island For a complete schedule and to register for the NERTC visit NERTF.org/2019-show or call (401) 841-5490.

30 • New England BLADE • March 2019

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