ULTRADWARF BERMUDAGRASS

Transcription

March/April 2011
VOL. 28/NO. 2
ULTRADWARF
BERMUDAGRASS
Putting Green Fertility
Management
HEALTH, ROOTS,
SPEED AND… SLEEP
DROUGHT RESPONSE
OF TURFGRASSES:
Assessment Using a Linear
Gradient Irrigation System
BLOGGING
for Outreach, Public Relations
and Self-Promotion
Official Journal of the Florida Turfgrass Association
table of contents
March/April 2011
VOL. 28/NO. 2
Cover Story
Ultradwarf Bermudagrass
Putting Green
Fertility Management
Focus on Irrigation
Drought Response
of Turfgrasses
12
Health, Roots, Speed
and… Sleep
22
More Features
Technology
Blogging for Outreach, Public Relations and Promotion .................................. 40
Departments
Editor’s Corner ............................................................................................................ 6
President’s Message ...................................................................................................... 8
News from the FTGA .................................................................................................... 9
From the Executive Director ...................................................................................... 10
Welcome New Members ............................................................................................ 11
Membership Application ............................................................................................ 48
Index of Advertisers .................................................................................................. 50
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Darren J. Davis
PUBLISHER Leading Edge Communications
MANAGING EDITOR MJ Plaster
TECHNICAL ADVISOR J. Bryan Unruh, Ph.D.
www.ftga.org
Cover photo courtesy of Darren J. Davis.
4
florida turf digest • march/april 2011
Feature Story
32
The Florida Turfgrass Association (FTGA)
serves its members in the industry through
education, promotion and representation.
The statements and opinions expressed
herein are those of the individual authors and
do not necessarily represent the views
of the association, its staff, or its board of
directors, Florida Turf Digest, or its editors.
Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or
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this bimonthly publication. Copyright ©2011
by the FTGA. Florida Turf Digest, is published
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information. Advertising: For display and
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contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC,
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(615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
Editor’s Corner
“Chose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
— Confucius
ancient Chinese philosopher
was spot on, and I do have a
job I love—so much so that
it’s hard to believe that it has
been almost 25 years since I first strapped on my
boots and became a member of the local golf course
grounds crew. I feel fortunate to have remained in
this terrific industry, and even today the tremendous
feeling of excitement that rushed through my body
that first day on the job is amazingly lucid.
Truthfully, feeling the love and having a passion for
the profession is almost a prerequisite in this industry,
because at times, being a golf course superintendent
can be taxing. However, the trials and tribulations are
easy to forget when you smell the fresh cut grass,
listen to the sound of birds chirping as the sun rises,
see the excitement on a golfer’s face after sinking
a long putt, and especially after a long day when
you watch the shadows grow as the sun sets across
the course.
It is obvious that I thoroughly enjoy being a golf
course superintendent. Consequently, I do not want
to change careers, which unfortunately is becoming
a reality for some of my peers. Golf courses need golfers to stay profitable and keep staff employed, but
over the last decade, golf has been in a recession and
is in need of resurgence. The total number of people
who play has declined or remained flat each year
since 2000. Equally troubling is the reduction of
rounds being played by avid golfers. The departure
of golfers is part of a broader decline in outdoor activities including tennis, swimming and biking. The
problem is also one of time and the change in the
traditional family model. Years ago, men had very
little concern over spending the whole day, maybe
two days a week, playing golf. Today’s father drives
the kids to soccer practice, and if he plays a round
on Saturday morning, he is often home by noon. The
downturn in golf is also economic in nature. Working
more than one job is not uncommon today; wages
are not going up and pensions are going away. The
decline in golf is producing economic challenges at
some facilities and creating the need to analyze all
expenses—including potentially reducing staff.
So what can a golf course superintendent do to
help solve this dilemma? Once referred to as greenkeepers, today’s golf course superintendent must
have a thorough understanding of the complexities
and interrelationships of soils, irrigation, plant pathology, entomology, plant fertility, drainage and keep up
to date with the ever-increasing technical advancements in turfgrass science. Superintendents must be
The
By Darren J. Davis,
Editor-in-Chief
6
able to secure, train, supervise and communicate
effectively with employees. In general, a superintendent’s primary responsibility is to ensure that the golfer
is provided the finest playing conditions possible. In
addition to these traditional responsibilities, today’s
golf course superintendent is also a business manager,
and in today’s marketplace must assist others at their
facility in growing the game and showcasing golf’s
numerous positive attributes.
Despite the fact that nationwide there are more
than 10,000 public golf courses with two million jobs
connected to the industry, and that golf courses are
undeniably a land use that’s compatible with the environment, golf has not been able to completely shake
its elitist image. That longstanding perception of the
game does not square with the facts; golf does have
a good story to tell! The fact is that golf is more than
just a game; it is a major industry that creates tax
revenues, spawns tourism, generates millions of dollars for charity and provides numerous environmental
and social benefits. In Florida alone, there are over
1,100 golf courses with a direct golf economy of 7.5
billion dollars providing a total wage income of 4.68
billion dollars to over 165,000 individuals. These
facts and positive golf statistics can be found at
http://wearegolf.org/.
WE ARE GOLF is a new coalition led by the Golf
Course Superintendents Association of America, the
Club Managers Association of America, the National
Golf Course Owners Association and the PGA of
America. Together the associations are collaborating
to tell the true story of golf—not just the game, but
also the stories of the hardworking folks who make it
the greatest sport in the world and whose livelihoods
depend on it. These accounts affirm that the continued health and growth of the golf industry is vital to
thousands of communities across the country and
instrumental in enhancing the lives of millions of
Americans. If you are a golf course superintendent
or are connected to the industry, I urge you to familiarize yourself with WE ARE GOLF and join the
cause. Furthermore, I hope that you will communicate with your team members and colleagues in the
industry and do whatever you can do to introduce
others to golf and to help grow the game!
The Florida Turfgrass Association provides strong
leadership as an umbrella organization to ALL Florida turfgrass professionals, and WE ARE (in part)
GOLF. Consequently, as you flip through this issue
of the Digest, you’ll notice that a large percentage
of the issue focuses on golf. We hope that you enjoy
this as well as every other non-golf issue! ❂
President’s Message
TRADE SHOWS MUSINGS
eginning in the fall, and specifically with
the 2010 FTGA Conference & Show, there
has been a packed calendar of trade shows
available to many of us. For our company,
we do shows related to turf and trees, from Florida
to Alabama to Texas to South Carolina, which seems
like a lot—and it is. But when I started to think about
it, the potential for doing trade shows for certain
vendors in our industry (e.g. crop protection chemicals and machinery in particular), the number of
potential shows is even greater. For any of us who
participate as an exhibitor, each one of those opportunities requires a separate business decision regarding the actual investment of people, travel, logistics,
meals, lodging, booth materials, literature, marketing, communications, out-of-office time, etc. As an
attendee, you need to do a similar evaluation regarding many of those same costs and what that investment entitles you to or gives you access to. There are
plenty of folks who regularly commit to these shows
as either exhibitors or attendees, but it’s worth
asking the question, “Has anything changed about
trade shows?”
For the last couple of years, the obvious answer to
that question is that the shows are smaller from an
exhibitor standpoint. At the depths of the recession,
certain exhibitors and many attendees found plenty
of reasons to stay away. But with recent economic
news starting to be more encouraging, the just-completed Golf Industry Show in Orlando was a good
chance to get a feel for where the larger-scale shows
are heading. Having attended GIS as an exhibitor, a
buyer and an FTGA member, there were some observations I took home with me (these are my opinions
only, of course):
B
By Mac Carraway,
FTGA President
• While smaller in physical footprint, the “critical
mass” of vendors (i.e. the mix of products, quality
and depth) at GIS and other recent shows has been
excellent. It provided attendees with the opportunity to look at various vendors and to make it across
the show in two days or less without feeling like
you had walked the Appalachian Trail.
• Attendees there seemed very focused and eager to
obtain the latest information from exhibitors. This
is kind of an intangible, but you definitely know it
when you experience it. While “head count” is an
important stat for these shows, the quality of each
of those visits is a WAY more important stat, to me
anyway, and the quality of visits this year was better
than in quite some time. I base that on talking to
other exhibitors as well, not just what happened at
our booth. I attribute that to the fact that the popu-
8
lation of attendees at recent shows has been more
concentrated with those who really needed to find
something to help their businesses. This correlates
to the current economic situation in which those
who are surviving and thriving are finding ways to
differentiate themselves from their competition—
through technology, service, costs or all of the
above. Trade shows offer a truly excellent opportunity for both vendors and attendees to address that
value proposition. And while clearly important to
the overall marketing process, no amount of ad
marketing or social networking can replace talking
face to face with either your prospective vendor
or your prospective customer. Some parts of “old
school” will never get old.
• Almost as important as the show are the opportunities to network that surround the shows. In these
settings, some sponsored and with limited access
and some with open access, the relationship building is often at its highest and best. Normally, folks
are generally more relaxed in the after hours, and
it is wise to make use of this extra face time to make
the most of your trade show experience. Plus, you
never know what kinds of unexpected connections
you might (and probably will) make with just a little
bit of effort and friendliness—it never ceases to
truly amaze me.
With that said, there is one other aspect of trade
shows that needs to be mentioned on a somewhat less
strategic note. For example, see if you can properly
answer this question:
Question:
Answer:
What is the difference between trade
show convention center food and a
bowling ball?
You could eat a bowling ball if you
had to.
While I have to admit the food offerings at some
of these venues are better than they used to be, that
is a very relative statement, and they are still far from
being something that you might actually look forward to. Instead, it comes down to which of the marginally appetizing options you are going to force
yourself to partake of that day. Well at least it’s affordable. No wait … it actually costs a small fortune also,
kind of like the concession stand at the movies but
without any of the fun.
But in the end, trade shows and exhibitions are
very much alive and well. I believe this bodes well
for the 2011 FTGA Conference & Show, and I’ll look
forward to seeing you there. ❂
P.S. The food will be pretty good too.
NEWS FROM
THE
FTGA
mentioned in the last issue
of Florida Turf Digest, the
Membership Services Committee, under the leadership of Mac Briley, with the approval of
the board, has introduced a new membership structure with expanded membership options.
As
The Individual Membership Application
can be found on page 48 of this issue.
To view a list of current member benefits
or to download a copy of the Individual
or the Group (Corporate) Membership
Application, visit https://www.ftga.org/
member-benefits. ❂
Florida Turf Digest is the
official publication of the
Florida Turfgrass Association
120 East Pine Street
Suite 1
Lakeland, FL 33801
(800) 882-6721 or
(863) 688-9413
Fax: (863) 688-9610
[email protected]
www.ftga.org
Published by
Leading Edge Communications
206 Bridge Street
Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 790-3718
Fax: (615) 794-4524
info@leadingedge
communications.com
FTGA Executive Director
Pete Snyder
[email protected]
FTGA Marketing & Events Coordinator
Heather Russo
[email protected]
FTGA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President
Mac Carraway
SMR Farms, LLC
(941) 708-3322
[email protected]
Vice President
Armando Campos, CCA, CTP
Nutrient Technologies, LLC
(407) 610-7563
[email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer
Mac Briley
City of Ocoee
(407) 905-3100
[email protected]
Immediate Past President
Gregory A. Pheneger
John’s Island Club
(772) 231-1700
[email protected]
florida turfgrass association • www.ftga.org
9
From the Executive Director
HOLLY WOOD...
has all the makings of a Hollywood epic.
Agitators stir up a community with misleading statements that are based on halftruths, innuendo and falsehoods. Yet they
claim their cause is just, and it will rid the community of the danger that is plaguing them.
The agitators position themselves as protectors of
the communities—posing as “environmentalists” who
will take on evil industrial interests to protect local
residents from poisonous waters, air and foodstuffs.
Their pitch is highly emotional; yet very simple—
ban it—ban what they say is so evil.
If asked why they feel their pitch is right, they
answer rhetorically—they know what is right, they
are the protectors of communities. Scientific evidence that refutes their claim is discounted; the
science can’t be trusted.
And the fear-mongering continues.
Unfortunately, this potential Hollywood scenario
is all too real. It is being played out in local communities and county commissions across the state of
Florida. And it is coming to a community near you.
Environmental extremists are advocating a fourmonth summertime ban of all fertilizer applications
on turfgrass. They cite the like-minded Tampa
Bay Estuary Program’s “model” (which lacks peerreviewed substantiation) as proof that they are right.
When IFAS suggested that such a policy was not
prudent and, in fact, would have “unintended consequences” for the environment, extremists tried
to sully the science by saying that it was paid for by
the turfgrass industry. Extremists went so far as to
question the veracity of several IFAS scientists.
Editorial pages of newspapers repeated the allegations, yet never asked the turfgrass industry how
much was paid (a small fraction of the overall
research need) nor what was paid for (not one
study was on fertilizer use).
Yet the extremists’ juggernaut continues. To combat the attacks, a loose coalition of green industry
representatives is working to keep science in the forefront of community decisions. As of late February,
the most pressing situations are:
The City of Stuart will likely hold a second reading
and vote on their proposed ordinance soon. The
first reading was on February 14th, and the draft
largely mirrors the State Model Ordinance, which
the turfgrass industry can support.
St. Lucie County has a public hearing coming up,
and they are expected to vote on an ordinance that
It
By Pete Snyder,
FTGA Executive
Director
10 florida turf digest • march/april 2011
night. The county’s environmental protection staff
is recommending a modified version of the State
Model Ordinance, which we can support. However,
there is an alternative version being pushed by an ad
hoc “environmental advisory committee” that has
the usual unscientific restrictions such as summertime blackouts and 50 percent slow release
fertilizer requirements.
Manatee County has postponed a fertilizer ordinance workshop pending the outcome of work being
done by the Florida Legislature on the issue. The
county’s staff has recommended an ordinance that
mirrors the Tampa Bay Estuary Model Ordinance
—with summertime blackouts on use and sales.
Manatee County has an interlocking agreement
with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, and they are
using this model as the starting point. However, the
Manatee County Commission will also look at
other surrounding ordinances, such as those in
Hillsborough County, which has opted to follow
the state model, so there may be some hope in
Manatee County.
Collier County has conducted a series of workshops with different groups of interested parties, and
they are going to release a draft ordinance in the
near future. It is suspected that it will contain blackout periods and 50 percent slow release requirements, as many groups (such as the SW Florida
Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club and the SW Florida
Regional Planning Council) have been pushing for
these restrictions. No timetable has been set yet on
additional actions by Collier County.
Consultant Todd Josko of Josko & Associates did
some crystal ball gazing and suggested that the industry should keep a lookout for activity in Polk, Citrus
and Martin Counties; perhaps in Palm Beach and
Brevard Counties as well. Please remain vigilant
and report any activity to FTGA.
On February 21, IFAS released the newest version
of “Unintended Consequences.” The document
(http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss496) makes a strong case
against summertime bans of fertilizer applications.
It cites over 140 scientific attributions and separate
references from academic and governmental institutions across the United States. It presents a tremendous body of science.
Armed with this information, turfgrass industry
representatives can be conversant in the debate, which
is encouraged. Please contact me at [email protected]
if you are willing to get involved. Thank you. ❂
FTGA Directors
Jan Bel Jan
Jan Bel Jan Green Designs
(561) 371-0397
[email protected]
Welcome New
FTGA Members!
Eric A. Brown, Ph.D.
Massey Services Inc.
(352) 514-9233
[email protected]
Tom Bogan III
Royal Poinciana Golf Club
Jim Granger
Lake Jem Farms Inc.
Jason Bottorf
Isleworth Country Club
Susan Haddock
Hillsborough County
Extension Office
Carlos Caraballo
Mariner Sands Country Club
Chris Coscia
JSM Services Inc.
Jeremiah Coscia
JSM Services Inc.
Thomas Cravey
Golden Ocala Golf &
Equestrian Club
John T. Duncan
Kevin Fairchild
City of Treasure Island
Robert Farina
Country Club Services Inc.
Chad Fulghum
JSM Services Inc.
Greg Hafely
Sandestin Resort &
Golf Club Inc.
Richard Hoopes
Isleworth Country Club
Steve Joens
JSM Services Inc.
Vernon Jones
The Polo Club of
Boca Raton
Case Levally
The Polo Club
of Boca Raton
Tim McKenna
The Andersons Inc.
Cody Mirly
Greg Mooso
Sandestin Resort &
Golf Club Inc.
Steve Murray
The St. Andrews Club Inc.
Omar Palma
Micah Ramsay
Polo Club of Boca Raton
Travis Ray
Fiddlesticks Country Club
Jeremie Smith
Bunkersplus
Cody Terranova
Gien Terranova
Kurt Thomas
City of Lakeland
JD Varon, CGCS
Countryside Golf &
Country Club
Robby Clemenzi
Bayer Environmental Sciences
(352) 494-2552
[email protected]
Darren J. Davis
Olde Florida Golf Club
(239) 353-4441
[email protected]
William T. Hiers, CGCS
The Old Collier Golf Club
(239) 593-8522
[email protected]
Todd J. Himelberger
DuPont Professional Products
(941) 685-6793
[email protected]
Al Hoffer
Al Hoffer’s Termite-Lawn-Pest
(954) 753-1222
[email protected]
Mark Kann
University of Florida
(352) 591-2678
[email protected]
William Lanthier
Golf Ventures
(772) 486-1701
[email protected]
John Mascaro
Turf-Tec International
(850) 580-4026
[email protected]
Betsy McGill
Florida Sod Growers Cooperative
(863) 675-2144
[email protected]
Matt Shook
Harrell’s Fertilizer
(863) 687-2774
[email protected]
Frank Warden
The TORO Company
(850) 776-6925
[email protected]
Kevin Wasilewski
Syngenta Professional Products
(863) 644-1467
[email protected]
W. Craig Weyandt
The Moorings Club Inc.
(772) 231-4996
[email protected]
Erin Boyd Wilder
Sod Solutions
(850) 510-5412
[email protected]
florida turfgrass association • www.ftga.org 11
Cover Story
By John H. Foy, Director, Florida Region, USGA Green Section
late 1990s’ introduction of the
ultradwarf bermudagrass cultivars Champion, Mini-Verde and TifEagle
was a milestone for golf courses in Florida and the Southeast. Compared to the
longtime standard Tifdwarf bermudagrass, the ultradwarfs have a higher
shoot density, a finer leaf blade and are
able to tolerate the continual practice
of lower heights of cut. These characteristics, combined with improvements
in equipment technology, raised the bar
with respect to the level of conditioning
and quality that can routinely be provided with bermudagrass putting greens.
Even though the ultradwarfs are bermudagrasses, some time has been needed
to fine-tune management programs for
maintaining both healthy turf growth
and top quality putting green conditioning in keeping with golfer desires
and expectations.
Since the ultradwarfs arrived in
Florida, Senior Agronomist Todd Lowe
and I have annually conducted hundreds of USGA Green Section Turfgrass
Advisory Service (TAS) visits to golf
courses throughout the state where
ultradwarf bermudagrass putting
greens are being maintained. During
our site visits, all aspects of putting
green management are reviewed and
discussed; and this provides us with an
excellent base of information with
The
regard to the practices that have
been consistently producing the best
results. This article takes a look at one
of the most basic and integral practices—fertilization.
Essential nutrient
requirements
Before discussing specific aspects of
ultradwarf bermudagrass fertilization, a
quick review of some basic considerations will be provided. All green plants
require 17 nutrients for photosynthesis,
production of carbohydrates, and the
hundreds of complex organic compounds involved in the normal growth
process. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
are essential nutrients required in the
greatest quantities and are basic inputs
in photosynthesis. Atmospheric carbon
dioxide enters the plant through leaf
stomata and supplies carbon and
oxygen. Water molecules taken up by
the root system are subsequently split,
and this supplies both hydrogen and
oxygen for plant growth processes.
Drought stress, which results in partial
or full stomatal closure, can limit carbon
dioxide uptake. However, even when
turf is in a drought-stressed condition,
there is usually sufficient soil moisture
present to support photosynthesis.
Thus, supplying the essential nutrients
of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
is really not a consideration in turfgrass fertilization.
Cover Story
As far as the 14 other essential elements, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, magnesium and calcium
are classified as macronutrients, because
these elements are found in plant tissue
above 1,000 ppm. Iron, manganese, zinc,
copper, molybdenum, boron, chlorine
and nickel are essential micronutrients,
and these elements are typically found
in plant tissue below 100 ppm. Sufficient
levels of macro and micronutrients must
be available for sustained healthy turf
growth, and naturally these are the
nutrients that need to be considered
in development of a proper fertilization program.
SLAN versus BCSR
Maintaining healthy turf and consistent
top-quality putting green conditioning
is both an art and a science. On the
science side, soil and turfgrass nutrition
research provides basic guidelines on
the quantities of essential nutrients that
must be available to support growth.
Especially today, given environmental
and economic concerns, it is essential
that fertilization programs be based on
best management practices (BMPs), and
this includes the use of soil test information. Soil testing is the best and most
common method for determining nutrient availability and, in turn, making
sound decisions on how much and what
fertilizer materials need to be applied.
Tissue testing is another useful tool;
however, additional research is needed
to correlate nutrient levels in the tissue
with turfgrass responses. Therefore at
this time, tissue testing is best utilized
as a diagnostic procedure.
As far as the interpretation of soil test
results and, in turn, fertilization needs,
sufficient levels of available nutrients
(SLAN) and basic cation saturation
ratios (BCSR) are the two methods most
commonly used. For a detailed review
of these two methods of soil test interpretation, a list of reference articles has
been included at the end of this article.
With the SLAN approach, sufficiency
levels for phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and the micronutrients have been determined for all
of the commonly used turfgrasses. When
soil test levels are below the sufficiency
level, a response to an application of a
nutrient is likely to occur. With the
BCSR method, the percent saturation
of basic cations (K, Mg, and Ca) is used
as a guide to determine whether they
are in balance. Ratios of cation saturation percentages are also considered.
The BCSR approach contends that there
are ideal ratios for optimum plant
growth and that with “feeding the soil”
and maintaining appropriate amounts
of basic cations, optimum soil structure
and microbial activity is also achieved.
This is not a crop specific approach, and
subsequent research does not support
the theory that there are ideal cation
rations for optimum chemical, physical
and biological soil properties.
There are other concerns with exclusive use of the BCSR approach. This
approach can lead to unnecessary applications of calcium and ignores the quantity of potassium and other nutrients in
the soil. Thus even if the base cations
are present in the correct proportions,
a nutrient deficiency can still occur.
Inadequate levels of cations/nutrients
are most likely to occur with high
sand content rootzones that have a low
cation exchange capacity (CEC). In a
scenario where high sodium content
water is being used for irrigation, the
BCSR method does have a place in the
management of sodium and soluble
salt accumulation.
Having spent a great deal of time
studying the subject of soil test interpretation, focusing on the amount of
nutrients that are present and, in turn,
use of the SLAN approach makes the
most sense when it comes to fertility
management with ultradwarf bermudagrasses in Florida. Again, high sand
content putting green rootzone mixes
have very low nutrient retention, and this
situation is only further compounded
by leaching when you add in 40 to 60
inches of annual rainfall. Unless elevated
Cover Story
The typically low cation exchange capacity (CEC) of high sand content putting green rootzone
mixes does add to the challenge of maintaining adequate nutrients to support sustained and
balance growth with the ultradwarfs.
sodium levels are present in the irrigation water, keep things simple and worry
about the basics of pH, phosphorous,
potassium and magnesium.
Feed the turf,
but not too much
It has been interesting to follow the finetuning of ultradwarf bermudagrass putting green fertilization. As the case with
both TifGreen (328) and Tifdwarf, general fertilization recommendations for
both establishment and maintenance of
the ultradwarfs have been provided by
the developer/breeders of the cultivars.
Yet, every golf course and every set of
putting greens are unique, and the art
of greenkeeping becomes an important
factor in producing top-quality playing surfaces.
With Tifgreen and Tifdwarf, it was
recommended to apply nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in a 3-1-2 ratio
and supply 1.5 to 2.5 lbs. of nitrogen per
1000 sq. ft. per month during the growing season. These recommendations
were geared for maintaining a dense and
lush green turf cover. The ultradwarfs
inherently have a much higher shoot
density, and thus far less nitrogen is
needed for maintaining a dense and full
turf cover. It was also recognized early
on that the ultradwarfs produce thatch
at a faster rate compared to the older
cultivars, and thus the use of reduced
nitrogen can aid in minimizing this
problem. The application of 0.5 to 1.0
lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft.
per growing month has been the general
fertilization recommendation with the
ultradwarfs. During TAS visits to courses
throughout the state, however, it has
been found that there is still a fairly
wide range of between 6 to 18 lbs. of
nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. being applied
annually. At the courses with which we
work, where a good balance between
turf health and surface conditioning is
achieved, total annual nitrogen fertilization rates in the range of 8 to 12 lbs.
per 1000 sq. ft. are being utilized.
As far as phosphorous fertilization,
and especially because of current day
concerns over potential negative environmental impacts, its application
should be based strictly on soil test recommendations. With mature, established
bermudagrass putting greens in Florida,
adequate to high soil test levels of phosphorus are typically reported. On the
other side of the coin, however, low to
very low soil test levels for potassium are
commonly encountered with Florida’s
sandy soils. Maintaining soil potassium
in the sufficient range is extremely
important because of its role in various
physiological processes and maximizing
the turf’s tolerance to drought, cold,
heat, wear and salinity stresses. Especially
in high stress situations, the application
of potassium in a 1:1 ratio with nitrogen
has been a longtime recommendation.
However, application rates as high as
35 lbs. of potassium per 1000 sq. ft.
annually were being utilized on ultradwarf putting greens at some courses
because of the perceived benefits to
turf health and quality. While concerns
about negative environmental impacts
from excessive potassium application
have not been raised, this can result in
increased salinity problems. However,
with skyrocketing material costs over
the past two or three years, economics
has dictated a reduction in potassium
application rates.
Magnesium is also very mobile in
sandy soils and thus low to very low
levels are common with ultradwarf
Cover Story
bermudagrass putting greens. While not
required in similar quantities relative to
nitrogen and potassium, maintaining
magnesium in the sufficient range is very
important because of its direct influence
on turfgrass growth. It would also be
reiterated that the quantity of magnesium and calcium in the soil is the primary factor that influences turf growth,
and research has shown that there is no
ideal calcium to magnesium ratio.
Trends in fertilization
Spoon feeding of ultradwarf bermudagrass putting greens is the standard approach and at most
courses a combination of liquid and granular fertilizer formulations are being used.
Regular and proper soil testing, along
with interpretation of results, are basic
components in development of a successful, economical and environmentally
sound ultradwarf fertilization management program. However, unique and
multiple factors must be taken into consideration in each situation, plus the
weather variable; thus it is simply not
possible to provide a cookbook recipe
of an application of XYZ product on
predetermined calendar dates. This is
especially true when it comes to nitrogen
fertilization of the ultradwarfs.
Based on experiences in the field, the
best results are being achieved with judicious spoon feeding to maintain a dense
turf cover and to support sustained, but
not excessive growth. A common denominator among the top managers with
whom we work is that they closely monitor the density and growth rate (clipping
yield) of their ultradwarf putting greens
and employ a spoon feeding nitrogen
strategy. It is understood that, unlike
other types of agriculture, maximizing
production or crop yield is not the most
important consideration in maintaining
optimum playing conditions for the
game of golf. Furthermore, there is
reduced reliance on nitrogen for maintaining lush green ultradwarf putting
greens. The micronutrients iron and
manganese are being used to a much
greater degree to compensate for lower
nitrogen fertilization and, in turn, maintain an acceptable color character.
Prior to the introduction of the ultradwarf cultivars, applications of granular
complete-type fertilizer formulations
plus fertigation was the most common
strategy for supplying the essential nutrients to putting greens. However, even
with “greens grade” granular formulations, the particles would remain on the
surface for a long time following an
application on dense and close cut ultradwarf putting greens. Being able to
uniformly apply lower rates of fertilizers
was another logistical challenge, and
thus there was a fairly rapid shift to making spray applications of soluble nutrient
sources. Liquid spoon feeding is also
well suited for managing putting greens
with a shallow root system and being
able to more precisely control growth.
The fertilizer manufacturers have
responded to this change in application
strategies, and now there is a wide array
of formulations for use in spray application programs on ultradwarf putting
greens. Furthermore, the concept of
foliar feeding has been popularized over
Cover Story
the past few years. Research has proven
that foliar uptake of nutrients does
occur, primarily through trans-cuticular
leaf blade pores. However, it does need
to be remembered that in terms of
efficiency, root uptake of nutrients is
greater and generally works better
than shoot uptake.
Light and frequent applications of
nitrogen are the best strategy with the
ultradwarfs. Yet with exclusive liquid
spoon feeding, it can be difficult to
maintain sufficient availability of other
nutrients, and in particular potassium.
Furthermore, granular formulations are
the best approach for combating large
nutrient deficiencies. Again, at the
majority of golf courses that we visit,
both liquid and granular fertilizer applications are being utilized in the management of ultradwarf putting greens.
In conclusion
There is no argument that turfgrass
nutrition and soil fertility can be complex and intimidating subjects. Yet by
paying attention to a few basic principles, an agronomically sound, effective
and economical ultradwarf fertility
management program can be realized.
References
Textbook: Turfgrass Soil Fertility and
Chemical Problems — Assessment and
Management by Carrow, Waddington,
and Rieke, 2001.
Carrow, R. N., L. Stowell, W. Gelernter,
S. Davis, R.R. Duncan, and J. Skorulski.
2004. Clarifying Soil Testing III. SLAN
Sufficiency Ranges and Recommendations. Golf Course Management. 72(1):
194-197. http://www.gcsaa.org/gcm/
2004/jan04/PDFs/01Clarify3.pdf.
Baird, James. Soil Fertility and Turfgrass
Nutrition 101. http://www.usga.org/
Content.aspx?id=26211
Whitlark, Brian. 2009. Overcome
your Infatuation with Base Saturation.
http://www.usga.org/turf/green_secti
on_record/2009/may_jun/base_satur
ation.pdf. ❂
Focus on Irrigation
By J. Bryan Unruh, Associate Professor, University of Florida
ear Ye, Hear Ye: Read all
About It! “The Devil Grass:
Water-hungry St. Augustinegrass Sucking up Fresh
Water”1 and “Thirsty Grass Has Evil
Roots”2 are headlines from prominent
newspapers in Florida. These inflammatory headlines, often void of sound science, are puzzling and they leave green
H
industry professionals and gardening
enthusiasts confused about which turfgrass performs the best in Florida’s
diverse climatic conditions.
All agree that Florida’s population is
expected to steadily increase in the years
ahead. Maps showing current (Fig. 1)
and projected development (Fig. 2) in
Florida are alarming. As development
continues and the population swells,
huge constraints on Florida’s natural
resources—especially potable water—are
inevitable. As the battle rages over water
use, elected officials and regulators are
caught in the unenviable position of
trying to balance supply and demand.
In recent years, we have seen examples of what is to come. Ordinances
Developed Land
NO SCALE
Conservation Lands
Permanently Protected
Above: Fig. 1. Florida Today. Available at http://www.1000friendsofflorida.org/PUBS/2060/
2060-executive-summary-Final.pdf.
Below: Fig. 2. Florida in the year 2060. Available at http://www.1000friendsofflorida.org/
PUBS/2060/2060-executive-summary-Final.pdf.
Above: Fig. 3. Initial stage of construction
involved removing 12" of topsoil and stockpiling it.
Developed Land
placing square footage restrictions on
turfgrass have been imposed by county
governments and local municipalities
in an effort to restrict the demand for
NO SCALE
Conservation Lands
Permanently Protected
Focus on Irrigation
Fig. 4. The subgrade was laser-leveled and
shaped to provide a 5" drop from the outside
inward to ensure all surface water flows to
the center as evidenced during the rain event.
water (i.e., fewer plants = less outdoor
water use). Similarly, Water Management Districts have imposed water
use restrictions (e.g., one, two or three
days per week; limited hours for irrigation) in an attempt to curtail outdoor
water usage.
These restrictive efforts have been
met with fierce opposition by those in
the green industry, because these restrictions can severely cripple the financial
viability of green industry businesses.
Green industry suppliers and service
businesses correctly argue that plants
do not waste water—people do. As
such, an informed citizenry—obtained
through proper education and outreach—is the best defense to curb
wasteful water use practices.
Proper education is
better than regulation
Good education requires a clear understanding of the issues at hand. One
aspect of this complex turf/water/
drought issue that lacks clarity and has
great confusion is the terminology used
to define a plant’s ability to handle
drought conditions. For the purpose of
clarity, Drought Resistance is the ability
of a plant to survive prolonged drought
stress through Drought Tolerance and
Drought Avoidance mechanisms.
Drought Tolerance occurs when
plants either “escape” the drought
through life cycle modifications such as
entering dormancy sooner or producing seed for regeneration purposes.
Plants may also tolerate the drought
through cellular level adjustments making them hardier.
Drought Avoidance occurs when plant
factors are modified. For example, certain turfgrass species grow deeper roots
or have enhanced root viability. Both of
these factors influence soil water uptake.
Turfgrasses with deeper roots can mine
the water from greater soil depths. Additionally, certain plants have the ability
to limit or reduce evapotranspiration
(ET), allowing them to avoid drought
Continued on page 28 >
Focus on Irrigation
stress. Factors such as shoot density,
number of leaves per unit area and leaf
orientation all affect ET rates. Similarly,
leaf width and leaf extension rate contribute to the total leaf area. A larger
leaf area equates to a larger evaporative
surface and generally equates to greater
water usage. When a plant is able to
maintain adequate tissue water content,
it can avoid or postpone the stress.
Some of the UF Turf Team members
think that a better phrase to use when
talking about the influence of drought
on turfgrass is Drought Response.
Grasses undergo many changes in
response to drought and some of these
responses are not easily noticed. However, they have a profound effect on the
plant’s ability to withstand drought.
Fig. 5. Twenty-eight turf cultivars were planted
on 10’ X 80’ plots perpendicular to the line
of the irrigation heads.
Some of these changes can be very
difficult to quantify in the laboratory.
Other changes are readily observed and
easily quantified. With this in mind, and
the fact that limited field research in
Florida has documented which turfgrass
actually performs best under drought
conditions, we initiated a project to gain
a better understanding of the drought
response of the major turfgrass species
and cultivars grown in Florida.
Construction of a drought
research facility
In April 2007, we began construction
of a three-acre Linear Gradient Irrigation System (LGIS) at the University of
Florida, West Florida Research and Edu-
cation Center (WFREC) near Pensacola,
Fla. The system was modeled after a
system designed and installed at Texas
A&M University by Dr. Milt Engelke.
At the onset of construction, 12" of
topsoil was removed and stockpiled
using heavy equipment (Fig. 3). The
subgrade was shaped and laser-leveled
to provide a 5" drop from the outside
edges inward to ensure that all surface
water flows to the center (Fig. 4).
After the subgrade was established,
the topsoil was replaced and the final
grade was established using laserguided implements.
The LGIS has a triple row irrigation
system with the central line having an
irrigation head spacing equal to 33
percent of the throw of the irrigation
heads. This spacing allows for considerable overlapping from head to head and
ensures uniform distribution of water
perpendicular to the irrigation line. The
outside rows of irrigation heads are
triangulated to the central head of the
center trench and were used only during the establishment period to ensure
uniform plot establishment and when
fertilizer treatments need to be watered
in. In September 2008, 27 commercially
available turf cultivars (Table 1) were
planted on 10’ X 80’ plots running perpendicular to the center irrigation line
(Fig. 5). This allows for the comparative
performance of each of the grasses
under very high water application (center of the LGIS) to the outer edge which
receives no supplemental irrigation. All
Focus on Irrigation
Fig. 6. Turfgrass breeding lines (African
bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, carpetgrass,
and centipedegrass) from Dr. Kevin
Kenworthy’s program were plugged on 18"
centers on the LGIS.
Fig. 7. A dry period in June 2009 allowed
for some initial data collection from the
turfgrass cultivars planted on the LGIS.
of the sod and shipping costs were
donated by sod producers from Florida,
Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and
Texas. An additional 30 turfgrass breeding lines (African bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, carpetgrass and centipedegrass)
from Dr. Kevin Kenworthy’s program
were plugged on 18" centers (Fig. 6) and
the University of Georgia experimental
line, DT-1, was added to the LGIS in
early 2010.
Since 2009, periodic drought conditions have allowed us to capture some
field data (Fig. 7). Because of seasonal
and annual variations in climatic conditions, conclusive results from this
research will not be available for sev-
eral years. For more information on
this project or others conducted by Dr.
J. Bryan Unruh, please contact him
at [email protected]. ❂
1
http://staugustine.com/stories/1125
07/news_017.shtml
2
http://www.seminolechronicle.com/v
news/display.v/ART/4797cfd2a03a5
Table 1. Turfgrass cultivars currently
installed in the Linear Gradient Irrigation
System at the University of Florida, West
Florida Research and Education Center.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Floratam St. Augustinegrass
Classic St. Augustinegrass
Palmetto St. Augustinegrass
Raleigh St. Augustinegrass
Sapphire St. Augustinegrass
Captiva St. Augustinegrass
Empire Zoysiagrass
Ultimate Zoysiagrass
JaMur Zoysiagrass
El Toro Zoysiagrass
Cavalier Zoysiagrass
Palisades Zoysiagrass
Zorro Zoysiagrass
Emerald Zoysiagrass
Zeon Zoysiagrass
Pristine Zoysiagrass
Tifway Bermudagrass
Celebration Bermudagrass
Princess 77 Bermudagrass
Density Buffalograss
T10 Bermudagrass
Common Centipedegrass
TifBlair Centipedegrass
Argentine Bahiagrass
DT-1 Bermudagrass
SeaDwarf Seashore Paspalum
Aloha Seashore Paspalum
SI Supreme Seashore Paspalum
Feature Story
By Erich Slider, John Deere Golf
obody has ever been sent home for having too
much grass on their greens,” declared Bill
Lowery CGCS, shortly after hiring me in 1981
as his assistant superintendent. In part due to
this belief, thirty years later, Bill remains the golf course superintendent at Urbana Country Club in Champaign County, Ill.
For the past 15 years, with Lesco and now as a Golf Sales Representative for John Deere Golf, I have worked with a number
of talented and creative superintendents and have found that
Bill’s words of wisdom still ring true.
Along with requirements of 100 percent turf cover and acceptable color, our golf culture mandates an expectation of green
speeds typically provided only for a few days in a row for tour
players. In my travels, I have noticed that, for obvious reasons,
some superintendents are forced to spend an inordinate amount
of time working on their greens. At times, this work can come
at the expense of the remainder of their golf course acreage.
I thought there had to be a different way to promote plant
health (primarily roots) without sacrificing green speed. With a
healthy root mass, greens are not perpetually in “intensive care.”
“N
Feature Story
With the assistance of some great friends and
customers in the Naples/Ft. Myers area, we have
developed an easy to follow method of putting
green management.
(My wife is a nurse, and her medical
jargon has rubbed off on me.)
With the assistance of some great
friends and customers in the Naples/Ft.
Myers area, we have developed an easy
to follow method of putting green management. The management program is
a tweaked version of a program developed in the late 1990s by Chuck Eberle
for maintaining Tifdwarf at Lely Resort
in Naples. Since its inception, the
program has been used to maintain
Champion, TifEagle, Jones Dwarf and
Paspalum putting greens with exceptional and consistent results for many
clubs in the Southeast.
The keys to the success of the program are:
• Reduce or eliminate the amount
of foliar applied nitrogen
• Increase the frequency of granular
potassium applications
• Raise mower heights
• Perform light, frequent verticutting and topdress with sand .18mm
or larger
• Manage irrigation frugally utilizing
hand water vs. using overheads
• Apply a plant growth regulator tank
mixed with micronutrients in less
than 50 gallons of water per acre
• Implement a wetting
agent program
• If needed, roll and/or double-cut
rather than lowering height of cut
We have found that when meeting
the plants’ nitrogen requirements with
slow release granular nitrogen, minimizing or eliminating foliar applied
nitrogen and increasing potassium application frequency, the result is a transformation to a leaner, firmer, easier to
cut turfgrass plant. Consequently, mowers cut better and stay sharp longer due
to the less succulent plant. It also provides increased space that allows for the
incorporation of sand (for lack of a better term—grouting the tile) and less
granular fertilizer pick up from mowers.
Once you raise the height of cut on
the green to above .135, plant stolons
and stems are no longer exposed.
This process, we have found, routinely
Feature Story
produces a smoother ball roll and speeds
of 10 to 12 feet, even in the more aggressive growing months of the summer.
Applying the plant growth regulator
Primo at a rate of 2–4 oz. per acre, tank
mixed with necessary micronutrients
(iron, manganese, etc.) and a light granular fertilizer application applied as
needed will also help the plant. The
three granular products consist of a 1:2
ratio complete with slow release N, SOP
and minors, a homogenous potassium
product with FE and MN, and SulPoMag
ELITE. Occasionally, after an aerification
or an aggressive verticutting, the use
of a starter granular application can be
incorporated to expedite recovery. After
minimizing or eliminating most of the
liquid nitrogen, we found that in some
situations, the need for aggressive thatch
removal is reduced.
Years ago I noticed that root mass
would drastically decline approximately
a year after the grow-in period with
“ultradwarfs.” Perhaps it’s because after
the “grow-in” period, we tend to significantly reduce granular applications
and switch to foliar applications. As
heights plunged below .120, vendors
scrambled to come up with liquid fertility programs to help superintendents
manage their greens “hydroponically.”
If you foliar fertilize twice a week and
water every day, you don’t need roots.
The rub is, “something always goes
wrong” in our business, and when you
don’t have healthy roots, you could be
one day away from losing turf—“life is
too short.”
Alberto Quevedo, CGCS, at Hideout
Golf Club in Naples, Fla., implemented
his version of the program nine years
ago on his Tifeagle greens. The Hideout
membership consists mainly of lowhandicap players who require speeds of
12 or above on a daily basis. Alberto’s
TifEagle greens have rolled well over
13 feet at a height of .150 and to my
knowledge, his greens have never rolled
slower than 11 since implementing
his program.
Chuck Eberle at Windstar on Naples
Bay has continued to use the original
program to maintain his Champion
greens since 2003. Two years ago, Chuck
Eberle received a petition from several
of his members asking him to slow his
greens down from 13 to 11—while he
was also cutting at .150 with solid rollers.
Today the greens at Windstar are rolling
between 10 and 11 feet. Chuck achieved
that by watering a bit more and increasing his granular nitrogen pounds per
acre; it’s nice to have options. At the time
of writing this article, Chuck was singlecutting at .140 with solid front rollers
and rolling 10.75. Chuck has not applied
liquid N (even fertigation) to his greens
since I have known him.
Feature Story
Before starting any new program, one should always
perform soil, water and nematode tests to make sure
the soil is balanced and pest pressure is minimal.
A light sand topdressing is applied to a putting surface. Since the height of cut is raised, a
mechanical “spinner-type” topdresser can also be used.
Tom Caliguire at Forest Glen and Jim
Vajen at Golf Club at Fiddlers Creek,
both in Naples, utilize the program on
their Paspalum greens, and their members love the consistent playing conditions they both deliver. Dale Walters,
CGCS, at The Moorings Country Club in
Naples, uses a version of the program
with his Jones Dwarf. He tells me that
it is extremely important to realize the
turf’s limitations and that raising the
height-of-cut during stress periods is
always an option to consider. The program was initially designed to re-establish root mass on mature Tifdwarf
greens, minimize stress and disease
and provide a smooth consistent putting
surface. The increased speed was an
unexpected benefit.
After implementing this program, it
usually takes a month or two for the leaf
blade reduction transformation to take
place. Over time, we find it takes more
sand to fill the verticut furrows. With
a smaller leaf blade, “grain” is not as
prominent, and the golf ball will start
to roll out further at the end of a putt.
Furthermore, ball marks are not as
noticeable and heal quicker.
High amounts of sodium, nematodes
and fungus are constant challenges,
especially in South Florida. Raising mowing heights will increase root mass,
which helps overcome those three risk
factors. Before starting any new program, one should always perform soil,
water and nematode tests to make sure
the soil is balanced and pest pressure is
minimal. This program is not for everyone, but I feel it’s important enough to
share. If we can minimize the potential
for losing turf and provide smooth, fast
greens with healthy roots during these
economic times, I think it has to be a
win, win, win for our clubs, players and
superintendents—keeping in mind “Ole
Bill’s warning.” ❂
Erich Slider is the Golf Sales Representative
for Agronomic Products in Southwest Florida
for John Deere Golf and can be reached at
[email protected].
Technology
By David Phipps, Superintendent,
Stone Creek Golf Club, Oregon City,
Oregon, http://stonecreeksuper.
blogspot.com
hat is a blog? The term
blog is derived from a
blend of two terms, web
and log. The term weblog
was coined by Jorn Barger on December 17, 1997. The short form “blog”
was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the
phrase we blog in a sidebar of his blog
Peterme.com in April or May 1999.
Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra
Labs used “blog” as both a noun and
verb (“to blog,” meaning “to edit one’s
weblog or to post to one’s weblog”) and
devised the term “blogger” in connection
with Pyra Labs’ Blogger product, leading
to the popularization of the terms.1
There are a variety of blogs in use
today. Many blogs serve as a way to
account/communicate at a personal
level. Blogs often become a way to reflect
on life. Businesses often use blogs to
externally enhance the communication
of the company for marketing, branding
or public relations. Some blogs focus on
a particular subject, for example, travel,
money, politics, music and even golf!
With that said, why do superintendents blog? Simple, blogging provides a
way for a superintendent to document
his or her work, communicate within
the profession and share achievements
and successes while generating dialog.
W
Technology
It also provides a way that he or she can
display the daily work that occurs behind
the scenes. For many, it has become a
direct line of communication to the
membership, owner or management.
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) has been
successful in elevating and promoting
the position of the superintendent within
the golf industry. Now each superintendent has the opportunity to promote themselves individually. Blogging
is one means of promotion and is quickly
becoming a regular component of
our industry.
My blog at http://stonecreeksuper.
blogspot.com began as a weekly report,
which I sent to the president of Total
Golf Management Services. I began
providing a one-page weekly report,
which I submitted as a Word document.
Soon I started incorporating photographs as they added a visual enhancement to my weekly report. The phrase,
“a picture is worth a thousand words”
definitely applies here. I kept a file of
all my reports on my hard drive and
soon accumulated a large library. Wondering how I could organize them to
look back easily on previous reports,
the blog became the perfect solution.
Since my blog started out as a weekly
report, it has been a relatively easy task
providing regular posts. My first blog
post was July 27, 2009, and since then,
I have been diligent about posting every
week. From time to time, if I have something interesting to share, I will post it
out there in between regular posts.
An important aspect of blogging is
to keep the information fresh. Without
regular posts, your readers will soon
become bored and will no longer visit
your blog to learn what’s new. Built
within the Blogger program is an option
to automatically send an e-mail to a list
of specified recipients when a new blog
is posted. I like to use this feature to
automatically notify all of the managers
within my company as well as the major
stakeholders at Clackamas County
(our landlord).
The Stone Creek website now has a
direct link to my blog so the general
public can view it as well. It not only
Technology
provides my management with weekly
reports, it has now become a way to
“externally enhance the communication
of the company for marketing, branding and public relations.” Based on the
“stats” tool within Blogger, the blog is
receiving close to 2,000 page views a
month. It’s incredibly rewarding that I
am able to communicate what we are
doing on the golf course to a population
that I would never have the opportunity to see face to face.
Many of the superintendents in the
blogosphere often read each other’s
posts. Personally, I find it enjoyable and
educational. I often find great ideas on
other blogs and have even landed a
few case studies for the Environmental
Institute for Golf’s GreenLinks program.
Blogging provides a great format to
share environmental success stories.
If a golf course is going through the
Audubon Certification program, it provides a great community outreach
tool to enable the superintendent
to communicate his or her environmental achievements.
Starting a blog is about as easy as setting up a new e-mail account. Blogger
is the most popular program and from
what I have experienced, it is simple to
get started. Blogger is part of Google,
so having a Gmail account will get you
started. To get a Gmail account, go to
http://mail.google.com.
Once you have a Gmail account, go
to https://www.blogger.com and start
by choosing a unique (and descriptive)
address for your blog and inputting all
of your relevant information.
Start simple, and before you know it,
you will be customizing it with different
“gadgets” and will be giving it your own
personal appearance. When I began
writing my blog, I just jumped in and
started experimenting with different
“gadgets” and colors. I found it helpful
to look at other blogs to define my need
Technology
for content design and layout. Having
a basic knowledge of photo editing is
beneficial. I find Photoshop useful,
but for simple editing, I use Microsoft
Office Picture Manager.
Photographs are essential to blogging.
I often begin my post with an attractive
photograph for the readers’ enjoyment.
I try to make it a point to never leave
my office without a camera. I take most
of my photos with a Cannon A620,
although my Droid has sufficed as well.
If I were to recommend the perfect
camera or get a new one, I would pick
the Cannon G12. It has all the features
of a single-lens reflex (SLR) but without
the removable lens. If you are really
adept at editing, it even shoots in RAW.
The key is portability. The G12 can
easily slip into a pocket and can still
shoot a photo equal to that of an SLR.
Superintendents have the advantage
over a hired photographer since we
have many more opportunities to get
that once-in-a-lifetime shot. Two of my
most memorable photos were of three
fledgling kestrels perched on a tree and
an osprey dining on a large mouth bass.
These photos would be nothing but
a memory if I hadn’t had my camera
in hand.
A camera should be in the superintendent’s tool box right next to the
moisture sensor and the soil sampler.
If I force myself to take pictures
weekly, I will have a photo library that
reminds me of what occurred on the
golf course, and it gives me topics on
which to report.
Personally, blogging has been a good
experience for me. I have always enjoyed
writing, and it has given me an opportunity to share with others the things that
I feel so deeply about. It has provided
me an open line of communication to
my stakeholders. We now have regular
and open dialog in regard to the condition of the golf course and our daily
activities. I can’t say that blogging is
for everyone, but it has certainly made
my job much easier. ❂
1
Origins of “Blog” and “Blogger,”
American Dialect Society Mailing
List (Apr. 20, 2008).
Index of Advertisers
Aerification Plus........................................43
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Agrium Advanced Technologies ..................17
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Aqua-Aid, Inc. ..........................................19
Aquagenix ..............................................25
Barenbrug................................................49
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BASF ........................................................5
www.basf.com
Bay Breeze Farms ....................................29
www.celebrationturf.com
Bayer ......................................................33
www.bayerprocentral.com
Central Life Sciences/Wellmark ..................37
www.extinguishfireants.net
Country Club Services ..................Back Cover
www.countryclubservices.net
Dean’s Soil Solutions ................................47
www.deanssoilsolutions.com
Dupont Professional Products ....................42
www.proproducts.dupont.com
FMC Professional Solutions ........................21
www.fmcprosolutions.com
Grigg Brothers ....................Inside Front Cover
www.griggbros.com
Humate International,Inc. ..........................50
John Deere Landscapes ............................35
www.johndeerelandscapes.com
King Ranch Florida ..................................44
www.kingranchturfgrass.com
NewLife Turf, Inc. ....................................39
www.newlifeturf.com
Pasteuria Bioscience ..................................7
www.pasteuriabio.com
Pike Creek Turf, Inc...................................11
www.pikecreekturf.com
Quali-Pro ..........................Inside Back Cover
www.quali-pro.com
Quality Turf Nurseries ..................................9
www.qualitygrassing.com
Reynolds Golf & Turf ................................19
www.ReynoldsFarmEquipment.com
Roberts Supply, Inc. ..................................25
www.maruyama-us.com
SMR Farms, LLC ......................................31
www.smrfarms.com
Sod Solutions ..........................................29
www.sodsolutions.com
Southern Agricultural Insecticides, Inc. ........50
www.southernag.com
Syngenta Professional Products..................45
www.southernag.com
Texas Sod Leasing ....................................18
www.texassod.com
The Turfgrass Group ....................................3
www.theturfgrassgroup.com
Unique Turf ........................................26, 27
www.uniqueturf.com
Upstart Products, Inc. ................................41
www.upstartproducts.com
Valent USA Corporation..............................15
Wood Bay Turf Technologies ......................20
www.woodbayturftech.com

ULTRADWARF BERMUDAGRASS

Transcription

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