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K-State Turf and Landscape Blog

Author: Jack Fry

Conference Speaker Highlights: Dr. Chase Straw

Posted on by Jack Fry

We are fortunate to have three great out-of-state speakers join us at the Kansas Turf and Landscape Conference this year.  These individuals include Matt Cavanaugh, golf course superintendent in MN; Dr. Chase Straw, Assistant Professor at Texas A&M Univ.; and Dr. Aaron Patton, Professor at Purdue Univ.  Dr. Chase Straw is highlighted here.  Chase will have the following presentations: “Be Precise – Reducing Water in Fairways with Precision Irrigation”; “Spray Application Technology in Turf and Landscapes”; “Field Variability and Its Impacts on Athletic Field Surface Interactions”; “Dealing with Natural and Synthetic Turf – Panel Discussion.”

View the program and mail the completed the paper registration form with payment OR you can register online at: https://2023turfandlandscapeconference.eventbrite.com
You receive a discounted rate if you register before November 22.   Sponsorship Opportunities are also available.

Conference Speaker Highlights: Matt Cavanaugh

Posted on by Jack Fry

We are fortunate to have three great out-of-state speakers join us at the Kansas Turf and Landscape Conference this year.  These individuals include Matt Cavanaugh, golf course superintendent in MN; Dr. Chase Straw, Assistant Professor at Texas A&M Univ.; and Dr. Aaron Patton, Professor at Purdue Univ.  Matt Cavanaugh highlighted here – more information on others coming soon.  Matt will have the following presentations:  “Work is Hard – Why Not Have Some Fun!”; “No Mow Fine Fescue Areas – What Works and What Doesn’t;” “You’re Doing What?”

View the program and mail the completed the paper registration form with payment OR you can register online at: https://2023turfandlandscapeconference.eventbrite.com
You receive a discounted rate if you register before November 22.   Sponsorship Opportunities are also available.

 

Conference Speaker Highlights: Dr. Aaron Patton

Posted on by Jack Fry

We are fortunate to have three great out-of-state speakers join us at the Kansas Turf and Landscape Conference this year.  These individuals include Matt Cavanaugh, golf course superintendent in MN; Dr. Chase Straw, Assistant Professor at Texas A&M Univ.; and Dr. Aaron Patton, Professor at Purdue Univ.  Dr. Aaron Patton is highlighted here.  Aaron will have the following presentations:  “The Impact of Spray Tank Water on Pesticide Performance”; “Identifying and Controlling Tough Broadleaf Weeds”; “Growing Turf in Low-Light, Shaded Environments”; “How to Handle Excessive Shade on the Golf Course” (Panel Discussion).

View the program and mail the completed the paper registration form with payment OR you can register online at: https://2023turfandlandscapeconference.eventbrite.com
You receive a discounted rate if you register before November 22.   Sponsorship Opportunities are also available.

Nitrogen Rate and Fungicide Had Big Impact on Brown Patch in Tall Fescue this Summer

Posted on by Jack Fry

If you were at field day on August 3rd, you likely saw the experimental area that was highlighted by Dr. Megan Kennelly.  A turf-type tall fescue blend has been treated the past two years as either: High N level; or Low N level.  High level involved 4.5 lbs of N/1,000 ft2/yr  (Months applied listed in lbs N/1,000 ft2 – 1 in April; 1 in May; 1.5 in Sept.; 1 in Nov) and low N level was 1.5 lbs of N/1,000 ft2/yr (single application in September).  In addition, half of the plots receiving these treatments either received two fungicide applications from azoxystrobin (Heritage) each growing season or none.  You’ll see a photo below of how N impacted brown patch on tall fescue.  More details will come out in the 2024 K-State Turf Research Report.  Bottom line summaries:

  • High N levels provided high quality turf, but fungicide application was required to maintain it when brown patch infection began.  Turf receiving high N without fungicide declined quickly in quality starting in July.
  • Brown patch levels were comparable in July in turf receiving high N from standard urea, humic coated urea, or combinations of 50% slow release + 50% quick release N.
  • Low level N generally provided turf quality that was at or just below an acceptable level (but not high quality) and had little brown patch even when fungicides were not applied.

    Impact of N level on brown patch in tall fescue with no fungicide application.

Two-minute Turf Extension Video: Upcoming Field Day Highlights

Posted on by Jack Fry

A brief overview of a few stops that will be seen at the Olathe Horticulture Research Center can be found on the this video.  We look forward to seeing you at the Olathe Center on August 3rd!

 

CLICK HERE to see the video that provides an overview of the Field Day!

Register for Field Day using the QR code below or visiting https://2023turfday.eventbrite.com

Robotic Mowers

Posted on by Jack Fry

 

Robotic mower use is becoming more popular.  I was fortunate to recently visit with Steve Wilson, certified golf course superintendent at Milburn Country Club, about use of robotic mowers at his course.  Steve uses 11-inch wide robotic mowers that cover areas near greens and tees on the golf course.  He uses several of them to cover about 15 acres.  They are controlled by a reference station which connects with a satellite.  Areas to be mowed are defined by the manager and the mowers can operate over up to 24 hours.  When the lithium battery gets low, the mowers return and automatically connect to a charger – no person needed to connect!

We have a lot more to learn about robotic mowers and how they’ve performed for those in the industry.  We’ll have an industry discussion session at the 2023 Kansas Turf and Landscape Conference (Nov. 29 and 30th in Manhattan, KS) involving Steve and others who use or market robotic mowers.

Click here to view robotic mower in use.

Webworms Causing Damage to Turf this Spring

Posted on by Jack Fry

Although referred to as the “buffalograss webworm” this insect has the ability to cause damage to cool-season and warm-season turf.  Dr. Raymond Cloyd has had been reached out to help from many in the industry regarding damage to lawns this spring.  Learn more about this insect issue by clicking on the link below and then clicking on Newsletter>2023:

DR. CLOYD’S RECENT K-STATE INSECT NEWSLETTER ARTICLE

Winter Injury Noticeable on Warm-Season Grasses

Posted on by Jack Fry

Winter injury has shown up in Kansas and many other states on some warm-season grasses, including bermudagrass and zoysiagrass.  Low temperatures came in mid-December at levels that were not common for warm-season grasses to deal with when they have not reached maximum cold acclimation.  For example, daily low temperatures did not exceed 10 F between Dec. 22nd and 27th in Olathe, KS. In addition, little or no snow cover was out to help protect turf and wind speed was high (approached 30 mph during this period in Olathe) which could have caused desiccation damage as well.  Temperatures during this period reached a low of -7 F.  Winter injury has also been reported in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas on both bermuda and zoysia.  Injury tends to be most common in areas that have high levels of traffic, shade, or excessive thatch.  There are also many different “micro-climates” across areas that can result in different levels of injury – from excessive to none.

‘Latitude 36’ bermuda experienced winter injury at the Olathe, KS Horticulture Center.
Injury on a Z. matrella variety in KS.  Varieties of this species tend to me more cold sensitive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter injury on zoysia cultivars in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program in Olathe. Those damaged are Z. matrella cultivars, used primarily in the southern U.S.
‘Meyer’ winter injury on golf course fairway with north-facing slope.

Beauty and Order – A New Textbook for those in the Landscape Industry (and others)

Posted on by Jack Fry

 

 

 

 

Author

Randy James is author of the textbook Beauty & Order: 51 Lessons from my life’s work in Landscape Management and success in small business. Randy is a K-State graduate (Horticulture undergraduate; Plant Pathology Master’s degree) who has owned landscape management businesses for many years.  Many of you may have heard Randy speak at the Kansas Turf and Landscape Conference or others.  Randy provides guidance to those interested in owning and managing companies in this industry and others.  It was not written for his benefit, but to assist those in the industry.  Highly recommended!

About the Book

Starting a service business is a work of art. Whether the intention is for it to remain a practice or to be scaled, the creation takes the whole person- left brain, right brain and soul.

What is going on in the mind of a person when the desire to go-it-alone takes hold?

Where do you start? When do you start? How do you start?

What obstacles and struggles can one expect?

In a conversational style, the author shares his small business journey in landscape contracting in a simple and vulnerable way. The hope being it might spark the next entrepreneur to dream of a way to meet both their personal needs and the market place.

Or it may inspire an existing small business owner to take their business to another level.

Either way, the world will be better for what they create.

Several sites on which you can access:

Blurb

Barnes and Noble

Amazon