MTGF CLIPPINGS - FALL/WINTER 2023

MTGF Clippings OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA TURF AND GROUNDS FOUNDATION VOL. 31, NO. 2 FALL / WINTER 2023

JANUARY 23, 24, 25

www.northerngreen.org

2024 NORTHERN GREEN SET FOR JANUARY 23-25 SAINT PAUL RIVERCENTRE & ROY WILKINS AUDITORIUM

The mission of the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation is to promote the Green Industry in Minnesota through support of research, education and outreach at the University of Minnesota and elsewhere.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The Business of the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation

By SAM BAUER President Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers President Sam Bauer MPSFMA Ramy Turf

Normal?

As I reflect on the growing season of 2023, I start to wonder if there is such a thing as “normal” anymore. What a rollercoaster this year has been. Scrolling through some of the headlines on the Minnesota DNR Climate Journal, I see articles like these:

Vice President Dominic Pierre MAC Union Cemetery

“Extreme Dryness in June” “Minnesota’s Worst Heat Wave in July”

Secretary/Treasurer Tom Redmann MASMS Consultant Treasurer Steve Balfany MTA Balfany Farms Ex-Officio Jamie Bezanson MGCSA Highland Park Golf Course Directors

MASMS

Tracy Closson Northfield Schools

MGCSA

Nikk Dickerson Faribault Country Club

MPSFMA

Marcus Campbell St. Paul Saints Baseball Club

MSA

Manuel Jordán Heritage Shade Tree Consultants

MTA

Bryan Lawrence Rocket Turf & Nursery

MTSC

Brent Benike Northern Excellence Seed Vendor Representative Jim O’Neill Eco Works Supply Vendor Representative James Wolfin Twin City Seed Company University of Minnesota Turfgrass Extension Jon Trappe University of Minnesota University of Minnesota Turfgrass Extension Dr. Eric Watkins University of Minnesota University of Minnesota Dept. of Forest Resources Ryan Murphy University of Minnesota * * * * Executive Director Jeff Turtinen 763-703-4983 turtinen@mtgf.org P. O. Box 617 Wayzata, MN 55391

“Warm, Wet and Weird September” I’m sure you all appreciate me reminding you about the summer drought, heat, and altogether weird weather. It seems par for the course at this point.

As always, we roll with the punches that Mother Nature dishes out, and in my conversations with a lot of practitioners, you all do a really good job of taking it all in stride. After all, dealing with the ups and downs of Mother Nature is just part of our business.

The abrupt cold weather change in late October really put the brakes on things. Much of the state received measurable snowfall prior to the end of October. At this point, much of it has melted and there is a significant warming trend in the forecast.

We’re looking at highs in the mid-50’s here in the middle of November, and it appears that we’ll have an opportunity to get some of those last-minute outdoor tasks finished before the true end.

To some extent, I think we all look forward to the reprieve that the cold weather brings. It gives us an opportunity to recharge our batteries, reflect on successes and failures, and spend much needed time with our family and friends. I encourage you to reflect, reset, and re-align your personal and professional goals for 2024. While I appreciate that responsibilities vary- EOP orders and pending snow removal- for example, I feel that the important things in life become much clearer when goals are defined. Personally, information sources that have helped me include Steve Keating’s website- Lead Today (https://stevekeating.me/) and podcasts such as Jocko Willink’s.

Winter also provides better opportunities for us to connect. One of the best ways to connect is to join in the MNLA/MTGF Northern Green Conference held in St. Paul from January 23-25th, 2024. It’s just a few short months away. We are very excited about the new venue, the RiverCentre, and the individual tracks (aka: Villages) that will provide a different dynamic this year. On the MTGF side, we have specific tracks associated with golf course management, tree care, turf and snow management, and water/irrigation.

Additionally, pesticide training will be held on Monday, January 22nd.

As you’re aware, the Northern Green conference is the primary means by which MTGF generates money to donate to research. We greatly appreciate your support of the Northern Green, and your open-mindedness about the changes that are happening with the conference. Sink or swim, by trying something new I think we will truly find what we’re looking for with the future of the Northern Green. For whatever it’s worth, I encourage you to be the person within your association who generates some enthusiasm around the conference.

www.mtgf.org

2 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

(Continued on Page 3) www.MTGF.org

The Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation, a non-profit organization, is a partnership of seven turf- and grounds-related associations and the University of Minnesota. Members of the following associations are also considered members of the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation.

4 4 4 4

Minnesota Society of Arboriculture Minnesota Association of Cemeteries Minnesota Park & Sports Field Management Association Minnesota Educational Facilities Management Professionals

President’s Report (Continued from Page 2)

Other happenings across the MTGF’s seven allied associations include: +

The MPSFMA Fall Workshop took place on Nov. 15th at Brackett’s Crossing GC in Lakeville.

+

The MGCSA Mega Education Seminar is set for Dec. 5th & 6th at Rush Creek GC in Maple Grove.

Inside the 2023 Fall/Winter Issue of MTGF Clippings: 2

President’s Report: The Business of the MTGF

By Sam Bauer, MTGF President

5

Is this Plant Pretty or Pretty Invasive?

By Ryan Schwab, Turgrass Extension Educator University of Minnesota

11

MTGF Funded Research Reaches $1,867,291

13

Real Concerns with Fake Grass

By Dr. Michael R. Barnes, Researcher & Lecturer Dept. of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota

17

Eric Watkins Receives Environmental Communicator of the Year Award

18

Survivor Elms Key to Revitalizing Minnesota’s Elm Population

By Ashley Bergman Carlin Office of the Vice President for Research University of Minnesota

20

Support the MTGF in its Mission to Fund Green Industry Research and Youth Engagement!

21

2024 Northern Green Outdoor Trade Show

22

Jan 23-25 Northern Green Information

26

MPSFMA Community Service Project in Waconia

28

Investigating Dormant Seeding as an Approach To Establish Lawns in Minnesota

By Andrew Hollman, Researcher Dept. of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota

www.MTGF.org

4 Minnesota Sod Producers 4 Minnesota Turf Seed Council 4 Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents’ Association

The MTGF Board appreciates you taking time to read this Fall/Winter issue of MTGF Clippings. We also appreciate the authors who provided excellent content for this issue. These articles are a small reflection of some of the research conducted with MTGF grant dollars.

I am honored to serve the MTGF as president.

Thank you for supporting our foundation and best wishes to you and your family throughout the holiday season.

Sam Bauer President Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 3

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Is this Plant Pretty or Pretty Invasive?

By Ryan Schwab Researcher, Dept. of Horticultural Science University of Minnesota

Over the last two and a half years, our group has been visiting lawns of all kinds across the Twin Cities as part of the focused on urban nature. These assessments include identifying and recording plant species found throughout the lawn as part of the . In 2022, we observed 119 different plant species across 79 properties.

Many of these species are commonly found in Minnesota, but not always in lawns.

Some are frequently observed in other landscape types such as restored prairies, roadsides, wetlands, forest edges and floors, and agricultural fields. Plants migrate, and they may thrive in a handful of systems; however, thriving can be problematic. A species could be a suitable Figure 1. The amount of each invasive plant species recorded in 79 Twin City lawns during the 2022 ground cover or pollinator resource in summer. Due to the large amount of creeping Charlie recorded, there is a break in the amount recorded your lawn but displace native or natural- between 550 and 1,000 counts. ized plants in another landscape type. areas. From a lawn care perspective, invasive species can When this happens, the natural ecosystem can change often be difficult to eradicate, but preventing their ability drastically over time. Plants that behave this way are conto go to seed or spread into neighboring properties may be sidered invasive. more manageable. Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederThe Minnesota Department of Natural acea), for example, can spread quickly and be difficult to Resources and Department of Agriculture maincontrol in a lawn. Instead of eradicating it fully, focusing tains a list of invasive terrestrial plant species that are on removing or slowing it down on the edges of the lawn restricted or prohibited in the state. Many of these weeds may be a more efficient tactic using barriers, hand-pulling, have restrictions on seed sales, propagation, or introducor herbicides. For many invasive species, containment may tion to inhibit their spread. Other species are considered be the only feasible option, regardless of landscape type. invasive but are not regulated and rely on the public to vol(Continued on Page 6) untarily make decisions to inhibit spread to vulnerable

Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) Figure 2. Leaves (left) and a forest floor dominated by creeping Charlie (right). www.MTGF.org

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 5

Pretty or Invasive Plants?

(Continued from Page 5)

Our team recorded a handful of invasive plant species during lawn assessments (Figure 1). Some of the homeowners we’ve chatted with expressed their willingness to let these plants give color and potential pollinator resources to their lawns without knowing they are on the invasive plant species list. Invasive species that we often observe blooming in lawns are briefly discussed.

It was not surprising that creeping Charlie was the most abundant invasive plant species on our list. We receive plenty of questions regarding creeping Charlie control each year. This invasive species is not regulated, but can be an issue in gardens, lawns, and disturbed forest floors (Figure 2). Vegetative spread is aggressive with creeping stolons on the soil surface and leaves growing to the top of the foundational groundcover. Its purple flowers are present from spring to early summer. This early bloom may provide inconsistent benefits to active pollinators.Creeping bellflower basal leaves can look like creeping Charlie’s. Creeping bellflower’s leaves are less shiny and can be more heart-shaped and longer. Stalk

leaves tend to be pointier and longer than those at the base (Figure 3). About as aggressive as creeping Charlie, creeping bellflower can be more difficult to hand-pull due to its rhizomatous spread. This species also spreads by seed.

Similar to hostas (Hosta spp.), light purple flowers bloom from their upright stalk, which may be attractive to some homeowners. This is a non-regulated invasive species. Our group spots creeping bellflower frequently in gardens, along shaded edges or woods, and in both mown and unmown lawns.

Birdsfoot trefoil is a fairly common legume found in lawns and roadsides. It has been traditionally used as a forage legume. Its yellow flowers can be a source of nectar and pollen for surrounding bees (Figure 4). Leaves at the top of the stalks are made up of five leaflets, unlike white clover (Trifolium repens), which has three. Birdsfoot trefoil leaflets can also be differentiated from white clover with leaflets that can be more oblong and do not have a watermark. This weed is a non-regulated invasive species that becomes aggressive in prairies.

Homeowners with properties near prairies should contain or remove it from the lawn, as the seeds can easily travel to nearby areas.

(Continued on Page 7)

Creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides) Figure 3. Leaves in a lawn (left), flowers (middle), and a colony of creeping bellflower (right).

Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) Figure 4. Birdsfoot trefoil flower (left), leaves (middle), and presence in a restored prairie (right).

6 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

www.MTGF.org

Pretty or Invasive Plants?

(Continued from Page 6)

Crownvetch (Securigera varia) Crownvetch is a legume on the noxious weed list. It can be identified by its light pink flowers and smooth, ovate leaflets (Figure 5). In regularly mown lawns, crownvetch does not flower readily, but will spread by rhizomes. In unmown situations, it aggressively grows over the existing vegetation. It is often found with birdsfoot trefoil in prairies and along roadsides and railways. It is recommended to remove crownvetch, especially if the property is located near a prairie.

Crownvetch (Securigera varia) Figure 5. Crownvetch flower (left), leaves in a lawn (middle), and colonization in a riverbank buffer area (right).

Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) Yellow toadflax is a non-regulated invasive plant species. Its narrow, whorled leaves are usually a pale green or slightly silvery when compared to surrounding plants (Figure 6). Some homeowners may be attracted to its popcorn-like flowers and allow it to grow and bloom in their lawns or garden beds. Another common name for this plant is “butter and eggs,” due to its yellow and gold flowers. Yellow toadflax is often found on roadsides or other disturbed areas. Its rhizomatous spread can outcompete prairie and pasture plants. Homes near prairies and farmland should consider removing yellow toadflax from their properties.

(Continued on Page 9)

Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) Figure 6. Plant and flower structure (left and middle), and colony of yellow toadflax on a roadside (right). www.MTGF.org

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 7

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Pretty or Pretty Invasive Plants?

(Continued from Page 7)

Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) Oxeye daisy is a non-regulated invasive plant species. Its basal leaves are somewhat fleshy and scalloped (Figure 7).

White flowers with yellow centers can be seen decorating lawns, gardens, roadsides, and other trafficked areas throughout the state. It is often confused with shasta daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum). Shasta daisy has basal leaves that are not as scalloped as oxeye daisy leaves. Shasta daisy is also not as aggressive, as it has a bunch-type growth habit, whereas oxeye daisy spreads by rhizomes and seed. Oxeye daisy is not very competitive in native prairies; however, it can displace plants in pastures and other open areas or wooded edges. Some homeowners will allow the oxeye daisy to bloom in their lawns and avoid mowing them until they are finished flowering. To reduce its spread by seed, it is recommended to control or mow them, especially when they are beginning to open their flowers.

Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) Figure 7. Oxeye daisy flower (left), basal leaves (middle), and example of selective mowing around the plants while flowering in a lawn (right).

White/yellow sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis) White and yellow sweetclover are leguminous, non-regulated invasive plant species. They can vary in size, from mowing height to the height of a typical refrigerator. Their leaves are made up of three narrow leaflets (Figure 8). Each leaflet has petite, ridged edges, and the middle leaflet tends to have a short petiolule while the petiolules of the other two leaflets can be absent. Upright stalks house small white or yellow flower clusters. These species thrive in sunny locations, spreading by seed that can be dormant for decades. White and yellow sweetclover can crowd out plants in prairies, pastures, and roadsides.

(Continued on Page 10)

White/yellow sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis) Figure 8. White (left) and yellow sweetclover (middle) in a lawn, and a mixture of both along a hiking trail (right). www.MTGF.org

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 9

Pretty or Pretty Invasive Plants?

(Continued from Page 9)

Hoary alyssum is a non-regulated invasive plant species. Its small white flower clusters are often seen in full-sun, dry areas (Figure 9). Leaves and stems have a silvery tint to them due to dense hairs. It has basal leaves that are oblong and smooth with long, upright flowering stalks made up of narrow, sessile leaves. These stalks are often lodged in mown lawns. Hoary alyssum can be invasive in prairies, pastures, and roadsides. Homeowners with this species in their lawn may consider mowing while it is flowering to reduce the seed set, or eliminating if prairies or pastures are nearby.

Taking action to safeguard native or agricultural systems can be carried out by monitoring the lawn and nearby areas.

Many of these invasive plant species are either in bloom or going to seed this month, easing identification. Once identified, be aware of the surrounding landscapes, especially those near wooded areas, prairies, pastures, city/county/state parks, and farmland. From there, determine if control or eradication is warranted. Broadleaf control with the use of herbicides is best done in the fall. If this is the course of action, be sure to follow the herbicide label directions of use. Other management practices include mowing to prevent the flower from going to seed, and hand-pulling if feasible. Control of these non-regulated invasive plant species relies on the homeowner or land manager to protect our vulnerable, Minnesota landscapes.

Hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana)

Hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana) Figure 9. Hoary alyssum plant and flower structure (left), and colonization in two different restored prairie areas (middle and right).

To learn more about invasive plant species, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invasive species list.

(Editor’s Note: This article was first printed in 9/12/2023 in the UMN Turfgrass Science blog and reprinted with permission.)

umn.turf.edu 10 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

www.MTGF.org

MTGF FUNDED RESEARCH REACHES $1,867,291 MTGF FUNDING 2023 2022 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 27,500 26,570

RESEARCH DOLLARS FROM 2001-2002 TURFGRASS SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM SUPPORT 35,000 45,000 50,000

20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 7,500 9,625 10,000 10,000 10,000 20,000 25,000 21,056 20,000 20,000 20,000 15,000 11,000 17,000 5,000 5,000

65,000 65,000 60,000 60,000 70,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 47,000 37,114 60,500

TROE CENTER OPERATIONS TROE CENTER BUILDING PRE-DESIGN DR. ERIC WATKINS RESEARCH BRAD PEDERSEN LANDSCAPE PROGRAM

50,000

UM FOREST RESOURCES AND PLANT PATHOLOGY PROGRAMS

2,750 4,077 13,000 10,000 49,715 60,000 30,000 20,000 20,000 15,000 15,000 12,000 15,000 10,000 26,000 2,500 10,415 7,400 10,000 10,000

DR. GILlMAN TREE RESEARCH / DUTCH ELM DISEASE DED / ELM RESISTANCE MECHANISMS ROBERT BLANCHETTE DED / MSA SUPPORT 7,500 UM YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN ARBORICULTURE 7,500

5,700 9,300

UM CONSERVATION UM ELM SELECTION UM PRUNING UM ESP RESEARCH

7,250 9,975 6,250 5,500 5,500 3,500

BOB MUGAAS / UMORE PARK TECHNICIAN

900

ARBORETUM TURF & GROUNDS RESEARCH

3,000

UM HELP LINE

15,733 10,518

ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY

500

NATIONAL TURF RESEARCH INSTITUTE GRABOWSKI / MALVICK WHITE MOLD RESEARCH

10,000 10,000 10,000 5,000

DR. JUZWICK OAK WILT STUDY DR. WALKER MINERALIZABLE NITROGEN STUDY DR. WALKER FIELD SAFETY ASSESSMENT STUDY

3,500

2,000

5,000

5,000

2,000 2,000 3,000

5,000 4,000

SAM BAUER CONVERSION TO LOW-INPUT TURFGRASS

4,000

BAUER & ORSHINSKY PLANT DEFENSE

5,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 65,000 10,000 10,000 10,000

MARY MEYER 10 PLANTS THAT CHANGED MINNESOTA UM FELLOWSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND ORSHINSKY PATHOLOGIST POSITION

10,000

TREE TRUST - GRAVEL BEDS TREE TRUST - GREEN TEENS

3,540 3,250 5,000

500

15,000 1,198

OTHER

TOTALS 50,000 65,000 100,000 106,250 134,715 120,000 120,000 110,000 89,000 110,790 85,000 76,000 71,014 138,000 38,113 75,508 89,095 118,500 81,056 35,000 27,500 26,750

TOTAL DOLLARS SINCE 2001 = $1,867,291

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Real Concerns with Fake Grass

By Dr. Michael R. Barnes Researcher & Lecturer Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota / Twin Cities

Artificial turf has been one of the most prominent topics of discussions among professionals, policy makers and academics in 2023. Back in January of this year, I published a blog post on this very topic, discussing the outlook of artificial turf for this year. In that post, I mentioned that this year would be a turning point for artificial turf given that the spotlight was turning its direction given concerns around human health and safety and environmental impacts. We aren’t quite through all of 2023 but I can confidently say that this has indeed been a turning point year related to artificial turf. Academic research on artificial turf has been expanding, policy makers have enacted new bans across the globe, and professionals have been speaking out about concerns with artificial turf surfaces.

Before diving into the details, I want to clearly state two things up front, 1) natural grass surfaces are preferable to artificial turf surfaces in the vast majority of contexts however 2) there are specific contexts in which artificial turf could be considered. Those statements are based on a broad range of research that spans from psychology and kinesiology to toxicology and horticulture and will be discussed below. Also to note is that when thinking about these surfaces we need to consider them from a holistic perspective. Meaning that while individual attributes (e.g., texture) are important especially in certain contexts (e.g., sports fields), these surfaces are part of broader landscapes that have impacts that can go beyond the direct users.

Let’s start with one of the most prevalent issues of discussion which is on the minds of many professionals and the public: injuries. At the broadest level, there is evidence that there is a higher risk of injuries on artificial turf surfaces compared to natural grass, especially related to lower limb injuries (1) and abrasions (2). Additionally, a range of thermally-related injuries and performance issues are associated with artificial turf due to significantly increased localized heat on those surfaces especially on sunny days (3) .

Importantly, while professional athletes, especially those with high profiles (e.g. Aaron Rodgers) garner much of the attention www.MTGF.org

related to their injuries and artificial turf, these higher rates of injury extend to our high school athletes and even younger children (4) who could then live with the consequences of a serious injury into their adult lives (5). It’s important to note that within these considerations, there are variances in findings depending on sport, individual field conditions, and measurement techniques. Significantly more attention needs to be paid to the field conditions associated with injury risk across both surface types.

As maintenance of both surfaces can have significant impact on playability and safety.

Next let’s turn to environmental issues associated with artificial turf. While several concerns around natural grass have existed for decades related to inputs required for maintenance, such comparisons were made to landscape types that had very little in common with natural grass spaces (e.g., forests).

Comparing more like-to-like surfaces then natural grass versus artificial turf, natural grass provides significantly more ecosystem services especially when maintained properly, let’s look at some examples and evidence.

First, and foremost the installation of artificial turf means the disruption and replacement of a living natural system with a non-living one. This means removal of critical topsoil and a loss of both plant and animal biodiversity (6). On the microbial scale, while natural and artificial surfaces can have similar levels of bacteria present, artificial turf surfaces can have significantly higher levels of potentially pathogenic strains (7).

More broadly, studies have found heavy metals from aging and weathered crumb rubber infill leaching into both water and soil impacting the health of plants and animals in both environments (8,9) which can be exacerbated by common maintenance techniques that cause infill to escape (10). Finally, preliminary studies have investigated the presence and impact on human health of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which could be related to acute and chronic health issues for individuals who regularly use artificial turf surfaces (11,12).

(Contined on Page 9) FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 13

Concerns With Fake Grass (Continued from Page 8)

Taken together there are considerable verified and potential risks associated with artificial turf, many of which are unique to it and not present in natural grass.

Finally let’s address some human factors that go beyond health and safety. Recently, a handful of studies have looked at perceptions comparing artificial turf and natural grass on everything from sustainability to suitability for different activities. Findings from these studies concluded that individuals viewed natural grass as more sustainable than artificial turf, as well as them being seen more favorably when it comes to human and ecosystem health (13,14). This is combined with individuals being more likely to use natural grass spaces for everything from having a picnic to viewing wildlife (15). These use related differences combined with views on sustainability and health, can make a significant impact on whether individuals actually use newly installed artificial turf especially now that such surfaces are entering home lawns and school playgrounds. Additionally, even in the context of sports fields athletes hold strong perceptions towards higher risk of injuries occurring on artificial turf surfaces (16, 17).

These perceptions, whether valid or not, can have conse-

quences for athlete performance related to fear of injury occurring or reoccuring.

Taken together, it’s quite clear that natural grass surfaces should be preferred to artificial ones in the majority of cases. So where could artificial turf be adopted? Artificial surfaces could be considered in spaces where a ground cover is needed but natural grass would be hard to establish, where there is a significant expectation of constant use, or by organizations that might lack professional groundskeeping to maintain a natural grass area at acceptable levels. However, these considerations should be made in light of the significant tradeoffs in ecosystem services and risks associated with artificial turf.

To summarize, we can see that artificial turf surfaces are associated with higher risks of certain types of injuries, can negatively impact both human and environmental health, and are broadly less likely to be used than natural grass surfaces. Considering the uptick in decision-maker interest and the subsequent bans on the 14 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

use of artificial turf across the globe, it would seem a more sound investment for cities and organizations to invest in the proper management of and professionals needed to maintain natural grass surfaces for their communities health and well-being.

(Editor’s Note: All photos were taken by Michael Barnes. References are listed below.)

(1) Gould, H. P., Lostetter, S. J., Samueulson, E. R., & Guyton, G. P. (2023).

Lower extremity injury rates on artificial turf versus natural grass playing surfaces.

The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(6): 1615-1621. doi: 10.1177/03635465211069562 (2) Hinton, R. Y., Lincoln, A. E., Almquist, J. L., Douoguih, W. A., & Sharma, K. M. (2005). Epidemiology of lacrosse injuries in high school-aged girls and boys: A 3year prospective study. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 33(9): 1305-1314. doi: 10.1177/0363546504274148 (3) Liu, Z., & Jim, C. Y. (2021). Playing on natural or artificial turf sports fields?

Assessing heat stress of children, young athletes, and adults in Hong Kong.

Sustainable Cities and Society, 75:103271. doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2021.103271 (4) Paliobeis, A., Sivasundaram, L., Knapik, D. M., Labelle, M. W., Olson, M., Karns, M. R., Salata, M. J., & Voos, J. E. (2021). Injury incidence is higher on artificial turf compared to natural grass in high school athletes: A retrospective cohort study. Current Orthopedic Practice, 32(4): 355-360. doi: 10.1097/BCO.0000000000001012 (5) McKay, C. D., Cumming, S. P., & Blake, T. (2019). Youth sport: Friend or for?

Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 33(1), 141-157. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2019.01.017 (6) Cheng, H., Hu, Y., & Reinhard, M. (2014). Environmental and health impacts of artificial turf: A review. Environmental Science & Technology, 48, 2114-2129. doi: 10.1021/es4044193 (7) Valeriani, F., Margarucci, L. M., Gianfranceschi, G., Ciccarelli, A., Tajani, F., Mucci, N., Ripani, M., & Spica, V. R. (2019). Artificial-turf surfaces for sport and recreational activities: Microbiota analysis and 16S sequencing signature of synthetic vs natural soccer fields. Heliyon, 5:e02334. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02334 (8) Murphy, M., & Warner, G. R. (2022). Health impacts of artificial turf: Toxicity studies, challenges, and future directions. Environmental Pollution, 310(1): 119841. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119841.

(9) de Haan, W. P., Quintana, R., Vilas, C., Cozar, A., Canals, M., Uviedo, O., & Sanchez-Vidal, A. (2023). The dark side of artificial greening: Plastic turfs as widespread pollutants of aquatic environments. Environmental Pollution, 334(1): 122094. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122094 (10) Kole, P. J., Van Belleghem, F. G. A. J., Stoorvogel, J. J., Ragas, A. M. J., & Lohr, A. J. (2023). Tyre granulate on the loose: How much escapes the turf? A systematic literature review. Science of the Total Environment, 903(10): 166221. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166221 (11) Massey, R., Pollard, L., Jacobs, M., Onasch, J., & Harari, H. (2020).

Artificial turf infill: A comparative assessment of chemical contents. New Solutions, 30(1), 10-26. doi: 10.1177/1048291120906206 (12) Menichini, E., Abate, V., Attias, L., De Luca, S., di Domenico, A., Fochi, I., Forte, G., Iacovella, N., Iamiceli, A.L., Izzo, P., Merli, F., & Bocca, B. (2011).

Artificial-turf playing fields: Contents of metals, PAHs, PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs, inhalation exposure to PAHs and related preliminary risk assessment. Science of the Total Environment, 409(23), 4950-4957. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.07.042 (13) Barnes, M. R., & Watkins, E. (2022). ‘Greenness’ in the eye of the beholder: Comparing perceptions of sustainability and well-being between artificial and natural turfgrass. Cities and the Environment, 15(1):2. doi: 10.15365/cate.202.150102 (14) Barnes, M. R., & Watkins, E. (2023). “Nothing beats nature”: Park visitor preferences for natural turfgrass and artificial turf: A case study. HortScience, 58(4), 453-458. doi: 10.21273/HORTSCI17077-23 (15) Barnes, M. R., & Watkins, E. (2022). Differences in likelihood of use between artificial and natural turfgrass lawns. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 37:100480. doi: 10.1016/j.ort.2021.100480 (16) Twomey, D. M., Petrass, L. A., Fleming, P., & Lenehan, K. (2019). Abrasion injuries on artificial turf: A systematic review. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 22(5), 550-556. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2018.11.005 (17) Strutzenberger, G., Edmunds, R., Nokes, L. D. M., Mitchell, I. D., Mellalieu, S. D., & Irwin, G. (2020). Player-surface interactions: Perception in elite soccer and rugby players on artificial and natural turf. Sport Biomechanics. doi: 0.1080 /14763141.2020.1720279.

www.MTGF.org

JANUARY 23, 24, 25

www.northerngreen.org

Roy Wilkins Auditorium

www.MTGF.org

Trade Show Floor

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 15

CUSTOM BLENDED MIXES

GOLF

SPORTS TURF

CONSISTENT QUALITY

We custom blend mixes using a computerized Accublender™, controlling quality & consistency.

HORTICULTURE

SATISFIED CUSTOMERS • Braemar Golf Course • Olympic Hills Golf Club

RESPONSIVE DELIVERY

Experienced drivers operate a fleet of more than 45 trucks. Our GPS locator helps us set the standard for the most responsive delivery in the 5-state area.

• Hazeltine National Golf Club • Allianz Field • MN Vikings

MINNESOTA FAMILY BUSINESS

• Downtown East Park

Our mining reserve supplies the finest quality products in the region including: golf, athletic soils, top dressing, engineered soils, MNDOT & MPCA mixes, iron aggregate mixes, rain garden and rooftop garden mixes. We precisely engineer soils using our computerized Accublender™ to provide you with consistent quality everytime.

• Bachman’s

763.441.1100 • plaistedcompanies.com info@plaistedcompanies.com

• Bailey’s

WE ARE SOIL EXPERTS

Dr. Eric Watkins receives Environmental Communicator of the Year Award The Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association and Project EverGreen announced that Eric Watkins from the University of Minnesota received the 2023 TOCA Environmental Communicator of the Year Award.

The award, which recognizes individuals for outstanding communications efforts regarding publicly managed green space and environmental issues, was presented during this year’s TOCA Annual Meeting in Portland, Maine. Watkins is the 24th recipient of this award.

Watkins is a faculty member with the Department of Horticultural Science and teaches a variety of classes, including: The Sustainable Lawn, The American Lawn, Problem Solving in Horticulture and Plant Genetics and Breeding.

“It’s a great honor to receive this award,” said Watkins. “When I first started my career in turfgrass breeding and genetics, I knew outreach was important but did not know how important it would be. Good genetics and good turf varieties will keep lawns functional and sustainable. We need to get the word out.”

One example is a Watkins team that worked to digitize the records at the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP), which has provided free cultivar and species performance data to the public for decades. However, resources were not available to efficiently access the data.

Now, they are more accessible to anyone looking to plant a

NORTHERN GREEN

BLOCK PARTY

Wed., Jan. 24 5:30pm-7:30pm G E N E R O U S LY S U P P O R T E D B Y :

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

www.MTGF.org

species or cultivar that is better adapted to their site.

Watkins was nominated by Jon Trappe, Assistant Professor of Extension at the University of Minnesota. “It’s obvious that Dr. Watkins appreciates that simply having a strong research program that responds to the needs of the turfgrass industry is not enough,” said Trappe. “He has gone out of his way to create outreach components within each of his major research grants to communicate what he and his colleagues have learned.”

Dr. Eric Watkins These communications components include online training modules for professionals and homeowners to help with the successful establishment and maintenance of turf.

“Dr. Watkins is an intelligent communicator focused on getting information into the hands of professionals and homeowners to plant the right grass in the right location,” said Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “He goes beyond the research and motivates his team to creatively deliver best practices and educational information to lawn care professionals and enthusiasts.”(Editor’s Note: Originally published in the UMN Turfgrass Science blog at www.turf.umn.edu.)

Interact with your peers and forge valuable connections.

Free for all registered attendees! When the trade show is over, head right upstairs to the RiverCentre’s Grand Ballroom for the Northern Green Block Party! Kick back and relax in the neighborhood-like atmosphere with free games and food!

Food

Enjoy appetizers and snacks as you converse with colleagues.

Fun

Try your hand at a yard game or two in a fun and friendly environment.

Connections Catch up with friends at this laid back green industry reunion.

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 17

Survivor Elms Key to Revitalizing Minnesota’s Elm Population

By Ashley Bergman Carlin Office of the Vice President for Research University of Minnesota

Many pots with dirt and budding plants

Summary: UMN researchers Ben Held and Ryan Murphy are using survivor elms to grow Dutch elm disease-resistant trees while learning more about resistance mechanisms.

In the late 1970s, there were 1.3 million American elms with diameters greater than 21 inches in Minnesota.

Today, due to the devastating effects of Dutch elm disease, 95 percent are gone, leaving behind fewer than 60,000 big elms. These survivor elms are the basis of an ongoing project managed by College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences researchers (Department of Plant Pathology) and (Department of Forest Resources) as they work to understand why these trees survived and how they can inform future forestry efforts.

So beloved was the elm that it comprised 95 percent of the trees planted in boulevards in the Twin Cities by the 1970s when Dutch elm disease arrived. In 1977 alone, the metro area lost more than 190,000 elms, resulting in starkly empty streets.

Despite the elm’s susceptibility to Dutch elm disease, it is a very resilient tree. American elms can withstand drought, salt, and floodplains better than most species, making them an ideal tree to plant in particular climates.

Elms also capture runoff, offer food and habitat to insects and other animals, and reduce winter heating and summer cooling costs in urban areas.

Because of numerous ecological benefits of the elm tree, Murphy and Held are interested in reviving the elm population.

The Devastation of an Iconic Tree Learning from Survivor Elms “The American elm is an iconic tree that has been a symbol of liberty and freedom,” said Ben Held. “It was prominent on the grounds at the United States Capitol, and when people imagine tree-lined boulevards, they’re often picturing elm trees.”

18 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

Their project, which began in the early 2000s, was one of the first large-scale efforts to work with Minnesota’s survivor elms and follows a four-step process.

(Continued on Page 19) www.MTGF.org

Revitalizing Minnesota Elms(Continued from Page 18)

First, researchers identify large, old surviving elms, often with help from community members and land managers who notify them. Next, they propagate these old elms by grafting cuttings to seedling elms and growing them in a nursery.

Once these cuttings are big enough, the researchers infect the trees with Dutch elm disease fungus and wait to see if they’re actually resistant. The trees that live are eventually planted. The researchers then study these trees to understand what makes them resistant.

“It’s significant that there does appear to be resistance to Dutch elm disease in the native elm population,” said Ryan Murphy. “It’s also promising that there’s been good establishment and survival in our reforestation efforts.”

This project is ongoing—it takes a long time to grow trees—but the researchers have learned that resistant elms Elm tree nursery in St Paul, Minnesota Photo credit: John Schoolmeesters

Elm tree nursery with researcher Ryan Murphy Photo credit: John Schoolmeesters

and seven feet tall in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Community members can still help the cause by submitting information about survivor elms. Good candidates are very large, old elm trees, especially those that were previously surrounded by other elms that have succumbed to Dutch elm disease.

Partial funding for this research was provided by the Minnesota INvasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC), supported by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) and The Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation (MTGF).

are good at walling off the pathogen. These elms can still be infected, but they do a faster job at responding with compounds that will limit the spread of the pathogen.

“This is an important thing for foresters and homeowners to know — one part of the elm can be impacted but the majority of the tree can still be healthy. If you have a resistant tree, you may be able to prune out the disease without cutting down the tree,” said Held.

Held and Murphy are continuing to do multiple rounds of inoculation with previously tested trees to ensure they have an acceptable level of resistance before releasing.

They’re also continuing to expand the number of planting sites and reforestation efforts.

As part of their efforts, Held and Murphy have also done community outreach, which includes education about Dutch elm disease and management through the Minnesota Tree Inspector Certification program. They’ve also collaborated on a youth-led Earth Day tree planting program with teenagers from the . These teenagers spent more than six months preparing, which involved learning best practices for tree planting and care and resulted in the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center director Rob Venette and Green Crew volunteers prep elm trees for planting. planting of approximately 80 American elms between six Photo credit: Domini Brown www.MTGF.org

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 19

Support the MTGF in Its Mission to Help Fund Green Industry Research and Youth Engagement!

Turf and grounds professionals in Minnesota and beyond have benefited greatly from innovative research funded by the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation. Since 2001, we have donated over $1.75 million to the University of Minnesota (this is over $88,000 per year!); this funding has helped build strong applied research programs focused on turf and landscape management. The ongoing support from the MTGF has given these research programs a foundation from which to seek larger grants that generate new approaches to landscape management that help sustain our industry.

Unfortunately, this past year has created a challenge for the MTGF as our primary revenue sources, Northern Green, which is a joint effort between MTGF and the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association, was not held in person and therefore did not generate sufficient income from which to make our annual donations for research.

Make a Point of Attending the Northern Green in St. Paul January 23-25, 2024 To continue our important role in support of turf and grounds research, we are asking for donations from individual MTGF members. In a normal year, you would’ve contributed to our efforts by attending the Northern Green, where you would have learned from leading horticultural educators, visited with vendors on the impressive trade show floor, and networked with your fellow green industry professionals. This year, you can have a positive impact by making a donation to help the MTGF continue our mission of funding research, outreach, and education for the turf and grounds professionals.

We hope you see this as an investment, one that will bring great returns in the form of new knowledge, more sustainable practices, and forward-looking approaches to maintain green spaces.

If you received this issue of MTGF Clippings in the mail, you are a member of one of seven allied associations, which makes you a member of the MTGF. MTGF has no membership fees associated with being a member or vendor member.

However, you have received the full benefits through the mission of the MTGF. The MTGF Board is made up of two individuals from each of the seven allied associations plus two vendor members. The seven MTGF allied associations are: + Minnesota Association of Cemeteries + Minnesota Educational Facilities Management Professionals + Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents' Association + Minnesota Park and Sports Field Management Association + Minnesota Society of Arboriculture + Minnesota Sod Producers + Minnesota Turf Seed Council Funding provided by the MTGF through your participation has been able to leverage millions of more dollars for turf and grounds research. The ramification was felt when the MTGF had to decide to put a hold on research grant funding for 2021 in hopes that we can return to normal in time for the 2022 funding season. Your attendance at the 2024 Northern Green helps is key. The Green Industry as a whole has been rewarded year after year through the research dollars granted by the MTGF and we are now asking for extra help to be able to continue this same success. Please visit the MTGF website (www.mtgf.org/donations) where you can find additional information on how you can donate to additional turf and grounds research. Thank you for your consideration.

To donate: www.mtgf.org/donations If you are a member of one of these Associations then you are a MTGF member!

20 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

www.MTGF.org

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR 2024!

NEW EVENT - OCTOBER 2024 Northern Green Interactive/Outdoors

TRADE SHOW Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Site: Ramsey County Fairgrounds, Parking Lot & Aldrich Arena

Vendors Display Equipment & Products Outdoors OPEN TO ALL MTGF ALLIED ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

www.MTGF.org

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 21

A Trade Show Built for the Attendee We dnesday, Janu ar y 24, 2024 | Saint Paul RiverCentre

STAGE & SEATING 733

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BAR

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GROWER

1216 1115

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GOLF / 1413 1512 1312 1313 1412 GOLFTURF / TURF // SOD 1310 1311 1410 1411 1510 SOD

1211

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IRRIGATION 1209 IRRIGATION 1111 1210 LIGHTING & &LIGHTING 1207 1109

1112

1006 13'-1" 1005 1106

1429 1528

1119 1117

1015 1116

910 1010 709 DISTRIBUTORS / SOILS / 1009 808 807 907 706 908 1008 1007 1108 707 CHEMICALS 10'

1533 1632

1333 1432 1433 1532 GARDEN 1331 1430 CENTER 1431 1530

GARDEN CENTER

1639

1228

1122

DISTRIBUTORS / SOILS / CHEMICALS

704

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1127 1227 RIDINGEQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT RIDING 1226 1026 1025 1126

919

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ROCK & MULCH ROCK 818 817& MULCH 917 916 1016

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1337 1436

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COFFEE CAFÉ / COFFEE SHOP/GENIUS BAR GENIUS BAR

734

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UPPER WILKINS

LOWER WILKINS

12'

BUSINESS SERVICES BUSINESS 605 607 609 611 SERVICES 613 615 619 621 623

601

26'-2"

701

Fern Service Desk & Lead Retrieval

603

643

TREE CARE TREE CARE 645 641 647 649 651

BUSINESSSERVICES SERVICES BUSINESS 661 663 665 667 669 671 673 675

659

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DIRT & HAULERS EQUIPMENT 408 410 412 414 416 418 426 428 430 432 434 436

441

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SNOW SNOW

10'

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ENTRANCE PREMIUM SQUARE #4 BOOTHS

405

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ROTUNDA ROTUNDA SQUARE SQUARE #4 #4

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HARDSCAPES HARDSCAPES

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10' EQUIPMENT DIRT & HAULERS

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TRUCKS TRUCKS

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ENTRANCE PREMIUM 9'-11" SQUARE #1 BOOTHS

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22 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

RIVERCENTRE EXHIBIT HALL 114

116

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RR O SSQ OTUU Q UA NNDD ##22 RRE AA E

628

ENTRANCE PREMIUM 9'-11" SQUARE #5 BOOTHS

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ROTUNDA ROTUNDA SQUARE SQUARE #3 #3

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www.MTGF.org

Northern Green 2024 will be a highly customized and highly concentrated experience – making the most of everyone’s investment of time and money.

M O N D A Y Pre-Conference Sessions:

PLT Relicensure and Pesticide Recerti昀cation will be available on Monday, January 22 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Landscape/Hardscape Contractor

Golf Management Path

TUESDAY, JAN. 23

Community day for these Villages with a full day of focused education:

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24 Dedicated trade show day!

Landscape Design/ Landscape Architecture

TRADE SHOW 9:00am-5:30pm

Turf, Grounds, & Snow Management

Water/Irrigation

BLOCK PARTY 5:30pm-7:30pm

Garden Center/Grower Management Path

THURSDAY, JAN. 25

Community day for these Villages with a full day of focused education:

Management level courses will be available on this path to pop into and out of throughout the day.

Professional Gardening Services

Tree Care/Arborist

Management level courses will be available on this path to pop into and out of throughout the day.

Watch NorthernGreen.org to keep up with the latest details...

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS NORTHERN GREEN 2024 SUPPORTERS:

www.MTGF.org

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 23

NORTHERN GREEN 2024

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 1

Our new venue is the Saint Paul RiverCentre and the Roy Wilkins Auditorium & Exhibit Hall (175 West Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102). There are many options for parking, and we will also run a shuttle from the InterContinental hotel.

The most convenient spot is the RiverCentre Parking Ramp on 150 West Kellogg Blvd. This parking ramp is located directly across the street from Saint Paul RiverCentre and is connected via skyway system.

There are many other parking options as well, indicated on the map below with a blue box:

P

= A shuttle between the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel and the Saint Paul RiverCentre will run every 15-20 minutes during the event.

= Skyway = Tunnel

2

All Village Social Hours will be at 317 on Rice Park, right next to the RiverCentre.

3

Access into the RiverCentre is: A

From the Parking Ramp Skyway

B

Along the street level of Kellogg Ave.

C

From the Rice Park entrance (between the Ordway and Herbie’s on the Park)

Signs will point you to REGISTRATION

to pick up your badge and begin your day!

C

REGISTRATION

A B

B

B

Kellogg Boulevard

4

The Saint Paul RiverCentre is a cashless venue. Please plan accordingly if you need to purchase food or beverage.

24 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

www.MTGF.org

www.MTGF.org

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 25

MPSFMA Volunteers Make a Field Safe and Playable At its Annual Community Service Project in October The 2023 MPSFMA Community Service Project took place on October 4 at a Waconia Little League field (Playfield 1). The Community Service Project is a great way to learn best maintenance practices of a baseball field from local certified sports field managers!

Special thanks to Nick Balistrieri, Beacon Athletics and Luke Wittrock, University of Minnesota for organizing the event with help from Mike Friederichs, HLS Outdoor; Nick Wilz, Heritage; Joshua Gerth, CSFM, Bethel University, and Derek Hollanitsch, City of Saint Paul. Also thanks to Eco Works Supply and Reinders for supplying product for the Community Service Project.

Jerrod Brunelle, MagicTurf, also was very instrumental for this project as he and his crew arrived a day early to level the playing field and other cosmetic improvements. MSC arrived a day later to finalize the project.

MPSFMA views its Community Service Project as a great way for those newer to the industry can spend a morning doing hands-on work on a field with certified sports field managers along side to answer any questions.

Make plans to attend this “hands-on” workshop in 2024!

Volunteers from MPSFMA included, from the left, Michael Friederichs, HLS Outdoor; Joshua Gerth, CSFM, Bethel University; Nick Wilz, Heritage PPG; Luke Wittrock, University of Minnesota; Nick Balistrieri, Beacon Athletics, and Derek Hollanitsch, City of St. Paul.

Photo credits: Jeff Turtinen

26 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

www.MTGF.org

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF MTGF’S MISSION TO FUND TURF & GROUNDS RESEARCH AND CONTINUED OPERATIONS AT TROE CENTER BY DONATING TO THE MINNESOTA TURF AND GROUNDS FOUNDATION! MTGF DONATION Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Company: _____________________________________________________________________ Donating in the name of: _________________________________________________________ Email Address: _________________________________________________________________ __ $25 __ $50 __ $100 __ $200 __ $500 __$1,000 __ $2,500 __ $5,000 __ Other

Donation amount: $ _________________ The mission of the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation is to promote the green industry in Minnesota through support of research, education and outreach at the University of Minnesota and elsewhere. The MTGF pursues its mission in various ways. One of these is an annual "Call For Proposals," titled the "MTGF Research Gift Program," whereby researchers, instructors and outreach faculty and staff involved in turf and grounds work may submit requests for unrestricted gifts to support their activities. As a 501(c)(3) corporation, funding approved by the MTGF will not be subjected to overhead or other indirect charges or costs. The dates for submission, review and approval may change on an annual basis as well as the protocol stipulated for the submission of gift requests.

SUPPORT RESEARCH, DONATE & SEND CHECK TO: Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation, P. O. Box 617, Wayzata, MN 55391 or donate online at www.mtgf.org/donations www.MTGF.org

FALL / WINTER 2023 ~ MTGF CLIPPINGS 27

Investigating Dormant Seeding as an Approach To Establish Lawns in Minnesota

By Andrew Hollman Researcher, Dept. of Horticultural Science University of Minnesota In the fall of 2022, was planted south of TROE just before a predicted snowfall event and stretch of cold weather. The 2022/2023 winter was unusual with an early season snowfall on top of soils that were still quite warm.

Frequent snowfall events in the Twin Cities kept a frost layer from developing in the soils until nearly the end of winter and at that point it did not last long. The snow at the demonstration area was completely melted by April 9, 2023 and on April 11, 2023 there was visible germination in the fine fescue plots (Figure 1). Along with the different species and mixtures of turfgrass, the area was also split to show the effect of covering the dormant seeding with germination/erosion control blankets compared to just raking the seed into the bare soil. Part of each plot was also seeded into an existing perennial ryegrass turf that was sprayed with glyphosate after seeding was done (Figure 2).

Although the perennial ryegrass was only sprayed a few days before it was covered with snow, the area was completely dead and covered with snow mold mycelium in spring. The density of this layer and how matted it was to the soil surface led to concern on whether grass seedlings would be able to break through it.

A bigger concern for the newly emerging seedlings was the unseasonably warm weather and high winds that followed the snow melt. With four days over 80°F and steady winds with gusts over 20 mph, the bare soil area without blankets dried out on the surface and had fewer visible seedlings. It is likely that the light color of the germination blankets and dead turf helped reflect some solar radiation and also protected the soils from strong winds. Being so early in the season, no irrigation was available but the silt loam soil on the site has good water holding capacity and seedlings continued to emerge through both the blanketed areas and dead grass areas.

After a week the heat wave ended with rain and cooler temperatures. By May 1st germination was evident in all of the species in the areas covered with the germination blankets (Figure 3). One week later (Figure 4) the plots under the germination blankets continued to improve, the success of the bare soil area wasn’t very good for most species, and the dead grass areas showed more seedling emergence.

Figure 1. Fine fescue seedlings emerging through germination blanket at dormant seeded plot at the Bell Museum, St. Paul MN on 4/11/23.

Figure 4. Dormant seeding demonstration plots on 5/8/23 show the effect of germination blankets versus bare soil (A=blanket, B=bare soil, C=dead grass).

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(Continued on Page 29)

Figure 2. Turfgrass dormant seeding under germination blankets, in bare soil and into perennial ryegrass that was sprayed after seeding at the Turfgrass Research Outreach and Education Center (TROE) on the UMN St. Paul Campus on 4/12/23 (A=blanket, B=bare soil, C=dead grass).

Figure 3. Dormant seeding demonstration plots on 5/1/23 (A=blanket, B=bare soil, C=dead grass).

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Dormant Seeding(Continued from Page 28)

As the summer progressed the plots continued to fill in.

Supplemental irrigation and fertilizer were applied to the entire area to aid in the establishment of the grasses. The need for these applications was most evident in the Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass plots. The bee lawn plot had successfully established dutch white clover and self-heal within the fine fescue turf and proceeded to bloom in its first season (Figure 5). Creeping thyme was also part of the bee lawn mixture but plants were only found in the dead grass area and they have not yet bloomed; this aligns with our previous observations that this species take more than a year to establish well. Heat and drought continued from mid-August through midSeptember. With these conditions the differences in the species became quite evident (Figure 6). The perennial ryegrass showed visible signs of drought stress and was covered in orange pustules from crown rust (Puccinia coronata). Kentucky bluegrass plot also showed signs of rust while the tall fescue plot between them stayed green and disease free. The fine fescue plots and mixtures also looked good during this drought period but did display some damage from traffic (Figure 7). Two weeks later, cooler temperatures and nearly 3 inches of rain led to relief from the drought stress and growth out of the rust diseases (Figure 8).

(Continued on Page 30)

Figure 6. Dormant seeding demonstration plots on 9/13/23 showing the effects of low rainfall and high temperatures on the different species (A=blanket, B=bare soil, C=dead grass). www.MTGF.org

Figure 5. Bee lawn dormant seeding plot on 6/29/23 showing the successful establishment of creeping thyme, self-heal and dutch white clover along with fine fescue.

Figure 7. Dormant seeding demo plots 9/13/23 showing the fine fescue plots and the effect of traffic during periods of drought and high temperatures.

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Dormant Seeding(Continued from Page 29)

Two weeks later, cooler temperatures and nearly 3 inches of rain led to relief from the drought stress and growth out of the rust diseases (Figure 8).

These demonstration plots showed that all of the cool season lawn grasses used in Minnesota can be established by dormant seeding. Differences in the coverage and growth of seedlings showed the benefit of erosion control blankets for successful establishment on bare soil sites.

Dormant seeding into a dead turf stand provided adequate seed protection in the spring. We still need to answer a few questions about dormant seeding: 1. Will late season application of glyphosate always lead to turfgrass death in the spring?

2. Does the germination blanket inhibit the germination of some bee lawn species?

3. Is there a quick growing annual crop that could be planted as a nurse crop to eliminate the need for germination blankets or herbicide application?

4. How long will it take to transition to a lower input species if dormant seeding into an existing Kentucky bluegrass lawn?

With the recent unpredictability of temperatures and rainfall during the late summer and early fall planting time period, dormant seeding might be a good option for those looking to limit the need for irrigation during lawn establishment.

(Editor’s Note: This article was first printed in Figure 8. Dormant seeding demonstration plots on 9/27/23 after nearly 3 inches 9/12/2023 in the UMN Turfgrass Science blog and of rainfall and cooler fall temperatures (A=blanket, B=bare soil, C=dead grass). reprinted with permission.)

turf.umn.edu 30 MTGF CLIPPINGS ~ FALL / WINTER 2023

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