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Black Medic and White Clover

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:17:00 -0400

Once again Black medic (Medicago lupulina) and white clover (Trifolium repens) are infesting turf. Both weeds are commonly found growing on low fertility, low maintenance sites. The characteristic that makes these species competitive in low fertility sites is the fact that all three host rhizobacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen into plant available nitrogen. Of course with the extended start to the growing season the typical fertilizer programs may result in some leaner than normal turf as application intervals may be stretched to the limit thereby making these weeds even more competitive with hungry turf. The most effective herbicides for controlling black medic and white clover contain the active ingredient clopyralid, fluroxypyr, or quinclorac. In unirrigated turf ensure there is adequate soil moisture before trying to control the weeds. In irrigated turf and if it's a serious weed infestation, you may want to control the weeds now to prevent a complete takeover and then make another application in the fall to clean up any misses or weeds that didn't quite get eliminated. Always remember to read and follow label directions when applying herbicides. Please see www.msuturfweeds.net for all your turfgrass weed identification and management recommendations.

Microdochium Patch

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:13:27 -0400

The weather of the last week with temperatures in the 60's and plenty of precipitation have resulted in ideal conditions for the development of Microdochium patch. I would suggest you consider making a fungicide application to prevent the disease from occurring on your turf. This time of year when the disease occurs, new infections appear as small, copper-colored spots, usually 1 to 3 inches in diameter. You may also see it developing on the outer edges of old Microdochium patches still evident from the winter Infection. This disease is sometimes mistakenly referred to as copper spot, which is a disease of velvet bentgrass that occurs when the temperatures are in the 80's. Microdochium patch can also be spread by mowers which results in streaking much like what occurs with Pythium blight. The Qo I fungicides, iprodione, and vinclozolin are excellent fungicides for the control of this disease. Chlorothalonil and mancozeb are also excellent choices if applied before the disease is evident.

Thanks to all of the golf courses that participated in the teetimes4turf auction to support our research at MSU. The auction which ends Sunday night can be found here.

Dr. J.M. Vargas, Jr.

Winter annuals and perennial broadleaf weeds flowering in turf

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:51:41 -0400

Despite the seasonable temperatures we've recently felt in April, the summer in March continues to accelerate the phenological calendar for weeds flowering in turf. Whereas May is usually the time to focus on dandelions, this year it's April. In most areas the first flush of dandelion color has come and gone and now the puff ball stage is in full effect. If you're looking to control dandelions in the spring now is the time to take your shot.

There are numerous other weeds flowering in the turf right now including common chickweed, henbit, shepherd's purse, yellow rocket, corn speedwell, wild violet, and ground ivy. Not all of these weeds require you to take action to try and eliminate them. All but wild violet and ground ivy are winter annuals. If you don't understand the life cycle of a winter annual you might be tempted to try and kill them with a herbicide. The life cycle of a winter annual is that they germinate in the fall, overwinter, and then flower and produce seed in the spring. After flowering in the spring winter annuals are usually only 2-3 weeks from dying. So the classic saying, if you apply herbicide now they will be dead and gone in 2-3 weeks and if you do nothing they will be dead and gone in three weeks. On the other hand, now is the second best time, behind fall, to control perennial broadleaf weeds that are flowering such as ground ivy and wild violet. If you have any questions about weed identification or recommendations to control weeds in turf areas make sure to visit www.msuturfweeds.net.

April Showers Rejuvenate Turf

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:48:38 -0400

The rain received in the last 24 hours has provided such much needed relief to turf areas that were starting to show signs of stress from the relatively dry spring we've been experiencing. With a couple rumbles of thunder it brought to mind the often-speculated impact of lightning fixing nitrogen and depositing it to the turf through rainfall. One study in Alabama found that approximately 0.5 lb. N/1000 ft.² was deposited annually in rainfall. This amount for an entire year would hardly indicate that one storm would deposit enough N to green-up the turf however the lawn sure did look nice this morning following the rainfall.

Freeze Injury on Turf

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:07:00 -0400

The recent cold temperatures have resulted in freeze injury on turfgrass. In mid-Michigan we had two nights recently when the nighttime low temperatures were in the 20's. Late last week I noticed that my front lawn started looking a little yellow/whitish and unlike the last time I observed these symptoms and thought that it was the result of a dull mower blade, this time I knew better. If you suspect your lawn is too suffering from freeze injury look closely at the leaf blades. The visual symptoms to look for are on the leaf blade. If you look closely you'll notice the old leaf blades were burned/discolored from the leaf tip down about an inch. You'll also notice the new emerging leaf tissue looks healthy which means as soon as you mow you'll remove the damaged tissue and your turf will look fine.

Greening of the Great Lakes Interview

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:13:26 -0400

Dr. Kevin Frank was recently interviewed by Kirk Heinze as part of the Greening of the Great Lakes radio segments. Dr. Frank discusses his recent trip to China and the effect of the early spring on turfgrass management practices.

Here's the link to the Greening of the Great Lakes conversation with Kirk Heinze; it's now online at MLive.com at:

http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/04/from_chinese_golf_courses_to_y.html

You'll have several opportunities to hear this chat on the radio this weekend, too. On Friday evening April 6 at about 7:20 p.m. you can hear it on MSU student radio 88.9 FM The Impact. Then on Saturday morning April 7 you can hear it 11:30 a.m. on AM 1240 WJIM. Then on Sunday April 8 you can hear it at about 4:25 p.m. on AM 870 WKAR. And then finally you can catch it at 7:30 p.m. Sunday on AM 760 WJR.

Problem Weeds (Video from Lawncare University)

Fri, 20 May 2011 12:33:00 -0400

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Spring Cleanup (Video from Lawncare University)

Fri, 20 May 2011 10:13:00 -0400

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Record Rains and Cool Temps

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:52:00 -0400

It's easy to understand why folks talk about the weather so much. Because it's always different and it affects everyone. The heavy, consistent rain of April and cool temperatures have really hampered our ability to get out and enjoy some good old-fashion lawn work. Most people are commenting about the use of canoes and kayaks to navigate their backyards and how they haven't quite packed away that winter coat. You may notice that your lawn is not yet fully green. That's mostly due to the cloudy, cool temperatures. You should expect things to jump out of the ground after only a few days of warmer weather. Crabgrass, dandelion, and grubs are all ready to go....just waiting for the water to recede.

Important Changes to Season-long Grub Products

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:02:00 -0400

Grub damaged turf is showing up all over. If it seems like those dead spots are getting bigger, you're right. Grub activity in the spring can cause major damage. Those little spots from last fall are not so little anymore. Although proper irrigation, fertilization and mowing height can limit the effect of grub feeding in a healthy lawn, this does little to comfort us when the grubs have taken over and the grass starts dying.

Stopping damage in the spring: There are many products available for sale at garden centers and other retail outlets. Only carbaryl (Sevin) or trichlorfon (Dylox) will work well when applied in the spring (from March to mid-May). These products stop feeding activity so you can start to re-establish the damaged areas. These products will not prevent future feeding (like this fall or next spring).

Preventing future damage: As previously mentioned, a vigorous lawn with deep roots will tolerate a lot of feeding before damage appears. However, once the grubs have made their presence known, the memory of the damage can be a powerful motivator. Season-long products must be applied before the damage appears. The next generation of grubs will get started in July and August, therefore the application of most season-long products should occur in early-to-mid July. Products containing imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, or halofenazide should be applied in mid-July.

New Ingredient in GrubEx needs to be applied in May: There is a new active ingredient called chlorantraniliprole that is also very effective in preventing grub problems, but it is less water soluble than the preventive compounds mentioned above. Since it takes quite a bit longer to move down to where the grubs will be, it is best to apply a product containing chorantraniliprole in late April or early May for it to be most effective when the grubs hatch in July and Aug.

Terry Davis, MSU Entomologist, has put together an excellent article summarizing the products you are likely to encounter at the retail stores. Check out his Homelawn Grub Control Products - 2011 here.

Gypsum: Use it or lose it?

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 09:50:00 -0500

Gypsum, or calcium sulfate, has become a hot topic in the fertilizer industry and while this soil additive is widely advertised, it is not well understood. The following is a quick reference list about gypsum.

Gypsum is NOT lime.

In order to adjust soil pH, liming products must contain carbonate (CO3-) which reacts with hydrogen ions to neutralize soil acidity.
Gypsum is calcium sulfate (CaSO4). While the calcium will displace hydrogen ions, these ions will remain in solution and will not adjust soil pH.

Gypsum can be used as a source of calcium and sulfur, however, remember:

Gypsum is more soluble than lime and can add calcium more rapidly to the soil. This may result in decreasing potassium or magnesium levels in the soil. Monitor this by soil testing.
Michigan soils generally are calcareous-based soils meaning they are derived from materials high in calcium resulting in soils naturally higher in calcium.
Gypsum can be used as a sulfur source, however, it tends to be less soluble than other sources such as ammonium sulfate.

Gypsum can improve water and root infiltration in sodic soils.

Sodic soils are very uncommon in Michigan.
Sodic soils are high in sodium, low in calcium and have problems with water and root penetration due to the effects sodium has on structure.
The calcium in gypsum, along with drainage and tillage, has been shown to reduce sodium levels in sodic soils.
Reduced sodium levels will improve soil structure resulting in greater water and root penetration in sodic soils.

Gypsum has been shown to be effective at treating aluminum toxicity on soils with a pH lower than 4.5.

At pH lower than 4.5, aluminum in soil overpowers the ability of hydrogen ions to increase pH.

Sulfate may act as a counter ion on soil particles increasing aluminum absorption from the soil solution. Aluminum sulfate is less toxic to plants than the aluminum ion individually.

GDDTracker is online.

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:00:00 -0500

The GDDTracker Team is proud to launch the latest version of our turf pest tracking web site. We have been very hard at work to bring you an even better product in 2011. You can now drop a star on the map to mark your location and with the new Google Maps interface, you can zoom in for a closer look. Another major change for 2011 is the addition of Ohio to the GDDTracker network; joining Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. The Ohio Turfrass Foundation and John Deere Landscapes join a growing list of supporters to fund this latest expansion. Welcome to all the Buckeyes. Additional new features will be coming on-line in the near future.

Predicting pest and weed outbreaks with calendar-based timing is unreliable. Heat accumulation units (growing degree days) is a better method to track biological activity of important outbreaks. Visit GDDTracker today to sign up for free email alerts for your location.

The Big Melt

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:50:00 -0500

There was significant snow melt last weekend and it will continue throughout the week with high temperatures expected in the low 40's to near 50. Currently the night time lows are forecast to be near or above freezing almost every night (except tonight) which should help the water keep moving and minimize ice formation. As the snow melts do whatever you can to facilitate water movement off greens to prevent overnight freezing and ice formation. Shoveling snow from poorly draining areas or shoveling channels or paths to help water quickly escape from greens could reduce the risk of winterkill injury.

Winterkill Research Update

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:17:00 -0500

It may be the middle of winter, but research actitivies continue at the Turfgrass Research Center. Winterkill is a term used to describe many different maladies that result in dead turf in the spring. In a new line of research, the MSU Turf Team is trying to gain a better understanding of the winter conditions that lead to various types of injury on annual bluegrass putting greens. Watch a short video here.

Turfgrass Phosphorus Use Legislation Passes

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 12:03:00 -0500

In December 2020, Michigan lawmakers passed legislation (HB-5368) that wil impact phosphorus use on turfgrass. The new regulations and limitations will go into effect on January 1, 2012.

Full text of the bill can be viewed here. The MSU Turf Team is already working on education and training opportunities to comply with the new regulations.

Dealing with leaves

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 08:14:00 -0400

It's that time again when the pretty fall foliage will soon begin to tumble to the ground and cover up the turf. Instead of breaking your back raking, consider mowing the leaves back into the turf. So, if you're thinking about giving mowing a try here's what you need to know to be successful.

First of all make sure your mower has a sharp blade, after a long season of mowing, the blades may be dull at this time of year and trying to chop up leaves will be more challenging with a dull blade.
Second, raise the mower as high as it will go and mow at your normal speed, don't "rev" the throttle to the high jackrabbit setting and blaze around the yard. Try to mow the leaves when they are moist from the morning dew, but don't mow them when they're really wet. This will prevent the leaves from blowing all over the place and will help with your allergies.
Finally, don't let the leaves pile up too high before you mow. Too high would probably be greater than 3 to 4 inches of leaf depth on the turf. Good luck and give it a try; you may find that mulching leaves helps the turf by returning nutrients and organic matter, besides that it saves my aching back.

Turf School Returns

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:22:00 -0400

The MSU Turf Team is pleased to announce the return of Turf School December 14-17 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing, MI. Turf School is taught by the entire MSU Turf Team and will take you on a rapid fire cruise of our world-class turgrass curriculum. This is a great opportunity to gain exposure to the world of turfgrass management. more>>

Poison Ivy Control

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:20:00 -0400

The cool evenings of the past week have been welcome releif to turfgrass managers and those without air conditioning. Sleeping with the windows open and waking up in the morning to heavy dew are sure signs that summer's stranglehold will soon be loosened. The record heat of 2010 started back in March. This has been great for things like crabgrass, goosegrass, and other summer annual weeds. If you live near a woodlot or naturalized area you may have noticed that 2010 has also been a remarkable year for poison ivy growth. Poison ivy is one of the most common causes of blistering dermatitis in the midwest and northeast regions of the country. If you are going to try and control poison ivy with herbicide applications then now is the time to start. Cool nights are a trigger for the vines to start storing energy for next year's campaign. Soon the leaves will turn crimson red and fall to the ground. Therefore, the first herbicide application must be made before the end of August in order to get good translocation into the vine and root system. Herbicides containing 2,4-D and triclopyr are the most effective on poison ivy. Extra caution should be used to avoid applying these product to adjacent broadleaf vegetation. Two applications, 3 weeks apart should provide a substantial reduction in returning plants next spring. Spot treating in late April, early May may be necessary to remove persistant plants. The irritating oil of poison ivy is present in all plant parts and will persist in dead vegetation for over a year. Take precautions when handling any plant parts or clothing that has come into contact with the vines.

Aerate to Provide Relief

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:01:00 -0400

Putting greens have definitely been under stress this summer and with sporadic, heavy rainfall events many rootzones have been saturated. Although it may be scary to do anything to greens besides mowing and applying fungicide, solid tine aerating the greens with small pencil tines can provide some much needed oxygen to an already depleted root system. Follow pencil tine aeration with mowing and rolling and the evidence of surface disruption will be gone within days.