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K-State Turf and Landscape Blog

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.

Visit with Industry Representatives at the Kansas Turf and Landscape Conference Trade Show

Posted on by Teresa Roberts

Register for the Kansas Turf and Landscape Conference and chat with various turf and landscape industry exhibitors!

The 73rd annual Kansas Turfgrass and Landscape Conference, held November 29 & 30 (Wednesday and Thursday), 2023 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan also hosts a trade show to see all the latest products and supplies from local and national vendors.

Vendors will have a booth with representatives present for the following companies:

Interested in being part of the trade show as an exhibitor or as sponsor for the event? Register online or contact Christy Dipman for more information at cdipman@ksu.edu or 785-532-6173.

 

Fall is for Planting

Posted on by Teresa Roberts

By Jason Griffin, Professor and Extension Specialist, John C. Pair Horticultural Center Director

We’ve all heard it and probably repeated it. But why is this slogan so common-place, and is it accurate…Is Fall really a good time to plant?

First, there is the emotional side. As summer fades away and yields to cooler temperatures, more frequent rain events, and beautiful fall colors; it just feels like the right time to plant a new tree or shrub.

Second, there is the economic side. Many nurseries offer fall specials on their inventory. The simple truth is that any plant that does not sell, has to be moved and stored for overwinter survival. This involves labor, consumes valuable space, and uses mulch or plastic to protect the plants from freezing winter temperatures. Nurseries would prefer to sell plants rather than store them.

Last, there is the plant side. Is fall a good time to plant a new tree or shrub? Yes, and here is why. The primary job of a newly planted tree or shrub is to grow roots for survival. New roots are necessary for balled and burlapped plants to replace the ones lost during the harvest process at the nursery. If it’s a container plant, new roots are necessary to explore the soil and find nutrients and moisture necessary for long term survival. For the first year of a new plant’s life, it’s all about the roots!

So why plant in Fall? Woody plants have two primary seasons for growing roots, and it’s NOT winter or summer. Frozen soil and slow metabolism prevent much root growth in during winter in cold regions of the country. Frequent droughty conditions combined with searing summer temperatures limits root growth during a hot summer. In Kansas we have both. Most root growth on woody plants occurs during spring and fall in the temperate region.

Trees planted in spring have only a few weeks of peak root growth before Mother Nature unleashes the environmental stresses that come with summer weather. However, trees planted in fall have the long fall and early winter season to grow roots before they go dormant. As the soil warms in spring, they get another season of root growth prior to the stress of summer in Kansas. Fall planted trees, therefore, have the advantage of two full seasons of root growth before summer drought and heat strike. It’s not too late. As long as the soil isn’t frozen at your planting site, you can still get plants in the ground. So is spring a bad time to plant? No, spring is a great time to plant. Those trees just need a little more TLC during that first summer than fall planted trees.

Happy planting!

Cool Fall Weather = Large Patch Season

Posted on by Teresa Roberts

By Megan Kennelly, Professor, Turfgrass Disease Management & Development

Here in Kansas we see our most severe large patch symptoms in spring, but we can see it in fall, especially if conditions are cool and wet. Here, also, we’ve had pretty good success at suppressing spring symptoms with applications the prior fall.

We at KSU and others have been busy trying to tackle this disease in recent years, especially with the increasing interest in zoysia. For a review of research across the transition zone you can check out this article in Golfdom:

Don’t get overmatched: Dispatch that large patch

Understanding Herbicide Interactions

Posted on by Teresa Roberts

By Dani McFadden, Graduate Research Assistant, Horticulture and Natural Resources

It is that time of year when winter annuals and cool-season broadleaf weeds start emerging. Understanding how your herbicide is interacting in the soil and within the plant is important for effective weed control. Let’s take a shallow dive into the world of herbicide interactions so you’ll better understand the process a plant undergoes after an application.

Mode of action explains the entire sequence of events that happens from herbicide application to plant death, this includes the uptake, translocation and metabolism. This term is often confused with mechanism of action or site of action, which is the specific location at the cellular level where the disruption occurs. Contact herbicides (ex. diquat) injure the plant wherever they touch the plant, and often work quickly. We find that contact herbicides are more effective on small annual weeds compared to perennial weeds. Systemic herbicides (ex. glyphosate, 2,4-D) must be absorbed by the plant and then move throughout. In contrast to contact herbicides, systemic herbicides are very effective on perennial weeds. Since systemic herbicides are able to translocate to different parts of the plant, they are able to kill perennial weeds at the roots, tubers, and/or rhizomes.

So, how are commonly used herbicides effective against weeds? First, the herbicide needs to effectively contact the plant (more critical for contact herbicides compared to systemic herbicides) and then be absorbed by the plant. The compounds will then move to the site of action, and if there is enough toxicity within the site of action the plant will ultimately die.

 

Understanding the life cycle and biology of weeds will increase performance of the herbicide. However, there are several factors that can affect the uptake, translocation, and metabolism of the herbicide once it reaches the plant. Plant barriers such as waxy cuticles on the leaf surface or the casparian strip (a band-like wall that blocks the movement of water and solutes in vascular plants) can reduce herbicide uptake. Furthermore, climatic conditions and properties of the herbicide can influence efficacy. Here are some properties of herbicides that will help you understand how it will perform in certain environments at or following application:

  • Water solubility (Kow) is important because it affects behavior in the soil, formulation of an active ingredient, and separation of the herbicide into the plant. If herbicides have a high Kow they will be less soluble in water.
  • Soil adsorption (Koc) focuses on the retention of herbicide compounds and what influences persistence and availability of the herbicide. Many factors affect how herbicides are adsorbed, such as: moisture, clay content and organic matter, and soil pH. The Koc affects the herbicides tendency to bind to soil particles.
  • Volatility and particle drift is the physical drift that occurs during or immediately after application, with smaller droplets being more likely to drift than larger droplets. Furthermore, it is important to note that if the vapor pressure of the herbicide is high, then potential for non-target plant injury increases. Factors increasing volatility after herbicide application include: higher temperatures and increased soil water content. In addition, broadleaf herbicides containing high ester content are more volatile. To reduce volatilization applications can be incorporated into the soil or applied when weather conditions are favorable.

For plant absorption and translocation, herbicides must cross several barriers. It is important to read the herbicide label before use. If a surfactant is recommended, then one should be utilized. A surfactant can aid in decreasing surface tension and increasing absorption.

Topramezone app on goosegrass

Having knowledge on: 1) the biology and life cycle of the weed you are controlling; 2) properties of the herbicide you are applying; and 3) environmental conditions and soil factors at your site will aid in effective weed control.

It is imperative to always READ THE LABEL before applying herbicides for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and important instructions for 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.***

2023 Turf & Landscape Conference Discounted Registration Rate Prior to November 22

Posted on by Teresa Roberts

The 73rd Annual Kansas Turf & Landscape Conference will be held on November 29 & 30 (Wednesday and Thursday) at the Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan.  The conference is an excellent way to learn about turf and landscape management, visit with old friends, network with new ones, and see all the latest products and supplies from local and national vendors.

The conference has been approved for commercial pesticide recertification hours:
1 Core hour
3A – 7 hours
3B – 7hours

GCSAA education points and International Society of Arboriculture CEUS will also be available by attending the conference.

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.

Contact Christy Dipman at cdipman@ksu.edu or 785-532-6173 for more information.

Hotel Reservations Updated

The Hilton Garden Inn has sold out of rooms. You can get a discounted rate at the following hotels within walking distance to the conference:

  • Fairfield Inn ($108) Group Code: Kansas Turfgrass Foundation (KTF)
    785-539-2400
  • Holiday Inn Express ($99) Group Code: KTF
    785-539-1857

Commercial Pesticide Applicator Recertification Trainings Offered This Fall

Posted on by Teresa Roberts

The K-State Research and Extension Pesticide Safety and IPM Program will be hosting multiple commercial pesticide applicator recertification training opportunities this fall.

Date        Training and Category                                                 Location 

Oct 16      Ag Wildlife (1C)                                                         Hays
Oct 30      Right-of-Way, Industrial Weed, Noxious Weed (6, 7C, 9A) Wichita
Nov 1       Ag Plant (1A)                                                            Salina
Nov 6-7    Forestry, Ornamental, Turf, Interiorscape (2, 3A, 3B, 3C)  Virtual
Nov 28     Aquatics (5)                                                             Emporia

Registration may be mailed or completed online.

Call Frannie Miller with the Pesticide & IPM Program at (620) 241-1523 or email fmiller@ksu.edu for additional information regarding the above trainings.

Commercial applicators may obtain recertification training credits any time during their active three year certification period. Commercial applicators have until December 31 of the year of expiration to earn credits. It is the commercial applicator’s responsibility to obtain the required credits.

The renewal period will open in October of the year of expiration. Make sure your renewal application and recertification fees are received by KDA by the December 31 expiration date of their certification to maintain continuous certification. For those who attended complete training during their certification period, the application form and fees will be accepted for 30 days following the certification expiration date. If certification fees are not paid to KDA by January 30, the applicator will be required to take the examinations to restart the certification process.

Credits may be viewed through the commercial applicator’s KDA Portal account.

More opportunities to earn commercial pesticide applicator credits can be found on the KDA website at: https://portal.kda.ks.gov/PAF/PafTraining/TrainingEventList. If you have questions, please contact the KDA Pesticide & Fertilizer Program by e-mail at kda.pestfert@ks.gov or call 785-564-6688.

Online Marketing Course for Horticulture Businesses

Posted on by Cheryl Boyer

Next week, the 7th annual Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement (CREE) Insight Summit Course launches. There is still time to register! The course covers all aspects of digital marketing through the lens of agriculture with many specific horticulture examples. It is primarily a self-paced online course (with videos, interactive learning tools, and lots of unbiased, research-based information) with Zoom sessions and office hours (with me!).

Topics covered include trends in social media, CREE Research, building your business’s narrative, establishing a new-media baseline, analytics, e-newsletters, Instagram, e-commerce, improving visual content, cybersecurity, and more!

Each participant will receive access to the online course, access to the national team of experts, an exclusive Insight Summit Facebook group community, a set of printed resources mailed to you, an online strategy for your organization or business, and lots of ideas and plans for content development and delivery.

The investment price of Insight Summit is $199. You will receive hands-on experience in an intimate setting from the comfort of your own workspace. All you need is access to a webcam and high-speed internet to participate.

Take back the trajectory of your business with the tools and strategies provided through the 2023 CREE Insight Summit. I can’t wait to see you there!

 

Looking for Interns?

Posted on by Cheryl Boyer

By Cheryl Boyer, Professor and Extension Specialist, Nursery Crop Production and Marketing

Believe it or not, students at K-State are already looking for 2024 internships. You can attract interns for next summer right away at the All-University Career Fair, Opportunities in Agriculture on September 19 in Bramlage Coliseum on campus in Manhattan.

Get connected with our students! Everything you need to know about how to engage with K-State students is available here: Welcome Employers!.

The university uses a tool called Handshake to help connect students with employers. Invest some time in getting set up on the platform so you can identify top-notch students for your internship and employment opportunities.

As always, we treasure having our industry members–YOU–meet with students. Whether you’d like to visit campus and engage with a class or student club, or you’d like to invite a class to your business to see how you approach turf and landscape work, just reach out to us and let us know. We’ll get you connected.

The more often students see you and your business represented in their engagement opportunities through Kansas State University, the more likely they will consider working for you in an internship or full-time employment after graduation. If you decide to join the All-University Career Fair on September 19, please let us know so we can help spread the word. See you soon!