(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
As I was looking through some news articles I came across this one that caught my eye.
“Top 10 Worst Cities for Weeds and Disease in 2018”
I couldn’t wait to click the article and see what the National Association of Landscape Professionals listed as the top 10 worst cities for weeds and disease. It was also pretty interesting how they came up with these cities. Check it out!
Guess what KS city is listed as #7?
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
With spring officially here, homeowners should start paying attention to the condition of their cool-season lawns…especially in view of the dry conditions that persist in this region. Early-season watering of fescue and other cool-season turfgrass is especially important this year, according to K-State turfgrass horticulturist Jared Hoyle. He talks about proper watering and fertility management this week.
Click the link below for K-State Research and Extension Agriculture Today Radio Program “Plantorama” hosted by Eric Atkinson.
Check out the KSRE bookstore more more information on all things turf! – https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Category.aspx?id=528&catId=545
Always remember to READ THE LABEL for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and specific instructions before application!!!
***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***
Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @KSUTurf.
Also, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/KSUTurf
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
Homeowner Do-It-Yourself Lawn Calendar for Cool-Season Grasses
The following suggestions are for cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass or tall fescue. Zoysiagrass, bermudagrass, and buffalograss are warm-season grasses and require a different maintenance regime.
March
Spot treat broadleaf weeds if necessary. Treat on a day that is 50 degrees or warmer. Rain or irrigation within 24 hours of application will reduce effectiveness.
April
Apply crabgrass preventer (Or maybe even a little bit sooner this year) when redbud trees are in full bloom, usually in April. The preventer needs to be watered in before it will start to work. One-quarter inch of water will be enough to water in any of the products mentioned in this calendar. Remember that a good, thick lawn is the best weed prevention and may be all that is needed.
May
Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer if you water your lawn or if you receive enough rainfall that your turf normally doesn’t go drought-dormant during the summer. If there are broadleaf weeds, spot treat with a spray or use a fertilizer that includes a weed killer. Rain or irrigation within 24 hours of application will reduce effectiveness of the weed killer, but the fertilizer needs to be watered in. If you are using a product that has both fertilizer and weed killer, wait 24 hours after application before watering in.
June through Mid-July
Apply second round of crabgrass preventer by June 15 – unless you have used Dimension (dithiopyr) or Barricade (prodiamine) for the April application. These two products normally provide season-long control with a single application. Remember to water it in. If grubs have been a problem in the past, apply a product containing imidacloprid during the first half of July. This works to prevent grub damage. It must be watered in before it becomes active.
Late-July through August
If you see grub damage, apply a grub killer that contains Dylox. Imidacloprid is effective against young grubs and may not be effective on late instar grubs. The grub killer containing Dylox must be watered in within 24 hours or effectiveness drops.
September
Fertilize around Labor Day. This is the most important fertilization of the year. Water in the fertilizer.
November
Fertilize. This fertilizer is taken up by the roots but is not used until the following spring. Water in fertilizer. Spray for broadleaf weeds even if they are small. Broadleaf weeds are much easier to control in the fall than in the spring. Spray on a day that is at least 50 degrees. Rain or irrigate within 24 hours reduces effectiveness. Use label rates for all products!
For more information on Tall Fescue Lawns – https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=1460
For more information on Kentucky Bluegrass Lawns- https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=816
Always remember to READ THE LABEL for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and specific instructions before application!!!
***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***
Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @KSUTurf.
Also, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/KSUTurf
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
Over that past couple years we have been updating extension publications for both turfgrass professionals and homeowners. To determine which ones get updated first we look at how many of each are downloaded. The ones that are downloaded the most and are out of date are first in line.
Well, the next one in line was “Aerating Your Lawn”. To have a healthy lawn you must have healthy roots and if your soil is compacted it could hurt your root system. To relieve compaction a homeowner can easily aerify their lawn. Some benefits of aerification include;
For more information check out the full publication at the KSRE bookstore!
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=713
(by Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
Ever year I write a blog, a newsletter article, send out a tweet and post on Facebook about applying preemergent herbicides for summer annual grass control. We are typically most concerned with crabgrass so I went back and searched through the blog posts and articles and believe it or not it is all still relevant information! Not much has changed, so for this article I am going to spotlight information across these articles and compare from when I originally wrote it.
Up first, Methods of Predicting Crabgrass Emergence! In this article I go over the different methods to predict when crabgrass emerges; calendar date, soil temperatures, forsythia blooms, growing degree days. Like last year we have had a fluctuating Spring. In the article from March 14, 2017 I stated that it was 80 deg F on the 12th and was snowing just a couple days before. Sound familiar? Refresh yourself on the different methods and know its not too late to get preemergence herbicides out.
https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/methods-of-predicting-crabgrass-emergence/
Next article is for all you golf course turfgrass managers. Preemergence Weed Control in Bentgrass Putting Greens. This article was also from March 2017 and I went through what preemergent herbicides are available to use on bentgrass putting greens. The list of herbicides was from the Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals 2017 Manual (https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?Item_Number=TURF-100). Going through the 2018 edition…. Guess what again? Not much has changed for use on putting greens but I would encourage you to check out the manual and read the “Tips for Herbicide Use on Golf Course Putting Greens” section on page 108.
https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/preemergence-weed-control-in-bentgrass-putting-greens/
And now one of my favorite quotes from Benjamin Franklin “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. This was the lead in for talking about why preemergent herbicides are worth it! This article talks about what weeds preemergent herbicides work on, how they work, and the growth stages of crabgrass. To “round-up” the article I put a list of options out there, the weeds these preemergent herbicides control and some concerns/comments. One thing that I did not list is the combination products. I only listed the single active ingredients. There are many combination products as well. (Maybe that will be the next blog post – Combination Preemergent Herbicides.)
Always remember to READ THE LABEL for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and specific instructions before application!!!
***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
The KSU Turfgrass Research Group sends a sincere “thank you” to all who helped in any way to install the new irrigation system on March 23-24, whether by providing equipment, labor, or food and refreshments. We were overwhelmed by the support provided by the Kansas turfgrass industry and are extremely grateful.
We look forward to providing updates from future research conducted with the new system that will benefit Kansas turf managers. This new research project is in cooperation with the USGA and the Toro Co. The goal of the project is to improve the use of soil moisture sensors to control irrigation while minimizing water applications and maintaining good quality turf. This will require 3 years of intensive study of the science of using these sensors.
Also, a big thank you to Nic Youngers, Jasen Sare, Austin Murphy and Shawn Spann for aerifying the research green at Rocky Ford and to WinField for donating the ferti-lizer!
Thanks to our refreshment/lunch sponsors: Bayer Dow Agro Sciences Helena PBI-Gordon Supreme Turf WinField
Also, Thank You to all the volunteers who assisted and donated equipment to make the irrigation install a success!
Al Alspach, Mater Landscape, Inc.
Dale Bremer, KSU
Leon Brown, Schwab-Eaton
Jeff Chaffee, Master Landscape, Inc.
Rob Christie, Firekeeper GC
Cliff Dipman, KSU
Kevin Fateley, Wildcat Creek Fun & Fitness
Seth Gieber, Manhattan CC
Jared Hawkins, Master Landscape
Nate Ratzlaff, Cottonwood Hills GC
Jasen Sare, Stagg Hill GC
Shawn Spann, WinField
Derek Taussig, Taussig Landscape
Charlie Thompson, Willowbrook GC
Mark Willmore, KSU
Mingying Xiang, KSU
Nic Youngers, Rolling Meadows GC
Mu Hong, KSU
Wes Kleffner, Bayer
Frank Kohman, Cool Springs GC
Will Mann, Schwab-Eaton
Matt Miller, Carey Park GC
Nic Mitchell, KSU
Austin Murphy, Indian Hill GC
Shane Myers, Foley Equipment Co.
We still have more to install so if you didn’t get out and was able to help we will have another work day to finish out the entire area!
Thanks again!
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
After finding the article on grey leaf spot I found a couple more articles that I wanted to repost due to the time of the year it is.
One is on determining if you need are going to conduct power raking or core aeration this fall?
https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/power-raking-or-core-aeration-that-is-the-question/
The others were on selecting the right grass seed!
https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/for-seeding-success-pay-attention-to-other-crop-on-the-seed-label/
https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/the-art-of-knowing-your-seed-label/
***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***
Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @KSUTurf.
Also, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/KSUTurf
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
Someone told me and I am not sure if it is correct or not, “that grey leaf spot will infect crabgrass before it hits our desirable turfgrass species”. The other day I saw some grey leaf spot crabgrass in a ryegrass lawn and got me thinking that this is about the time grey leaf spot starts to kick in around here. I went back through the blogs and back in 2015 (Actually August 25, 2015) I posted about grey leaf spot.
I wanted to pass along the blog again for everyone that may have had grey leaf spot in the past.
https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/grey-leaf-spot/
Also check on more control options for grey leaf spot in this publication – http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ppa/ppa1/ppa1.pdf
***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***
Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @KSUTurf.
Also, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/KSUTurf
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
I have been busy this past year updating the KSU Turfgrass Research Extension Publications. With the help of everyone at the K-State Research and Extension Bookstore we updated a total of 7.
I wanted to share these with you so you have them to read and to share with your friends and neighbors.
Benefits of a Healthy Lawn – Environmental, economic, health, and safety benefits of turfgrass found in lawns, athletic fields, parks, and roadsides.
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=12800
Turfgrass Selection – Professional Series – Information to help turfgrass managers select grasses appropriate for a particular environment.
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=645
Turfgrass Identification – Professional Series – Information for turfgrass managers to help identify grasses by their vegetative characteristics
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=644
Lawn Fertilizing Guide – This guide helps homeowners determine how much fertilizer to apply to keep lawn vigorous and healthy.
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=10639
Turfgrass Mowing – Professional Series – Mowing basics for professional turfgrass managers. Information on mowing height and frequency, clippings, mowing pattern, mower operation, blade sharpening, mower selection, maintenance, and safety.
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=712
Recycling Grass Clippings – Information for homeowners on why and how to recycle grass clippings.
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=701
Mowing Your Lawn – Mowing basics for homeowners. Includes information on mowing height and frequency, pattern, mower operation, maintenance, and safety
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=615
Always remember to READ THE LABEL for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and specific instructions before application!!!
***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***
Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @KSUTurf.
Also, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/KSUTurf
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
The 2017 Turfgrass Research Reports are now available!!!! See what research projects the KSU Turfgrass Team have been up to.
Click the link below to take you to the Kansas Agriculture Experiment Station Research Report Page.
http://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr/vol3/iss4/
The Effect of Human Insect Repellents on Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) Growth and Recovery
J. Hoyle and Peyton E. South
Effect of Dormant ‘MidIron’ Bermudagrass Colorant Applications on Clothing Blemishing
J. Hoyle and Daniele L. McFadden
Influence of Tall Fescue Baseball Infield Mowing Height on Ground Ball Speed
J. Hoyle and Gage M. Knudson
Estimating Transpiration from Turfgrass Using Stomatal Conductance Values Derived from Infrared Thermometry
Kenton W. Peterson, D. Bremer, and J. M. Blonquist Jr.
Measurement of Evapotranspiration in Turfgrass: Recommended Techniques and Adjustment Coefficients
Kenton W. Peterson, D. Bremer, Kira B. Shonkwiler, and J. M. Ham
Performance and Recovery of Turfgrasses Subjected to Drought and Traffic Stresses
R. Braun, D. Bremer, J. Hoyle, and N. Bloedow
Nitrous Oxide Emissions and Carbon Sequestration in Turfgrass: Effects of Irrigation and Nitrogen Fertilization (Year 2)
R. Braun and D. Bremer
Evaluating Zoysiagrass-Tall Fescue Mixtures in Kansas
Mingying Xiang, J. Fry, and M. Kennelly
Impact of Zoysiagrass and Tall Fescue Seed Mixtures on Brown Patch Severity
Mingying Xiang, J. Fry, and M. Kennelly
Development of Cold Hardy, Large Patch Resistant Zoysiagrass Cultivars for the Transition Zone
Mingying Xiang, J. Fry, and M. Kennelly
2012 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Tall Fescue Test: 2016 Data
L. Parsons, Michael J. Shelton, M. Kennelly, J. Griffin, and J. Hoyle
2013 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Bermudagrass Test: 2016 Data
L. Parsons, Michael J. Shelton, J. Griffin, and J. Hoyle
Always remember to READ THE LABEL for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and specific instructions before application!!!
***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***
Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @KSUTurf.
Also, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/KSUTurf
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