iaTURF

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE KIRKWOOD TURF STUDENTS

2012-01-25T08:38:00.003-06:00

Nick Christians
January 25, 2012

Congratulations to Tryoy McQuillen and the Kirkwood (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) turf students for winning this years Turf Bowl contest at the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMS) meetings in Long Beach, California. This is a great accomplishment achieved through very hard work and dedication.

The following is a press release from Kirkwood on the contest.

Kirkwood Students Win National Turf Competition

Kirkwood students claimed a new piece of turf at a competition in Long Beach, California: Turf Bowl national champions. Students from the college’s Golf Course & Athletic Turfgrass Management program finished in first place at the 2011 Turf Bowl at the annual Sports Turf Managers Association annual conference earlier this month.

During the conference, students participated in the industry trades show, education sessions and panel discussions. One of the biggest draws is the student challenge Turf Bowl competition. It is comprised both two- and four-year colleges with turfgrass programs from around the country.

Seven Kirkwood students made up two teams that competed in the 12-team event. One team comprised of Luke Perkins (Iowa City, IA), Tim Sims (Galva, IL), Tyler Dean (West Branch, IA) and Tyler Timmerman (Genceo, IL) took first place in the two-year team competition. The other team, of just three students, included James Eaton (Muscatine, IA), Nick Dralle (Mason City, IA) and Levi Driesen (Hawarden, IA) placed sixth.

“I am very proud of the effort and dedication that the students put into the Turf Bowl competition this year,” said Troy McQuillen, Golf Course & Athletic Turfgrass Management faculty member. “These students are a great reflection for what the Golf Course and Athletic Turfgrass Program is all about.”

The first place Kirkwood team not only had the highest score in the two-year category, but also tied the four-year winning team, Purdue. Kirkwood’s winning team received a trophy and a $4000 check to the Turf Club to be used for tools and special projects for the classroom.

“We know that our students are well-prepared when they leave our program. Seeing them win the competition, and tie the best four-year school in the country … that’s something these students can be really proud of.”

The teams started studying for the competition in early October. They raised more than $6000 to fund the trip, with fundraisers like home lawn aerations, sod installations and renovation projects on high school baseball fields. The teams will travel to Daytona Beach, Florida next year to defend their title.

(Photo, L to R: James Eaton, Levi Dreisen, Tyler Timmerman, Luke Perkins, Tyler Dean, Tim Sims, Nick Dralle, Troy McQuillen.)

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Iowa’s lowest-cost college | Most credit programs in the state | Annual credit enrollment exceeds 25,000 | www.kirkwood.edu

For media information contact Jon Keimig at 319-398-5651 or call Kirkwood Marketing Services at 319-398-5493.

INTERNSHIP REPORT-ADAM GREGERSEN

2012-01-23T14:27:00.003-06:00

Nick Christians
January 23, 2012

Here is a good internship report by undergraduate student Adam Gregersen on his experience with the Iowa State University Athletic Department. You can get the report to go full-screen by clicking on the lower right hand side of the document.

The recent rain and snow has given us some reprieve on the potential for winter damage, but the long range forecast is still for some mild weather during the critical weeks of winter. We'll keep you posted on the topdressing trial as the winter progresses.

Internship paper final

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Winter Weather Update and Topdressing Trial

2012-01-10T06:27:00.000-06:00

Golfers are taking advantage of the uncharacteristically warm weather with a rare January round.

Temperatures dropped into the low 40’s over the weekend as a cold front moved across the state. Considering the weather we have experienced lately however, the “cooler” temperatures haven’t felt so bad. Many parts of the state broke records last week as daytime temperatures surged into the 50’s and 60’s. Temperatures during the month of January have been just over 10 degrees higher than normal. Golfers took advantage of the mild weather last week and dusted off their clubs for a rare January outing.

Overall, temperatures have been above average since last October and this has prevented the ground from completely freezing in many parts of the state. Precipitation totals were above average for the month of December thanks in part to 3 rain events. It appears that nearly all of the precipitation that occurred in December was able to soak into the ground. This was a very welcome development over northwestern Iowa where severe drought conditions are still present.

The threat of turf damage from dessication is certainly elevated with the open winter we have experienced thus far. Dr. Christians provided a nice historical perspective of turf dessication in his posts last week along with the benefits of late fall sand topdressing. We also took the opportunity to put out a couple sand topdressing trials last week to address this issue.

We applied sand topdressing to creeping bentgrass putting green turf exposed to northwest winds that had not received any topdressing for winter protection. Sand was applied at 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 inches. An untreated control was also included in the trial which received no sand topdressing.

Results from this trial should tell us if there are any benefits from mid-winter sand topdressing during “open” winters and how thick of a topdressing layer needs to be applied. Special thanks to Brian Abels, Golf Course Superintendent, Jewell Country Club, and James Legg, Golf Course Superintendent, Briarwood Club of Ankeny for letting us use their facilities for this work.

Pictures of the sand topdressing trial can be seen below. We will be evaluating the effects of this trial in the spring and will post results as they become available.

A wood frame with three layers of chicken wire was positioned over each plot. The wire helps evenly distribute the topdressing sand across the plot.

Four thicknesses of sand topdressing are being evaluated in this trial for their effect on protection from winter dessication. An untreated control was also included.

Overall view of winter topdressing trial. Special thanks to Brian Abels, Golf Course Superintendent, Jewell Country Club, and James Legg, Golf Course Superintendent, Briarwood Club of Ankeny for letting us use their facilities for this work.

Marcus Jones
Assistant Scientist
Iowa State University

Still Time to Register for the 2012 Iowa Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show

2012-01-09T07:35:00.000-06:00

There is still time left to register for the 78th annual Iowa Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show. The event will take place January 17-19 at the Downtown Des Moines Marriott Hotel. Information about the conference, exhibitor information, and registration forms can be found at http://www.iowaturfgrass.org/iticonference.htm.

Conference is a great way to network with peers and take advantage of educational opportunities. Whether you are just brushing up on fundamentals or learning about the newest trends and ideas relating to turfgrass science, there is something for everyone. A number of speakers from Iowa State University will be presenting in addition to a number of invited presenters including:

Zac Reicher, University of Nebraska
Ty McClellan, United States Golf Association
Derek Settle, Chicago District Golf Association
Kevin Norby, Herfort & Norby Golf Architects
Judd Duininck, Duininck Golf
Eric Hansen, The Preserve at Rathbun Lake
Allen Johnson, CSFM, Green Bay Packers
Amy Fouty, CSFM, Michigan State University
Jeremy Buhl, PBI/Gordon
Mark Howieson, Becker Underwood
Daniel Krohn, Becker Underwood
Troy McQuillen, Kirkwood Community College
Fred Whitford, Purdue University
Kevin Tracy, ASI Watercare
John Newton, CGCS, Veenker Memorial Golf Course
Jason Koester, CGCS, Grinnell College
Brad Thedens, City of Sioux Falls
Neric Smith, Indian Hills Community College
Steve Bush, CSFM, Bush Sports Turf

Preview the full conference program by clicking here. Complete conference information can be found at http://www.iowaturfgrass.org/iticonference.htm.

Marcus Jones
Assistant Scientist
Iowa State University

1987 ARTICLE ON WINTER PROTECTION OF GREENS

2012-01-06T16:14:00.003-06:00

Nick Christians
January 6, 2012

Here is the 1987 Article on Topdressing to Protect Bentgrass Greens In Winter. It was published in GCM in September of 1987. It was based on 4 years of work.

This and other articles are available from the Golf Course Supt. Assoc. of America (GCSAA) at gcsaa.org.

1987sep66

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WHAT ABOUT WINTER PLAY ON THE GOLF COURSE?

2012-01-05T13:37:00.001-06:00

Nick Christians
January 5, 2012

It is January 5 and it is 61 F in Ames, Iowa. For those of you not from here, that is very warm. In fact, we are likely to hit an all-time high for the day. This follows one of the driest falls that we have had for a while. We have also experienced some strong northwest winds in the last few days that are ideal for drying out greens.

While superintendents are worried about desiccation, golfers want to take advantage of the warm conditions and play some winter golf. This has been the primary question from golf course superintendents in the last few days. Should I open the course for play, or should we keep it closed?

While I have not done any specific research on the effects of winter play on greens, I have had some experience in this area. In the 1970’s, I was a superintendent in southern Colorado. In the area just east of the mountains, this weather is very common. Drying winds are also a problem. In that area, it is too cold to keep the water on. The soil also freezes, but day-time temperatures are often warm enough to play golf. We never closed. If someone wanted to play golf, we let them on. We had a special cup cutter with a large solid-steel ball on top of it. We would hit the ball with a sledge hammer to drive the cup cutter into the frozen soil on the greens. We had 5 positions on each green where we would rotate the cups during the dormant period of winter. Sometimes play was heavy and I remember a lot of wear around each cup setting by spring. I always worried that this would result in damage after spring greenup, but it never did. I was surprised at how well the greens recovered once the grass started to grow.

You do have to be careful during the few days of spring thaw. If the upper inch is wet and the soil just below is frozen, keep players off. But on frozen soil, you will see the effect of wear on the dormant turf, but it should recover well in the spring. You’re also keeping those few players who want to play happy and if you rely on greens fees, you can make a few dollars for the club.

If you covered greens, leave the covers down. The threat from desiccation this winter is high. Covers are good. If you let the golfers on, let them play to temporary flags ahead of the greens.

I also had a question yesterday from someone who had sand topdressed at the end of the season. The question that brings up is the concern that grinding the sand into the dormant grass with foot traffic may cause additional damage. I have not had experience with that, but I doubt that it will be a major problem unless play is high. If you can, have them play to temporary flags ahead of the greens, but if members insist on playing on the greens, I still think the greens will be fine.

I will want some feedback on this in the spring. The blog provides a permanent record and we can refer back to this in future years when we hit another weather pattern like this. I would also appreciate some feedback from you older superintendents who have lived through this before. Send me an e-mail with your opinion, and I will post it on the blog.

Some trials on winter topdressing are also going out today. Marcus Jones and Nick Dunlap got up early this morning to establish sand topdressing trials on Jewel Golf, north of Ames and in Ankeny south of Ames. We’ll keep you posted on that work during the spring.

WINTER DAMAGE ARTICLE FROM 1996

2012-01-03T11:28:00.002-06:00

Nick Christians
January 3, 2012

The article below was published in GCM in July of 1996. It is about the severe desiccation that occurred during the winter and spring of 1996. We have similar weather conditions to those that occurred in 1996.

Articles from Golf Course Management can be found at gcsaa.org.

1996jul36

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WATCH OUT FOR WINTER DAMAGE.

2012-01-02T10:36:00.008-06:00

Nick Christians

January 2, 2012

While this mild winter has been great for holiday travel, it will probably not be good for golf course superintendents. Surprisingly, it is the hard winters that are generally good for the golf course. Snow cover and cold temperatures through mid to late winter protect the turf from desiccation and the golf course emerges in the spring in good condition. It is the open, mild winter with windy conditions like we are getting today that results in drying of the turf (especially bentgrass) and causes damage that can persist well into the spring and even to early summer.

The last few winters have been anything but mild. The white Christmas has been the standard for the last few years and heavy snow cover has been common in many areas of the Midwest. Winter desiccation has been rare and we tend to forget about it. Unless the weather changes soon, this will be one of those springs where severe desiccation is common. In my experience here in Iowa, it is the northwestern part of the state that gets the worst damage because that area lacks tree cover and is exposed to the northwest winds of winter.

So what can you do about it? Greens covers are part of the answer and those of you who covered your greens a few weeks ago should be fine. But, there are many uncovered golf courses in the state. Fairways and tees generally go uncovered and these areas can be badly damaged even on courses that cover greens. Winter watering can be useful if you can do it. When I worked in Colorado years ago, winter winds would kill bentgrass greens and tees if we did not get some water to them during mild winters. It was too cold to charge the irrigation system. The courses had water trucks and it was typical to spray water over the greens every couple of weeks to keep them hydrated.

Topdressing is another way of protecting greens. In the 80’s and 90’s we did some work on this. I will post some information from that work in the next few days. The last couple of weeks I have had some questions on whether it is too late to topdress in January and if it is not, how much topdressing should we apply. I don’t know the answer to those questions. If the mild weather continues, we will try to get a quick trial together at the research station to look at these issues. I’ll keep you informed about the work during the spring.

Winter desiccation on bentgrass.

Watering in the winter in Colorado.

The effect of simple topdressing on bentgrass.

Area that was protected by a cover during a mild winter.

A BLOG ON BLOGS

2011-12-08T08:41:00.003-06:00

Nick Christians
12/8/11

Here is some information from Rick Tegtmeier CGCS, Des Moines Golf and Country Club on a Blog that will connect you with other blogs like this one. Useful information, check it out.

http://gcmbloggingworld.blogspot.com/

SCOTTS R8A SPREADER

2011-12-06T09:15:00.002-06:00

Nick Christians
12/6/2011
phone 515-294-0036
e-mail nchris@iastate.edu

I need another spreader for a calibration project at Iowa State. This one is one of the older Scotts R8A push models. If anyone around in the area has one and would be willing to lend it to us for a couple of weeks, let me know.

HORT. 351 TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT WILL BE OFFERED THIS SPRING ON THE WEB

2011-11-30T15:17:00.004-06:00

Nick Christians
12/1/2011

For the first time ever, I will be offering Hort/Agronomy 351-Turfgrass Establishment and Management- in the spring. It will be entirely web based and you can take it any place in the world without coming to campus. For more information, see

http://www.agde.iastate.edu/course/viewCourse.php?courseID=S2012HORT%20351%20XW

This course carries minor graduate credit and could be used towards an MS degree.

I have recently become part of the Master of Agronomy Distance program. Through this web based program, you can get an MS in agronomy with a specialization in Turf Science while you are employed full time. Most of it is offered off-campus through the web. You would need to do a creative component in some aspect of turf science and come to campus for a couple of short summer workshops and for your final defense.

This program is ideal for those who want to achieve a Master's degree without leaving their full time job. It is well suited for those teaching in two-year programs who want to finish a master's degree. The creative component can be the development of a course for teaching at the community college level.

For more information on the Master of Agronomy program, see:

http://masters.agron.iastate.edu/

Pass this on to anyone who might be interested.

I can be reached at 515-294-0036 for more information, or e-mail me at nchris@iastate.edu.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2011-11-13T18:39:00.001-06:00

Many parts of the state received their first snowfall last week. The days are shorter and 4” soil temperatures are slipping from the low 40’s into the high 30’s. Most trees have lost the majority of their leaves. Long-establishing creeping bentgrass greens display a spectrum of purple patches. Everywhere you look, there are signs that another growing season is coming to an end. But irrigation winterization may best signify that the growing season is over and winter is just around the corner.

Irrigation winterization is the process of evacuating water from the irrigation pipes to avoid damage from freezing temperatures. While a portion of the water can be evacuated at dead ends and low points of the piping through manual and automatic drain valves, larger irrigation systems also “blowout” the piping system using compressed air. This method of winterization can be very damaging to the piping system and dangerous to workers if proper safety procedures are not followed.

I was reminded of the hazards that can occur during the winterization procedure when I received the picture below from a former student. In this scenario an individual head would not activate from the satellite box and the employee went to flag on the head. When the head activated, the internal assembly broke free from the bucket striking the worker under the chin.

Irrigation winterization can be dangerous and safety precautions need to be taken to avoid injury.

This post will outline some of the basic safety measures that should be followed to avoid personal injury and undue stress on the irrigation system.

Use a safety harness to tether the air hose to the compressor. Air hoses connect to the compressor though a claw or similar type coupling. The connection is usually secured with cotter pins or wire but also consider using a safety harness. The harness will prevent the hose from flailing about in the event the connection fails while under pressure.

A harness that connects the air hose to the compressor provides additional safety in case the connection fails when under pressure.

Do not force air through the backflow preventer. Be sure to hookup after the backflow preventer as forcing air through this component can cause damage. First, blowout the system, then allow the backflow preventer to drain.

Regulate the air pressure with a pressure regulator. Even though larger irrigation system may operate with water pressures in excess of 100 psi, air pressures of this magnitude can damage the system. Use of a pressure regulating valve can help prevent over-pressurization. Most manufacturers recommend air pressures around 50 psi.

A pressure regulator can help prevent excessively high pressures from damaging valves, pipes, and irrigation heads.

Do not stand directly over irrigation components when under pressure. Air is less viscous compared to water and can generate greater stress under comparable pressures. Weak points in the irrigation system can fail under air pressure. Protect yourself from personal injury by staying clear of irrigation components when under pressure. It’s also a good idea to wear proper eye and ear protection during the winterization process.

Do not work on a sprinkler head while under pressure. If a head sticks on or won’t activate automatically or manually valve the section off and bleed the pressure through a quick coupler. Once the air stops at the quick coupler the head is safe to work on.

Evacuate water ahead of time. Before activating individual sprinkler heads use drain valves and quick couplers to initially evacuate water. This will reduce the amount of water in the system and can shorten the time needed to evacuate air through sprinkler heads. Less air moving through valves and sprinkler components and will help cut down on wear and tear.

Quick couplers and manual drain valves can be used to drain water before evacuating water through sprinkler heads.

Do not allow sprinkler heads to run for prolonged periods of time. Sprinkler drive mechanisms are normally lubricated as the water moves through the internal assembly. In the absence of water, heat caused from friction can damage these plastic components. Cycle between one or more stations to avoid excess buildup of heat.

Taking care to follow these safety procedures can help the winterization process go smoothly while minimizing damage to the irrigation system and preventing personal injury.

Hoping you have successful (and safe) winterizations!

Marcus Jones
Assistant Scientist

RICHARD JAURON'S NIMBLEWILL EXPERIMENT

2011-11-09T14:13:00.008-06:00

Nick Christians
Nov. 11, 2011

Here is the next installment in the series on 'answer line person' Richard Jauron's experience with the control of nimblewill with Tenacity (mesotrione). You will find other installments from this summer and fall.

We're going to follow this until well into next year when we know how successful this has been.

FROM RICHARD JAURON:

Here is a short chronology of my experience treating nimblewill infested areas in the lawn with the herbicide Tenacity (Mesotrione). (Previous blogs on this topic were posted on July 7, 2011 and August 2, 2011.)

On Tuesday, June 28, 2011, I treated nimblewill infested areas in my lawn with Tenacity. (One-fourth teaspoon of Tenacity and three-fourths teaspoon of a non-ionic surfactant (Turbo Spreader Sticker) was added to 2 quarts of water.)

Within 2 or 3 days, the nimblewill foliage turned light green. Within 7 to 10 days, the uppermost growth turned white. (See photos 1 and 2)

At the end of 3 weeks, the lowest portions of the nimblewill were still green. Most of the upper portions of the nimblewill were white or brown. (See photos 3 and 4)

The nimblewill was treated a second time on Tuesday, July 26, 2011. (One-fourth teaspoon of Tenacity and three-fourths teaspoon of a non-ionic surfactant was added to 2 quarts of water.)

By late summer, the Tenacity treated nimblewill had turned completely brown and appeared to be dead. The following photographs were taken on September 15, 2011. (See photos 5 and 6). While the nimblewill appears to be dead, the effectiveness of Tenacity won’t be known until late spring/early summer of 2012. If any of the nimblewill has survived, it should begin to green up in late May or June.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

TURF BOWL TROPHY ENSHRINED IN ART WORK

2011-11-07T14:09:00.007-06:00

Nick Christians
Nov. 7, 2011

As part of the new greenhouse construction project at the horticulture building, the department received a large mural painting on the history of horticulture at Iowa State. It completely surrounds the atrium area by the main office.

They included the turf bowl trophy in the painting. So, while we have to return the traveling trophy at the next GCSAA meetings in Las Vegas, it will be enshrined forever in the painting.

We, of course, do have the chance to win it back next year. As many of you know, Iowa State has won it 11 or the last 13 years.

The last picture below is on Ed Cott, who was in extension in the department for 35 years. He is pictured with a golf course in the background.

The painting should be finished in a couple of weeks. You are all invited to come by and see it when you get a chance.

Ed Cott pictured with golf course in background.

Scotts Speedygreen 1000 Spreader

2011-10-20T14:02:00.003-05:00

Nick Christians
10/20/11

I need a Scotts Speedygreen 1000 homeowner broadcast spreader for a study. I would just need it for a few hours. Does anyone local have one that I could borrow?

DROUGHT 2

2011-10-07T08:32:00.007-05:00

Nick Christians
October 7, 2011

This is the second installment on the drought work that we did at Iowa State in the drought of 1988. It originally was published in "LAWN CARE INDUSTRY' in Oct. of 1989.

These are jpg pictures and you will need to click on them to read them.

ITI/IGCSA Benefit Tournament Recap

2011-10-03T21:43:00.003-05:00

The 30^th Annual Iowa Turfgrass Institute/Iowa Golf Course Superintendent's Association Benefit Golf Tournament was held October 3 at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa. The success of this event depends on the involvement of many individuals, vendors and allied associations. Funds raised from the tournament support turfgrass research and scholarships.

Wakonda Superintendent John Temme working hard right up until the start of the tournament. Thanks for such an enjoyable day John.

Special thanks to golf course Superintendent John Temme and his entire staff for hosting the event and having the golf course in impeccable shape. Everyone who participated was treated to beautiful weather and striking fall colors. To see what the Wakonda Staff has been up to, check out their maintenance blog, Wakonda Grounds.

Marcus Jones
Assistant Scientist

DROUGHT OF 2011

2011-09-30T14:53:00.001-05:00

Nick Christains

September 30, 2011

While it has been dry in Central Iowa, we have not seen the severe drought condition that is occurring in South Western Iowa. I have had an increased number of calls, particularly from lawn care professional, who are wondering about treating dormant lawns with fertilizer and wondering about weed control issues.

In the 33 seasons that I have been here at ISU, the worst drought that we saw in this area was in 1988. We did research on these issues that year and I published the work in Lawn Servicing Magazine (which no longer exists) and in other sources. Today I am posting an article based on that work. On Monday, I will post a second installment on the 1988 research.

The pages are in jpg and you will need to click on them like a picture. You should be able to then enlarge the print.

GRAY LEAF SPOT DID SHOW UP IN CENTRAL IOWA

2011-09-19T14:21:00.000-05:00

Nick Christians
September 19, 2011

On August 31, I posted a blog titled "Watch Out For Gray Leaf Spot".

It did show up. Here is a post from Cory Johnson, Superintendent of Cedar Pointe Golf Course in Boone, Ia. This is Gray Leaf spot. It showed up on September 8. These pictures are from Sept. 16. This is classic Gray Leaf Spot on perennial ryegrass fairways. They will need to reseed with ryegrass as soon as possible.

If anyone else has experienced this, send me some pictures. I suspect that there is more out there.

The first two pictures are fairway shots. It is the rye that died and there is some live Kentucky bluegrass.

Picture 3 shows a close up of live bluegrass in dead rye.

Picture 4 shows leaf symptoms on the rye.

WATCH OUT FOR GRAY LEAF SPOT

2011-08-31T21:41:00.006-05:00

Nick Christians
August 31, 2011

Those of you who have been around since the 90's will remember a major outbreak of Gray Leaf Spot on perennial ryegrass in 1998. This disease is caused by the fungi Pyricularia grisea. It seems to selectively hit perennial rye. Under the right conditions, it can be more devastating than Pythium blight. Like Pythium, it can kill large areas of turf over night.

In 1998, it wiped out perennial rye from Chicago to the Rocky Mountains. It was particularly hard on ryegrass golf course fairways and sports fields.

The conditions that set it off in 1998 were unusually high temperatures around Labor Day. We have not seen a major outbreak of this disease in 13 years, but tomorrow it is predicted to reach near 100 F. That is very hot for Iowa in September. If you have perennial rye that has not been treated with a fungicide, you may wan to be on the look out for this problem. Banner/Daconil was particularly effective against Gray Leaf spot in the 1998 outbreak, but there are other materials labeled for it as well. Check the label before you spray.

The pictures below were taken in 1998 on Willow Creek Golf Course in Des Moines. The dead grass is perennial rye. The only living grass is Kentucy bluegrass that was intermingled in the fairway and some patches had been used to sod around some of the heads.

Let me know if any of you see this in the next few days. Send some pictures if you do.

HORTICULTURE GREENHOUSE DEDICATION-SEPT. 3, 2011

2011-08-25T15:42:00.003-05:00

Nick Christians
August 25, 2011

The new greenhouses are now ready for use. If any of you would like to attend the dedication, come to campus on Sept. 3.

Welcome
Jeffery Iles
Chair, Department of Horticulture

Remarks
Gregory L. Geoffroy
President, Iowa State University

Wendy Wintersteen
Endowed Dean, College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences

Dwight Hughes
B.S. 1970 Horticulture
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Winston Beck
Senior Horticulture Major
Closing
Jeffery Iles
Following the dedication ceremony, tours of the
Greenhouse Complex will be available.
Horticulture Teaching & Research
Greenhouse Complex

Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 2 p.m

The new $4 million teaching and research greenhouse complex on central campus replaces the original horticulture greenhouses built in 1913. It extends along the south side of Horticulture Hall, home of the department of horticulture. The facility includes space-efficient teaching and research areas equipped with state-of-the-art environmental control and innovative plant production systems.

The greenhouse complex is partitioned into several compartments dedicated to research, teaching and student club activities. A computerized control system monitors and regulates environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and light intensity in each greenhouse compartment, providing optimal conditions for plant growth and a first-rate experience for students and researchers.

The project was made possible through private donations and funding from Iowa State University.

Architectural Firm: Baldwin White Architects, Tom Baldwin and Dusica Stankovic
Engineer: Howard R. Green Company
Civil Engineer: Snyder and Associates
Structural Engineer: Raker Rhodes Engineering
General Contractor: Story Construction
Subcontractors: Albert J. Lauer Greenhouse, Inc., Jaspering Electric,
L.A. Fulton & Sons
Construction and Project Management
Project Manager – Mark Huss
Construction Manager – Lynn Burnett
Department of Horticulture – Jeffery Iles, chair;
Richard Gladon and Pete Lawlor
Horticulture Teaching & Research
Greenhouse Complex

More Ascochyta Disease Across the State

2011-08-17T20:56:00.000-05:00

Dave Minner, ISU Extension Turfgrass Specialist
Mark Gleason, ISU Extension Plant Pathologist
Erika Saalau, ISU Plant Diagnostic Clinic

For the second year in a row Ascochyta has hit lawns, athletic fields, and golf course turf. Ascochyta leaf blight is a grass fungus that causes a rapid straw to bleached appearance of the leaves primarily on Kentucky bluegrass and to a lesser extent on perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. The damaged lawns started showing up around the first of June and out breaks have been occurring all summer long. Some of the more severely damaged areas may require 3 or 4 weeks of good growing conditions to fully recover.

The damaged areas seem to occur very quickly; one day the grass appears fine and the next there is bleached tan grass everywhere and most noticeably where the mower tires track. In fact, to those unfamiliar with this problem they think that someone has damaged the lawn with a pesticide or fertilizer application. The Ascochyta related problems I am seeing have nothing to do with product applications. The fungus likes to grow during wet conditions favored by lots of rain or over irrigation. Infectious spores are everywhere throughout the lawn and with a sudden increase in hot temperatures they rapidly infect the stressed grass.

Tire tracks show up because the tires spread the spores and also cause just enough abrasion stress for the fungus to enter the plan tissue. Look for bleached leaf tips that are collapsed. It looks devastating because the top part of the plant is severely damaged but the crowns and lower stems are seldom killed. The attacks are so haphazard that it is impossible to give a good recommendation as to when to avoid mowing but in general raising the mowing height and mowing less frequently will reduce your chance of experiencing a mowing track incidence. It is interesting to note that Ascochyta blight in home lawns only occurs in full sun areas and it stops where the shaded lawn has less heat stress.

The damage at first appears very dramatic but the good news is to simply be patient because most of the damage is on the leaves while the crowns and roots of the plant are not damaged. As the plants continue to grow and after about a month of normal mowing the damaged leaf tips will be removed and the lawn will return to normal.
Normally we don’t recommend a preventative fungicide because it occurs too haphazardly and a curative fungicide doesn’t help after the leaf tissue is blighted. However, if you have experienced this in the same lawns and athletic fields for two years in a row you may want to consider a single preventative application of a fungicide next year from mid May to mid June.

Much of the turf I have sampled this summer has been confirmed to be Ascochyta by laboratory identification of spores. Like most of you old timers over the years I have observed tire tracking that we have assumed to be related to hot or dry conditions. Laboratory identification of the pathogen is the best way to determine if it was related to Ascochyta. Next year we will be conducting research with fungicides, moisture conditions, and wheel pressure to determine what is causing the tire tracking; is it Ascochyta or is it simply high temperature or low moisture stress. I think most of the blighting and wheel tracking we observed in June and July were associated with Ascochyta. To a lesser degree we may have also observed some wheel tracking from high temperature/drought stress.

Areas that have been severely injured can be recovered by dethatching, hollow tine aerification, and reseeding in September.

Here are some of the Ascochyta injured lawns that we have observed in Iowa during the summer of 2011.

Ascochyta in mower streaks on athletic field in Iowa City, IA. Picture taken 7/15/11.

Close up of Ascochyta symptoms on Kentucky bluegrass. Note the bleached leaf tips and banding of leaf blades. These symptoms are different from dollar spot that has leaf lesions with bleached centers and brown boarders.

Obvious tire tracks from mower associated with Ascochyta in Ankeny, IA. Picture taken 5/20/11.

Picture in Ames, IA showing wheel and deck tracks associated with Ascochyta. Picture taken 6/16/11.

Ascochyta can also injure lawns without leaving the mowing tracks. Picture taken in Ames, IA 6/16/11.

Wheel track lawn injury from Ascochyta but notice that the tracks are not present in the shaded areas where the grass has less heat stress. The Ascochyta spores may be present everywhere but it usually requires a period of sudden heat or drought before symptoms appear. Picture taken 6/1711 Ames, IA.

More Ascochyta mower tracks from Parkersburg, IA.

Darker green lawn (bottom) with higher nitrogen fertility shows more Ascochyta injury than lower fertility lawn (top). Nitrogen applied at 2 to 4 lbs N/1000sqft/yr is suggested to maintain healthy lawn growth.

Low maintenance (no fertilizer and no irrigation) Kentucky bluegrass along roadside showing mower tracks with Ascochyta injury. Even though high nitrogen can cause lush growth that increases infection in this case turf was injured in a low nitrogen situation.

Mowing tracks on golf course fairway. Injury occurred during a period when turf was not wilted or under low moisture stress. Grass died in lower wet areas but recovered on sloped areas. Also notice that the tracks stop at higher cut rough in front of sand trap. We will be conducting research next summer to discern what is Ascochyta related and what may be related to high temperature or drought stress wheel tracking. Picture taken 7-20-11 Waverly, IA.

IT'S BILLBUG TIME AGAIN

2011-08-15T08:10:00.011-05:00

Nick Christians
August 15, 2011

Right on schedule, the billbugs are back again this year. It is late July and early August each year that I get calls to come and look at lawns that look like they are "sick". The lawn below is in Gilbert, IA. While there is some leaf spot on this site, much of the damage was caused by billbugs.

The billbugs overwinter as adults. The adult female uses its bill (feeding mouth part) to burrow into the sheath just above the crown of the grass. She then deposits an egg in the sheath where it is is safe from most insecticides. This usually takes place in late April or early May. The egg hatches in July and the larvae proceeds to eat through the crown and to emerge into the soil. (The two pictures below are commercial slides from the American Society of America slide set on turfgrass insects)

To diagnose the problem, reach down and pull up some of the dead grass. If it is bill bugs, the grass will break away at the crown. The remaining tissue will be hollowed-out at the base.

Dig down into the soil and there will be many hollowed-out stems and a saw-dust like material left behind by the feeding larvae.

In early August, there will likely be larvae present int he soil

The larvae not very big. The picture below shows one on the tip of my pocket knife.

The larvae will soon turn into pupa and then into adults. This picture from the research station shows a larvae and an immature adult together in the same location.

The first question that I usually get from the home-owner is, "should I spray in insecticide now (in August)". The answer is no. The damage is already done and the application of an insecticide after the damage has occurred is not going to help. You have to treat the adult females in the spring before they lay their eggs. Late April is the best time to treat, however, that is difficult because they is no apparent damage at that time of year. You are also unlikely to see many adults at the that time of year.

There are systemic insecticides that could potentially be used when the larvae are in the sheath. The problem with that is that you do not see the damage before it is too late to treat.

This is a difficult pest to deal with because of these complex timing issues. If you have had a bad outbreak this year, it would be wise to invest in an insecticide application in the spring. Lawn care companies can do this, or the home-owner can do it themselves. Look for a insecticide that lists billbugs on the label. The critical thing is timing. If you apply after the eggs have been laid, you are wasting your time and money.

Out of the Oven and Into the Fire

2011-08-11T09:55:00.000-05:00

This article comes to us from Ty McClellan, USGA Green Section Record Mid-Continent Region Agronomist. Ty provides his thoughts about the hot temperatures most have experienced this summer and the toll is has taken on cool-season grasses.

Although the summer of 2010 was one of the hottest on record and widely publicized for the wake of destruction in the turf industry, it looks as though we’ve jumped out of the oven and right into the fire in 2011. Popular phrases that include ‘the perfect storm’, ‘equal opportunity destroyer’, and ‘turf loss of epic proportions’ are being bantered about once again, as Mother Nature turns up the heat and tries to roast the cool-season turfgrasses found on many golf courses beyond well done.

Managing turf during June and July in the upper Mid-Continent Region has been anything but easy, given the persistent heat wave. For much of Kansas and Missouri, nearly every other day during the past nine weeks has exceeded 100°F, and nighttime lows have rarely dropped below 80°F. Even though it is hard to imagine, 2011 may surpass 2010 for record heat. Some superintendents are already stretched, as this summer has dealt them an even worse set of circumstances. August conditions may leave some to wonder how they will have any turf to manage as putting green soil temperatures may continue to exceed 90 degrees.

Somewhat surprisingly, education and communication efforts that were effective last year are not providing the same understanding ears this year. Course officials and golfers seem to be less receptive to the news about heat stress. This is a good time to revisit some fundamental principles of turf management:

Creeping bentgrass root dieback begins when soil temperatures exceed 86°F at a 2-inch depth.

Poa annua is a fragile species that is usually the first to decline during high temperatures.

Portions of putting greens that suffer from poor air movement, poor drainage, and concentrated traffic (particularly the collars) are the most difficult to maintain and the first to decline.

To survive the heat and maintain turf health until the fire is extinguished with the onset of cooler temperatures, some of the most effective strategies include:

Supplement automatic irrigation as much as possible with hand watering.

Raise the mowing height and use solid front rollers when preparing the greens for play.

Mow less frequently and roll instead.

Use large oscillating fans to improve air circulation and assist the transpirational cooling of the turf. The fans may be needed continuously for 24 hours of the day.

Vent the greens when possible via non-disruptive aeration techniques.

Increase the rate and frequency of fungicide applications, as disease pressure increases with higher temperatures.

Reduce traffic on the putting greens via temporary closure, if necessary, or cancelling / rescheduling large outings.

Cool-season turfgrasses are in a fragile state, and superintendents and their staffs are feeling the effects of long hours and touch-and-go conditions. Now is the time to support them as they work to maintain the turf. Expectations for exceptional playability simply must be put on hold until temperatures cool off…and hopefully that is soon.

If you would like more information about a Turf Advisory Service visit, do not hesitate to contact either of the Mid-Continent regional offices: Ty McClellan at tmcclellan@usga.org or (630) 340-5853 or Bud White at budwhite@usga.org or (972) 662-1138.

USING GPS TO MAP SOIL CONDITIONS IN TURF AREAS-ZACH SIMONS

2011-08-10T09:19:00.005-05:00

Nick Christians
August 10, 2011

The following is a post from Zach Simons. Zach is working on a masters degree through the master of Ag. program with a specialization in turfgrass science. He is working this summer with Dr. Van Cline at Toro in Minneapolis on a very interesting project that involves the mapping of soil conditions in turfgrass areas using remote sensing and GPS (global positioning system) technology. This is part of his creative component for his MS degree.

If you get Golf Course Management, you will find an article on this technology by Dr. Cline and Dr. Carrow of the University of Georgia in the August issue.

From Zach:

The increased emphasis on reducing water usage in the turf industry has increased the need for site-specific management. Toro has been developing a product called the Precision Sense 6000 (PS 6000) that can give site-specific soil information in turfgrass. The PS 6000 is a mobile sensing machine that measures soil moisture, soil salinity, soil compaction, and turf vigor. It is designed to be used on golf course fairways and athletic fields. A sensor that measures soil moisture, soil salinity, and soil hardness is attached to a rotating arm on the machine. A spectrometer measures the turf vigor by measuring reflected energy from the turf canopy at a wavelength in the red area in the visible spectrum and a wavelength in the near infrared portion of the spectrum.

The PS 6000 is pulled by a heavy-duty workman set to a speed of 1.9 miles per hour (mph). The machine moves at a speed of 1.9mph so samples are taken every 8 feet with a spacing of 8 to 12 feet between adjacent passes. Data on an average par 4 fairway can be collected in 45 minutes and it takes a day and a half to 2 days to collect data on an entire golf course.

A GPS system is used on the PS 6000 to give the specific site where data was collected. Once the data is collected and processed the results are displayed on Google Earth. Google Earth allows a person to zoom in on a specific hole on the course to analyze the data. Multiple layers can also be displayed on Google Earth so a person could compare the relationship from soil compaction to soil moisture.

Data collection with the PS 6000 should occur at a time when the golf course or athletic field is relying on the irrigation system to water the turf. This is so the data collected reflects the coverage of the irrigation system. When data is collected at that time, it can show areas on fairways that are getting over-watered or under-watered by the irrigation system. An irrigation audit can be performed with the data collected. The audit is performed by determining if the soil has the desired volumetric water content from irrigation. The audit can show many irrigation heads around the golf course that may have problems and the superintendent can make the proper adjustments.

The service that the PS6000 provides will be sold through Toro distributors once it is ready for commercial use. A distributor will have a machine and when a golf course buys the service the distributor will come to the golf course or athletic field and sample the turfgrass. When the PS6000 is ready for commercial Toro’s distributors in California and in the Carolina’s will offer the service first. Toro plans on expanding this service so that more distributors in the U.S. and worldwide will have machines and more customers will have access to the PS6000.

The pictures attached show the results of the data the PS 6000 collects. The first picture is soil moisture, the second picture is soil compaction, and the third picture is turf vigor.

The video attached is of a previous version of the PS 6000. The version of the PS 6000 that will be sent to distributors is equipped with a foamer so the user of the machine can see the previous passes

BURLINGTON BEES BASEBALL WITH T.J. BREWER

2011-08-09T08:52:00.010-05:00

Nick Christians
August 9, 2011

I had a chance yesterday to meet with T.J. Brewer, sports field manager for the Burlington Bees baseball field in Burlington, IA. It's been hot in Burlington as it has in most of the Midwest this summer. For you golf people who think that sports turf management is easy, this blog may be an eye-opener. Many of the same problems that plague golf course superintendents also affect sports turf managers.

We usually don't associate Poa annua with sports turf, but it does happen. Particularly in a micro-environment like an enclosed baseball field. This picture below is Poa annua checking-out in the summer heat. Those of you who heard T.J.'s presentation at the turf conference a year ago, know that he has been on a Poa reduction program. Budget concerns put a stop to that program and the Poa is back.

Do we have Bermudagrass in Iowa? Yes we do. This is a bermuda patch in the infield that has been there for at least 6 years.

How about Poa trivialis? This is usually considered to be a problem on golf course fairways, but here it is on a baseball field. As is typical of this species in hot weather, the patches had turned brown. It will come back in the cool weather of fall.

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Here is a close up of Poa trivialis stolons in the brown circles.

How about mole crickets? This is usually a turf problem in the South, particularly Georgia and Florida, yet here they are in Iowa. T.J. collected this one from the field a couple of weeks ago. He did not have any serious damage from them. We do occasionally get damage from mole crickets in Iowa, but they are rare.

Thanks for a great visit T.J. and for your willingness to share your experiences with other turf managers.