LAWN MOSS
Friend or Foe?
Sprucing Up
Your Sports Field’s Irrigation System
Managing Pesticide Resistance on the Golf Course
Plus, Preview of the 2012
VTC Annual Conference
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | November/December 2011
22
16
14 Upcoming Event Preview — 2012 VTC Annual Conference Educational Program
16 Cover Story
Lawn Moss: Friend or Foe?
22 Feature Story Sprucing Up Your Sports Field’s Irrigation System 26 Applied Research Managing Pesticide Resistance in Golf Course Turfgrass
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26 Departments 6 President’s Message from Melissa Reynolds 8 Director’s Corner from Tom Tracy, Ph.D. 10 Editor’s Perspective from Mark Vaughn, CGCS 12 VTF Report from Betty Parker 30 Turf Industry Events 30 Index of Advertisers
On the cover: A moss lawn in a densely shaded landscape at the Eden Woods garden of Norie Burnett in Richmond, VA.
Virginia Turfgrass Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 5989 Virginia Beach, VA 23471 Office: (757) 464-1004 Fax: (757) 282-2693 vaturf@verizon.net Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com Editor Mark Vaughn, CGCS VTC OFFICERS President Melissa Reynolds Dura Turf Service Corp. (804) 233-4972 Vice President Frank Flannagan Belmont Golf Course (804) 501-5993 Treasurer Brian Vincel, CGCS Spring Creek Golf Club (434) 566-2580 Past President Rick Viancour, CGCS Golden Horseshoe Golf Club (757) 220-7489 VTC DIRECTORS Fred Biggers, CGCS Gil Grattan Vince Henderson Rick Owens, CGCS Marc Petrus Steve Slominski Steve Smith Scott Woodward VTC ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Mike Goatley, Ph.D. (Chair) Shawn Askew, Ph.D. Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. Erik Ervin, Ph.D. Rajandra Waghray, Ph.D. Rod Youngman, Ph.D. Executive Director/ Director of PROGRAMS Tom Tracy, Ph.D. (757) 681-6065 Virginia Turfgrass Foundation Betty Parker (757) 574-9061
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 5
From the President
Melissa Reynolds VTC President
Planning W
hat an enjoyable word, “planning.” It conjures many positive thoughts about the day and about future days. Such a word is symbolic of activity, forward progress and perhaps energized thinking, figuring and calculating. We plan our days, our workweeks, cash flow (what??), inventories of goods, job backlogs (what??), our vacations (do what?), appointments and the like. Yes, we plan, because we are living in a fast-paced world, not wishing to miss out on positive possibilities. Let’s refer to my previous president’s message, titled “Constancy in Turmoil.” Some of the world’s most recent (at that time) tumultuous events were outlined, and of course, these events were not planned. The aftermath of these events involved enacting disaster relief, carrying out planned disaster-training methods and instituting revised plans for many special cases. Now, fast-forward to August 2011 — specifically, August 23 — where we, in Virginia and beyond, experienced an earthquake, followed by August 27, where we, in Virginia and beyond, experienced Hurricane Irene, then followed by tropical storm Lee and all the flooding in Virginia and beyond. In August, our family did not plan to be without power (or hot water) for seven days; we did not plan tree-removal services for our extended family, nor did we plan for a husband to be ill (without air conditioning or hot water), or for Verizon to willfully lose our emails. What we did plan to do was stockpile fuel for running the generator (which we acquired after Isabel tore through in 2003); we planned to not buy any groceries that could not survive the generator dance; we got a second propane tank, batteries and chocolate (what??). So, we people plan for our average days, our disaster days and our hopeful days. The 52nd Annual VTC Turf & Landscape Conference and Tradeshow — now that is an event worthy of attendance planning! The VTC board always enjoys the implementation of programs for upcoming conferences, inasmuch as we begin active forward planning in February each year. We benefit from the involvement of many industry representatives in this ongoing project. The days and months of preparedness for this planned event result in the fulfillment of our hopeful days for our industry. So, all VTC members, associates and thrill seekers: Get out your calendars, mark the week — January 16–19, 2012 — and register for our event. c
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Director’s Corner
Well Spoken, and Timely, Too! Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director
S
ome people have a knack for destroying the spoken word; they scarcely open their mouths before making a grievous assault on the English language. Fortunately, none of these language-killers are speaking at the 52nd Annual Turf and Landscape Conference. (Yes, this event has been happening for over half a century!) Here is a quick preview of the speakers and topics scheduled to be in Fredericksburg during the week of January 16. Did you know that the tragic, unfortunate and untimely death of a golf course superintendent in Chesapeake, Virginia, prompted OSHA into action? Several golf courses have been inspected to determine their compliance with the employee-safety regulations. What are the government inspectors looking for? What are they finding? What fines are being levied? One of our conference speakers is one of these inspectors. He has agreed to tell us what he looks for when he arrives at a golf course or a landscape business. Making a presentation on another timely matter is Dr. Roch Gaussoin, a returning speaker from the University of Nebraska. He will discuss foliar nutrition, an important topic that affects many of you. In these days of tight budgets and increased government regulation of fertilizers, we all need to hear what Dr. Gaussoin has to say! Space does not permit me to highlight all of the other topics and speakers; however, here is a quick list (and you’ll find a full list on pages 14–15). You will agree that a formidable team of experts is coming! • “ Disease Control in Cool-Season Sports-Field Turf ” (Steve McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions) • “ Management of Fine-Leaf Fescues for Secondary Roughs” (Steve McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions) • “ Government Relations” (Tom Delaney, PLANET) • “ Using Plant Growth Regulators to Manage Turfgrass” (Dr. Fred Yelverton, NC State) • “ New Herbicides for Weed Management in Turfgrass” (Dr. Fred Yelverton, NC State) • “ Environmental Aspects of Turf Fertilization: Facts and Fiction” (Dr. Tom Turner, Univ. of Maryland) • “ Warm-Season Turfgrass Research Update” (Dr. Mike Goatley, VT) • “ 2011: The Year in Review” (USGA Team) • “ Seeded Warm-Season Grasses — Research Update” (Adam Nichols, VT) • “ Poa Management, the Irish Way” (Dr. Erik Ervin, VT) • “Perennial Grass Control: What Are the Options?” (Dr. Jeff Derr, VT) • “ Postemergence Crabgrass and Goosegrass Control in Bermudagrass” (Dr. Shawn Askew, VT) • “ The Latest on Selective Poa annua and Poa trivialis Control with the Experimental Herbicide Methiozolin” (Dr. Shawn Askew, VT) • “ The Entrepreneurial Equation” (Kyle Richardson, Edward Jones Co.) • “ Utilization of Remote Sensing for Precision Turf Management” (David McCall, VT) • “ Weed Control Updates” (VT graduate students) • a nd the list goes on! So, make plans to come to Fredericksburg this January. You will hear experts deftly handle the spoken word as they give us tips on being successful turfgrass managers! c
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Editor’s Perspective
Come — Refuel My Tank! Mark Vaughn, CGCS Virginia Turfgrass Journal Editor
W
hat do you believe? How’s that for an opening salvo? Did it start your heart racing like you were in a job interview and had just been asked that mind-bending question that is supposed to distinguish you from the other candidates? Did your brain spin to the social and political issues of the day? Did it give you pause and take you deeper into the theological world? Or did you say, “What the heck do you mean, ‘What do I believe?’ About WHAT? That’s a complex question about a lot of complicated issues.” For years, National Public Radio has been broadcasting the series “This I Believe,” based on a radio show first started in the early 1950s by famed CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow. In the show, people were given a few minutes to articulate one of their core beliefs about life and living. The show moved to Public Radio International and Sirius XM in 2009, and it still broadcasts new segments weekly. I highly recommend it. So, what do I believe? I believe in whoopee cushions. In rubber snakes, in “I Love Lucy,” in Dave Chappelle, in Comedy Central. Sorry, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck, et. al., but this I firmly believe: Laughter Is the Best Medicine. Better than ANY pill you can buy. And that’s coming from a guy who takes more than his share of meds every day. I’m a radio junkie. When I’m in the car, the radio is on. Even though I’m a morning person and love my rock and roll, I’m usually not ready for Led Zeppelin at 6:00 a.m., so invariably the dial drifts over to NPR. Most mornings, it is okay. On some days, however, especially those days when there is no human-interest story (like “This I Believe”), it becomes a steady drumbeat of the-world-is-going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket news. When I can’t take it anymore, I flip the dial literally and politically over to the right for the mindless redneck humor of John Boy and Billy. Sometimes, it’s stupid, but many days the boys have gotten me out of my funk just before I make the hard left turn through the golf course gate. The former minister at the church I attend was a great person and friend. He was conscientious about his work, to be sure, but not afraid to share a good joke or a funny story. After watching the movie Patch Adams the other night for the umpteenth time, I was reminded of some advice he gave me years ago. He said, “Don’t take this world or yourself TOO seriously.” The last time he was in town, he was driving an old Mazda Miata with the personalized tag “Old Fool.” Almost every Friday, a group of us gather for lunch at a local Mexican eatery. By the time the chips and salsa hit the table, laughter has made several laps around the table. It continues until it’s time to walk out the door. Many times, that laughter is the fuel that fills an empty tank. I have never left a Friday lunch feeling worse than when I came. When Jim Valvano was only weeks away from death, he gave a speech at the ESPY’s, a presentation that many of you are familiar with. When you listen to that speech, in the back of your mind, it is firmly implanted that this was a man DYING from a hideous disease and that he KNEW it. If you watch the video, you can tell, even as he gave the speech, that he was in a lot of pain. So, here was a man whose time was short, taking stock of life and trying to leave something to the living. In that respect, I think he saw himself as fortunate. Here’s my shot, he thought, to break life down to what is really important. What did he say? Well, he said a lot of things. The most quoted lines from that speech are, “Don’t give up! Don’t ever, ever, give up!” But I like what he said earlier in his speech. He said you should do three things every day. You should laugh, spend some time in thought and have your emotions moved to tears from happiness or joy. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that this man, dying from cancer, put laughter at the front of the list.
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One of the best memories I have of my sister, when she was going through the hell of chemotherapy for the cancer that was eating her from the inside out, was when we were sitting on the sofa beside each other, looking like a couple of coneheads, rubbing each other’s head and laughing because she finally had less hair than I did. Not a pleasant circumstance for a female, to be sure, but I saw the twinkle in my little sister’s eyes that belied all the pain she was going through. There were many days, I’m sure, when laughter was not present, but I’m convinced it gave her more time and inspired others to say at her funeral, “She was sick, but she was never dying.” Please do not mistake me for being flippant or having a devil-may-care attitude about life. There are plenty of times (like the one I just mentioned) when there is nothing funny about the situation and life just plain stinks. BUT... I have found that when the life starts seeping out of me, laughter has been replaced with stress, arguments and way too much seriousness. We all have people in our lives who seem to have something funny to say almost every time we are around them. We subconsciously believe that these folk must come by this naturally, as some sort of gift from God. I suspect, however, that they face the same demons — anger, bitterness, depression, jealousy, envy, negativity, worry — that we all do. They just choose not to succumb to it. So… where do you share laughter with friends? I’d say, for the turf industry, one of the best places is at our annual conference and tradeshow in Fredericksburg. If I saw some of you, say, in August, there might be a room of stressed-out faces. But, it’s January, for God’s sake. Those 18 children of yours are put to bed. I need to hear those stories about the dumb things your members said, the crazy thing a staff member did, the millions you’ve made this year in the market, or even the brain freeze you may have had. C’mon, we need to refuel before the next season. And, as a bonus, we might just learn a little something new while we are there. c Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 11
VTF Report
Betty Parker VTF Manager
Thoughts from Enjoying an Apple As
I ate my apple this morning, I thought about how much better apples have gotten over the years. They are now much harder and crisper than I ever remember. The color is deeper red than any I have seen, and the flavor is full and sweet. I was eating a Gala apple, and I don’t really remember any Gala apples running around when I was growing up, so I decided to look up where they come from. Sure enough, a quick Google search produced the information. “The first Gala apple tree was one of many seedlings resulting from a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Kidd’s Orange Red planted in New Zealand in the 1930s by orchardist J.H. Kidd.” The article went on to say that Donald W. McKenzie, an employee of Stark Bros. Nursery, obtained a U.S. plant patent for the cultivar on October 15, 1974. It also said that although the U.K. did not start planting the Gala apple tree for production until the 1980s, this variety now accounts for 20% of all the apples consumed in the U.K. It took decades of genetic cross-breeding and countless trials of tweeking their characteristics to produce just the right product for those of us who love hard, crisp, sweet red apples. Now, why in the world do I even bore you with such a mundane story? Because the key component to me even thinking about how much I enjoy Gala apples is the research that went into producing them. They did not just happen, and if I’d had to pay for the labs, special equipment, patents and labor that went into deriving this variety, I would never have been able to afford to enjoy it. As I am writing this, I am sitting out on my screened-in porch, and I see Brook’s garden that is showing some signs of needing to be plowed under. Still, I know the vegetables we ate all summer and into the fall were products of at least that much research. The grass that makes up our yard is mostly common bermuda, treated at just the right time for the variety of weeds that try needlessly to pop through its thick mesh. It is mowed, aerified, fertilized and loved, in order to look as good as a common bermuda will allow; and yet, if this were a hybrid bermuda, one that had been expertly developed to be drought tolerant and disease resistant, it would look even better and require less maintenance. That is why, when we tore up the portion in front of our house last June, we put down Tifway 419 bermudagrass sod. Dr. Dick Schmidt and Dr. Link Taylor of Virginia Tech developed a variety of bermuda seed that is used in a blend called Mohawk. It is through the sale of this seed that Virginia Tech’s turfgrass research benefits at the Turfgrass Research Center in Blacksburg. We can’t take things like this for granted. New and improved turfgrass cultivars don’t just happen, and they require funding to reach fruition. WE NEED YOUR HELP to continue this work. We need your donations, and your participation in the research tournaments that take place across the state that benefit turfgrass research, and your support in sponsoring these events. We thank you for your help in the past, and we ask that, as you eat your apple today and look around at all the beautiful lawns and sports fields, roadway medians, golf courses, etc., etc., etc., you remember just how far we have come, thanks to this research. c
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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 13
Upcoming Event
Preview of the VTC’s
52nd Annual TURF & LANDSCAPE CONFERENCE AND TRADESHOW January 16–19, 2012 • Fredericksburg, VA • Fredericksburg Conference & Expo Center MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2012 Weed Management, Plant Growth Regulators and More 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Class Sponsored by the Old Dominion Golf Course Superintendents Association
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2012 Morning Seminars 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Take your pick of topics for each Session. Session One 8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. Evaluation of Fungi and Nematodes Against Masked Chafer Grubs Shaohui Wu, Virginia Tech Disease Control in CoolSeason Sports-Field Turf Steve McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions Government Relations Tom Delaney, PLANET Seeded Warm-Season Grasses Research Update Adam Nichols, Virginia Tech Session Two 9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. Using Growing Degree Days to Schedule PGR Applications on Bermudagrass Erik Ervin, Ph.D., Virginia Tech Utilization of Remote Sensing for Precision Turf Management David McCall, Virginia Tech
Weed Control Updates by Virginia Tech Grad Students Angela Post, Adam Smith and Michael Cox, Virginia Tech The Latest on Selective Poa annua and Poa trivialis Control with the Experimental Herbicide Methiozolin Shawn Askew, Ph.D., Virginia Tech Session Three 10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. New Herbicides for Weed Management in Turfgrass Fred Yelverton, Ph.D., NC State Management of Fine-Leaf Fescues for Secondary Roughs Steve McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions Government Relations Tom Delaney, PLANET The Entrepreneurial Equation Kyle Richardson, Edward Jones Co. Session Four 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Using Plant Growth Regulators to Manage Turfgrass Fred Yelverton, Ph.D., NC State Poa Management, the Irish Way Erik Ervin, Ph.D., Virginia Tech
LuNCH (on your own) 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. TRADESHOW 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. VTC SOcial Hour 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Informal Year in Review and recognition of scholarship winners.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012 Fellowship breakfast 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. TRADESHOW & Lunch 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. VTC ANNUAL MEETING and general session 1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. concurrent educational tracks 2:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Golf Track OSHA Update on Workforce Safety 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Water-Quality Monitoring 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Stephen Schoenholtz, Virginia Tech
Postemergence Crabgrass and Goosegrass Control in Bermudagrass Shawn Askew, Ph.D., Virginia Tech
Fine-Tuning Your Foliar Nutrition Program 3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. Roch Gaussoin, Ph.D., University of Nebraska
Environmental Aspects of Turf Fertilization: Facts and Fiction Tom Turner, Ph.D., Univ. of Maryland
2011: The Year in Review 4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Darin Bevard, Keith Happ and Stan Zontek, USGA
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Sports Track Fine-Tuning Your Foliar Nutrition Program 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Roch Gaussoin, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Managing White Grubs 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Rod Youngman, Ph.D., Virginia Tech Warm-Season Turfgrass Research Update 3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Mike Goatley, Ph.D., Virginia Tech Gly-Ryes 4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Doug Brede, Ph.D., Jacklin Seed Sod Track Research Overview of Organic Products for Sod Production 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Tom Turner, Ph.D., Univ. of Maryland
Sod Multi-Cropping 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Doug Brede, Ph.D., Jacklin Seed Controlling Sweet Vernalgrass and Other Troublesome Weeds in Sod and Lawns 3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Shawn Askew, Ph.D., Virginia Tech With New Sod Options Come New Disease Problems: What to Expect and How to Manage 4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. David McCall, Virginia Tech Lawn/Landscape Track Perennial Grass Control: What Are the Options? 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Jeff Derr, Ph.D., Virginia Tech The Entrepreneurial Equation 2:50 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Kyle Richardson, Edward Jones Co. Are You Ready for Growth? 3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Bruce Sheppard, Weed Man
OSHA Update on Workplace Safety 4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2011 PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Robert Barksdale, RBB Sales and Consulting PESTICIDE CERTIFICATION TRAINING FOR CORE EXAM 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Karen Carter, VA Coop. Extension CERTIFICATION EXAM (CORE, 3A and 3B) 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Must have written approval from VDACS to take the exam. CONFERENCE ADJOURNS
TO REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE, GO TO
WWW.VATURF.ORG
Cover Story
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Lawn Moss: Friend or Foe?
By Michael Goatley Jr., Ph.D., Extension Turfgrass Specialist; Susan Edwards, Extension Technician, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chesterfield County; and Shawn Askew, Ph.D., Extension Turfgrass Weed Specialist, Virginia Tech
T
here are thousands of species of moss worldwide. These very simple plants lack the typical leaf, shoot, root and seed-forming systems of most higher plants; however, they are some of the hardiest living organisms on the planet (Photo 1). Lawn moss can reproduce sexually (spores, etc.) or asexually (breaking off into smaller pieces that divide and multiply), and their numbers can increase rapidly under the right conditions. They are tolerant of extremely low mowing, so regular clipping of the grass will not remove them. It would seem that these plants would not offer much resistance to our efforts to manage or control them, but as Mother Nature often shows, their simplicity in design and function correlates well with their ability to colonize and persist in some of the most inhospitable growing conditions around a residential property: sidewalks, driveways and, yes, the lawn.
Why mosses occur
It is important to understand that mosses occur when some underlying condition allows them to out-compete turfgrasses and other plants. These conditions most frequently are some combination of: • acidic soil conditions • poorly drained, persistently wet soils • medium to dense shade • repeated “scalping” of turf on uneven terrain • compacted soils
Steps you can take to reduce the competition from moss
If the problems that are limiting the turf or other plant growth are not corrected, any efforts to eliminate or control the moss will be futile. First, identify which of the above factors are likely contributing to the occurrence of the moss. What is your soil pH? If you do not know, then a soil test is required. A soil test is simple to perform and very affordable, consider-
ing the amount of information you will receive regarding lime and nutrient requirements. Next, is the site poorly drained? If so (Photo 2), install drainage or regrade the area to promote water removal. Mosses thrive in wet-soil conditions, whereas all turfgrasses struggle. The third factor that is likely limiting the turf is lack of sunlight. Many species of moss are tolerant of dense shade and prefer moist soil in the shaded areas. Removing trees from the lawn would fix the shade problem, but this practice is almost never acceptable to the average homeowner. However, simply pruning trees to remove lower limbs or thin the canopy fosters much improvement of turfgrass growing conditions. Any arborist would concede that tree pruning usually promotes healthy trees, so pruning benefits both trees and lawn. If moss occurs in sunny spots, mower scalp may be the culprit. Wide mower decks reduce time on the mower but may contribute to scalping on uneven slopes. Scalping severely weakens turfgrass and allows moss to thrive. Smooth the uneven places in the lawn by topdressing with soil, regrade the area or use a smaller mower in uneven areas.
This is a moss lawn in a densely shaded landscape at the Eden Woods garden of Norie Burnett in Richmond, VA.
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 17
continued Cover Story
Photo 2. 1. Silvery thread moss (Byrum argenteum) Photo Silvery thread moss (Byrum argenteum)is isone oneofofthe themost mostcommon commonturf turf competitors in the landscape, in either highor low-maintenance situations. Photo competitors in the landscape, in either highor low-maintenance situations. credit: @ Virginia PhotoTurfweeds.net credit: Turfweeds.net @ Tech Virginia Tech
hydrated lime (2 to 3 lbs./1,000 ft2) are readily available and inexpensive. Other compounds specifically marketed for moss control include ferrous sulfate (commonly called iron sulfate), ferrous ammonium sulfate and copper sulfate. You also might recognize these materials as some of the lawn and landscape industry’s earliest fungicides. The iron- and copper-based materials can be toxic to new turfgrass establishments, so they often must be deactivated by a lime application that counteracts the effects of the metals applied. These desiccants are ideally used in winter through spring, when the chances for damaging the existing turf are reduced. Carefully follow label directions in order to maximize product effectiveness and turf safety. Remember, if the problems limiting turf growth are not solved, the moss will bounce right back following treatment. The moss is not driving out the turf — instead, the absence of turf vigor allows the moss to expand its area.
Moss gardens
Photo 2. The moss is overtaking the turf in this very poorly drained soil on a heavily shaded site. Photo credit: Turfweeds.net @ Virginia Tech
Compacted soils also give moss a competitive advantage. Use a coreaeration machine to alleviate compaction and improve turfgrass growing conditions.
Alternatives in moss control/suppression
Physically removing moss with a rake is one way to get rid of moss, but it is essentially impossible to get every single piece of this very simple but durable organism. Remember, there are plenty of spores already in the soil or that are being moved in by wind or water. Remove all vegetative material that you possibly can, scratch the soil and
reseed with a turfgrass that best fits the site. There are no easy chemical solutions to moss, but some compounds will reduce moss populations with repeated use. Homeowners often attempt to control moss with glyphosate, likely our most widely used nonselective herbicide for lawn and landscape use. However, glyphosate does not work on most mosses. Carfentrazone is labeled for moss control in home lawns when applied by licensed lawn and landscape professionals. Numerous compounds suppress moss by acting as desiccants. Ground limestone (75 to 100 lbs./1,000 ft2) and
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Why work against Mother Nature? Chances are, if the conditions are right for moss to grow, significant renovation may be required to get turfgrass to thrive in the same area, with no guarantees. Mosses are often regarded as pests that should be removed from the lawn. However, mosses have both ecological and aesthetic value. A good bio-indicator of air and water pollution, these hardy, yet delicate plants thrive only in areas that exhibit good air and water quality. They are also one of the first plants to respond to acid rain; the decline in mosses (and other related plants, such as lichens) indicate a negative change in the environment. Moss also helps retain moisture and nutrients in the soil. As another environmental benefit, moss as a ground cover in densely shaded lawns stabilizes soil, thereby improving water quality that might otherwise be deteriorated by bare, eroding soil. Maintaining some type of soil-stabilizing plant material is superior to a mostly barren soil in these deeply shaded canopies.
Cover Story continued
Aesthetically, mosses add a natural beauty to the lawn and garden setting, typically filling in void spaces of soil where little else will grow (Photo 3, next page). Unlike most turfgrasses, which need full sun to thrive, mosses can brighten up a shady corner of the property, since they are at their greenest in low light. Hence, moss may be the ideal plant under large, shady trees, providing low-maintenance, year-round greenery. Mosses do well with most shade-loving shrubs and deciduous trees (especially oak, ash, maple and tulip poplar), but they may not hold up as well under conifers.
Growing moss
Mosses are usually found in deep forests, in areas of little light and high moisture content. For that reason, lawns of moss are best suited to properties that are slightly or deeply wooded. Some mosses will thrive in full sun when adequate humidity is present, but most require the moisture and low light that wooded lots provide. If moss is already growing on the property, you’re off to a good start. Its presence indicates that environmental conditions are favorable for moss to grow and that little or no site preparation is necessary. For a weak lawn with moss present, simply remove the grass by hand or chemically, and let the moss take over. Glyphosate-containing herbicides (such as Roundup) can kill off the grass but rarely damage moss. Keep the area free of debris such as leaves, twigs, and acorns, and the moss will do the rest. This method is, by far, the easiest and least frustrating in establishing a moss lawn; naturally occurring mosses need far less TLC than do those that have been transplanted onto the site. Naturally occurring mosses can thrive with no supplemental irrigation or soil amendments.
mine the pH of the soil; mosses prefer a pH around 5.5 (somewhat acidic). If the soil’s pH is higher, you can lower it with the addition of elemental sulfur or rhododendron fertilizer, according to soil-test results. Be sure to lightly water in any amendments. Once the site is prepped, you have two choices: sit back and wait for the moss to come, or find and transplant moss suitable for the location. Again, mosses that are naturally sown have a far better success rate and require less care than those transplanted. Transplanting mosses can create an instant carpet, but this carpet will require more attention to keep it lush. Also, the rhizoids (“roots” of mosses) and edges of transplanted moss sods can dry and die out if proper care and handling are not given during transport. On the other hand, if moss spores are allowed to settle in on their own, those mosses that are best suited for the landscape’s conditions will take hold.
Choosing mosses for transplant
If you choose to transplant, take a good look at the landscape, and make note of the site’s conditions. You’ll have a greater chance of success if the transplanted moss comes from a very similar environment to where it is being planted. For instance, if the landscape conditions include moist, organic-rich soil with deep shade, collect moss growing under similar conditions. Note also that mosses grow in soil, as well as on rocks and logs. Transplant to the same environment from which you harvested: those harvested from rocks will grow best on rocks, not in soil; those harvested from soil will grow best in soil of similar conditions, not on rocks or logs. Some mosses can withstand a good amount of foot traffic, while others do not perform well as carpets. Again, take cues from the environment to determine if the moss, you find will act as
Site preparation
If you’d like to establish moss in a currently moss-free location, a little more prep work is needed. Weed to remove any existing plants, and rake to remove twigs, leaves and other debris. Rake the area smooth, and tamp the soil slightly. Conduct a soil test to deterJournal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 19
continued Cover Story
Photo 3. Stepping stones in Norie Burnett’s gardens in Richmond not only look great, but they minimize traffic problems on the tender carpet of moss in the landscape.
a carpet at the landscape site; if it is spreading in nature, it will probably do the same in your landscape (under suitable growing conditions). Fern moss is one that performs well as a moss carpet (and accounts for 90% of the moss in the landscape pictured in this article). Fern moss grows aggressively to cover bare areas and knits together well, creating a “rug.” It is spongy to the touch and has the texture of small fern fronds. When dormant from February to April, fern moss sports an olive green hue, but it is otherwise emerald green, even in dreary winters. It is important to note that correctly identifying moss species is extremely difficult, sometimes even for the experts. While we do know that individual species prefer certain environments, without proper identification, listing those attributes here would not be of much help. For successful transplanting, it is therefore more important to note the environmental conditions in which the moss is growing and then match those conditions, rather than to identify the species in a field guide.
How to transplant
To dig out sods of moss, use a spade or a knife with a long, sturdy blade. Make sure each sod piece is at least the size
of an outstretched hand; any smaller than this, and the sod is more susceptible to drying out and dying. Take up all the soil necessary to keep all rhizoids intact. It may take a few tries to determine the depth of soil you need to dig for the particular species of moss you are transplanting. You also want to have some soil intact below the rhizoids to keep them from drying out. To minimize erosion where you dig the moss from, cover the area with leaf debris; new moss will move in and likely cover the area within a year or two. When transplanting the moss at the landscape site, press the pieces of sod in place to make good contact with the soil, and then water thoroughly. During the first year of establishment, transplanted mosses usually need watering, even into the winter months. You should water transplanted moss any time that the ground’s surface dries out. To make a little moss go a bit further, consider spacing the moss sods at spaced intervals. Over time, the sods will grow together to form one continuous patch of green. Once the moss is established, there is little else to do besides keep the area tidy as you did throughout the establishment process. Be patient, as it may take several growing seasons for the transplanted moss to fill in an area.
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Once established, avoid regular traffic on the moss by using walkways, stepping-stones or obstructions in the landscape to divert foot traffic (Photo 3). Occasionally walking on moss does not pose a problem, but regular traffic should be discouraged.
Summary
Whether your intent is to control moss or perhaps grow it as a lawn, it is clear that the environment and site characteristics will ultimately dictate your success. No chemical controls are absolute in their ability to selectively eradicate moss from the landscape. Similarly, if you desire to establish and grow moss in the landscape, there are specific requirements for soil, moisture, light and limited traffic that must be met. As this article shows, though, moss can be considered either a major competitive weed problem in a typical grassy lawn or a wonderful alternative to turfgrass in shaded landscapes. c
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Norie Burnet of Eden Woods garden in Chesterfield, Virginia, for assistance in developing this article, and Barry Robinson, former Extension agent, Montgomery County, reviewer.
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 21
Feature Story
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u o Y p U g cin u r Sp
r
Sports Field’s
Irrigation System By Liz Nutter, Managing Editor, Leading Edge Communications, Publisher of the Virginia Turfgrass Journal
M
ore than likely, most sportsturf managers in Virginia already have an irrigation system on their primary athletic field. If that irrigation system was fairly recently built, you also probably have efficient irrigation components that were installed based on modern irrigation-design principles. Lucky you! If you’ve inherited an older irrigation system, however, its performance may not be as reliable or efficient as it should or could be. “With their increasingly tight budgets, most sports-turf managers can’t just rip out their existing system and completely start over,” says Mike Young, manager of the Landscape Products Group with Smith Turf & Irrigation. “The good news, in most cases, is that it probably isn’t necessary.” Instead, as Young and Dr. Grady Miller (a turf specialist at North Carolina State University) explain below, many options are available to help improve your current system.
Irrigation-design basics
First, you must evaluate your system and identify potential problems caused by initial design flaws, component failures or maintenance damage. While
you can’t change the design itself without installing new lines or respacing the rotors (irrigation heads), you can often improve the system’s performance with new (or repaired) components. If you select any square foot within any certain irrigation zone on your field and measure the amount of irrigation your system applies there, that amount should be the same as on any other square foot in that zone. In fact, for true uniformity of distribution, all sports-turf irrigation systems should be designed for “head-to-head coverage.” What, though, does that mean? “Let’s say you have three heads in a row, where head #1 throws water toward head #2, which in turn throws water toward head #1 and head #3,” Dr. Miller says. “Much of the water on the turf right around head #1 actually comes from head #2. And the water around head #2 comes from heads #1 and #3. The turf area closest to one head will get its water primarily from the next head over. That’s why, for uniform irrigation application, you want total overlap in your head coverage.” That’s also why most rotors today have multiple nozzles (usually two, but sometimes three). Typically, one of the Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 23
continued Feature Story
nozzles throws finer droplets that land closer to the rotor, while the other nozzle throws larger droplets that travel farther out. “A lot of engineering and design have been put into today’s nozzles to make them more effective at delivering a uniform application of water,” says Young. Unfortunately, says Dr. Miller, some irrigation installers are talked into cutting corners by putting fewer heads in the system and violating the head-tohead coverage rule. “Often, the result is that the field will have donut shapes across it, where the turf in the inner circles around the heads is lighter green than the turf farther out in the spray patterns,” he comments. “As long as you’re getting plenty of rain, it may not be that noticeable. But it’s pretty easy to spot after you’ve gone through a decent drought.”
Evaluating your system
Dr. Miller recommends that every sports-turf manager regularly (once a week or so) turn on the irrigation system and watch it operate for several minutes. This is especially important since many systems are programmed to irrigate in early morning, when no one is around to notice problems. “Sometimes a head or two will get damaged from heavy traffic or by aerification, or sometimes a gasket may wear and start to ‘leak,’ allowing the head to become clogged with sand or debris that causes it to malfunction,” he explains. “A clogged or damaged head may not pop up at all, or if it does pop up, it may rotate more slowly than it should, or it may not rotate at all. It’s not uncommon to have a few heads in different zones on a field that don’t work like they should.” That’s why, he says, you should regularly check your system. “Turn on each zone, let the heads activate and eyeball the distribution, to make sure all the heads are functioning properly,” he recommends. “Then put out a few catch containers in each zone and measure the amount of water each one collects, to make sure the application is uniform.”
Fixing problems
If you notice a problem with a certain rotor not functioning correctly, first check to see if the gasket has become worn, allowing the inner mechanisms to clog. If so, removing the rotor, cleaning it out and replacing the gasket is an easy fix. If you have a uniformity problem, consider changing out some of the nozzles. “If a head is not applying enough water to the edges of the distribution pattern, you can most likely replace the nozzle with one that throws water out a little farther,” Dr. Miller suggests. “If that doesn’t work, then you can try changing out the rotors themselves. Some rotors work differently under different water pressures; they each have a different ‘ideal range.’ If your problem is a pressure issue — say you have only 45 psi instead of 55 psi — you could possibly find a head that will work better at 45 psi.” Especially for fields that are heavily played, Dr. Miller recommends investing in the best rotors you can afford. Also, he suggests buying a few extra rotors. “That way, if you have a problem with a certain rotor, you can just pop in a new one and take the other one back to the shop to find out what’s wrong with it, fix it and use it as a spare later,” he points out. “Many times, you’ll have parts and pieces that you can interchange and re-use in cases.”
Irrigation controllers
As Young points out, “If your system was designed properly — with headto-head coverage, safe water velocities of the piping system and enough water pressure to get the performance out of the heads that you expect — and if you have relatively modern nozzle design (within the last 10 years), improving your irrigation application is now more a matter of the type of controller you have.” In simple terms, a controller is the device that turns the system on or off. “Irrigation controllers have become much more accurate and sophisticated,” says Young. “Today’s controllers are electronic (digital), as opposed to the older electromechanical controllers
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that had motors, gears, springs and knobs. Today, you can program a modern controller to run for ten minutes on Sunday morning at six a.m., and that is exactly what will happen. That accuracy has given sports-field managers much more reliability in how they apply their irrigation.” At low-budget facilities, the most common type of controller (considered a basic controller) is one where the turf manager simply programs it to turn on the irrigation system on selected days of the week, at a certain time of day and for a desired amount of time in each zone. Generally, the programming is based on historical data (typical weather conditions for that month), and every couple of weeks or so, the turf manager makes adjustments to the program. “Today’s basic digital controllers are easy for people to understand and program, and they are much more accurate in irrigation timing than the old electromechanical controllers,” says Young. Basic controllers vary in price, depending on how many stations (or zones) they can control. Many, though, cost only a few hundred dollars. At the opposite end of the irrigationcontroller price range (usually many thousands of dollars) are those that are connected to their own on-site weather station that calculates the field’s exact evapotranspiration (ET) rate every day. As Dr. Miller explains, evapotranspiration is the amount of water that leaves the soil through evaporation and leaves the plant through transpiration. “ET sensors are based on complicated equations that consider a number of environmental parameters, like sunlight, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction,” he says. “An ET sensor uses all that data to mathematically predict how much water is being lost so that you can replace that amount with irrigation.” At the mid-range controller price are those that receive ET data sent by satellite signals from off-site weather stations. While certainly more sophisticated than basic controllers, these may not accurately factor in your field’s exact conditions. For instance, even if
Feature Story continued
your field is only a mile away from the weather station, an isolated rain shower may completely soak the station’s area but completely miss your field; if so, the station’s data might indicate adequate moisture, although your field is dry and in need of irrigation.
Controller add-ons
Every irrigation system, no matter how sophisticated, should have a rain sensor or soil-moisture sensor connected to its controller, says Young. For instance, if your controller is connected to an on-site weather station that takes ET readings at 2 a.m. and your system is programmed to come on at 5 a.m., your field will get irrigated even if you had a heavy rain shower at 3:30 a.m. ET sensors, as Young says, are not “prediction” devices — they simply measure conditions at a particular moment in time. Typically, a rain sensor is mounted in an area where it is open to the sky and exposed to unobstructed rainfall, such as on the roofline on the side of a building. If the sensor cap collects your pre-set amount of water, it will prevent the controller from turning on the irrigation system. However, because not all rainfall is actually usable to the turf (some may run off or leach down below the rootzone), a more accurate option is a soilmoisture sensor. As Dr. Miller explains, a soil-moisture sensor measures the current percentage of water in the soil, and based on the threshold you set it for, the sensor will either allow or disallow the irrigation system to run. Selecting the right soil-moisture threshold for your field depends on how much water your particular turf species needs for that part of the season (overseeded ryegrass in late fall, for instance, will need more soil moisture than dormant bermudagrass), as well as your field’s soil makeup. “Sandy soils hold less water than claybased soils, so the threshold might be only seven or eight percent, perhaps even lower. Your controller will turn on the irrigation system only when the soil-moisture sensor senses that percent or less water in the soil,” says Dr. Miller. “On volume basis,
however, clay soil will hold much more water than sandy soil, so the threshold will be higher. If a clay-based soil had only seven or eight percent moisture, the playing surface would be hard as brick. The threshold for a claybased field might be fourteen to sixteen percent.” Young emphasizes, though, that with any irrigation controller or add-on sensor, you must be certain
that your heads are functioning correctly. “Every controller ‘assumes’ that uniform application is occurring,” he explains. “If you actually have some dry spots because you don’t have even irrigation coverage, those areas still won’t get enough water, no matter what type of controller you have. True ‘head-to-head coverage’ is always vital for any sports-field irrigation system.” c
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 25
Applied Research
Managing
Pesticide Resistance in Golf Course Turfgrass
By Kyle Miller, Senior Technical Specialist, BASF Professional Turf & Ornamentals
G
olf course superintendents are prudent stewards of proper pesticide use, but pesticide resistance can confuse even seasoned pros. While seemingly unpredictable, resistance is manageable once its principles are better grasped and preventative best practices are put in place. For superintendents, understanding resistance realities improves the health of turfgrass and maximizes pesticide investments.
growing in a suitable environment along with an infectious pest is likely to result in a disease infection. The triangle refers to disease, but its principle also explains weed and insect infestations. The “Disease Pyramid” expands on the “Disease Triangle” by adding environmental
Figure 1. The Disease Pyramid Host Plant
Pest pressure and resistance realities
Healthy turfgrass can be difficult to sustain for extended periods of time, even under the best conditions. The fact is, the threat of pests is ever-present. Pests, including diseases, weeds and insects, constantly threaten turfgrass. For example, the classic “Disease Triangle” illustrates how a host plant
and human-induced stresses, such as mowing height, altered fertility (excessive or lean) or plant growth regulator use, any of which can subject turfgrass to even more pest pressure. All of these factors play an integral part in managing pests and pest resistance.
Induced Stress – Human Influences Suitable Environment
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Infectious Pest
It is important to remember that while pesticides are used to control pests, pesticides do not change the pest — they change only the pest population structure. Resistance does not stem from a mutation induced by pesticide applications, but rather is naturally inherent in each disease pathogen’s biology. Pesticide resistance can be monogenic, conferred by one gene (for example, benomyl), or polygenic, conferred by more genes (for example, DMI fungicides). With disease, for instance, the level of naturally occurring pest resistance varies among any population of fungi, bacteria and mold species. This means that not every individual within a specific population structure can be controlled. Different individuals within the population contain different levels of tolerance or susceptibility. Resistant characteristics surface when the repeated, uninterrupted use of the
same pesticide mode-of-action eradicates a portion of the pest population whose genetic traits were susceptible to that particular mode-of-action. Since not every pest within a given population can be controlled, some pests with resistant (or tolerant) characteristics survive. Then, the surviving pests that carry resistant genes reproduce, bringing to life a new population that exhibits genetic traits not affected by the chemistry that controlled their susceptible ancestors. This “survival of the fittest” biology creates pest populations that can evolve beyond the control of available pesticide chemistries. So, if the same mode-of-action is repeatedly used on a population of pests, it will eventually lose effectiveness because the susceptible pests it once controlled are no longer predominant in the population. What we see here is essentially a genetic shift — from susceptibility to resistance
Low-resistance levels can occur without complete loss of efficacy, making it difficult to predict an onslaught of resistant pests. Resistant subpopulations must reach a sufficient level of economic importance in order to compromise performance and become immune to a mode-of-action. This performance compromise or genetic shift usually takes place over a long period of time, often years. Unfortunately, though, once resistance develops to a certain pesticide, all products with the same mode-of-action are affected.
Resistance risks
The last thing golf course superintendents want to do is fuel the creation of an impervious pest population on their courses. Pesticides should to be selected and applied responsibly in order to avoid resistance and sustain efficacy. The risk of overusing current pesticide products is compounded because
Figure 2. Illustration of “survival of the fittest” biology, which can create pest populations that evolve beyond the control of available pesticide chemistries. This transformation usually takes place after numerous, repeated exposures to a specific mode-of-action. This population shift may take years reach the level of immunity. Note: the blue represents a pesticide applied to the existing population.
Initial Population
Resistant Population
Reproduction Naturally occurring resistant individual
Survivor Population
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 27
continued Applied Research
only a limited number of basic manufacturers, such as BASF, are investing in new chemistries that control pests using new modes-of-action. Pesticide developments are dwindling due to the high cost of research and development and intense registration and regulatory processes. In fact, a recent CropLife America study cites a nearly 40% increase in investment expenditure over the past decade in the discovery, development and registration of new pest- and disease-control products in the U.S. and Europe. Bringing a new product to market reached an average of $256 million per product in 2005–2008, and the number of products actually making it through the research and development stages to market introduction declined from four in 1995 to only 1.3 in 2005–2008. Product stewardship is critical to sustaining a mode-of-action’s vitality in the market. Chemical manufacturers
and golf course superintendents must work together to implement best practices that prevent resistance and support investments in future pest-control products that serve superintendents’ evolving turfgrass protection needs.
Pesticide selection and rotation
Growers should work to use pesticides as a last line of defense against pests. It is important to implement an integrated pest-management plan that brings pesticides into play only when the viable threat or presence of pests reaches an economically important threshold. When controlling diseases, for example, knowing the benefits and effects of a diverse range of fungicide products is important because relying on a single product or type of fungicide can spur the development of areas that resist fungicides — an increasingly common trait among fungal diseases.
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When using pesticides, follow these resistance-management tips: • I nstead of applying pesticides on a calendar schedule, monitor growing and environmental conditions to determine when chemical controls are imperative. • I dentify chemistries proven to be “at risk” for resistance in your pesticide shed, to avoid any confusion between similar chemistries with different product names. For example, fungicides containing benzimidazole, dicarboximide, phenylamide and strobilurins utilize just one mode-ofaction and are considered “at risk” for resistance. • When possible, limit the use of “atrisk-for-resistance” pesticide chemistries, or consider tank-mixing them with a “low-risk-for-resistance” product. Combination products containing two or more modes-of-action are
good alternatives to products with a singular chemistry that may have proven successful in past rotations. • Rotate pesticides’ modes-of-action after one to two consecutive applications, to avoid prolonged disease exposure to one mode-of-action. Rotation exposes the infectious pest population to multiple, unique modesof-action and reduces the chance for resistance development to any one specific mode-of-action. • Maintain a log of the effectiveness of pesticide use against the prevalent pests you face. If you suspect resistance, alert your Extension office or the manufacturer’s technical specialists. For more information on disease control and healthy plants, visit www.better plants.basf.us and www.basfturftalk.com, follow our Twitter at www.twitter.com/ basfturf_us, or contact Kyle Miller at kyle.miller@basf.com. c
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 29
Turf Industry Events December 12–14 Turfgrass Short Course Charlottesville, VA
December 14–16 Turfgrass Short Course Virginia Beach, VA
January 10–14, 2012 STMA Annual Conference & Exhibition Long Beach Convention Center Long Beach, CA
January 11–13, 2012
Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, MD
January 16–19, 2012
VTC 52nd Annual Turf & Landscape Conference and Trade Show Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center Fredericksburg, VA
January 19, 2012 Pesticide Recertification Fredericksburg, VA
Index of Advertisers January 25–28
ANLA Management Clinic Galt House Hotel & Suites Louisville, KY
January 30 – February 3, 2012
TPI Mid-Winter Conference (Turf Producers Intl.) Scottsdale, AZ
February 21, 2012
Pesticide Recertification Turfgrass and Virginia’s Waters Virginia Beach, VA
February 27 – March 2, 2012
Golf Industry Show & GCSAA Conference Las Vegas, NV
March 20, 2012
Pesticide Recertification Fairfax County, VA
May 22, 2012
Pesticide Recertification Staunton, VA
BASF................. Inside Front Cover www.basf.com Bayer..............................................3 www.bayerprocentral.com Buy Sod, Inc..................................5 www.buysod.com Camp Chemical Corp................ 29 Collins Wharf Sod Farm............. 11 www.collinswharfsod.com East Coast Sod & Seed........ Inside Back Cover www.eastcoastsod.com Egypt Farms, Inc........................ 25 www.egyptfarms.com Fisher & Son Company, Inc....... 13 www.fisherandson.com Kesmac/ Brouwer, Inc................Back Cover www.kesmac.com Landscape Supply, Inc............... 21 www.landscapesupplyva.com Luck Stone Specialty Products... 29 www.luckstone.com Mid Atlantic Sports Turf............ 19 Oakwood Sod Farm, Inc............ 30 www.oakwoodsod.com Penn State World Campus......... 21 www.worldcampus.psu.edu/sports-turf Quali-Pro.......................................9 www.quali-pro.com RBB Sales & Consulting Inc./ Turf Landscape Consultants...... 11 www.rbbturflandscapeconsultants.com Roxbury Farm & Garden Center............................ 25 www.roxburyfarmgarden.com Southern States Cooperative..... 15 www.southernstates.com The Turfgrass Group...................7 www.theturfgrassgroup.com Winfield Solutions, LLC............. 11 Wood Bay Enterprises, Inc........ 13 www.woodbayturftech.com Woodward Turf Farm, Inc...........5 www.woodwardturf.com
Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC) serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Virginia Turfgrass Journal, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or VTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this bimonthly publication. Copyright ©2011 by the Virginia Turfgrass Council. Virginia Turfgrass Journal is published bimonthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of VTC. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Virginia Turfgrass Journal allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to VTC. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37068-0142, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524. Deadlines are the first of the month prior to the following month’s publication. (Example: August 1 for the September issue.)
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