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K-State Turf and Landscape Blog

Category: Educational resources

New Turfgrass Publications

Posted on by jahoyle

(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

The KSU Turfgrass Team has been busy updating turfgrass extension publications.  Some of the most recent publications include benefits of a healthy turf, lawn fertilization guide and turfgrass mowing.

Enjoy the updated publications!

Benefits of Heathy Turfgrass

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

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

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

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

 

For more turfgrass publications visit the KSRE Bookstore.

https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Category.aspx?id=528&catId=545&Page=1

Don’t miss the 2017 KSU Turfgrass Field Day – August 3rd

Posted on by jahoyle

The next Turfgrass Field Day will be held on Thursday, August 3, 2017 at the John C. Pair Horticultural Research Center, Wichita.
The KTF Turf Field Days are a great way to see and learn about the turfgrass research at K-State first hand. The events are held annually in the summer at the turfgrass research locations of Kansas State University.

The Field Day qualifies for recertification credit hr for commercial pesticide applicators.

You can now Register and Pay Online at  https://2017turffieldday.eventbrite.com
or you can register by downloading, printing, and mailing go to the 2017 Field Day brochure.

Exhibitors can get more information from the Exhibitor Registration Form.

Schedule of the 2017 Field Day 
8:00 a.m. Registration (coffee, tea, donuts)
Visit Exhibitors
8:45         Welcome
9:00        Tour Highlights:
*Turfgrass Weed Control Update
*Turf & Ornamental Diseases
*Bermudagrass & Zoysiagrass Cultivar Selection
*Using Kansas Mesonet to Imrpove Accuracy in Landscape Irrigation
*Right Plant, FROM the Right Place
* Prairie Star Flowers
*Tall Fescue NTEP
*Turf & Ornamental Insect Control
11:30       Lunch

After Lunch

  • Equipment Demonstrations

If you have any questions, please contact,
    Christy Dipman 
    1712 Claflin, 2021 Throckmorton Hall
Manhattan, Kansas 66506
Phone: (785) 532-6173
Fax: (785) 532-6949
Email: Christy

 

 

How to plant trees the right way!

Posted on by kennelly

Here in the K-State Diagnostic lab we deal with trees that are planted WRONG all the time! When trees are planted wrong, they start out extra stressed from day one. Trees are stressed enough just trying to live in our crazy Kansas weather, so, how do you plant them RIGHT?

Check out this easy-to-use guide from Dr. Cathie Lavis:

https://www.bookstore.ksre.k-state.edu/pubs/MF3313.pdf

There is a one-page guide to ball-in-burlap and a one page guide to container-grown trees.

Here’s one thing we don’t want, a big ol’ girdling root! And below that I put some photos I took of a display about planting trees wrong – you can click to zoom in a bit and check it out.

Gloves – an important piece of PPE

Posted on by kennelly

I came across a nicely-written article from U of Kentucky about gloves and pesticide safety. It’s pretty short, and worth 2 minutes of your time as a quick review.

For example, did you know this? “Research has shown that workers mixing pesticides received 85% of the total exposure on their hands and 13% on their forearms. The same study showed that wearing protective gloves reduced exposure by 99%.”

Read the full article by clicking HERE

 

Turfgrass Care for Homeowners (K-State Radio Network) – April Broadcast

Posted on by jahoyle

(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

About a week ago I was invited back again to speak with Eric Atkinson, host of Agriculture Today a daily program distributed to radio stations throughout the state. It features K-State agricultural specialists and other experts examining agricultural issues facing Kansas and the nation.

This week we covered the following;

  • fertilization of cool-season lawns
  • fertilization of warm-season lawns
  • weed control
  • preemergent herbicide control
  • spring mowing heights

Check out the radio program below!

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

2017 Chemical Control for Turfgrass Diseases

Posted on by jahoyle

(by Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
Dr. Kennelly posted a couple days ago about large patch and some other diseases that we have or will be seeing soon.  Well to stay ahead of the game the University of Kentucky and Rutgers University have updated the Chemical Weed Control for Turfgrass Diseases Publication.  This is a great resource.  I would recommend printing it off and keeping it around. Click the link below for your free copy.

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/PPA/PPA1/PPA1.pdf 

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

Turfgrass management by the numbers!

Posted on by jahoyle

(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

One of the most common question I am asked is…

“What do you think about this product?  Would you apply it?”

Well sometimes I have had experience with that product and sometimes I have not.  If not I go look for the research and look at the numbers and then respond to the question with the best information that I have. It is then up to the superintendent to apply that product or not.

You can look at the numbers as well.  You can run your own test trials and see the results with your own eyes.  In the article below titled “I used product X and my greens have never looked so good!” hits on some great points.

  • If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
  • Ask for data to backup claims of that product.
  • Make test plots at your location. (If you have a check remember if you don’t do anything at all to that area it will not look as good as the surrounding turf.  You have to keep everything the same except what you are testing.)
  • Record numbers!
  • Did a product actually work or was it just a better year for growing turfgrass.  (Well in KS it is never easy growing turfgrass.)

Click here for the entire article – https://dcsturf.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/i-used-product-x-and-my-greens-have-never-looked-so-good/ 

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

New Weed Control Publication For Turfgrass Professionals

Posted on by jahoyle

(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

In 2016 Dr. Aaron Patton and Daniel Weisenberger reached out to surrounding universities to collaborate on producing a multi-state Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals Publication.  There are 11 states, including Kansas, that worked together to help produce the 2017 edition.

 

Guide provides weed identification and control information that turfgrass professionals can use to develop effective weed control programs for golf courses, athletic fields, sod farms, lawns, and other turfgrass systems. Recommendations apply to most states, with input from experts in IL, IN, IA, Kansas, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, NY, OH, and WI.

It contains images and information for identifying 105 different weed species.

 

 

Covers herbicide selection in:

  • Nonselective herbicide/fumigants for renovation
  • Nonselective herbicides for border maintenance
  • Preemergence herbicides
  • Postemergence broadleaf herbicides
  • Postemergence grass herbicides
  • Postemergence sedge herbicides
  • PGRs for general turf
  • PGRs for putting greens
  • Herbicides labeled for putting greens (PRE and POST)

The publicationl also covers many other weed control aspects like;

  • Which herbicide works best for each weed.
  • Includes notes and comments on each herbicide.
  • Control of tough weeds.
  • Provides handy comparisons of broadleaf herbicide ingredients.
  • Covers fundamentals of how herbicides work
  • frequently asked questions.

GET YOURS TODAY! 

For an electronic download copy for 12.00 click here – https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=Turf-100-W#.WMFVKGVuD8s

For a hard copy delivered to your door (20.00) click here – https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=TURF-100#.WMFVDWVuD8u

Cut-and-burn those pine wilt infected trees

Posted on by kennelly

(Megan Kennelly)

Got pine wilt?

 

Get that tree outta there! Chop and burn or chip, making sure not to leave stumps. Get this done by April 1!

You know the drill. This disease has been killing our pines for decades. It is caused by a nematode that is spread by a beetle. The nematodes and beetles spend the winter in dead and dying trees. The beetles, loaded up with nematodes, start emerging in late April or early May and spread to new trees.

In the eastern 2/3 of the state, if you have a dead pine, there is a decent chance it has pine wilt. We have detected pine wilt a handful of times in western Kansas too.

Get those pine-wilt infected dead trees out of the landscape to help prevent spread to surrounding trees.

Pines have multiple problems though, and if you have any doubt you can work with your KSRE Extension agent to ship a sample up to KSU. For more information on pine diseases, check out our publication about Pine Diseases in Kansas

KSU Tree Reference

Posted on by kennelly

(Megan Kennelly, KSU Plant Pathology)

If you attended one of our K-State educational events this winter you might have had the chance to do some hands-on work with our Tree and Shrub Problems in Kansas book.

Did you mean to get a copy, but didn’t get around to it yet? If so you can download the pdf for free or order a print copy on our KSU Extension Bookstore.

 

Or, call the Extension Distribution Bookstore at 785-532-5830 to order a copy. Ask for the book by name, or by its publication number (MF3132).