Virginia Turfgrass Journal - March / April 2021 by leadingedgepubs

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

March/April 2021

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | March/April 2021

10 Cover Story Introducing the Virginia Turfgrass Council Environmental Institute

Feature Stories 12 Changing Regulations and Protecting the Environment: A Proactive Approach 14 Evaluation of Conventional and Organic Alternatives to Glyphosate 22 Education Spotlight on Louisa County High School

DEPARTMENTS 6 President’s Message from Mike Skelton

8 Director’s Corner from Tom Tracy, Ph.D.

8 Virginia Tech Turf Team 9 Index of Advertisers 27 Turfgrass Calendar

26 Business Development What Exactly is Expected?

Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: T H E T U R F Z O N E . C O M 4 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

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President’s Message

Spring is in the Air

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

Michael Skelton VTC President

The

first thing of note is that although not an in-person event, our annual MATE conference was a success. Zoom has filled the current needs, but I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in person. We were able to adjust our schedule and presentations to accommodate requirements to fulfill several of our members’ recertification needs, such as Nutrient Management, Certified Fertilizer Applicator and Pesticide Applicator. This was of major importance to your VTC board to ensure our members had these critical certifications updated before the spring season. One thing missing by not hosting an in-person event was the annual members’ meeting. The Board will be working on setting up a members meeting in the near future. Please look out for a notification of this event as to when and how; it may be held virtually. Some exciting news is the success of the first ever Virginia Tech School of Turfgrass Ecology and Management (STEM) (Virtual Program). This program replaces the previous VT Turf Short course. The students are going online and watching prerecorded sessions presented by professors from Virginia Tech. A special part of the program each week is a live online session with the professor and sometimes a guest professional from the field to answer questions. These sessions are well attended and have had up to 28 students in attendance. Dr. Mike Goatley stated that the students represent many areas in the turf industry from high school teachers to park superintendents to maintenance team members. This class even has one student from Colorado. A critical need this program fulfills is an avenue for the students to become a Certified Turfgrass Professional. If you are interested in a future class keep a look out for information being posted on the VTC web site. Your Government Relations Committee has been very busy tracking new legislation that affects our industry. One such bill was House Bill 2030 that sought to restrict the use of neonicotinoid insecticides. Through the efforts of the Government Relations Committee, the bill was converted from regulatory legislation to a bill that called for the study of these pesticides. In closing, spring is in the air, birds are chirping, crocuses are blooming and soon we all will be in full action applying pre-emergence, aerating, mowing and the list goes on. Be safe out there.

Michael Skelton VTC President

For event news & updates throughout the year, be sure to visit VATURF.ORG 6 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

PUBLISHED BY Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200 Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com EDITOR Mark Vaughn, CGCS VTC OFFICERS President Michael Skelton (540) 718-4133 Vice President Phil Bailey, CGCS Virginia Green Lawn Care (757) 572-1981 Secretary / Treasurer Jimmy Viars, CGM Gloucester County Public Schools (804) 815-2779 Past President Scott Woodward Woodward Turf Farms (540) 727-0020 VTC DIRECTORS Wes Bray Sam Burris Ray Funkhouser Tony Montgomery Bruce Sheppard T.J. Skirsky Craig Zeigler VTC ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Mike Goatley, Ph.D. (Chair) Shawn Askew, Ph.D. Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdiva, Ph.D. Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. David McCall Ph.D. Dan Sandor, Ph.D. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Tom Tracy, Ph.D. (757) 464-1004 VIRGINIA TURFGRASS FOUNDATION Brandyn Baty (757) 585-3058

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Director’s Corner

Virginia Tech Turf Team

Why the VTC Environmental Institute?

Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-5807 askew@vt.edu

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

The

answer is simple. Caring for the environment is an important task our industry gladly accomplishes every work day. We restore and maintain shorelines. We fix failed erosion control features. We provide safe, playable surfaces for sports and other outdoor activities. We do all this while creating beautiful outdoor environments that provide habitats for pollinators. Again, the question is asked: “Given all our great deeds, why did we form the environmental institute?” Perception.

Sadly, some influential persons and lobbyists are opposed to the turfgrass and landscape industries because they believe a lie. They do not understand the great environmental work we do. Instead of hearing the truth, they are persuaded our industry is to blame for every ill known to man, including noise pollution and global warming. The Environmental Institute allows us to take action and to proactively let politicians, environmental groups, and others know the truth. We must – and will – be in front of the message about our industry. Photos of fields of flowering pollinator plants established by the seeds we provide will be widely dispersed. Kudos we receive about service projects, such as planting 6,000 beach grass plants, will be widely distributed to leaders across the region. Recently several of us met with Virginia Beach’s Mayor to promote the VTC Environmental Institute. A Master Beekeeper who has trained beekeepers across the state set the meeting’s tone by telling the mayor the turfgrass and landscape industries are often falsely blamed for killing pollinators. The mayor was pleased to hear about the regulations industry persons obey and the economic reality of companies never applying more pesticide more than essential. The meeting ended with the mayor saying to me, “What can I do for you? I am behind you 100%.” The VTC Environmental Institute is a great tool allowing us to spread the message to key leaders, such as the Mayor of Virginia Beach. Please get involved. And don’t forget to donate so we can continue promoting you, the industry professional.

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

BREAKING NEWS: ( 1 ) Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer recently confirmed he will launch the Flowering Pollinator Garden at the Hampton Roads AREC! The great work of Jeff Derr, Alejandro Del-Pozo, Adam Nichols and many others will be recognized by the city! ( 2 ) Flowering Pollinator seed packets were enthusiastically received by groups that maintain green spaces in Richmond and Norfolk ( 3 ) Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will use the Flowering Pollinator seed packs in their programs.

8 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdiva, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-363-3900 adelpozo@vt.edu Jeffrey F. Derr, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-363-3912 jderr@vt.edu Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D. Virginia Tech 420 Smyth Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-2951 goatley@vt.edu David McCall, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-9598 dsmccall@vt.edu Dan Sandor, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 170 Drillfield Dr. 411 Price Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-9775 dsandor@vt.edu WITH SUPPORT FROM: Thomas P. Kuhar, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Dept. of Entomology 216 Price Hall 170 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-6129 tkuhar@vt.edu

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Cover Story

Virginia Turfgrass Council Environmental In st i t ut e Works to C r e a t e a Cleane r, Healthier Environment T h ro ug h Wildf lowe r Seed Distribution and Service Projects

V IR G INIA B EAC H – The Virginia Turfgrass Council Environmental Institute (VTC-EI), the newly established nonprofit arm of the Virginia Turfgrass Council, begins their environmental advocacy through two impactful initiatives: distribution of 25,000 pollinator-friendly wildflower seed packets and a service project which includes beach grass planting and cleaning/restoring sensitive environmental areas. Each pack has 200 seeds and will treat 10 square feet. Wildflower seed packet distribution, (in which this issue of the Journal is a key factor), will continue throughout the spring and will ultimately total five million seeds dispensed, which could create up to 250,000 square feet of new food and foraging space for pollinators. The seed mix, curated by Dr. Cindy Smith of George Mason University, consists primarily of Virginia native perennials. The goal of this project is to maintain healthy ecosystems providing season-long pollen and nectar sources to enhance pollinator populations. An equally substantial element in VTC-EI’s commitment to a cleaner, healthier commonwealth is the planting of 6,000 custom grown American Dune Grass plants on the oceanfront dunes located at the north end of the city’s resort area. The planting is in partnership with the City of Virginia Beach and occurred during the VTC’s hallmark event, Come to the Bay. At the request of the City, VTC-EI will make dune grass planting an annual effort, with a goal of expanding planting to at least 20,000 plants per year. Alongside dune grass planting, Come to the Bay attendees (which include green industry professionals and environmental advocates) worked to clean and restore areas of Marsh View Park, near the south end of the city’s resort area. This project location was determined by the City of Virginia Beach, with whom the VTC-EI will work to determine sites for 2022 cleaning and restoration. The 2021 Come to the Bay theme was “Water – It’s Everyone’s Business”. Speakers from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Elizabeth River Project, Virginia State University, the City of Virginia Beach, the City of Norfolk, the Virginia Aquarium, Virginia Tech and others addressed ways Virginians can positively impact the health of natural water bodies and the importance of preserving these essential natural resources. A B O U T T H E V T C - E I – We believe Turfgrass and Landscape Professionals are the Original Environmental Stewards. The Institute gives us a vehicle for our great work and to promote our industry. We work hard for our membership, representing you on environmental and government relations issues. We seek to educate industry professionals, legislators, decision makers and the general public on proper practices for environmental protection through various means, including seminars and workshops. As a 501(c)(3) Corporation, all donations are tax-exempt. Beach grass planting and pollinator seed packs are two of the Institute’s newest endeavors. Look for Informational Road Trips in your part of the state this spring and summer. We will be presenting additional opportunities for the turfgrass industry to be strong environmental stewards.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT US AT

10 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021

www.vaturf.org/environmental-institute

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Feature Story

CHANGING

REGULATIONS AND

PROTECTING THE

ENVIRONMENT: A

PROACTIVE APPROACH By Jack Findling and Tom Tracy, Ph.D.

12 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

“W

hy does the Elizabeth River Project want to work with the Virginia Turfgrass Council?” we asked the Elizabeth River Project’s RiverStar Homes coordinator. The answer to that question posed seven years ago at a Chesapeake Virginia Panera restaurant set the foundation for partnerships with environmental groups across Virginia. She said, “We understand people along the Elizabeth River will have lawns and landscapes. We want to work with the industry to help them do it right and not harm the river. “ The Elizabeth River and its tributaries encompass the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. The waters are surrounded by both residential and industrial facilities, including at one ship yard. In 1997 the Elizabeth River Project (ERP) was founded with the purpose of “restoring the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business and community partnerships.” The task was huge. “Dead” and “beyond hope” were frequently said about the river’s industrial regions. Vast amounts of thick tar-like sludge caked the bottom. Oysters and other sea life were nonexistent. In less than 25 years, the ERP cultivated state and local political connections, raised vast amounts of donations, and established strong relationships with businesses in communities affected by the Elizabeth River. Results are nothing less than phenomenal. Marine life has returned and oysters are being harvested in several places. The Virginia Turfgrass Council reached a turning point when the ERP asked for our help. Prior to that Panera lunch, an adversarial relationship existed between environmental groups and industry associations such as the Virginia Turfgrass Council. A deep chasm separated “us” from “them.” Bridges began to be built as we realized our commonalities exceeded our differences. Groups such as the ERP want clean rivers, abundant wildlife, and restored environments. Industry groups want the same. Working together is not without its challenges, but the results make it worthwhile to identify differences, reject extremist views on both sides of the chasm, and work through misconceptions. Environmental groups have strong grass-roots support and political networks that are extremely effective at enacting legislation, especially in states such as Maryland where localities are allowed to regulate pesticides and fertilizers (in Virginia, such regulation is only done by the General Assembly). Recently, an environmental group leader we work with was able to publicly correct another speaker at a large conference. The correction was necessary because the first speaker, the leader of another environmental group, made several untrue statements about the turfgrass and landscape industries. In another case, a very well respected beekeeper told the Mayor of Virginia Beach that the industry is often falsely blamed for deaths of pollinators. Turfgrass managers across the U.S. are keeping a keen eye on proposed and new regulations on the use of pesticides and other chemicals used in maintaining healthy, weed and pest-free natural grass. While these changes are a call to action for all turfgrass professionals to work to educate stakeholders on the history and proper use of the products in danger of being banned or increasingly regulated, we must simultaneously work with environmental groups and find alternative products and practices that allow us to uphold the aesthetic and functional standards we’ve set. What happens when anti-pesticide and anti-fertilizer laws are enacted? For instance, in Montgomery County, Maryland, a new pesticide law prohibits the use of certain products. In response,

companies such as Newsom Seed developed an Organic Lawn Program that works within the requirements of those and other regulations. Programs such as the one developed by Newsom seed represent shifting priorities in the turfgrass industry. For the Virginia Turfgrass Council, efforts to understand and

engage with communities and lawmakers culminated in the creation of the VTC Environmental Institute. By expressing our investment in a healthy environment and our willingness to consider alternative products, we are not only working in good faith with environmental groups, but also supporting innovation in turfgrass management.

More than quality products, it’s partnership.

Above: Jack Findling of Newsom Seed Below: These natural products are some that are included in Newsom Seed’s Organic Lawn Program.

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 13

Feature Story

EVALUATION OF

C O N V E N T I O N A L an d O R G A N I C

A L T E R N A T I V E S to

GLYPHOSATE By Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D., Adam Nichols, Aman Rana, Ph.D., and Lori Robertson Virginia Tech — Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Background on glyphosate Glyphosate was found to control weeds by a Monsanto scientist in 1970. The herbicide was patented in 1971 and was introduced commercially as Roundup in 1974. It has since gone off patent and is sold under a variety of formulations and trade names. Glyphosate is a nonselective postemergence herbicide, meaning that it controls essentially all weeds. Glyphosate is systemic, so it moves into and controls underground portions of weeds (roots, rhizomes, tubers, etc.), making it the preferred product for perennial weed control in many situations. This chemical binds to soil particles and has essentially no soil activity, so crops can be planted a week after application. Glyphosate is used for preplant weed control/site preparation, lawn renovation, spot treatment of weeds in landscape beds, as a directed spray application in fruit and nursery production, and for noncrop weed management, such as guard rails, railroad lines, and parking lots, among other uses. It controls grasses, sedges, and broadleaf weeds, making it a broad-spectrum herbicide. There have been several issues recently concerning the use of glyphosate for weed control. The recent development of glyphosate-resistant weeds has pushed researchers and growers to find alternative means to control these weed species. It has been suggested that glyphosate causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a type of cancer, and other diseases. For these reasons, along with an increasing interest in organic production methods, there is a need for research on alternatives to glyphosate use.

Alternatives to glyphosate There are a variety of potential alternatives to glyphosate, including use of propane weeders (flame weeding), steam/hot water/ foam steam, soil solarization, anaerobic soil disinfestation, and

14 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

chemicals, among others. My work has focused on the use of both conventional and organic herbicides. We conducted several trials in 2020 to evaluate alternative chemicals for control of a range of annual and perennial weeds. Some of the chemicals evaluated have been approved for organic programs (Organic Materials Review Institute, abbreviated as OMRI).

Conventional and organic trials we conducted Field trial 1. This study was conducted at our research station (HRAREC) in Virginia Beach in a field that had a native stand of southern crabgrass and yellow nutsedge. Treatments are listed in Table 1 and ingredients are listed in Table 2. A rate of 100% v/v means the product was not diluted prior to application. The surfactant Capsil was added to the Diquat treatment at 0.25% v/v. Products were applied on a spray to wet basis, approximately 100 gallons per acre. The site was treated 8/17/20 under 76 F Air temperature, 82% relative humidity, 95% cloud cover, wind 2-4 MPH N, and soil temperature 75 F. Southern crabgrass was 6" tall, and yellow nutsedge 14" tall. Roundup Promax, Cheetah Pro, and Weed Slayer + Agro Gold gave complete control of southern crabgrass at 17 and 28 days after treatment (DAT) (Table 3). The other treatments caused significant burning of southern crabgrass foliage at 4 DAT but this weed outgrew that injury by 17 DAT. Roundup Promax and Cheetah Pro gave excellent control of yellow nutsedge at 17 and 28 DAT, with good control seen with Diquat and fair control with Weed Slayer + Agro Gold (Table 4). The other treatments did not provide acceptable control of yellow nutsedge. Cheetah Pro (glufosinate) is an effective conventional alternative to glyphosate while Weed Slayer + Agro Gold appears to be an acceptable organic alternative.

TABLE 1. Chemical trade name, classification as either a conventional (synthetic) or organic product, and mixing rate in the field trial at the HRAREC. Treatment

Conventional or Organic

Rate

TABLE 2. Chemical trade name and active ingredient for each herbicide in the field trial at the HRAREC. Treatment

Active Ingredients

Nontreated

Roundup Promax

Conventional

2 fl oz/gal

Roundup Promax

Cheetah Pro

Conventional

3 fl oz/gal

Cheetah Pro

glufosinate

Diquat

Conventional

0.75 fl oz/gal

Natural Armor RTU

Organic

100 % v/v a

Diquat

diquat

Natural Armor RTU

Citric acid, clover oil, acetic acid, NaCl, lemon juice

Weed Zap

Clove oil, cinnamon oil

Weed Slayer +

Eugenol (clove oil), molasses

Agro Gold

Streptomyces rimosus, Bacillus megaterium

Avenger Weed Killer

d-Limonene (citrus oil)

Scythe

pelargonic acid

WeedPharm

Acetic acid

(OMRI) b

Weed Zap

Organic

6.4 fl oz/gal

Weed Slayer +

Organic

3 % v/v

Agro Gold

Organic

3 % v/v

Avenger Weed Killer

Organic (OMRI)

12.5 % v/v

Scythe

Conventional

7 % v/v

WeedPharm

Organic (OMRI)

100 % v/v

v/v means volume to volume b OMRI = approved for organic programs by the Organic Materials Review Institute.

glyphosate

TABLE 3. Southern crabgrass control in the field trial at the HRAREC. % Control Southern Crabgrass Aug1820 1 DA T

Treatment 1

Nontreated

Roundup Promax

fl oz/gal

Cheetah Pro

Diquat +

0.75

Capsil

0.25

% v/v

Natural Arrmor RTU

100

% v/v

Weed Zap

6.4

fl oz/gal

Weed Slayer +

% v/v

Aug2120 4 DA T

Sep0320 1 7 DA T

S e p1 4 2 0 2 8 DAT

100

fl oz/gal

100

fl oz/gal

100

Agro Gold

% v/v

Avenger Weed Killer

12.5

% v/v

Scythe

% v/v

WeedPharm

100

% v/v

LSD P=.05

TABLE 4. Yellow nutsedge control in the field trial at the HRAREC. % C o n t r o l Y e llo w N u t s e d g e Aug1820 1 DA T

Treatment 1

Nontreated

Aug2120 4 DA T

Sep0320 1 7 DA T

S e p1 4 2 0 2 8 DAT

Roundup Promax

fl oz/gal

100

Cheetah Pro

fl oz/gal

Diquat +

0.75

fl oz/gal

Capsil

0.25

% v/v

Natural Arrmor RTU

100

% v/v/a

Weed Zap

6.4

fl oz/gal

Weed Slayer +

% v/v

Agro Gold

% v/v

Avenger Weed Killer

12.5

% v/v

Scythe

% v/v

WeedPharm

100

% v/v

LSD P=.05

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 15

Feature Story continued In this trial. Virginia buttonweed was 12" wide, southern crabgrass was 14" tall, yellow nutsedge was 13" tall, longstalk Phyllanthus was 5" tall, compressed sedge was 4" wide, bermudagrass was 2" tall and 7' wide. In addition, pots were seeded at treatment with southern crabgrass for the nontreated control and the Weed Slayer + Agro Gold treatment. Roundup Promax (glyphosate) and Cheetah Pro (glufosinate) gave excellent control of all six weed species at 19 DAT. Weed Slayer plus Agro Gold provided excellent control of longstalk phyllanthus, good control of southern crabgrass, Virginia buttonweed and compressed sedge, and fair control of bermudagrass and yellow nutsedge. This combination provided good preemergence control of southern crabgrass at 19 DAT. Diquat gave excellent control of longstalk phyllanthus, yellow nutsedge, and compressed sedge but poor control/regrowth of the other weed species. Scythe gave fair control of longstalk phyllanthus but poor control of the other weeds. The other treatments caused injury soon after application but the weed species were able to outgrow the damage. Repeat applications would be needed for these treatments.

Field trial 2. Treatments are listed in Table 5 and percent control is listed in Table 6. Most treatments, except Fiesta and Roundup, caused significant injury to weeds at 4 days after treatment (4 DAT). However, none of these five treatments gave acceptable weed control at 32 DAT due to regrowth from these contact herbicides. Roundup gave good weed control at 32 DAT. Fiesta did not provide acceptable weed control at any rating date. Fiesta is only effective on broadleaf weeds and this site had primarily grassy weeds. Container trial. Six weed species were grown in one-gallon containers to determine effectiveness of the treatments on an annual grass (southern crabgrass), a perennial grass (bermudagrass), an annual sedge (compressed sedge), a perennial sedge (yellow nutsedge), an annual broadleaf weed (longstalk Phyllanthus), and a perennial broadleaf weed (Virginia buttonweed). The study was treated 8/12/20 using a single nozzle on a spray to wet basis (approximately 120 gallons per acre) under 84 F Air temperature, 79% relative humidity sunny, 25% cloud cover, and wind 0–3 MPH W and the study was irrigated 5 hours after application.

TABLE 5. Chemical trade name, classification as either a conventional (synthetic) or organic product, and mixing rate in the field trial in Blacksburg. Category

Active Ingredient

Fl oz/ Gallon

Scythe

synthetic

pelargonic acid

Suppress

organic

caprylic acid + capric acid

Fiesta

organic

iron HEDTA

Avenger

organic

Burnout

organic

Herbicide

Percent Weed Control Treatment

4 DAT

8 DAT

16 DAT

32 DAT

Nontreated

64 DAT 0

Scythe

Suppress

D-limonene (citrus oil)

Fiesta

citric acid + clove oil

Avenger

Natures Wisdom

organic

acetic acid

128

Burnout

Weed Zap

organic

clove oil + cinnamon oil

Natures Wisdom

Roundup

synthetic

glyphosate

Roundup

Rely 280

synthetic

glufosinate

LSD

TABLE 6. Percent control of southern crabgrass in the container trial at the HRAREC. Southern Crabgrass % Postemergence Control Aug1220 15 min

Treatment 1

Nontreated

Roundup Promax

fl oz/gal

Cheetah Pro

fl oz/gal

Diquat +

0.75

fl oz/gal

Capsil

0.25

% v/v

Natural Arrmor RTU

100

% v/v

Weed Zap

6.4

fl oz/gal

Weed Slayer +

% v/v

Agro Gold

% v/v

Avenger Weed Killer

12.5

Scythe

WeedPharm

100

LSD P=.05

Aug1320 1 DAT

Aug1720 5 DAT

Pre #/Plot

Aug2520 13 DAT

Aug3120 19 DAT

100

% v/v

16 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

Aug3120 19 DAT 36.3

7.8

13.0

Feature Story continued TABLE 7. Percent control of bermudagrass in the container trial at the HRAREC. Percent Control Bermudagrass Aug1320 1 DAT

Treatment

Aug1720 5 DAT

Aug2520 13 DAT

Aug3120 19 DAT

Nontreated

Roundup Promax

fl oz/gal

100

Cheetah Pro

fl oz/gal

100

Diquat +

0.75

fl oz/gal

Capsil

0.25

% v/v

Natural Arrmor RTU

100

% v/v

Weed Zap

6.4

fl oz/gal

Weed Slayer +

% v/v

Argo Gold

% v/v

Avenger Weed Killer

12.5

% v/v

Scythe

% v/v

WeedPharm

100

% v/v

LSD P=.05

TABLE 8. Percent control of compressed sedge in the container trial at the HRAREC. Percent Control Compressed Sedge Aug1320 1 DAT

Treatment 1

Nontreated

Roundup Promax

fl oz/gal

Cheetah Pro

fl oz/gal

Diquat +

0.75

fl oz/gal

Capsil

0.25

% v/v

Natural Arrmor RTU

100

% v/v

Weed Zap

6.4

fl oz/gal

Weed Slayer +

% v/v

Aug1720 5 DAT

Aug2520 13 DAT

Aug3120 19 DAT

100

Agro Gold

% v/v

Avenger Weed Killer

12.5

% v/v

Scythe

% v/v

WeedPharm

100

% v/v

LSD P=.05

TABLE 9. Percent control of yellow nutsedge in the container trial at the HRAREC. Percent Control Yellow Nutsedge Treatment

Aug1320 1 DAT

Aug1720 5 DAT

Aug2520 13 DAT

Aug3120 19 DAT

Nontreated

Roundup Promax

fl oz/gal

Cheetah Pro

fl oz/gal

Diquat +

0.75

fl oz/gal

100

100 35

Capsil

0.25

% v/v

Natural Arrmor RTU

100

% v/v

Weed Zap

6.4

fl oz/gal

Weed Slayer +

% v/v

Agro Gold

% v/v

Avenger Weed Killer

12.5

% v/v

Scythe

% v/v

WeedPharm

100

% v/v

LSD P=.05

18 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

Feature Story continued TABLE 10. Percent control of longstalk phyllanthus in the container trial at the HRAREC. Percent Control Longstalk Phyllanthus Treatment 1 Nontreated 2 Roundup Promax 3 Cheetah Pro 4 Diquat + Capsil 5 Natural Arrmor RTU 6 Weed Zap 7 Weed Slayer + Agro Gold 8 Avenger Weed Killer 9 Scythe 10 WeedPharm LSD P=.05

2 3 0.75 0.25 100 6.4 3 3 12.5 7 100

fl oz/gal fl oz/gal fl oz/gal % v/v % v/v fl oz/gal % v/v % v/v % v/v % v/v % v/v

Aug1220 15 min 0 0 0 1

Aug1320 1 DAT 0 0 5 80

Aug1720 5 DAT 8 83 91 100

Aug2520 13 DAT 13 100 100 100

Aug3120 19 DAT 15 100 100 100

48 8 0

78 25 3

89 45 35

45 8 85

63 0 93

3 58 20 11

28 68 55 24

60 89 75 25

33 79 49 43

20 75 50 46

TABLE 11. Percent control of Virginia buttonweed in the container trial at the HRAREC. Percent Control of Virginia Buttonweed Treatment 1 Nontreated 2 Roundup Promax 3 Cheetah Pro 4 Diquat + Capsil 5 Natural Arrmor RTU 6 Weed Zap 7 Weed Slayer + Agro Gold 8 Avenger Weed Killer 9 Scythe 10 WeedPharm LSD P=.05

2 3 0.75 0.25 100 6.4 3 3 12.5 7 100

fl oz/gal fl oz/gal fl oz/gal % v/v % v/v fl oz/gal % v/v % v/v % v/v % v/v % v/v

Aug1220 15 min 1 1 1 0

Aug1320 1 DAT 0 0 0 33

Aug1720 5 DAT 0 23 60 25

Aug2520 13 DAT 0 100 100 5

Aug3120 19 DAT 3 100 100 20

19 8 0

78 23 0

68 23 20

53 3 70

58 0 85

10 30 8 8

35 83 60 23

43 55 53 19

15 18 48 22

10 5 40 29

Summary Of the conventional (synthetic) herbicides tested, glufosinate, sold under the names Cheetah Pro and Finale for nursery and landscape use and various non-agricultural uses, and Rely 280 (among others) for use in selected fruit crops, gave comparable weed control to glyphosate. Diquat gave good control of the annual sedges and broadleaf weeds evaluated, as well as control of yellow nutsedge, but it only provided short term control of the annual and perennial grasses tested. Scythe, as a contact herbicide, also provided only short-term control of the weed species tested. Most of the organic herbicides also provided only short-term weed control. These products are contact in nature, like Scythe, and regrowth was noted for treated weed species. Multiple applications would be needed for acceptable control, especially for larger plants. The only exception was Weed Slayer + Agro Gold, which provided good control of the species tested.

20 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

However, news reports have noted that the synthetic herbicides glyphosate and diquat were found in some samples of Agro Gold (see https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm? postnum=44341). The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced that a Stop Use notice and a statewide quarantine was issued for the organic product Agro Gold WS to all organic operations registered in California. The results we observed with Weed Slayer plus Agro Gold were consistent with contamination by glyphosate. So additional information and research will be needed to determine if Weed Slayer plus Agro Gold will be an acceptable treatment in the future for those desiring an organic alternative to glyphosate.

Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. is a Professor of Weed Science at Virginia Tech’s Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach. Adam Nichols, Aman Rana, Ph.D., and Lori Robertson are research assistants in his program.

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twitter.com/theturfzone Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 21

EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT

LOUISA

COUNTY

HIGH SCHOOL TURF MANAGEMENT

The

Louisa County High School Turf Program was started in 2004 by Chris Whitlow. The next person to take charge of the program was Mike Hopkins, who won several awards, including Field of the Year in 2011 (football), and in 2013 (soccer) field. Mike retired in 2014. He was followed by Adrian Austin who taught at LCHS for two years until Logan Horne, the current program director, took over in 2016. Logan Horne graduated from Louisa County High school and was a turf management student under Chris Whitlow. Taking those classes in high school drove him to have a passion for the turf industry and pursue a career as a turfgrass manager and educator. After graduating from LCHS, Horne earned an associate’s degree in turf management in 2010 and a bachelor’s degree in Crop soils and environmental studies with an emphasis in turf management in 2012, both from Virginia Tech. Horne has worked as a turfgrass professional for the Virginia Tech field crew, Columbus Crew (MLS), Cincinnati Bengals (NFL), Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL), and ITAC (innovative Turf grass application and consulting.) He began his work at LCHS in July 2016. “This is an entirely different program from when I was in high school,” says Horne. “The program manages more fields and more equipment for even more sports teams. LCHS has added new sports like field hockey and have started accommodating youth sports programs. They have transitioned all 4 fields to Bermuda grass and installed irrigation systems. We have moved irrigation maintenance, painting fields and aerification all in house. We service and manage 95% of our equipment in house.”

22 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

But not everything is new. Horne says, “Whenever we would come into class and ask what we were doing for the day, Mr. Whitlow would always say the same thing, ‘We are going to save the world today.’ I use this line all the time and even have it written as my class objective a lot.” “The passionate and hardworking students are still here. We have some wonderful students come through this program and they put a lot of extra time and hours into making these fields great and playable for our community.”

THE PROGRAM “The students do all of the work on the fields -- they mow, paint, layout fields, fix irrigation -- all of it,” Horne shares. The advanced class chooses paint schemes for football games. (Photo 1) Some examples include: blackout game, white out game, camo game, stars and stripes, breast cancer awareness/ pink out game, green and gold, pink camo game. They choose which logos to use and their placement. “As much as I can put on the students I do. I may have students on 4 different fields in a class period working.” They do all the set up and break down for the athletic games. They help/do the maintenance on equipment (with Horne’s supervision). Students have done field trips in the past, mostly to local elementary schools to work on fields on cross country trails. They even built an outdoor classroom at one elementary school. The Advanced Class does private pesticide license testing in spring to become certified to apply pesticides. The program covers all the basic information on turf management. Everything from grass ID, to weed and disease ID to soils, IPM, BMP, aerification, fertilizers, and pesticides.

1 Students paint a checkerboard endzone

Soccer Field pattern

There are about 100 students each year through landscaping, general turf management (offered twice a year), and advanced, which is a yearlong, dual-enrollment course. Several students have gone through the LCHS program and gone on to Virginia Tech to study turf management. Many others are in the workforce in various landscaping companies in the region.

While the program has required some adjustments during COVID, Horne has maintained a well-rounded learning environment for his turf students. LCHS uses a blended model, with students attending in person two days a week on a staggered schedule and learning virtually on the alternating days. Even still, students spend as much class time as possible on the fields.

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 23

Education Spotlight continued

Another exciting element of the LCHS turf program is the Honey Bee Apiary. The culinary department (Chef Ben Howell) and turf management department manage 10–12 honeybee colonies on campus. The hives are located right next the school where Horne and his students manage the honeybees while educating others about the importance of honeybees in our ecosystem. (Photo 3) Horne says, “Here at Louisa County High School, we have created a cross-curricular project that promotes project-based learning and cooperation between multiple departments. In addition, we are making a positive impact on the environment. Students and staff maintain several honeybee hives in order to teach students the importance of the bees in our ecosystem and how we can use them effectively in IPM and BMP practices. This project was started in the spring of 2019, and so far we have a few hives and some very gentle honey bees. (Well mostly gentle, as many beekeepers know.) The students complete hive inspections and install/manage bees.” The honey bee program has received multiple awards and grants for honey bees, totaling $16,500 collected in grant money. The Louisa County turf program has also been recognized for their excellent work by Syngenta (https://www.golfcourse industry.com/article/syngenta-photo-contest-winners) and Project Evergreen https://projectevergreen.org/virginiaschool-district-named-winner-of-the-our-winning-greenspace-contest). VTC is proud to feature the accomplishments that Logan Horne and his students have achieved. Virginia’s next generation of turf managers are getting a solid foundation through this high school program.

LCHS TURF BY THE NUMBERS bermuda athletic fields managed: 1 stadium field, 4 1 softball field, 1 baseball field and 1 practice field – Sports played on those fields- Football, Soccer, Softball, Baseball, Field Hockey – A different theme and paint scheme for each game: all picked, planned and executed by students. miles of walking trails behind the school- Sports programs, 2 after school activities and all LCHS classes use these trails. Equipment 10 Toro reel mowers and Scag zero turns. 2 Tractors 7 Carts 7 painters (mostly 3400 Line Lazer Graco) Other: vacuum, aerifier, spreaders In total, Horne and his students manage around 30 pieces of equipment. They send out as little equipment as possible and even have the school’s auto mechanic classes help with equipment repair and maintenance. (Photo 4)

24 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

3 Students managing honeybee hives

Operating and maintaining equipment are essential parts of the program

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 25

Business Development

WHAT EXACTLY IS EXPECTED? By Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM

nowing what success looks like is one of the most foundational needs we have at work. It often surprises people to learn that, on average, about half of all employees are not completely clear about what they’re supposed to be doing at work. Let’s explore why there is such a disconnect about expectations and how you can ensure your team is set up for success. The first, and easiest, way to create clarity is around job responsibilities. Make a list of what you (or your direct reports) do on a regular basis. Start with a list of tasks and meetings, then consider areas of responsibility, and finally items that are required to be turned in to other people like time sheets, financial reports, or status updates. Then compare this list to the published job description. See all the discrepancies? It’s important that these get reconciled – either by rewriting the job description to be accurate or by modifying daily work to match the existing job description – in order to help set the tone for clarity around employee job functions. The second area where we experience confusion on the job is in the arena of relationships. Who do I report to and who reports to me? Most organizations today are actually matrixed instead of hierarchical, meaning that we often work in teams and report to multiple people over the course of a week, month, or year. This is actually an advantage because matrixed teams can achieve more and be more successful than organizations which have a simple, silo chain of command. However, it naturally opens the door to confusion. Who helps with career planning, team conflicts, pay discussions, or process questions? It could be multiple people and they may not be sure. Third, there are many cultural expectations, or “unwritten rules” which are definitely expected and rarely articulated. For

26 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2021 www.vaturf.org

instance, when I run meetings, I have an expectation that we have an agenda and begin and end on time. I don’t tolerate people showing up even a minute late and I’ll stop discussion in the middle of a sentence if we run out of time. When I work with a group, I share these expectations and ensure there is agreement. This way, there is never confusion about expectations, or the consequences for failing to meet them. Of course, my expectations may seem harsh to you if your work group, or your preferred style, is different. And that’s the point – the emotional expectations of how a team will function must be explicitly discussed and agreed upon because we all have different ways of working. Now that it’s clear why, and where, there can be so much confusion about expectations on the job, it’s time to start fixing the problem. No matter your position, initiate both formal and informal discussions around expectations. It takes everyone on the team to engage and adjust to changes by having regular conversations to continually clarify what is expected of each person. But the research proves that teams who clearly know what is expected of them are more productive, cost-effective, and adaptive. And there is no easier way to increase productivity than through job clarity.

Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM is a managing partner of GrowTheBench.com – a leading provider of affordable online education, professional development and peer networking for green industry professionals. Contact Neal via email at Neal@GrowTheBench.com.

Turfgrass Calendar MAY 26

JUNE 24

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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 © 2021 by the Virginia Turfgrass Council. Virginia Turfgrass Journal is published bimonthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of VTC. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to VTC, P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471. Postage guaranteed. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. 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, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064-3394, (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.)

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 27

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Virginia Turfgrass Journal - March / April 2021

Articles inside

Education Spotlight

Feature Story

Feature Story

Cover Story

Why the VTC Environmental Institute?

Spring is in the Air