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K-State Turf and Landscape Blog

Author: Brooke Garcia

Department of HNR Professor Receives National Educator of the Year Award

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia

For those of you who are familiar with K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, you are most likely familiar with and know the infamous Dr. Cathie Lavis. Her passion for teaching students is unsurpassed, as she is dedicated to the art and science of horticulture. Lavis was named the 2021 Educator of the Year at the virtual National Collegiate Landscape Competition, hosted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).

This award honors university faculty for excellence in teaching and mentoring students, while also serving the landscape industry at the national level. The competition attracts thousands of students, faculty and industry leaders each March. K-State horticulture students actively participate each year, and students partake in a variety of competitions to gain hands-on experience.

Read the K-State Today Announcement here: https://www.k-state.edu/today/announcement/?id=73882

Extension Publication Update

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia

There is a new publications of interest recently updated through K-State Research and Extension by Dr. Raymond Cloyd:

“Magnolia scale, Neolecanium cornuparvum, is an insect pest of magnolia trees including star magnolia, Magnolia stellata, and saucer magnolia, Magnolia x soulangiana. Magnolia scale is native to the U.S. and is the largest soft scale in North America. This publication discusses the biology, damage, and management strategies that can be used to avoid plant damage caused by magnolia scale.”

Read more here: Magnolia Scale: Insect Pest of Magnolia Trees. MF3560. Raymond Cloyd.

Photo Credit: William Fountain, University of Kentucky, Bugwood.org

10 Rules for Planting Trees This Spring

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia

This article was originally posted on March 18, 2021 on K-State Research and Extension News. For original article, please visit: Ten rules for planting trees this spring

Ten rules for planting trees this spring 

K-State horticulture expert shares tips to set you up for success

MANHATTAN, Kan. – If you’re planning to plant a tree in your yard this spring, there are some steps you can take to make sure your new landscape has its best chance of success.

Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham shares the following ten rules for planting trees:

  1. Select the right tree for the site. To avoid serious problems, choose trees that are adapted to your location. Consider whether the tree produces nuisance fruit or if there are disease-resistant varieties available. For example, there are a number of crabapple varieties that are resistant to apple scab and rust diseases. Also consider the mature size of a tree to be sure you have enough room. Ask a local nurseryman for suggestions for trees adapted to your area.
  2. Keep the tree well watered and in a shady location until planting. When moving the tree, lift it by the root ball or pot and not by the trunk.
  3. Before planting, remove all wires, labels, cords or anything else tied to the plant. If left on, they may eventually girdle the branch to which they are attached. The root flare (point where trunk and roots meet) should be visible. If it isn’t, remove enough soil or media before planting so that it is.
  4. Dig a proper hole. Make the hole deep enough so that the tree sits slightly above nursery level. Plant the tree on solid ground, not fill dirt. In other words, don’t dig the hole too deep and then add soil back to the hole before placing the tree. The width of the planting hole is very important. It should be three times the width of the root ball. Loosening the soil outside the hole so it is five times the diameter of the root ball will allow the tree to spread its roots faster. 
  5. Remove all containers from the root ball. Cut away plastic and peat pots; roll burlap and wire baskets back into the hole, cutting as much of the excess away as possible. If you can remove the wire basket without disturbing the root ball, do it. If roots have been circling around in the container, cut them and fluff them out so they do not continue growing so that they circle inside the hole and become girdling roots later in the life of the tree. 
  6. Backfill the hole with the same soil that was removed. Amendments such as peat moss likely do more harm than good. Make sure the soil that goes back is loosened – no clods or clumps. Add water as you fill to ensure good root to soil contact and prevent air pockets. There is no need to fertilize at planting. 
  7. Don’t cut back the branches of a tree after planting except those that are rubbing or damaged. The leaf buds release a hormone that encourages root growth. If the tree is cut back, the reduced number of leaf buds results in less hormone released and therefore fewer roots being formed. 
  8. Water the tree thoroughly and then once a week for the first season if there is insufficient rainfall. 
  9. Mulch around the tree. Mulch should be 2 to 4 inches deep and cover an area 2 to 3 times the diameter of the root ball. Mulching reduces competition from other plants, conserves moisture and keeps soil temperature closer to what the plants’ roots prefer.  
  10. Stake only when necessary. Trees will establish more quickly and grow faster if they are not staked. However, larger trees or those in windy locations may need to be staked the first year. Movement is necessary for the trunk to become strong. Staking should be designed to limit movement of the root ball rather than immobilize the trunk. 

Upham and his colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining gardens and home landscapes. The newsletter is available to view online or can be delivered by email each week.

Interested persons can also send their garden- and yard-related questions to Upham at wupham@ksu.edu, or contact your local K-State Research and Extension office.

Update on K-State Turf and Landscape Social Media and Websites

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia and Dr. Jack Fry

If you are reading this post, you have arrived to the K-State Turf and Landscape Blog. We are so glad you are here! New information is posted every couple of weeks. You can also opt-in to recieve email notifications of new blog posts by entering your email in the “box” located on the blog….subscribe now! 

If you want to receive frequent updates on K-State Turf and Landscape research and extension, consider following our other social media pages too!

Our Twitter handle is back! Follow and you’ll receive tweets from members of the K-State turf and landscape team:

  • K-State Turf and Landscape Management Team Twitter: @KSUTURF

We also encourage you to “like” and “follow” each of our K-State Facebook pages to stay up-to-date with turf and landscape research and extension, department updates, program updates, pesticide safety, and integrated pest management!

Additionally, there is the Kansas Turfgrass Foundation which is affiliated with, and works in cooperation with, the Kansas State University turfgrass program. The primary objectives are to support turfgrass research and education for the benefit of the turfgrass industry in Kansas. It is a nonprofit organization and the fees are used to finance turfgrass research projects, educational conferences, field days, and expenses associated with the organization. Members of the Kansas Turfgrass Foundation also recieve an exclusive newsletter called TurfNews.

Want to join KTF? Click here: www.kansasturfgrassfoundation.com

As always, you can also find extension publications, research reports, etc. on the K-State Turf and Landscape Website: k-state.edu/turf

Thank you for your support!

Testing for Winter Survival of Warm-Season Grasses

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Dr. Jack Fry

What a stretch of low temperatures we experienced in the state of Kansas from Februrary 6 to 19th! The lowest temperatures occurred on February 16th: Olathe, -18 F; Manhattan, -21 F; Wichita, -18 F. This makes those who are growing warm-season grasses concerned about how they’ll green up this spring. Snow cover is an important factor; more cover provides greater insulation from the extreme cold. Soil is a good insulator, too, which is one reason it’s a good idea to keep thatch to a minimum. When thatch accumulates, the growing points become elevated and are exposed to lower temperatures.

In our region, bermudagrass is the greatest concern, but freezing injury is also common on zoysiagrass. Areas that are most susceptible to freezing injury are those that experience shade during the growing season or are exposed to foot or cart traffic.

To look ahead and see if you might have winter injury, remove several plugs from each area that concerns you. Don’t just rely on a single plug – it doesn’t tell the story. Put them in pots and bring them in a greenhouse (if you have one) or on a windowsill within a warm room. Likewise, if you have grow lights you can put them under that will work, too. Warmer temperatures will encourage faster growth and evaluation. Give them 2 to 3 weeks under these conditions and look at how much green up you observe. Good green up makes us feel good about the approaching spring; lack of green up may require making plans for replanting.

Here are a couple of publications with related information:

 

Upcoming Virtual Event: Insight Summit

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia

The Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement team is hosting our 5thannual CREE Insight Summit. It is coming up fast—February 24-26. Please share with stakeholders for whom this will be a good fit and consider attending for your professional development.

When is it? February 24-26, 2021. The conference will be from 10 am to 3:00 pm CST over 3 days with a long lunch and breaks.

Who Should attend? The conference is open to anyone, but designed for business owners, marketing and communication professionals, service organizations, and commodity or producer-advocate professionals.

2021 Insight Summit Topics include: new-media marketing, trends, e-newsletters, understanding analytics, improving visual content, e-commerce for agricultural products, and more.

Things you will walk away with from this conference:

  • A printed workbook with our PowerPoint slides and pages for your notes
  • Membership to an exclusive InsightSummit Facebook group community
  • An online strategy for your organization or business
  • Ideas and plans for content development and delivery

How much is registration? The registration fee is $189 with a needs-based scholarship rate of $129.

View additional information here: 2021 press release_final

70th Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference Sponsor Spotlight: The Andersons Inc.

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia

In conjunction with the 70th Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference, the K-State Turf and Landscape Blog is highlighting our top-tier, Albatross sponsors this week. Our Albatross sponsors generously contributed $750 or more in support of our conference this year. This additional funding helps to support K-State Turfgrass research and education.

This sponsor spotlight is for “The Andersons!” The Andersons, Inc. is an American agribusiness established in 1947, headquartered in Maumee, Ohio. They have multiple areas of specialization, including:

  • Trade: The Trade Group specializes in the movement of physical commodities such as whole grains, feed ingredients and domestic fuel products.
  • Plant Nutrient: The Plant Nutrient Group formulates, stores, and distributes nutrient, specialty, and industrial inputs and corncob based products through our strategically located facilities and extensive network.
  • Ethanol: The Ethanol Group provides facility operations, risk management, ethanol and distiller dried grains marketing.
  • Rail: The Rail Group provides a variety of services to the rail industry including fleet management, leasing, repair and custom fabrication.

We are so thankful for their support in this year’s Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference. Be sure to visit their website to learn more: https://andersonsinc.com

70th Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference Sponsor Spotlight: Van Wall Equipment Co.

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia

In conjunction with the 70th Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference, the K-State Turf and Landscape Blog is highlighting our top-tier, Albatross sponsors this week. Our Albatross sponsors generously contributed $750 or more in support of our conference this year. This additional funding helps to support K-State Turfgrass research and education.

This sponsor spotlight goes out to Van Wall Equipment Co. Van Wall Equipment is a proud supplier of John Deere equipment. They have been a John Deere dealer since 1944. Van Wall Equipment has grown into one of the largest John Deere dealership groups in the country, with over 600 employees and 25 John Deere locations spanning four states in the Midwest including Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, and Nebraska.

Van Wall is proud to sell and service a wide range of John Deere equipment including products specialized for agriculture, golf & turf, light construction, commercial, and lawn and garden applications. Additionally, their precision agriculture team and our solar energy team deliver a breadth of complementary products and services to improve the profitability and competitiveness of our growers.

Be sure to visit their website for more information: https://vanwall.com

Thank you, Van Wall, for contributing to this year’s Kansas Turfgrass Conference. We are so thankful to have your support.

70th Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference Sponsor Spotlight: Vulpes Agricultural Corp.

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia

In conjunction with the 70th Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference, the K-State Turf and Landscape Blog will be highlighting our top-tier, Albatross sponsors over the next weeks. Our Albatross sponsors generously contributed $750 or more in support of our conference this year. This additional funding helps to support K-State Turfgrass research and education.

This sponsor spotlight is for Vulpes Agricultural Corp. Vulpes Corp. is a holding company based out of the greater St. Louis area, and they are the first to being functionalized nanocarbon to the mass agriculture market.

Vulpes Agricultural Corp. is driven by two business goals: 

1. Using decades of pharmaceutical experience to speed up new agrichemical development

2. Using new agrichemicals to massively improve water, nutrient, and fungicide use efficiency for a more sustainable future

Vulpes is currently working with 11 teams from 8 American universities and research institutions to carry out extended research, validation, and trial of its nanocarbon products. Currently, crops that are going through independent labs, chambers, greenhouses, and field trials include: Arabidopsis, Beets, Corn, Grape, Hop, Lettuce, Ornamentals, Pepper, Rapeseed, Sorghum, Strawberry, Sunflowers, Tomato, Turf Grass, and Wheat.

They are being tested and trialed for:

  • Yield increase,
  • Growth cycle changes
  • Fertilizer saving
  • Abiotic stress resistance

Carbon Black Acid, specifically, has the following modes of action in a plant:

  1. Effective carrier to absorb water and nutrients from the soil and then deliver them directly through seed coats and into plant cells

  2. Plant growth regulator to stimulate root & shoot growth

To learn more about the Nanocarbon project, visit: Nanocarbon Project – Vulpes Agricultural

Additional Questions?

Rick Shang, Chief Executive and Founder of Vulpes Corp.

Website: https://www.vulpesagricultural.com

Phone: (314) 833-8683 / Email: rick@vulpescorp.com

70th Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference Sponsor Spotlight: Reinders

Posted on by Brooke Garcia

By Brooke Garcia

In conjunction with the 70th Annual Kansas Turfgrass Conference, the K-State Turf and Landscape Blog will be highlighting our top-tier, Albatross sponsors over the next weeks. Our Albatross sponsors generously contributed $750 or more in support of our conference this year. This additional funding helps to support K-State Turfgrass research and education.

This sponsor spotlight goes out to Reinders! Reinders is one of the Midwest’s largest full service distributors of products to the commercial green industry, with many customers looking to them as their one stop source for all their product requirements. From growing grass, to watering and mowing, Reinders can supply you with everything you need keep it looking great.

The team at Reinders understands the daily challenges associated with the green industry, so be assured that they have a member on staff to answer your questions and provide you with the expertise you need.

Thank you, Reinders, for you generous contribution to the 2020 Kansas Turfgrass Conference. We are grateful for your support!

Be sure to visit their website to learn more: Reinders Website

 

To contact a Reinders representative directly, you can reach out to Mike Maas:

Phone: (913) 217-0650

Email: MMaas@Reinders.com