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WHATS INSIDE: Sports TurfTIPSSEE PAGES 12 14 OSU Turfgrass Science ProgramSEE PAGE 22Golf CourseTIPSSEE PAGE 15

TurfNewsT H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E O H I O T U R F G R A S S F O U N D A T I O N

Volume 68 No. 3May - June 2006


2/24

TurfNews

Inside 06 Calendar Events

Message from the OTF President 3

Green Industry News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 7

Special Announcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Sod Producers Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Member Spotlight 9

Residential Lawn Care Tips 10 11

Sports Turf Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 14

Golf Course Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Hort Shorts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 18

Graduate Student Corner 19

New Growth & Technology 20 21

OSU Turfgrass Science Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Corporate Sponsor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

NORTHEAST OHIO LAWN CARE SEMINAR (OLCA)June 15, 2006OARDC, Wooster, OH800-510-5296

OSTMA SUMMER FIELD DAYJune 21, 2006Columbus Crew Stadium and OSU Facilities, Columbus, OH888-824-9805

OLCA/OSTMA COLLABORATIVE GOLF OUTINGJuly 20, 2006Apple Valley GC, Howard, OH800-510-5296 (OLCA) or 888-824-9805 (OSTMA)

OTF REGIONAL SEMINARJuly 25, 2006The Golf Center at Kings Island, Mason, OH888-683-3445

OHIO SOD PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION SUMMER FIELD DAYAugust 5, 2006

astgate Sod, Batavia, OH888-683-3445

OTF/OSU TURFGRASS RESEARCH FIELD DAYAugust 16, 2006OTF Research & Education Center, Columbus, OH888-683-3445

OHIO LAWN CARE OUTDOOR SUMMER SEMINAR (OLCA)(formerly Ohio Lawn Care Diagnostic Seminar)

August 17, 2006OTF Research & Education Center, Columbus, OH800-510-5296

OTF GOLF TOURNAMENTSeptember 27, 2006Westbrook CC, Mansfield, OH888-683-3445

OHIO TURFGRASS CONFERENCE & SHOWecember 5 7, 2006

Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, OH888-683-3445

This Issue Sponsored By:

NEWSECTION

2


3/24

MESSAGE PRESIDENT

We are in the heat of the season now andtime is at a premium but we must get it all

done. Your OTF Board is hard at work getting

ready for this years events. The next, being

Ohio Turfgrass Week which is May 26 through

June 2. You should have received inform-

ation from OTF about this new initiative.

Any help you can give will benefit OTF and

its support of Turfgrass research. The purpose

of Ohio Turfgrass Week is to generate public

awareness of the turfgrass industry in Ohio and just how large it really is. It

will also be used to generate new funding sources for turfgrass research and

education. If at any time you as members of our brain trust have any ideas,

please contact a board member with your suggestions. We want Ohio Turfgrass

Week to grow and be a success for many years to come.

We, as a Board of Directors, are always trying to find ways for OTF to

grow, because we all know good businesses know how to expand and

prosper. To recede means we may eventually disappear, or more importantly,

not be able to help our industry grow in the ways we have in the past. We

need our members to recruit new blood. We all know of people in our

company or organization or other companies and organizations that could

use our help in some way. We can help others in the form of education,

information on any number of products, or just a helping hand. Its time to

move to the next level with our members help.

OTF has an auction every year at the conference and our great leader of

the auction, Mr. Joe Enciso, is looking for a few great items to auction off.

Please step forward and donate to this years auction.

As you start into the summer you need to mark your calendar for the

OSU/OTF Field Day. Its great to act like a sponge and soak up some great

knowledge. Make the trip to Columbus for a great day of fellowship and

food on August 16.

I hope everyone is having a great start to your season. In your busy season,

dont forget family.

Your President, Glen Pottenger, CGCS

KEEP IT GREEN!

SPONSORSHIP =GREAT VISIBILITY!

The past several years OTF has offered an

exclusive sponsorship of each issue oTurfNews. Due to increased postage and

printing expenses, the OTF Publicity

Committee has decided this year to offer

2 sponsorships per issue. Sponsorships are

vailable for all remaining 2006 issues

Contact Kevin Thompson at 888-683-3445

ext. 3151 if you are interested in sponsoring

TurfNews. OTF thanks Syngenta for sponsor-

ing this issue.

THE HEAT OF THE SEASON

WARNING!

This will be the last newsletter you receive if you

do not renew your 2006 membership!

Membership invoices have been mailed three

times to all 2005 members. If you do not receiveyour membership renewal invoice, please cal

OTF right away.

Support Ohios turfgrass industry renew you

membership today! Call 888-683-3445, or prin

membership application off the OTF Web site

t www.OhioTurfgrass.org.


4/24

OTF to Host New Student

Turf Bowl CompetitionThe Ohio Turfgrass Foundation is excited to announce the first

ever Turf Bowl competition will occur during the 2006 OTF

Conference and Show.

The inaugural event will target participants from Career Centers

throughout Ohio that have a Horticulture or Turf program. Regional

competitions will be held and the winners will participate in theChampionship in Columbus.

Regions are segmented similar to the five state GCSAA chapters.

The regions and hosts include:

Northern Ohio OSU/ATI

Northwest Ohio Owens Tech

Central Ohio Ohio State University

Greater Cincinnati Cincinnati State

Miami Valley Clark State

The objectives of the Turf Bowl are as follows:

1. Provide OTF regional exposure throughout the state.2. Provide students, career center faculty, college faculty and

administration exposure to OTF.

3. Provide Tech schools a great opportunity to recruit career

center students (and possibly increase enrollment).

4. Potentially increase OTF membership at the student level

and with that, future memberships once they graduate.

5. Add to the excitement of the OTF Conference and Show with

the state championship.

6. Increase the number of OTF conference and show participants.

The format will be similar to that of the Turf Bowl conducted at the

Golf Industry Show, with testing on turf identification, and otherscholastic and practical applications of turf management.

In the future, this competition could include a collegiate competition

and potentially a competition between various industry teams. The

Turf Bowl committee is comprised of OTF Members, Board Members

and Faculty from the various colleges.

OTF looks forward to this exciting venture which is sure to strengthen

relations within the industry.

GREENI N D U S T R Y

NEWSFounders Club UpdateThe Ohio Turfgrass Research Trust (OTRT) is pleased to announce

the Northwestern Ohio GCSA joined the Founders Club as a

Gold Member. At its March 14 meeting, NWOGCSA Secretary/

Treasurer Don Lawrence and President Tim Glorioso presented

a check in the amount of $5000 to OTRT 2005 President Pau

Jacquemin (see photo).

OTRT greatly appreciates the support of the Northwestern

Ohio GCSA and hopes that other local chapters will showsimilar support for this important fundraising effort. When the

Founders Club initially launched in 2004, the Greater Cincinnat

GCSA chapter joined as a bronze member, making it the first

chapter joining the Founders Club.

The OTRT Board of Directors would ultimately like to see al

chapters increase their support to the Platinum level. While

OTRT greatly appreciates the support of local chapters and

related organizations, individuals are also encouraged to join on

their own. Founders Club membership is for a lifetime!

For more information about the Founders Club, contact OTF at888-683-3445 or www.OhioTurfgrass.org.

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5/24

Ohio Lawn Care Association

4th Annual Northeast Ohio

Lawn Care Seminar set for

June 15

The Ohio Lawn Care Association (OLCA) is pleased to be offeringanother all day, hands-on seminar at OARDC in Wooster, OH fo

its fourth year of the Northeast Ohio Lawn Care Seminar. This

highly-informative event provides a lawn care workshop that is

easily accessible to turfgrass managers in the north and northeas

areas of the state.

Registration will run 8:00 9:00 am with the program beginning at

9:00 am. Participants will get hands-on instruction and diagnosis

on the following topics:

Lawn IPM Programs

Dr. Parwinder Grewal, OSU/OARDC (Cat. 8, .05 hrs) Lawn Insects Management

Alfred Alumai, OSU/OARDC (Cat. 8, 0.5 hrs.)

Weed Identification & Control

Dr. David Gardner, OSU (Cat. 8, 0.5 hrs.)

Pests of Ornamentals

Dr. Dan Herms, OSU/OARDC (Cat. 6a, 0.5 hrs.)

Industrial Vegetation

Scott Lucas, ODOT (Cat. 5, 0.5 hrs.)

Non-target Applications

Carl Petelle, Turf & Earth Lawn Care (CORE, 0.5 hrs.)

General Session Ask The Experts

Q & A with the OSU Team of Turf experts

This Field Day provides a unique opportunity for lawn care

operators to see test plots of long-cut grass that we deal with on

a daily basis, informs Jeff Bisker, OLCA Education Committee

Chair. These plots include Turf Type Tall Fescue, Perennia

Ryegrass, and all the new varieties of Bluegrass.

Pre-registration costs $30 for OLCA members and $65 for non-

members. Discounts are available for multiple participants fromthe same company. For more information, or to register, contact the

OLCA office at 800-510-5296, or visit www.OhioLawnCare.org.

OTF Scholarship &

Research Golf ScrambleThe Ohio Turfgrass Foundation is holding its annual Scholarshipand Research fundraising scramble Wednesday, September 27at Westbrook Country Club, Mansfield, OH.

The Westbrook Country Club Golf Course was designed in 1922 byrenowned architect Donald Ross. The mature, traditional coursefeatures bentgrass greens and fairways, providing a memorableplaying experience. The course is playable by golfers of all ages

and skill levels.

The 2005 tournament, held at New Albany Country Club gen-erated nearly $10,000 for the OTF Scholarship and Researchfund. Next to the OTF Conference and Show, the Golf Tournamentgenerates the most non-dues revenue for OTF. Lawn carecompanies, sod producers, athletic field managers, groundsmanagers and golf course superintendents and their staff are

encouraged to participate and support OTFs mission of fundingturfgrass research and education.

We urge everyone to register as either an individual or team,exclaimed OTF Executive Director Kevin Thompson. It is a greatway to build staff loyalty and to reward employees for their hardwork while supporting OTF.

Also contributing to the success of the tournament are the

sponsors. We would be remiss in not mentioning the fact thatsponsors play a huge role in the success of the tournamentadds Mark Jordan, OTF Golf Tournament Committee Chair. Ifyou are interested in sponsorship, please contact OTF offices orsimply fill out a sponsorship form on the tournament registrationform. Information and registration materials will be mailed toall OTF members.

To reserve your spot in this years tournament, please register

early as space is limited to the first 144 golfers. The registrationform and general information will soon be available on the OTFWeb site at www.OhioTurfgrass.org. Call 888-683-3445 for moreinformation.

Westbrook Country Club


6/24

OLCA Elects New Officers

and TrusteesThe Ohio Lawn Care Association (OLCA) recently announced the

election of Officers and Trustees to its 2006 Board of Directors.

Officers serve a one-year term and Trustees serve three-year

terms. OLCA proudly announced the following officers who will

lead the association and Ohios lawn care industry into the future.

Bill Hoopes, former Director of Training with Scotts Lawn-

Service and Barefoot Grass and 2005 founder of Grass Roots

Training, was elected President. Hoopes, has been active in

OLCA since 1990 and was the 2002 President of the Pro-

fessional Lawn Care Association of America. His industryawards include Lawn and LandscapeMagazines Leadership

Award and the prestigious Person of the Year Award from

Landscape Managementmagazine in 2002.

Dave Winter, Advanced Turf Solutions, Hilliard, OH, was

elected Vice President. Winter graduated from The Ohio State

University in Turfgrass Management and has spent his last 14

years as a supplier for turf and horticultural products.

Joyce Pelz, NaturaLawn of America, Akron, OH, was elected

to the position of Secretary/Treasurer. Pelz has served on

OLCAs Board for two years and is currently serving on the

Finance and Membership Services Committees. She lives inthe Akron area and is active in state and local chapters of

the Audubon Society. She is a graduate of Youngstown

State University.

Jeff Bisker, Your Lawn, Inc., Ashville, OH, will serve the

Executive Committee as Immediate Past President. Bisker

has served on OLCAs Education, Membership and Legislative

committees and is also a member of the Ohio Turfgrass

Foundation and Professional LandCare Network.

GREENI N D U S T R Y

NEWSFour new trustees began serving 3-year terms March 1, 2006

February 28, 2009:

Michael Maravich, LESCO, Inc., Cleveland, OH was elected

to his first term as a Board Trustee. Maravich graduated from

OSU/ATI in 1997 with an Associates Degree in Landscape

Contracting. He is currently employed with LESCO, Inc. as the

product manager, for the Turf and Ornamental Fungicide

division. Previous employment was with the Bruce Company

of Wisconsin as the assistant superintendent of new gol

construction.

Carl Petelle, Turf & Earth Lawn Care., Dayton, OH has returned

to the Board of Trustees. Carl has been involved with the

association since 1991 and is a past President. He is a graduate

of the University of Wisconsin, and former Vice President of

Technical Service for Leisure Lawn. Carl has spent 35 years in

the green industry.

Mike Sloma, UAP Professional Products, Columbus, OH was

elected to his first term as a Board Trustee. Sloma attended

the Ohio State University graduating in 1992 with a degree in

Turf Management. He worked as a Golf Course Superintenden

at Whetstone Golf Course near Marion for 4 years. He thenwent into sales selling Hunter Golf Irrigation for 7 years. He

joined UAP in November of 2003 selling chemicals and fertilize

to golf courses, lawn care companies and nurseries.

Chris Spellacy, Spellacys Turf-Lawn, Inc., Galena, OH was

elected to his first term as a Board Trustee.

President Hoopes comments, OLCA offers many member benefits

including professional field days in Wooster and Columbus, safety

training, education, plant and tissue testing, and a Workers Comp

group rating program. With our strong presence at the Ohio State-

house, we actively protect the industry against harmful legislation

To do this successfully takes the cooperation and vision of OLCAmembers, the Board, and its officers. With the leadership recently

elected by the nominating committee, OLCA can look forward to a

healthy future!

The Ohio Lawn Care Association is committed to promoting and

protecting the lawn care industry in Ohio. To receive additiona

information contact OLCA at 1100-H Brandywine Blvd., Zanesville

OH 43701-7303; Phone: 800-510-5296; Fax: 740-452-2552

E-mail: [email protected], Web: www.OhioLawnCare.org.

With the leadership recently electedby the nominating committee, OLCAcan look forward to a healthy future!

6


7/24

OSU/OTF Turfgrass

Research Field Day to

be held August 16 All turf managers interested in learning about current turf-grass research at The Ohio State University should plan to spend

August 16 with hundreds of fellow turfgrass professionals atthe OTF Research & Education Facility in Columbus.

The annual OSU/OTF Turfgrass Research Field Day will be heldWednesday, August 16 and will follow a similar format as inpast years. The field day provides a great forum to meet withother turfgrass professionals and the OSU Turfgrass ScienceTeam giving you the opportunity to seek answers to your

questions and solutions to your turfgrass problems.

The Field Day provides an excellent opportunity to learn frommany of the countrys best in turfgrass research and education,

tour the OTF Research & Education Facility, and network withindustry peers.

Brochures and registration information will be mailed toall OTF members in July. For more information, contact the

OTF office at 888-683-3445, or visit the OTF Web site at

www.OhioTurfgrass.org.

OSTMA and OLCA to

Co-Sponsor Golf OutingFor five years and running, the Ohio Sports Turf Managers

Association (OSTMA) and the Ohio Lawn Care Association (OLCA)will co-sponsor their annual golf outing. The outing is scheduled

for Thursday, July 20 at Apple Valley Golf Club, Howard, OH (nearMt. Vernon).

Apple Valley is an outstanding 18-hole championship course thatplays to nearly 7000 yards over rolling hills and wooded areas.The par 72 course is noted for its large, gently sloping greens andtheir lightening-fast speed.

By co-sponsoring the event, the two associations are able to

combine resources while bringing lawn care and sports turfprofessionals, suppliers, and other turfgrass managers togetherfor a great day of golf, networking and fun. Darian Daily, PaulBrown Stadium and Dave Hofacre, Grassmasters, Inc. are servingas the OSTMA and OLCA committee chairs, respectively.

For more information, contact OSTMA at 419-824-9805 orOLCA at 800-510-5296.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Mike OKeeffe is the recipient of the 2006 BuckeyeSports Turf Global Excellence Award. This award is partof the annual honors given out each year at the Sports

Turf Short Course. In its second year, the Global

Excellence Award is given to someone who has madea significant contribution to turfgrass science on aglobal scale.

Mike (picture left, with Dr. John Street) is the programmanager of the Ohio International Intern Program atOhio State. For the last twenty years, Mike has been

instrumental in placing turfgrass science students atgolf courses & sports venues all over the world. Eachyear, American students have the opportunity to dotheir internship in the British Isles, Australia or Europe.Similarly, students from those countries have theopportunity to come to the USA and train at top-notchgolf courses and sports venues.

A good example of this exchange is English turf student

Dan Bingle, interning at Columbus Crew Stadium thissummer, while Ohio State student, Brett Tanner willintern at Arsenal Football Club in England.

In addition, Mike has worked with the OSU TurfgrassScience Program to accommodate international visit-ing scientists. Most recently, that list includes: PamSherratt (England), Nuno Sepulveda (Portugal), Bobby

Kerr (Scotland), Pawel Lewinski (Poland), Ed Nangle

(Ireland), Aneta Studzinska (Poland) and Marcela Munoz(Chile).

Congratulations to Mike on this deserved award. He istruly one-of-a-kind.

2005 Recipient: Martyn Jones, National TurfgrassFoundation, England.


8/24

OTF Encourages You to

Support OSPA Members!Since 2002 OTF and the Ohio Sod Producers Association have

shared a unique, mutually-beneficial relationship in which dues-

paying OSPA members automatically become members of OTF.

Since OSPA is a division of OTF, a portion of the OSPA member

dues pays for OTF membership, and the balance goes into an OSPA

restricted account. Therefore, the Ohio Sod Producers Association

maintains its identity as the only state association for sodproducers, and its members benefit from membership in OTF.

Its a win-win relationship.

OTF members are always encouraged to patronize supplier

members and the sod supplier members of OSPA are no different.

When making your next sod purchase, please contact the follow-

ing OSPA/OTF members. For information about OSPA, contact

OTF headquarters at 888-683-3445.

Columbus Turf Nursery

14337 US Hwy 23 Ashville OH 43103-9667

Phone: (740) 983-8873 Fax: (740) 983-6580 www.columbus-turf.com

Eastgate Sod

10491 SR 48 Loveland OH 45140-6625

Phone: (513) 683-6436 Fax: (513) 683-2128 www.eastgatesod.com

Green Acres Sod Farms, LLC

6801 Troy Rd Radnor OH 43066-9613

Phone: (740) 815-2963 Fax: (740) 369-2699

Green Prairie Turf, Inc.

6893 Jones Rd College Corner OH 45003-9791

Phone: (513) 523-2634 Fax: (513) 523-7229 www.greenprairieturf.com

Green Velvet Sod Farms Ltd.

3620 Upper Bellbrook Rd Bellbrook OH 45305-8938

Phone: (937) 848-2501 Fax: (937) 376-1153 www.greenvelvet.com

Greenspan Sod

10210 Dry Fork Rd Harrison OH 45030-1819

Phone: (513) 367-4447 Fax: (513) 202-0175

Henderson Turf Farm

2969 Beal Rd Franklin OH 45005-4603

Phone: (937) 748-1559 Fax: (937) 748-1568

OHIO SODPRODUCERS

Lavy Ent. Turf Grass, Inc.

12386 W National Rd New Carlisle OH 45344-9725

Phone: (937) 845-3721 Fax: (937) 845-0840 www.lavyturf.com

Medina Sod Farms, Inc.

14349 Burton City Rd Orrville OH 44667-9609

Phone: (330) 683-2916 Fax: (330) 683-1256 www.medinasodfarms.com

Motz Turf Farms

6280 Clough Pike Cincinnati OH 45244-3961

Phone: (513) 231-4844 Fax: (513) 231-6457

Riverside Sod Farm, LLC10 Stewart Orchard Winfield WV 25213-9760

Phone: (304) 755-0581 Fax: (304) 755-0588 www.riversidesod.com

Turpin Farms

3295 Turpin Ln Cincinnati OH 45244-3446

Phone: (513) 617-3623 Fax: (513) 561-1547

SUPPLIER MEMBERS

Princeton Delivery Systems, Inc.

955 W Walnut St Canal Winchester OH 43110-9436

Phone: (614) 834-5035 Fax: (614) 834-5072 www.piggy-back.com

Sharon Lawn Equipment

11674 US Rt 42 Sharonville OH 45241

Phone: (513) 769-4061 Fax: (513) 769-4068

Attention Sod Suppliers

& Vendors!The OSPA Annual Summer Field Day is scheduled for Saturday

August 5 at Eastgate Sod, Batavia, Ohio (east of Cincinnati)

The Field Day is free to exhibit for OSPA member companiesNon-OSPA member exhibitor registration is just $150 per

company. A continental breakfast and a luncheon will be

provided. For information on exhibiting or attending, call OSPA

at (888) 683-3445 or visit www.OhioTurfgrass.org under calenda

of events for more information.

Interested in becoming a member of The Ohio Sod Producers

Association? Its easy! Just contact OSPA at (888) 683-3445

OSPA a division of OTF.

8


9/24

Working with nature is nothing new to David Hofacre. Growing up

on a farm in Northeast Ohio, Hofacre spent his days cultivating

farm crops and working with animals. In his early twenties,he realized he had a passion for golf. His love for golf guided

him to enter OSU/ATI at Wooster in 1973. He explains, I couldnt

get enough of it. And at the time, there was a new school

being built in Wooster that offered a program in the study of

Turfgrass, which I thought would lead to golf course management,

which I thought would be exciting. His passion for golf did not

stop with the books. Hofacre extended his study by working at

a local golf course.

In 1975, Hofacre graduated from OSU/ATI at Wooster with

an Associates Degree in Turfgrass Science. Throughout theyears, he pursued his career in turfgrass harvesting and

replanting sod at Medina Sod Farm, working as a technician

making applications to residential lawns at Chemlawn Corp., and

working as an owner/manager at Spray-A-Lawn Corp. in Orville,

Ohio developing new markets of which he opened two locations

in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and in Youngstown, Ohio.

In 1981, Hofacre and a fellow classmate from ATI had a great

idea to open up a small company, Grass Master, Inc., in which the

owners would service the customers lawn. The first few seasons

proved promising, and it was not long until more employees,

equipment and service were needed.

Today, Grass Master, Inc. is a full service lawn and landscape

company, which during peak season employs a team of 35 and

serves over 5,000 customers in a 9 countywide area. Recently,

Hofacre purchased a three acre property for the company. This

growing company has posed Hofacre with the challenge of letting

go of decisions and empowering others to make decisions.

Even with booming business and growing responsibilities, Hofacre

stays involved in all aspects of the business: answering phones

running service calls on problem lawns, working with thetechnicians, training employees, holding weekly meetings

to discuss the current business activity, and making lawn

applications. His favorite task is working on equipment eithe

repairing or developing something new, like our aerators or the

spreader/sprayer tractor unit. He has learned the importance

of dedication and hard work, early in life from his grandparents

parents, and uncles while working on the family farm.

From working on a farm to running a business, Hofacre knows the

industry and understands hard work. He wants newcomers to the

industry to know, Do the job right! Dont mislead your clients andabove all be a professional. It is no wonder that Hofacres quote

to live by is, You may be bigger, faster and stronger, but I will beat

you because Ill work harder than you Woody Hayes.

Understanding hard work, Hofacre believes that education is

the key to success and professionalism. He uses OTF and othe

organizations like OLCA and ONLA to provide him with education

Hofacre says, Its important to be an OTF member from the

standpoint of education professionalism. He continues to explain

that teachers, Jeff Lefton and John Street, made sure we

students, were aware of the trade organizations, and got involved

in them during college. I believe OTFs role is that of educator

trainer and leader of people within the Green Industry communicat

ing with manufacturers and researchers, bringing together the

knowledge of all and sharing such knowledge so that we all wil

have a greener, cleaner and safer place to work and play.

EMBER SPOTLIGHTDavid Hofacre, President, Grass Master, Inc.

Hard Work Brings Booming Business

I believe OTFs role is that of educator, trainer and leader of people within the Green Industry,

communicating with manufacturers and researchers, bringing together the knowledge of all and sharing

such knowledge so that we all will have a greener, cleaner and safer place to work and play.


10/24

Introduction

Over the last few years, Ive noticed that several lawn insect

problems have increased in our Ohio lawns, yet they often go

misdiagnosed. Several non-pest insects have also been

causing confusion. While white grubs remain the number one

pest problem in Ohio lawns, a majority of the lawns that were

heavily damaged last year were attacked by bluegrass billbugs

and hairy chinch bugs. Areas of lawns that were killed last year

were loosened by winter freezing so that they may appear to

have been attacked by white grubs this spring (e.g., the patches

can be picked up like a loose carpet). These bare areas are also

prime places for weed emergence. Ive also had reports of crane

fly or March fly maggots being found in abundance under these

patches of dead turf. Unfortunately, the uneducated homeowner

or lawn technician might think that these maggots were the cause

of the damage, not just insects utilizing the decaying plant material!

Billbugs

By the following spring, billbug-killed turf can be difficult to diagnose.

However, if you look carefully at the stems of grass that may still

remain, you should be able to still detect the tell-tale sawdust-like

frass (fecal pellets) that remains within the stems. Simply pull up

on the dead grass stems and inspect them with a hand lens. If you

are inspecting the lawn on a sunny day, you will also likely see

the adult billbugs wandering across the sidewalk or driveway.

The best way to control bluegrass billbugs (dont let the name foolyou, theyll attack all of our cool season turf!) is to take a preventive

strike! Since the adults overwinter, and they become active when

the soil surface temperature reaches 68 F during the day, you

can apply a pyrethroid insecticide in early to mid-May over most of

Ohio that will knock out these adults before they can lay sufficient

eggs to cause a problem later in the season. Bifenthrin, beta-

cyfluthrin, deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin are the best

performing pyrethroids for this purpose. On the other hand, you can

use either imidacloprid (Merit) or clothianidin (Arena) at the same

time which will also control chinch bugs, and their residues wil

kill annual white grub species that show up later in the season.

On the other hand, if billbugs are a constant threat to the lawn

(most likely the entire neighborhood!), consider reseeding or over-

seeding with a high endophyte perennial ryegrass blend or three-way

turf-type tall fescue blend. These endophytic grasses are lethal to

billbugs (and other surface insects) so that you wont have to worry

about surface insects in the future.

Hairy Chinch Bugs

These pests are dramatically increasing in Ohio lawns, especially

Kentucky bluegrass lawns that have been established by sod

I know that sod producers wont like the implications of this

but this is what we are seeing in neighborhoods that are using sod

as the major lawn establishment technique.

In early spring, chinch bug damage from the previous season wil

look like grub or billbug kill, winter kill or similar problems. There

will be major patches of dead grass, often with a few clumps of

surviving Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue or perennial ryegrass

scattered across the decimation. I also see a lot of weeds in these

areas, primarily oxalis, chickweed, spurge or other quick-to-

establish weeds.

To diagnose chinch bugs, you cant look in the dead turf! Chinch

bugs need plant sap in order to survive, so when they kill turf, theymove into the surrounding live turf. I look along the edge of any

surviving Kentucky bluegrass clumps, but the chinch bugs will often

hide at the bases of perennial ryegrass and tall fescue clumps. In

April and early May, all youll likely see are the black and white adul

chinch bugs, but by mid-May, the bright red-orange nymphs will be

come evident.

Currently, we are seeing two complete generations of hairy chinch

bugs in Ohio lawns with the first batch of nymphs in the turf from

Entomology UpdateDave Shetlar, Dept. of Entomology, The Ohio State University

RESIDENTIAL

LAWN CARE

TIPS

10


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late May through June and the second batch of nymphs being

found from mid-July through August. Either generation can cause

damage to the lawn and this nymphal damage is commonly

mistaken for disease or summer drought dormancy. Dont assume

that disease or dormancy are causing the problems observed! Get

out on the lawn, get down on your hands and knees, and spread the

turf to see if the tiny bugs are present. If they are there, it shouldnt

take you more than a couple of minutes to find them!

As with the billbugs, you can take the adult preventive approach

which is to use a pesticide to kill off all the adults before they

lay too many eggs. This used to be the strategy of choice when

chinch bugs were causing extensive problems in the 1970s and

early 1980s. Since the loss of Dursban and diazinon, weve had to

switch to pyrethroids for this adult control strategy, but not all

pyrethroids are equal! Bifenthrin is the top performer, but beta-

cyfluthrin is not far behind and lambda-cyhalothrin also does a

respectable job. In our field studies, imidacloprid and clothianidin

also control chinch bugs, but maximum control may take seven to 10

days, compared to the almost immediate action of the pyrethroids.

You dont have to take the preventive approach, however, to control

chinch bugs. Since they are insects with a gradual life cycle, nymphs

and adults are likely present when you find them, and the above

insecticides will knock out both stages, whenever you find them!

Chinch bugs are also discouraged by endophytic turf, so this would

be another reason to use these grasses if lawn repair is needed.

Crane Flies and March Flies

In Ohio, crane fly larvae have been the most common maggot found

in damaged or killed turf. Whether the turf was killed by drought,

grubs, billbugs, chinch bugs or disease, our native crane flies

commonly dine on the decaying plant material (thatch, crowns and

stems) that remains on top of the soil. The adult crane flies, which

look like giant mosquitoes, detect dead turf in September and

October in which they deposit their black, jellybean-shaped eggs.

The eggs hatch in the fall and the gray-brown larvae feed on the

decaying plant material in the fall, often under the cover of snow,

and early in the spring. By mid-April, these larvae are about one

inch long. Once these larvae finish their development, they often

will dig into the soil where they will remain for the rest of the spring

and summer. In September, they pupate and emerge as adult flies

to repeat the life cycle again. We also have other species of crane

flies that emerge in the spring to lay eggs in decaying plant material

at this time. These larvae only partially mature in the spring and

finish their development in the fall season.

In either case, finding crane fly larvae under dead turf in Ohio is

no major cause of concern! They are merely natures agent for

disposing of the dead plant material. On the other hand, there are

some imported species of crane flies (found mainly in the Pacific

Northwest and in eastern Canada) that feed on grass leaf blades

and stems. So far, we havent seen these in Ohio.

March fly larvae look more like dirty white wireworm larvae

While crane fly larvae pull in their heads when disturbed, March

fly larvae have the black head capsule always visible. March fly

larvae rarely get more than 3/4 inch long and are less than 1/8 inch

wide. March fly larval infestations in lawns is less common, mainlybecause the adults fly in April and May (okay, they fly in March in

the southern states!) to lay eggs. These adults are also attracted to

soils covered with decaying plant material, but in a lawn these

areas are usually repaired over the summer. Occasionally, when

you are dealing with a thatched out lawn, this decaying materia

can support a lot of March fly larvae. And, if this lawn or patches of

this lawn are killed during the summer, the March fly larvae will be

easily found the following spring. Again, they were not the cause o

the dead turf!

SummaryBillbugs and chinch bugs are rising in importance as agents that

can severely damage Ohio lawns. However, billbug and chinch

bug activity goes undetected and their resultant damage if often

blamed on something else drought, grubs or disease. Correct

diagnosis and early treatment can eliminate damage from billbugs

and chinch bugs, thereby improving the overall quality of lawns.

Crane fly and March fly larvae should be considered as indicators

of other turf problems (e.g., death from something else or too much

thatch). Correcting these more general turf problems will eliminate

these fly larvae!

While this is classic billbug damage to a home lawn, without prope

diagnosis, one could easily mistake the damage to be summer drought

chinch bug or a disease problem.

Crane fly larvae are often called leatherjackets by Europeans because

they have very tough exoskeletons. Notice the anal papillae that are often

extended when the larvae are submerged in water.


12/24

SPORTST U R F

TIPS

Summer Maintenance Tips for Sports Field ManagersPamela Sherratt, Dr. John Street & Aneta Studzinska, Dept. of Hort & Crop Science, The Ohio State University

During the last few years we have had variations of both cool and

hot summers. In 2005 the heat & drought persisted right through

late fall. In 2003 and 2004, the cool/wet weather kept grass

growing all year. So, what will 2006 bring? The almanac predicts

a mild spring, normal summer and mild fall but who knows.As a rule, we should expect hot temperatures in July & August

and some periods of drought.

Keep Stress to a Minimum

Cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and

tall fescue) all prefer optimum air temperatures of 60 75 F and

optimum soil temperatures of 50 65 F. Once the temperatures

go above these optimum levels, the grasses become stressed.

Root loss can be as severe as 50% & top growth significantly slows

down. In Ohio, this usually occurs towards the end of June until fall.

During this stress period it is wise to avoid any turf managementpractices that severely stress the grass or roots. This would include:

Verticutting or scarifying Core aerating

Lowering mowing heights Applying herbicides

Avoiding aggressive cultural practices is one key management

approach to dealing with summer stress. In addition there are

summer management practices that will keep the field healthy for

summer & fall play. These include:

Irrigation Mowing

Fertility Pest, Disease & Weed Management

IRRIGATION

As a rule of thumb, cool-season grasses require about 1 inch water

per week to replenish water lost through evapotranspiration (ET).

If rainfall does not provide this water, then supplemental irrigation

is needed. If grass does not get adequate water it will go dormant.

Grasses can survive in a dormant state for several weeks but

dormant grass should not be played on because it cannot

recuperate from traffic.

Types of Irrigation

Supplemental irrigation is provided in a number of ways; in-ground

automatic system (pop-up sprinklers), rain train, or water cannon

In-ground systems are the most expensive but certainly the mos

effective. Rain trains and water cannons are less expensive bu

require manpower to move them from field to field. At the very

least, a quick-coupler hook-up allows for a hose connection or a

sprinkler.

Irrigation Timing & Frequency

Applying 1 inch of water via irrigation is usually done over 2

to 3 increments or cycles. This is usually necessary due to the

low in-filtration rate of finer-textured soils and to avoid puddling

& run-off.

It is essential to calibrate the irrigation system periodically todetermine the precipitation rate (ppt rate) and uniformity o

water distribution. Where soil infiltration rates are low, match ppt

rates to soil infiltration rates. The ppt rate will determine the tota

running time to match the ET rate and the need for cycling. Lower

ppt rate nozzles may be available with certain irrigation systems

and sprinklers. The ppt rate and uniformity of distribution is

determined simply by placing straight sided containers around the

sprinkler head at equal intervals out to the perimeter and

measuring the depth of water per container in inches for a set

time of 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Ideally, the water should be applied in the very early morning

(3 10 am). Early morning watering offers the following advantages

Temperatures are cooler in the morning, so the water is less

likely to be lost through ET than it is during the daytime hours.

The leaf tissue only remains wet for 5 6 hours. Early-mid

evening irrigation can result in much longer periods of leaf wet-

ness (> 10 12 hours). The longer the leaf tissue is wet, the more

susceptible that tissue is to disease, especially in July & August

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Irrigation will remove morning dew from the leaf tissue, which

also helps in the prevention of disease.

Wind is less likely, resulting in more uniform water distribution.

In contrast, watering very early (3 7 am) can have one dis-

advantage in that no one knows if the irrigation works or not.

Finally, irrigation should be timed to allow the field to ideally dry

for 24 48 hours prior to play. Preferably, the soil moisturecontent of the field should be 20 30% below field capacity

during peak activity. A general rule is to maintain the field slightly

on the dry side. Alternating fields, if possible, is the most

practical way of allowing appropriate windows of opportunity

for proper irrigation programming and drying.

MOWING

The primary impact of mowing turf is the removal of photosynthetic

leaf surface. Mowing turf too low can result in plants that are much

smaller, have fewer roots, and are less tolerant of stresses (Table 1).

With that in mind, there are optimum mowing heights for athletic

turf (Table 2).

In the stressful summer periods, particularly if its as hot & dry

as 2005, it is best to mow at the higher end of the mowing range.

For example, those fields that might normally be mowed at 2

inches could be raised to 3 inches in July & August. The mowing

height should be brought down gradually before fall play.

Gradually lowering the height of cut is done according to the 1/3

rule whereby no more than 1/3 of the leaf tissue is removed at

any one time.

FERTILITYTemperature responses of a cool-season grass have a major

influence on timing & rate of nitrogen (N) and other nutrients. Periods

of highest nutrient need for cool-season grasses is the spring &

fall (Figure 1).

Important fertilizer considerations in summer are:

Some N may be required to prevent deficiency, promote some

growth for recovery (if played on), prevent wear & tear, prevent

stress (disease) and maintain color.

Excessive N will substantially decrease drought & heat tolerance.

Withhold N if turf is dormant.

If N fertilizers are applied, choose a source of N that is AT LEAST

50% slow-release (water insoluble).

PEST, DISEASE & WEED MANAGEMENT

Under summer stress conditions, a general rule is to limit the use

of herbicides because some of the herbicides may cause injury

to the desirable grasses.

There are several major pests & diseases that can occur in

summer and that can severely injure or kill turf (Table 3)

For cultural & chemical control options, please see our online

bulletin L-187 Management of Turfgrass Pests, Weeds, Disease

nd Insects(http://ohioline.osu.edu/l187/index.html).

In summary, remember that the cool-season grasses grown on

sports fields in Ohio do not favor Midwest summer temperatures

With that in mind, limit stressful practices and raise mowing heights

to the higher end of the preferred range, particularly if we have a

summer like 2005.

If possible, prevent play on fields that are dormant through lack of

irrigation. If fields are irrigated, recovery from play will be enhanced

significantly by good irrigation, fertility & mowing practices. These

practices will also help prevent diseases. Lets hope its a moderate

summer, with lots of sunshine & adequate rain to keep these fieldshealthy. It will go a long way to helping fields recover and enhance

their durability in fall 2006.

References

Carrow, R.N., Waddington, D.V., Rieke, P.E. (2001) Turfgrass

Soil Fertility and Chemical Management, John Wiley & Sons

Inc. New Jersey

Hull, R.J. (2000) Mowing; Its Impact on Turfgrass. Turfgrass

Trends. Vol 9, Issue 1, p.1-8

Figure 1. Growth cycle for shoots and roots of

cool-season grasses (Carrow et.al., 2001)

CONTINUED (CHARTS) ON PAGE 14


14/24

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

Table 1. Mowing Height Effect on Turfgrasses

Advantages of Mowing at the Advantages of Mowing at theLOWER end of the Optimum Range HIGHER end of the Optimum Range

ensity increases more tillering, results in more plants per Mowing too low for the species results in thin turf as tillers willquare ft. decrease, especially in hot weather.

Removes more culms, so turf plants less likely to flower & Root, rhizome & stolon density increases as height increases therefore will stay vegetative. resulting in better drought, high temperature, disease and

insect pest tolerance.

Long turf tends to lie down, is more prone to disease and Very short turf is stressed, and therefore less able to competeproduces excessive thatch. with weedy grasses and broadleaf weeds.

Leaf texture of coarser grasses (such as tall fescue) is finer at Greater carbohydrate reserves.lower heights.

Table 2. Optimum Range of Mowing Heights for Sports Fields

Sports Field Use Grass Species Mowing Height

Baseball infields, field hockey Kentucky bluegrass &/or 1.0 2.5 in.& high quality soccer fields perennial ryegrass

Baseball outfields, soccer, football, Kentucky bluegrass &/or 1.5 2.5 in.

lacrosse, polo and rugby fields perennial ryegrass

Intramural & multiple-use fields Kentucky bluegrass &/or 2.0 3.0 in.perennial ryegrass or tall fescue

Table 3. Common Summer Insect & Disease Problems on Major Sports Field Grasses

pecies Pythium Brown Patch Gray White Grubs BillbugsPatch Diseases Leaf Spot

Kentucky YES YES YES YES YESbluegrass

Perennial YES YES YES YES ryegrass

Tall YES YES fescue

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LFC O U R S E

TIPS

Spring DiseasesJoseph Rimelspach, Dept. of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University

With the arrival of spring certain chronic diseases seem to always

occur. Three of the more common diseases that we see in Ohio

during mid to late spring are listed below.

RED THREAD

(in creeping bentgrass, bluegrass, ryegrass, and fine fescues)

This disease can occur on all cool season turfgrass, although relative-

ly uncommon on the bentgrasses. This is usually considered a novelty

disease and does not cause serious damage. An accurate diagnosis

can be done by carefully examining the leaves for the presents of

the reddish/pink fungal growth on the leaf tip and leaf surface. If a

fungicide application is made many products work well. Specific

recommendations for fungicides can be obtained from OSU Bulletin

L-187,Management of Turfgrass Pests, check the section on diseases.

This bulletin is online at http://ohioline.osu.edu/l187/index.html.

DOLLAR SPOT

(in creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass)

Several sites including the OSU turf research area show symptoms

of the first active dollar spot of the season. This is on fairways, tees

and greens. Dry and cool weather or abnormally hot temperatures

may slow development. If dollar spot is a chronic problem, consider

initiating a preventative or early curative fungicide application.

Staying ahead of this disease, as is the case with many diseases, is

often considered the preferred management strategy. If the turf is

under regulation a preventative program is highly recommended.

MICRODOCHIUM PATCH

(Fusarium Patch or Pink Snow Mold annual bluegrass)

In the spring, even into June, samples often arrive in the clinic

with Microdochium Patch (Microdochium nivale). In almost all cases

the turf affected is annual bluegrass. There are many cases where

the spores are moved on mowing equipment, follow drainage

patterns, or even foot traffic and result in interesting patterns

i.e. lines, streaks etc. If weather patterns of cool wet (especially

wet) persist this disease will continue to be active and pop up

quickly. There is often a large amount of inoculum in the turf

which can easily move and become active under favorable

environmental conditions. With the return of warm weather tur

will recover. Specific recommendations for fungicides can be

obtained from OSU Bulletin L-187, Management of Turfgras

Pests, check the section on diseases. This bulletin is online a

http://ohioline.osu.edu/l187/index.html.

ollar spot leaf symptoms are characterized by an hour-glass shaped

lesion that is bleached out in the middle with brown borders. Photo by

r. D. Gardner.

eavy production of icrodochium nivale conidia can lead to rapid

movement of this disease.


16/24

HORTS H O R T S

COLUMN

Sure Fire Rules of DiagnosisJim Chatfield, Nursery Landscape and Turf Team, The Ohio State University Extension

Diagnosing plant problems is difficult and requires a great deal of

discipline and diverse knowledge. Yet everyone wants an instant and

simple answer, not to mention an inexpensive and certain solution.

Is there a sure fire way to make diagnosis easy? Certainly. Not. (See

Rule #6). There are some tips to keep in mind, though, some rules

which lead to improved diagnostic success.

Rule #1: Know your plants.

Many a larch or bald cypress is cut down because a new homeowner

does not realize that these are deciduous conifers, naturally losing

needles in the fall. As arborists you know this is natural, that the

change in leaf color and needle drop is not a sign of death. You know

the plant and its normal growth, just as you know that inner needle

yellowing on pines in late summer is not abnormal. Just as you also

know that Eastern white pines do not hold their past seasons needlesas long as, for example, Austrian pine. White pines hold 2 3 years

of needles, Austrian pines four years of needles. While loss of 3rd

year needles (2 1/2 years old) is typical of white pine, it is not normal

for an Austrian pine. Loss of the 2 1/2 year old needles on Austrian

pine suggests that the plant is stressed.

Knowing the pest and problem profile of a plant is often a helpful

start to proper diagnosis. A pin oak with severe yellowing between

the veins may not have an iron deficiency due to unavailability of

iron in alkaline soil pH, but its a good hypothesis to test, since this

is a common problem for pin oaks. Roadside black locusts lookinglike blow torch advertisements in August may not be skeletonized by

locust leafminer adults, but knowing how common this is gets you

started on the diagnosis. Sycamores with clusters of browned leaves

and twig dieback, accompanied by leaf drop in June may not have

sycamore anthracnose but it is a good possibility to check further.

Some plants can even be identified from afar by their problems:

think of witches-brooms on hackberries or severe cedar quince rust

on hawthorn fruits.

Each plant has its profile of pests, even though we sometimes ge

carried away and talk about pest-free plants. Honeylocusts were

widely planted after most elms were lost from Dutch elm disease

elm phloem necrosis and other maladies. We now know that honey

locust has plenty of problems, quite serious in certain cases, ranging

throughout the season from the honeylocust plant bug complex, to

mimosa webworms, to honeylocust spider mites. This does not mean

that honeylocust is not an excellent plant. It is a tough city street

survivor, good for underlying turf with the dappled shade it provides

(although surface roots can interfere with mowing). All plants have

their place. Flowering dogwood has borer problems where exposed

to poor soils and unprotected from heat, and anthracnose problems

where the climate includes cool, moist summers and plantings are

dense, shade is dense and air movement is poor. But flowering

dogwoods still thrive where properly sited.

Finally, if you know your plants, and where they should be sited, you

will have an idea why the Taxus in a low, wet area is turning off-colo

and browning. Or why a European white birch in the Midwest hea

is losing upper branches from bronze birch borers. Or why a rose

growing in the shade where there is little air movement has leaves

yellowing from blackspot disease.

Good diagnosis begins with plant knowledge: a very good place

to start.

Rule #2: Look for patterns.

The pattern of plant injury is important on several levels. First

determine the range of plants affected. If widely different species are

damaged, for example, it is unlikely that the problem is an infectious

plant disease. Most disease-causing fungi and bacteria affect a

limited number of plant types. Some plant pathogens have wide

host ranges (e.g. some of the root rot fungi, the Botrytis gray mold

fungus, and Verticillium which causes vascular wilt disease), bu

16


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even with these fungi it is rare to see them causing problems on

many different types of plants in the same location. If all the trees and

shrubs in an area are dying, the problem is typically environmental or

cultural, rather than from disease.

So, begin to look for factors that explain damage to diverse species.

Note if problems are more widespread in low areas where poor

drainage may be the key factor. Ask questions about whether or

not soil was disturbed earlier due to construction work: trenching,soil grade changes, soil compaction. Often this is difficult to know

from observation alone after the fact (See Rule #5). If contamination

or overdoses of a pesticide mix are suspected review what

properties were sprayed with that mix and in what order (if the

problem is contamination of a hose line with an herbicide or fertilizer

the first properties sprayed should show greater damage).

Also notice the pattern of damage on the individual plant and plant

parts. Diplodia tip blight of pine generally starts on the lower parts of

the pine, spreading upward over the years due to splash of spores

which cause new infections. Dutch elm disease generally starts with

flagging of upper branches where elm bark beetles have trans-

mitted the fungus to vascular tissue of upper tree branches.

Manganese deficiency of red maples causes yellowing between the

veins of the leaves. Heat scorch of Japanese maples causes

tannish spotting all over the leaves. Anthracnose of maples often

causes blotches along the leaf veins. As noted in Rule #1, coloring

of the older needles on evergreens may be normal, while damage to

the new growth signals a problem: to a diagnostician the pattern can

make all the difference.

Rule #3: Learn the symptom profile.

An easy trap is to make a diagnosis on the basis of only one

symptom. The problem is, its often not that simple. For example,

curling of new leaves on a crabapple can be due to many different

causes: aphid feeding, powdery mildew disease, growth-regulator

herbicide injury, moisture stress. It may even be a characteristic of

a particular cultivar, such as on the crabapple cultivar, Adams.

Take the next step and match the symptom with further evidence,

such as unfurling the curled leaf to look for the aphids or the white

cast skins of the aphids that are long gone. Look for evidence of

powdery mildew with your hand lens.

Better yet, recognize that many problems have a whole set of

characteristic symptoms. With Verticillium wilt of maple there is leaf

wilting and browning, dieback of branches, often one at a time, and

discolored streakings (sometimes greenish, sometimes brown) in the

wood. Again, each symptom alone is not sufficient for good diagnosis.

For example, other fungi also cause discoloration of stem tissue.

But with a full profile of all the above symptoms you have enough

to suspect Verticillium wilt, which can then be verified by funga

isolation in the laboratory.

Dogwood anthracnose is a problem that is often misdiagnosed

The symptom profile includes tan leaf spots with purple rims

that often enlarge to large irregular blotches, sometimes with

accompanying scorching of leaves, dieback of twigs and branches

retention of dead leaves from one season to the next, twig and branch

cankers often with fungal fruiting bodies on the twig tissue, and moreIf you just know about the tan leaf spots with purple borders you

may misdiagnose Septoria leaf spot, a much less serious and more

common problem, as dogwood anthracnose.

Learn the full spectrum of symptoms for each problem: in the end you

will make far fewer errors. In the long run your customers will reward

the depth of your knowledge and skills.

Rule #4: Perspective is valuable.

Sometimes you cannot determine the specific cause of the problem

but you can rule out certain possibilities, such as a disease or pest

that is of great concern due to serious potential damage to an

important planting or for regulatory reasons. Determining tha

branch dieback on a birch is not due to bronze birch borers o

that Dutch elm disease is not the cause of a branch flagging on an

American elm is useful information even if you do not nail down

the specific cause.

Perspective is important in another way. You can probably find a

least one pest or disease problem on any tree. That does not mean

that the maple bladder gall mite on the silver maple or the oakleaf blister on the red oak is important to plant health. This is a

crucial perspective to relate to customers, who may not utilize this

diagnostic filter to separate out the important pests from the mere

curiosities. It is also essential to not yield to temptation: when you

do not know the cause of the declining ashes, dont point to leaves

with ash anthracnose as if that is the answer.

Which brings us to an important realization. Although insects

mites and diseases are certainly problems of trees, I would maintain

that the vast majority of tree problems are not caused by pests

Environmental and cultural factors such as soil drainage, impropersiting in terms of sun and wind exposure, construction damage

storm damage, improper pruning, drought, winter injury: these are

at least seven deadly sins in terms of tree health. Everyone wants

a squirt-gun botany solution to plant problems, but when you spray

a fungicide on fungal canker you have missed the point the canker

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18


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is there because the tree is stressed, often by root problems. Not

only will you not control the canker fungus (which is already into

the plant tissue), you are not really even attacking the true problem.

Even in diagnostic clinics where most samples are sent in as

suspected pest and disease problems, the majority of problems aredue to cultural and environmental factors instead. As good arborists,

working with trees over the years, this comes as no surprise.

A final word on diagnostic perspective: if you do not constantly work

at it you will lose that perspective. If you focus on only one symptom,

if you always look for the easy answer like an identifiable leaf-

spot when the real problem is root decline, if you diagnose tree

decline by simply asking if the customer has a lawncare service

you will not only be wrong most of the time, you will also soon lose

the ability to even know what you are seeing. And if you constantly

blame others in the green industry unfairly by saying they some-how did it by applying pesticides, or planting improperly or pruning

like butchers, when for example the real problem is weather-related

or soil-related you will lose more than your perspective. You will

lose respect, referrals, and revenues.

Rule #5: Timing is everything.

One of the challenges of diagnosis is properly factoring time into

the equation. Large, older trees that decline five years after a new

subdivision is put in are often dying from soil compaction by

construction equipment, changes in soil grade which bury root

systems, and outright root destruction by trenching. Unfortunatelyfor those who wish for a simple world, these trees do not typically

fall overnight from this abuse. They factor out this stress over a

period of years. When smaller leaves, poor leaf coloration and scorch,

branch dieback, borer insects, canker diseases, and tree death

arrive the tendency is to blame the borers and cankers, the last

person working on the property, the new factory in town, sunspots,

global warming, higher salaries for baseball players, whatever.

Anything but the real cause, which may be far removed in time.

Rarely does a customer want to hear about the role of these earlier

stresses, about the role of droughts of seasons past, about the fact

that a tree has been declining for years rather than up and dying

overnight. Nevertheless it is so often true. Try to be proactive by

keeping records and informing customers of pre-existing conditions

once you start maintaining their trees. Set proper expectations of the

success of your practices based on a clearheaded estimate of

tree health and the underlying history of the plants you will maintain.

Estimate if tree health is declining by measuring annual growth

increments using the bud scale scars.

Another aspect of diagnosis and timing relates to treatmen

recommendations. The time to do something about borers is often

before the borers are finishing off the tree. A pine tree with a

massive borer infestation and half the needles brown is not a

good candidate for borer control treatments: it is probably already

too late. A hawthorn with cedar quince rust in July will not be helpedby fungicide applications at that time. Treatments must be made

the next year, before the rust fungus arrives from the alternate host

junipers, not after the infections already occurred. A plant that i

seriously overwatered during establishment may have developed

so much root decline and root rot that it is too late for recovery even

if the overwatering is stopped. Diagnosis of the problem is only

the first step to correction sometimes diagnosis helps only with

correcting the problem in future years or with future plantings.

Finally, when diagnosing, TAKE YOUR TIME. Everyone wants an

instant answer, and there is always someone around wiling togive one. However, step back, look for the pattern of damage

assemble the symptom profile, factor in what might have happened

on the planting site in the past, and ask as many questions as

possible (oh, by the way, this tree was transplanted when it was

twenty years old, or this area was underwater for two weeks

after the hurricane shed a different light on things). You will save

yourself a lot of embarrassing and costly moments by being patien

and thorough.

Rule #6: Nothing is sure- fire.

In the end, there are new things under the sun. The bestdiagnosticians, the best horticulturists, learn every time they go

onto a landscape. There are always new things to learn about

plants. Diagnosis is both an art and a science. There are the

occasional gimmes, but more often than not your diagnoses wil

not be proven or certain. A more reasonable goal is to arrive at

the best evaluation of cause and effect from what is almost always

incomplete information.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

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I was born in Boleslawiec, a small town located in the south-

western part of Poland. Boleslawiec has a good reputation as

one of the most beautiful towns in Lower Silesia. It is situated

between two rivers the Bobr and Kwisa, which roll their waters

amidst the biggest forest complex in this part of Poland, called

Lower Silesian Coniferous Forests. The history of Boleslawiec

dates back to the Middle Ages, when the Silesian tribe of

Bobrzanie settled down on the left bank of the Bobr River. In 1251,

the town received a foundation charter.

I stayed in Boleslawiec until I was 19. After I graduated from

high school, I moved to Wroclaw to continue my education at The

Agricultural University. Agricultural University of Wroclaw (AUW),

a well-recognized scientific and educational centre, is the only

agricultural university in the south-west region of Poland. It

employs about 1,500 people, (160 full and associate professors)

and offers a wide range of degree courses in agriculture and

related areas for full and part-time students (11,000). The

heritage of the Agricultural University of Wroclaw is deeply rooted

in the traditions of two institutions founded in Lvov (Ukraine):

The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry of Lvov Polytechnic in

Dublany and the Veterinary School of Medicine, founded in 1881.

During my studies I enriched my knowledge and gained

experience working for Botanical Garden in Wroclaw (one of the

most famous gardens in Poland) and landscaping company in

my home town. I was also traveling a lot. In 2003 I came to

the United States as a participant of Work and Travel program.

I spent four great months sharing my time between New York

and Chicago, cities where my friends and family live.

In 2004 I graduated from the Department of Agriculture at The

Agricultural University of Wroclaw with a Degree of Bachelor in

Landscape Planning and Masters Degree in Agriculture. During

my studies I was especially interested in turfgrass so I wrote my

Masters thesis on quality of turf on the soccer fields.

Before I left my University I found out about The Ohio State

University International Internship Program that was establish-

ed in 1979 to organize internships for students and recent

graduates. I applied for the internship in turf and shortly there-

after I found myself in The United States.

I did my internship at The Broadmoor Golf Courses in Colorado

Springs where, working with some of the best people in the

industry, I gained my first experience in golf course maintenance

After my nine months of practical training at The Broadmoo

I was enrolled for Winter Quarter at the Ohio State University to

improve my professional knowledge in turf science. After the

Winter Quarter was completed I decided to continue my intern

ship. The OSU program gave me a fantastic opportunity to do

my internship at the Ohio State University. A few months ago

I started my training in the Department of Horticulture and

Crop Science where the next four months I will work with

Dr. Danneberger and Pam Sherratt as a student research

assistant. I will be involved in field studies at The OSU

Turfgrass Research Center, like: Poa annuaseed control, green

speed studies or evaluation of turfgrasses for sport fields.

GRADUATE STUDENT CORNERANETA STUDZINSKA


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NEWGROWTH &TECHNOLOGY

Beneficial Ground Beetles in Turf a New PerspectiveDave Shetlar, Dept. of Entomology, The Ohio State University andSophie Rochefort, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada

Introduction

As part of a large research project investigating the influences

of turfgrass management levels and overseeding of endophytic

grasses into existing stands of turf, several indicator arthropod

groups were also intensively surveyed. Springtails (order

Collembola) are considered to be rather ubiquitous arthropods that

have been shown to be sensitive to environmental disturbances.

Ground beetles (order Coleoptera, family Carabidae), as generalist

predatory insects, are also commonly surveyed in forest and

agricultural ecosystem studies.

In our studies (located in or around Quebec City, Canada), two types

of lawns were sampled over three seasons to determine the seasonal

abundance of ground beetles. One site consisted of a new Kentucky

bluegrass lawn established using turfgrass sod. In this lawn,

broadleaf weed cover was 2% or less. The other site was a 10-year-

old municipal lawn that consisted of 30% Kentucky bluegrass, 20%

fine and tall fescues and 4% bentgrass. Over 40% of the rest of the

lawn was covered by broadleaf weeds, mainly dandelion, chickweed,

white clover and black medic.

Plastic cups with an ethylene glycol solution were inserted into

the turf to serve as pitfall traps. Two pitfall traps, placed in five

subplot replicates, were used at each site. The contents of these

traps were collected each week during the growing season (from

mid-May through mid-November in Quebec), labeled and returned

to the laboratory for identification and tallying.

Ground Beetle Abundance

Over the three seasons, the total number of ground beetles recovered

from the municipal lawn was 1,763 beetles while only 297 beetles

were recovered from the sodded lawn. This represents a six-fold

difference in numbers! However, the species richness (a common-

ly used measure of biological diversity; basically the numbe

of different species found in a defined area) for the two sites

was quite similar. In the sodded lawn, 9, 10 and 11 species were

collected in 2003, 2004 and 2005, respectively; while, in the

municipal lawn, 12, 13 and 15 species were collected in the same

years. Since 17 different species were recovered from both sites

it is obvious that some species did not occur in both locations (one

not in common from the sodded lawn, and four not in common from

the municipal lawn). Close inspection of the numbers of the

species not found at both sites reveals that these were found in

very low numbers and my not be actual residents of these sites

but occasional transients.

It also appeared that the species richness steadily increased in

the sodded lawn, but remained relatively stable in the municipa

lawn. If we remove the suspected transient species, the species

richness is virtually the same though the numbers of beetles

trapped is obviously different.

Upon looking closely at the individual species, it soon becomes

evident that the greater abundance found at the municipal site

is actually due to one species, Amara aenea! This species

accounted for 31% of the beetles found from the municipal site

but only 12% of those recovered from the sodded site. This beetle

is found across northeastern North America and Europe and is a

commonly recovered inhabitant of open grasslands and sandy soils

The adults are considered to be herbivores with a general preference

for weed seeds, though the adults will make a meal of other insects

when the opportunity arises. In one study, this beetle was shown

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to prefer dandelion seeds as their primary food source, and this

was the major weed found in the municipal plots!

Beneficial Ground Beetles Is there a dual benefit?

Most general books dealing with turfgrass insects openly state that

ground beetles are beneficial predators. There are several studies

that have shown that ground beetles are excellent predators of

turf-infesting caterpillars and their eggs. Others have indicated that

there may be some ground beetle predation on other turf pests,such as white grubs and billbugs. However, it is evident from our

studies, that many of the ground beetles found in turf habitats are

primarily herbivorous, or general omnivores (feeding on both plant

and insect food).

This can be illustrated by looking at additional species of ground

beetles found in our studies. At the municipal site, Bembidion

minimus nd Dyschirius brevispinuswere the second and third most

abundant species, 21% and 19%, respectively. Both are known

carnivores, so if we combine them, we get 31% herbivorous and

40% carnivorous species as representing over 70% of the totalpopulations. The most common species found in the sodded plots

was Harpalus rufipeswhich is also known to have larvae that are

primarily seed feeders. If we combine H. rufipesandA. aeneafrom

the sodded plots, we end up with 42% of the three most common

beetles being herbivorous!

It appears that our general textbooks are only partially correct!

While ground beetles should be respected and conserved for their

insect predatory behavior, they may also be important in reducing

the weed seed bank load.

We commonly get small ground beetles sent in from golf course

superintendents who are concerned about finding large numbers

of the beetles running across their golf greens. In fact, some of the

superintendents state that they have sprayed with the idea in mind

that these beetles must be up to no good! Many of the submitted

beetles turn out to be some of the phytophagous species and they

were probably running about in search of plant seeds. Most of these

submissions occur in the spring and early summer, after annual

bluegrass seed formation. Huummm??!! Now, we have even more

questions about what these beetles are doing. Perhaps they are being

dually good by helping remove weed seeds as well as insect pests!

Ground beetle larvae are very elongate and usually move rapidly

The larvae may be predaceous on other insects or they may feed on

germinating plant seeds.

Ground beetle adults are usually black or shades of brown, but some

are iridescent green or blue.

A relative of the seed-corn beetle occasionally digs into golf greens

throwing up tiny mounds of soil. These beetles are likely looking for

places to lay eggs where their larvae will feed on germinating seeds.

This ground beetle is a relative of the seed-corn beetle which feeds

on germinating crop seeds.


22/24

IN AN ATTEMPT TO HIGHLIGHT THE ACTIVITIES AND IMPACT OF THE OSU TURFGRASS SCIENCE PROGRAM, EACH EDITION OF OTF TURFNEWS WILL FEATURE

A NEW SECTION ENTITLED OSU TURFGRASS SCIENCE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS NEW ADDITION TO THE OTF TURFNEWS!

The Ohio State University Turfgrass Science Program

2005 TEACHING & ADVISING

The mission of The Ohio State University Turfgrass Science Program is to investigate, synthesize, and disseminateknowledge on turfgrass science to students, consumers, and professional clientele throughout Ohio and

the nation. Through these efforts, the functional uses, environmental benefits, and aesthetic values of turfgrasswill contribute to further enhancement of the quality of life for society. The OSU Turfgrass Science Team strives to maintainnational and international excellence by providing leadership in teaching, research and extension-outreach education.

FACULTY AND EXTENSION PROGRAM SPECIALISTS OF

THE OSU TURFGRASS SCIENCE PROGRAM

Dr. Mike Boehm (Department of Plant Pathology)Dr. T. Karl Danneberger (Department of Horticulture and Crop Science)Dr. David S. Gardner Department of Horticulture and Crop Science)Dr. Parwinder S. Grewal (Department of Entomology)Dr. Ed McCoy School of Environment and Natural Resources)Joseph W. Rimelspach Department of Plant Pathology)Pamela J Sherratt (Department of Horticulture and Crop Science)Dr. David J. Shetlar Department of Entomology)Dr. John R. Street (Department of Horticulture and Crop Science)Dr. Daniel C. Voltz (Agricultural Technical Institute)David A. Willoughby (Agricultural Technical Institute)

OSU Turfgrass Science professors taught 31 coursesto over 500 students.

OSU Turfgrass Science professors advised 118 under

graduate students majoring in Entomology, Plant

Health Management and Turfgrass Science.

OSU Turfgrass Science Majors interested in sports

turf management successfully completed intern-

ships with the Columbus Crew, Cincinnati Reds,

Boston Red Sox, OSU Stadium and the Jacksonville

Jaguars.

OSU Turfgrass Science professors advised 25

graduate students and 6 postdoctoral researchers

and visiting scientists.

Upon graduating with his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology,

Young-Ki Jo was hired as a postdoctoral researcher

in, Department of Plant Pathology, University of

Wisconsin, Madison, WI.

There were 87 Turfgrass Science Majors enrolled

in the four-year OSU Turfgrass Science Program

at the beginning of Autumn Quarter 2005.

The Department of Horticulture and Crop Science

at OSU received approval to launch a new major

called the Professional Golf Management Major.

The OSU PGM Major combines the academic requirements oOSU with the golf business knowledge and golf aptitude expect

ations. The PGM Major will be offered starting Autumn Quarte

2006 and will be the first of its kind in Ohio. Although students

can enroll in the PGM Major immediately, the program must stilbe reviewed and accredited by the Professional Golfers

Association of America. This important step will enable OSU PGM

graduates to become eligible for membership in the PGA o America. Students entering the first year of the OSU programwill be placed in a Pre-PGM Major until the PGA approves

the program.

Ohio State ATI ranks #1 in nation in awarding of

associate degrees in agriculture and related sciences.

Once again, Ohio State ATI has been ranked #1 in the U.S. by

Community College Week in the awarding of associate degrees

in agriculture and related sciences. Using the most recent datafrom the U.S. Department of Education, Community College

Week identified the top 100 associate degree producers amongtwo-year and four-year colleges and universities. Since

Community College Week began publishing its Top 100 list in1993, Ohio State ATI has consistently ranked either first or

second and has held the number one spot since 2001.

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A little goes a long way.

Now theres a fairway fungicide that protects against all major turf diseases.

Whats better, it offers a low 0.75 oz fairway rate for control of dollar spot

and brown patch. New Headway fungicides dual mode of action provides

complete systemic protection, so the whole course can have the full

protection it needs.

Contact your Syngenta representative to learn more:

orthern Ohio: Adam Neate 614-570-7240

Central & Southern Ohio: Gregg Schaner 614-402-3701

ww.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com

Important: Always read and follow label instructions before buying or using this product. 2006 Syngenta. Syngenta Professional Products, Greensboro, NC 27419.Headway nd the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.


24/24

rinter Please

lace Your

RESORT STD

ndicia Here

1100-H Brandywine Blvd

Zanesville OH 43701-7303

888-OT - 445

Fax: (740) 452-2552

www.OhioTurfgrass.org

Return Service Requested

OTF Board of Trustees

Trustees

Term Expires 2007

Joe EncisoCentury Equipment

Randy ShaverStrategic Golf Alliance, Inc.

Trustees

Term Expires 2008

Doug Gallant

Cincinnati Reds

Trustees

Term Expires 2009

Mark GrunkemeyerBuckeye Ecocare

Kim KelloggGrasshopper Property Maint.

Don LawrenceRed Hawk Run G.C.

Dan WalterCity of Blue Ash

2006 OTF Officers

President

Glen Pottenger, CGCSLarch Tree Golf Course

Vice President

Mark JordanWestfield Companies Country Club

Treasurer

Todd VossDouble Eagle Club

Immediate Past President

Dr. Chuck DarrahCLC LABS

Director of Education

Dr. John R. StreetThe Ohio State University

Executive Director

Kevin ThompsonOTF/Offinger Management Co.

2006 OSU Turfgrass

Science Team

Horticulture & Crop Science

Dr. John Street

Dr. Karl Danneberger

Dr. David Gardner

Ms. Pamela Sherratt

Ms. Jill Taylor

Ms. Deborah Holdren

Entomology

Dr. Dave Shetlar

Dr. Parwinder Grewal

Mr. Kevin Power

Mr. Dan Digman

Plant Pathology

Dr. Michael Boehm

Mr. Joseph Rimelspach

Mr. Todd Hicks

School of Natural Resources

Dr. Ed McCoyMr. Stephen Schneider

Agricultural Technical

Institute (ATI)

Mr. David Willoughby

Dr. Daniel Voltz

6 / 0 6 1

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