Lawn-O-Gram LOG - Quarterly Newsletter for Members of THE LAWN INSTITUTE Volume 2 Number 4 OCTOBER 1985 July was a busy month with follow-up from the annual meetings plus mailing of Lawn-O-Gram, July Harvests and even about half of the Autumn 1985 Press Kits. The second half of the Press Kits were released on August 5. We were a bit earlier than usual with this in response to garden writers requests to get material to them earlier in August. The deadline finally arrived to present our Lawn and Turf Seed Seminar for GCSAA. Rich and I felt it went well and we are looking forward to a repeat performance at the San Francisco conference. Response to the Autumn 1985 Press Kit has been good. An article in the Washington Post by Charles Fenyvesi has yielded close to 500 requests for more information on lawnseed. Other interesting contacts have been made this quarter as well as continuing evidence received indicating our efforts are on track. With all this, we have to admit that the greatest happening in September was a victory for unranked Tennessee over number one Auburn - 38 to 20. Now if only the Volunteers had a grass field to play on ! Sincerely, Executive Director Office Manager Contents Topic New Members ASTA Lawnseed Division National Garden Week Lawn-O-Gram - July issue Harvests - July issue . Autumn 1985 Press Kit Articles Published . Items in Print Cartoon Series Identification of Turfgrasses and Varietal Uses Sports Turf GCSAA Midyear Research Conference Turf Renovation Field Day Other Items Page 2 2 3 3 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 The following four applications for General Membership have been received since the annual meetings: New Members Roger Rupp, President, Rupp Seed Farm, 5-17919-B, Wauseon OH 43567 Kenneth May, Cenex Seed Co,2882 Howell Prairie Rd NE,Salem OR 97305 Ray Reisdorf, VP,L L Olds Seed Co, P O Box 7790, Madison WI 53707-7790 Kathleen L Gillespie, Forage and Turf Specialist, Agway Inc-Crop Services, Box 4741, Syracuse NY 13221 ASTA Lawnseed Division At the recent ASTA Lawnseed Division meeting, Bill Rose and Mike Robinson were asked to look into ways and means of increasing the educational impact of the Division. A letter directed to Rose and Robinson with copies to Peterson, Junk and Glattley reviewed projects worked cooperatively by the Institute and the Division and proposed that we reinstate cooperative educational ventures. National Garden Week A letter of August 29,1985 from Nona Wolfram-Koivula indicated response is slow in terms of support for National Garden Week . It would seem we must do more. We have support from seven out of eleven Tennessee Congressmen and women. The other four have been contacted again. If we are interested in lawns and landscape quality, we need to be sufficiently political to get this week designated by the President. It’s a matter of advertising value - a good excuse to promote lawns and gardens one more time each year. So far there are 77 Congressmen/women cosponsoring Joint Resolution 266. Two hundred and eighteen Congressional cosponsors are required before the resolution will move from the subcommittee to the floor for a vote. If not already done so, won’t you send a letter similar to the following to your congressional delegation. Enclosed is a list of congressmen and women not yet listed as supporters of this resolution. Dear : I urge you to Join Congressman Thomas A Luken in cosponsoring house Joint Resolution 266 requesting and authorizing the President to designate the third week of April as National Garden Week. It is now time to recognize the many benefits of gardening and the contributions of the American gardener. Please contact: Congressman Luken Ms Lynn Drabkowski Extension 5-2216 I ask you to cosponsor this worthy resolution. Sincerely, Lawn-O-Gram July Issue Lawn-O-Gram Volume 2 Number 3 was mailed July 25. With attachments it consisted of 39 pages [56 sides printed]. Included were minutes to annual membership and board of directors meetings and annual reports of the Executive Director and the Executive Committee.* Sixty seven copies were released at a cost of $101.99. Paper Envelopes Postage $22.22 8.71 71.06 $ 101.99 This amounted to a delivered cost of $1.52 each,and an increase of $0.47 each above the January and April 1985 issues. The latter contained 18 pages and thus the cost was a function of increased postage and paper. Harvests July Issue Volume 32 Number 2 Harvests was mailed July 18. It was released in a 24 page (normal) format and made note of The Lawn Institute’s thirtieth anniversary. Several items were included from P 0 Box 108 and research papers from 1984-1985 Turf Conferences were featured, including a research update from The Golf Course Superintendents Association Conference in Washington DC. Weed related information was provided in Threshing the Journals section, including new data on the whereabouts of weed seed in the soil. The new Kaypro 10 computer worked well and we were pleased to be back on schedule. One thousand one hundred and seventy seven copies were mailed with a distribution by zip code as follows: ZIP 0 - 100 - ME, NH, VT, CT, RI, MA, NJ, PR 108 - NY, PA, DE 89 - MD, DC, VA, WV, NC, SC 198 - TN, MS, AL, GA, FL 87 - MI, IN, OH, KY 87 - MT, ND, SD, MN, IA, WI 113 - NE, KS, MO, IL 52 - TX, OK, AR, LA 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 71 - ID, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, NV 9 - 194 - CA, OR, WA, AK, HI 1099 63 - CANADA 15 - OVERSEAS 1177 - TOTAL Costs totaled $545.97 which amounted to $45.97 over budget. The unit cost delivered was $0.46 which was down from $0.56 for the April issue. A cost breakdown follows: Envelopes for copies sent first class to Canada Labels, string, graphics Printing Postage Total $ $ 5.46 20.00 312.09 208.42 545.97 Autumn 1985 Press Kit About half of the Autumn 1985 Press Kits were mailed July 29. The remainder were mailed August 5. This kit featured three reprints, two from HortScience including a color cover picture taken in Denver, Colorado at the time of the 1984 ASTA meetings. The article associated with this was entitled "Lawns Enhance the Environment". Also included was a copy of the article entitled "Lawnscape Horticulture" also from HortScience. The third reprint was from PTA Today and was titled "A Playground Surface Can Mean Safer Play for our Children". Also, three sheets describing The Lawn Institute and listing Proprietary Member firms was included. This information is presented in different format in each Press Kit. In the press release category, Five Items on Lawns, Three Weed Seed Research Reports, and I Speak for the Lawn on weeds were featured. This amounted to 28 sheets printed on one side and 4 sheets printed on two sides for a total of 32 sheets printed on 36 sides. The Autumn 1984 Press Kit had 39 sheets printed on 39 sides and the Spring 1985 kit had 45 sheets printed on 53 sides. The kit was mailed to 2230 addresses with distribution as follows: ZIP 0 - 284 - ME, NH, VT, CT, RI, MA, NJ 8 - TN, MS, AL, GA, FL 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 251 - MT, ND, SD, MN, IA, WI 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 391 - NY, PA, DE 141 - MD, DC, VA, WV, NC, SC 361 - MI, IN, OH, KY 293 - NE, KS, MO, IL 6 - TX, OK, AR, LA 67 - ID, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, NV 351 - CA, OR, WA, AK, HI 2153 75 CANADA 2 OVERSEAS 2230 TOTAL Total cost amounted to $5697.76 with a breakdown as follows: Reprints Folders Envelopes Printing Labels, string etc Postage $1770.00 758.20 189.55 2364.57 25.00 590.44 $ 5697.76 The Autumn 1985 kit was budgeted for $3500 plus $1500 for reprints in the 1984-1985 budget. Thus, this release was $697.76 over budget. Unit cost delivered was up to $2.56 from $1.74 for the Spring 1985 kit. Articles Published Making Cemetery Lawns Attractive and Durable American Cemetery featured an article ’’Making Cemetery Lawns Attractive and Durable” in its July issue. Good coverage was provided Variety Review Board recognized cultivars. (See copy enclosed). Turf Research Annual 1985 Park Maintenance featured its ’’Turf Research Annual -1985” in its July issue. A review of turfgrass research in the midwest was provided by The Lawn Institute. Centipedegrass The July/August issue of Southern Golf- Landscape and Resort Management contained the final article of a series on warm season grasses. This one featured Centipedegrass. This Is Time of Year to Assure Quality of Next Summer * s Lawn The September/October issue of The Weekend Gardener Journal provided good coverage for a Lawn Institute release entitled "This Is Time of Year To Assure Quality of Next Summer's Lawn”, (copy enclosed) Lawns Enhance the Environment Florida Turf Digest, September issue, used "Lawns Enhance the Environment" from HortScience cover distributed with the Autumn 1985 Press Kit. It is good to see that these reprints are of use (copy enclosed). Items in Print The following five news releases were mailed July 5: - Russell Recognized by Lawn Institute (with picture); - Peterson President of Lawn Institute (with two pictures: Peterson alone and Peterson with Executive Committee); - Lawn Institute Founded Thirty Years Ago; - Proprietary Lawngrasses for 1985-1986; - Check your LISTS. These were sent to editors of nineteen trade Journals and newsletters. Good use has been made of these releases. Seed Trade News [August 7 issue] included five items submitted by The Lawn Institute [copy enclosed]. Washington Post Article The article that has generated the most reader response to date (over 500 requests for LISTS) was written by Charles Fenyvesi of The Washington Post. The title "Don’t Leave the Lawn Alone" attracted a lot of attention (copy enclosed). Cartoon Series One of our original objectives when we became associated with The Lawn Institute 3 years ago was concerned with the development of cartoon material on Lawnscape Ecology. Considerable study has been in this direction. It is time to start putting some of these ideas together. "Hail Grassplant” is an introduction to a series of cartoon pieces for youth audiences. This is presented at this time as a sort of progress report (See copy enclosed). Identification of Turfgrasses and Varietal Uses A meeting with Rich Hurley on August 12 in Hempstead New York was useful in putting our Seminar presentation, "Identification of Turfgrasses and Varietal Uses", in final form. This was presented on September 19 and 20 at the GCSAA Conference in Indianapolis. Lawn Institute proprietary members were most helpful in providing promotional and public relations sheets and leaflets for inclusion in the course notebook. Considerable time and effort were placed on the organization and development of educational aids for this presentation. Rich Hurley and I had 17 in attendance at the GCSAA Continuing Education Seminar "Identification of Turfgrasses and Varietal Uses”. Advanced registration fees for this seminar were $95.00 for GCSAA members and $120.00 for nonmembers. We felt that all got their money’s worth. Rich and I showed just over 1500 slides. We had pictures or outline material on each of two screens for 8 hours on both days. We each stood before the class for 8 hours on both days. Each topic was discussed by both of us in a Huntly-Brinkley fashion. The audience was involved in questions and discussions as we went along. In addition, each took away a notebook containing 149 booklets, bulletins, leaflets and sheets that related to the topics presented. Fifty six of these were prepared by The Lawn Institute. Ninety one were provided by Proprietary Members of The Lawn Institute. Two were purchased for us by GCSAA for use in the Seminar. For the first time, in our judgement, the story of lawn and turfgrass seed from genetics and breeding through testing and evaluation to field production and marketing was covered. We were concerned with all aspects including seed testing, labels, seed laws and issues related to both seedsmen and turf managers. The end result, we felt, was the presentation of high quality seed well worth the asking price. The seminar is scheduled for San Francisco on January 27 and 28. Sports Turf The National Sports Turf Research and Education Committee A meeting with Dr Fred V Grau in College Park, Maryland on August 9 served as a planning session for an October meeting at USDA in Beltsville. At this time the National Sports Turf Research and Education Committee is to consider items described briefly in the report entitled "Items Worthy of Consideration". (See copy enclosed.) Maintenance of Athletic Turf Slide Set A new American Society of Agronomy slide set entitled "Maintenance of Athletic Turf" has just been released. This will be promoted with schools around the country. New contacts with Dr Black at CAST are developing ways and means for reaching high school science teachers through their magazine, Science of Food and Agriculture. GCSAA Research Conference On September 23 GCSAA presented an excellent Turf Research Update featuring the following: Dr T Karl Danneberger - Ohio Dr Milton C Engelke - Texas Dr Glenn W Burton- Georgia Dr Donald White - Minnesota Dr C Reed Funk - New Jersey Dr Arden Baltensperger - New Mexico Dr Jeffrey V Krans - Mississippi Dr Terrance P Riordan - Nebraska Dr Paul E Rieke - Michigan Dr Bruce Branham - Michigan Dr C R Skogley - Rhode Island Dr Stanton E Brauen - Washington Dr Joseph M Vargas - Michigan Dr James A Reinert - Texas Dr Harry D Niemczyk - Ohio Dr James R Watson - Minnesota Dr James B Beard - Texas Dr Gerald L Horst - Texas Dr Robert N Carrow - Georgia A good set of notes from each of these speakers was obtained for review in Harvests. In addition, it was good to have an opportunity to visit with each of these men concerning their areas of specialization. The audience for their presentations was small but this didn't interfere with the importance of their remarks. Turf Renovation Field Day On August 12 Green Pro Services sponsored a Turf Renovation Field Day at Malloy College in Rockville Centre, New York. Some 100 in attendance heard a Keynote presentation by the Lawn Institute entitled "Getting to the Root of Your Business and Professional Success". Other Items Proceedings of the Fifth International Turfgrass Research Conference From all reports the fifth International Turfgrass Research Conference in Avignon, France was highly successful. A copy of the Proceedings (870 pages) has been received. It contains a wealth of information that will be presented in forthcoming issues of Harvests. Turfgrass Pest Management Manual The North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service has just released ’’Turfgrass Pest Management Manual - A Guide to Major Turfgrass Pests and Turfgrasses”. This publication is available for $5.00 (check payable to Crop Science Extension) from : The Department of Crop Science, Box 7620, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27595-7620. This 64 page bulletin edited by Arthur H Bruneau provides an excellent easy to use turfgrass reference.