UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION EASTERN REGION N O R T H E A S T E RN D I S T R I CT M I D - A T L A N T IC D I S T R I CT R U T G E RS U N I V E R S I TY N EW B R U N S W I C K. N EW J E R S EY IN D U S T RY S T A T I ON P L A NT B E L T S V I L L E, M A R Y L A ND EASTERN TURFLETTER A L E X A N D ER M. R A D KO E A S T E RN D I R E C T OR C H A R L ES K. H A L L O W E LL M I D - A T L A N T IC D I R E C T OR T. T. T A Y L OR N O R T H E A S T E RN A G R O N O M I ST No. 2 June, 1957 E E D S In the highly specialized field of golf turf management, weeds although pesky are no longer the painful problem they once were. Today's herbicides are more selective and specific, and when used properly, the injurious effect on permanent grasses is normally negligible. There are two approaches to weed controls the first is weed prevention, and the second is weed eradication. WEED PREVENTION Under this heading we have several angles worthy of consideration* (1) Cultural practices — which cover the selection of the proper turfgrasses the proper mowing technique (height and frequency); the correct amounts of lime and fertilizer; proper watering; good insect and disease control practices; and all the other requirements necessary to grow healthy turf. A healthy turf is the first approach to weed prevention. (2) Pre-emergence herbicides — are the newest types of herbicides for the most part, although one of the oldest, lead arsenate, has been used for many years as a crabgrass, chickweed, and Poa annua deterrent. The pre-emergence herbicides appear now to be the most interesting of the newer chemicals because of the bright prospect of killing weeds as they eraarge and before they ever get to the troublesome point. Several new pre-emergence herbicides are now available, but are being used with caution and on a rather small scale presently. With many herbicides of this general class, Experiment Station trial results varied widely from year to year with any given product, indicating that climatic conditions have much to do with their performance, and that we need to follow Experiment Station results carefully for answers to these puzzlers. (3) Soil fumigants — In this general class, we have three products used by- golf oourse superintendents• They are calcium cyanamid, Dowfume MC—2 (methyl bromide), and Vapam (sodium N-methyl dithiocarbamate). Each has been used to good advantage in soil sterilization. Each of these chemicals kills most of the weed seeds in the soil, thus assuring a minimum of difficulty with new plant- ings. There is a required waiting period for each of the soil fumigants, and the manufacturer's recommendations on the label must be carefully followed. Very good success has been had with methyl bromide in eliminating deep rooted plants such as Bermudagrass prior to establishing greens to bentgrass. One of the very important uses for soil ¿umigants is in connection with topdressing preparation for greens. We do believe that it is important to sterilize the topdressing soil well in advance of the date of intended use. Because of labor difficulties and pressure from memberships to keep budgets down, proper techniques in topsoil sterilization cannot always be practiced. But in a sense, this is false economy, because weeds surely are being introduced into greens with non-sterilized soils. Proper topdressing of greens is an expensive item unquestionably, but regular topdressing is one of the important practices in keeping fine putting surfaces. One of the best examples of a fine topdressing program is that of 1 Areola s Superintendent, Mr» D. Jules. For the forty plus years that M r. Jules has been in charge, he has topdressed each year with a soil that has been mixed to the same exact fifaidf na, and he begins to prepare his topdressing soil To years in advance of the time it is to be used. The soils in Areola's greens ^niforpi to a depth of approximately one foot,- and the putting surfaces are a re usually billiard-table smooth. WEED ERADICATION Since the advent of 2,Ii-D and the remarkable effect of this herbicide on control of broad leaf weeds, golf course turf, we might say, is now primarily a grassy weed problem. Weeds of the grass family such as Poa annua (and here we go again, is it friend or foe?), crabgrass, and silver crabgrass are the principal offenders in this region. Clover no longer is the problem that it once w a s, since 2,i|,5-T came into the picture. But for clover, and for that matter all other weed pests, chemical control is not the entire answer. Higher nitrogen feeding will reduce clover population. If yearly reinfestations of any weeds occur, then it is a sure bet that there is a fundamental cause for their presence. Although chemical eradication may be temporarily helpful, it would be wise to investigate basic reasons for weed trouble, and these may be thin unthrifty turf, poor drainage, soil compaction, mis-use of water, etc. So as it goes with every phase of this fine turf field, weed control is but one important phase of the overall program. August 6 Beltsville Field Day, Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, M d. LEARN MORE ABOUT WEED CONTROL Dr. Felix Juska August 8 Rutgers Field Day, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J # Dr. Ralph E. Engel August 1^-16 Rhode Island Field Day, University of R. I., Kingston, R. I. Dr. Jesse DeFrance September ii-5 Penn State Field Day, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, Pa. Prof. H. B. 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S. P O S T A GE P A ID P E R M IT N O. 3 66 N EW B R U N S W I C K. N. J. MR. WILLIAM BE'.GEYFIELD U. S. GOLF ASS:.', GREEN S E C T. 13267 VERANO S T. G A R D EN G R O V E, C A L I F.