NMTMA to sponsor Feb. 8 & 9 GCSAA Seminar NMTMA will sponsor our second GCSAA seminar they have set aside rooms at a reduced rate of $61.00 per February 8th and 9th at Treetops Sylvan Resort. With the night. Participants needing overnight accommodation great success an turn out at our 1994 seminar we are must call Treetops at 517-732-6711 to make reservations. offering in the same environmental lines these two one day - By David Little topics: “Wildlife Management and Habitat Conservation” February 8 and “Wetlands and Golf Courses” February 9th. Wildlife Management and Habitat Conservation will be GCSAA Seminar comes to instructed by Ron Dodson, President and CEO of the New Northern Michigan York Audubon Society. This seminar places emphasis on effectively and responsibly managing wildlife and natural habitats on golf courses to promote desirable bird and Mark your calendar for this important ed­ animal population. Additional consideration will be given ucational opportunity. toward- environmental planning - managing for wildlife Call GCSAA for registration information. (space, water, food, and cover)-habitat manipulation - IPM-creating a wildlife inventory - pond management and wetland facts. Wetlands and Golf Courses will be instructed by Charles Newling - Wetlands Science Applications, In./Wetland Training Institute, Inc. of Tacoma WA and Barbara Beall, a wetlands specialist for LA Group, Sarasota Springs, New York. The purpose of this seminar is to raise the level of awareness regarding wetlands among seminar participants enabling them to act responsibly in the light of the resources they may impact and the laws that protect those resources. Participants will learn how to avoid the costly consequences of even inadvertently violating those laws. Registration can only be made by contacting GCSAA at 1-800-472-7878. Cost of the seminars is $100.00 each for GCSAA members and $150.00 for non GCSAA Wildlife Management and members. NMTMA will again subsidize $50.00 to Habitat Conservation NMTMA members that are not members of the GCSAA February 8,1995 Wetlands and Golf Courses for each seminar. Gaylord, Michigan February 9,1995 Treetop sSylvan Resort 3962 Wilkinson Road Gaylord, kZZZZZZZ Gaylord, Michigan MI will be the sight of both seminars, and again this year y IMPORTANT NOTICES! NEXT MEETING: ADVERTISERS We need your support. Please return your advertis­ Annual GAM/NMTMA Seminar ing reservation form soon. Tuesday, March 14 MEETING SITES NEEDED FOR ‘95 Treetops/Sylvan Resort If you are interested in hosting a meeting and golf Wach Turf-Times for Details outing this season, call Jeff Dorrell or Tom Reed at (616) 943-8343. y y V NMTMA Bylaw Revisions The following Bylaw revisions will be voted on at our March or April Mini-conferences. Watch Turf Times for Mechanical Soil V further details. (Revision or addition indicated in bold print). Technology E Addition: Sec. V I. Class “M”, Mechanics. To qualify for class M — Contract Aeration Service — R membership, an applicant, at the time of application, Serving the Entire Midwest must be employed by a regular member of NMTMA. Class M members shall have all the rights and privileg­ T es of the Association, except that such members may not ,rv vote or hold office. Revision: Sec. V 1 5 K. Annual Dues. The annual dues shall be the sum fixed at any regular meeting of the Association as approved by the V T7 • voting membership in attendance thereat. The annual dues shall be payable on or before the first day of October. The annual membership year shall begin on the first D day of January. Any member or members who have David Strang q failed to pay dues by December 31st shall be automati­ Ph.(800)743-2419 cally dropped from the membership of this Association Res. (309) 342-2419 and all rights and privileges benefited from the Associa­ tion shall be terminated. Any member dropped from A the membership in this manner shall be notified thereof by the membership committee. Reapplication for mem­ bership can be made at any time, as long as the applica­ 456 Pine Street 1 tion is accompanied by the annual dues for the year along with any assessments and all accounts in arrear. Revision: Sec. V Galesburg, IL 61401 N. E. Class “E”, any Class A, B, D, F, or G member reach­ ing the age sixty (60), who is retired and no longer seeking employment within the scope of his activities of any mem­ Is a statewide newsletter just bership class of the Association, may apply to the Board in writing for Class E membership, the annual dues for which around the corner? shall be one-half (1/2) the amount paid by a Class A mem­ The days where local chapters publish their own individu­ ber. Retired Class EA, EB, or EG member have all al newsletters, etc., may soon become a thing of the past. rights and privileges of this association including that of There is a growing interest among the leadership of Michi­ voting, but not that of holding office in the association. gan’s superintendents chapters to cooperatively produce a Retired Class ED or EF or any other retired member of statewide publication. This venture would join together the “Class E” have all the rights and privileges of this asso­ NMTMA, Western Michigan GCSA, Michigan and Boarder ciation but can not vote or hold office. Cities GCSA, Mid-Michigan GCSA, and possibly the North­ Revision: Sec. IX. ern Great Lakes GCSA into one entity. Class “EA”, “EB” or “EG” members will be permit­ This new entity would be governed by a committee of ted to vote but not hold office. equal representation selected from each chapter participating, the purpose of a statewide publication would be to unite eve­ ryone by a single publication which would be dedicated to common information, useful to all. The content of this publi­ cation would be primarily of an educational format, with su­ POSITION OPEN: Grounds Manager, Shanty Creek Resort. perintendents writing most articles. Each chapter would have Landscape/Hort. degree or 3 to 5 years experience in grounds equal space to insert any specific information which would management. Contact Brent Nelson at 616/533-7066. be relevant to that chapter (for example the NMTMA would GOLF COURSE GREENSKEEPER: Grand Hotel, the have two pages dedicated to information concerning northern country’s largest summer resort facility, seeking working Michigan). groundskeeper. Ideal candidates must have strong supervisory Just a few things that a statewide publication could do: skills, solid knowledge in bent and blue grass care and mainte­ A. Stop material from being duplicated one chapter to the nance, proven abilities in chemical application and usage, and possess hands-on skills in all phases of irrigation systems. The next. successful candidate will also have the motivation to work both B. Publish information which effects entire state (DNR independently and as part of a team. Send resume to: Grand mandates). Hotel, Attn: Human Resources, 2177 Commons Parkway, C. A statewide membership directory? Okemos, MI 48864. EOE.M/F. D. A statewide job referral system? ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT POSITION: Shanty E. A statewide used equipment "For Sale” listing? Creek G.C- min. 2 yr. Turfgrass degree or 3 yr. experience How much is this going to cost you? Total cost to fund the req. Must have pest. ap. cert, within 60 days of hire. Contact publication would most likely be covered entirely by the sale Pete Hohn for more information: 616/533-7066. (Continued on Page 3) ? Is a statewide newsletter just around the corner? (Continued from Previous Page) Why the Ex of advertising. The NMTMA may still publish material from time to time as needed, but probably not to the extent stands for of which we do now. One of the main benefits to the Excellence... NMTMA would be to ease the burden of publishing our in professional turf care, own material which has been done in-house by Mike Mor­ ris. This is an overwhelming undertaking for which Mike receives little compensation (what an excellent job you’ve Contains environmentally-oriented, done Mike!). non-leaching IBDU® slow-release As it stands now, a trial publication (newsletter type) is nitrogen. being considered as of the MTF conference. The date, size, and scope of the real thing has yet to be worked out, but I Regionally formulated blends to meet your agronomic needs. would guess it to be 1-2 years away at this time. If you have any input or thoughts concerning the formation of this pub­ Not dependent on soil temperature lication, good or bad, please contact a board member and let or microbial activity. us know how you feel. Now is the time for decisions and planning to be made. 100% available nitrogen - By David Pretznow in a single growing season. Non-hygroscopic; flowable product, --------------------------------------------- \ OOPS! Non-burning; low salt index. Credit where credit is due: Thank you, Jon hlad- dem for your fine article on “Promoting our Profes­ J. Mollema & Son, Inc. Sam Stimmel 5400 36th Street, SE Specialty Products sion ” in the last issue. Grand Rapids, Ml 49512 Territory Manager ________________J Ir.idem.irks of Vigoro Industries, Inc. 616/940-1441 216/562-8775 Winter is a Good Time to Plan & Perform Golf Course Tree Care KENT, OH— A winter decrease in golf activity on courses throughout the United States provides many golf course super­ intendents with time to plan and perform tree maintenance. If you have limited funds and resources, pruning and planting tasks will help make effective use of this time. Proper winter care will get trees off to a good start. During the winter you can prune trees, inspect recently planted trees and select new planting sites for the spring. By helping to prevent problems, proper pruning and planting reduces tree repair and replacement costs. Pruning Selecting the best time to prune. Although maintenance pruning of most shade trees can be done year-round, intensive pruning should be performed in the dormant season. Late winter to early spring, just before new growth begins, is a good time to prune trees. Proper pruning cuts made in the winter close more rapidly than cuts made at other times of the year. When trees lose their leaves in the winter, it is easier to spot problem areas and place pruning cuts, says richard Rathjens, a technical advisor with The Davey Tree Expert Company. “The new leaves that emerge the following spring will help hide cuts made in the winter,” Rathjens says. “Also, pruning in late fall and early winter minimizes sap flow from pruning cuts on trees such as conifers, maple, birch and walnut.” Winter pruning also minimizes damage to some tree species. The bark of some trees, such as maple and ash, are more su- seceptible to tearing loose during climbing and pruning in the spring. Making the proper pruning cut. Proper pruning improves the health and appearance of trees and prolongs their life by re­ moving dead, weakened, diseased or insect-infested branches. Untrained workers often prune incorrectly. Professional arborists place pruning cuts outside the branch collar, the swollen area where the branch attaches to the main trunk. You can easily see the branch collar on many trees. “The whole idea behind proper pruning is to avoid injuring the trunk,” Rathjens says. “Once the trunk is damaged, it can lead to decay and death of the tree.” A common pruning mistake is making one straight cut through a branch. When cut this way, the branch’s weight can cause the wood to splinter and pull bark from the tree. To help avoid tearing, a cut should be made on the branch’s under­ side, a foot or two out from the trunk, about one-third of the way through the branch. A second cut should be made on top of the limb a few inches farether out from the first cut. These two cuts remove most of the branch’s weight. The stub is removed with a final cut made just outside the branch bark ridge and tnrough the collar. Another frequent error is painting a cut. In most cases, painting is not recommended because the paint traps moisture on the freshly cut surface, which provides an environment conducive to fungal growth. Painting should only be done in rare in­ stances, such as on trees that are susceptible to oak wilt and Dutch elm disease during periods of beetle flight. (Continued on Page 4) 3 Winter is a Good Time to Plan & Perform Golf Course Tree Care (Continued from Page 3) should be used as backfill. Organic matter can be added to PLANTING the backfill for sandy or hevy soils. No more than 10 to 20% Scheduling planting. Although properly prepared and of the volume should be added because as the organic matter protected planting stock can often be successfully transplant­ decomoposes, the backfill settles in the hole, causing the root ed during any season, there are specific times of the year ball to fall below ground level. when planting is most successful. Winter is a good time to If the backfill is more than 20% organic matter, it changes determine which trees you want to plant. Planting at the cor­ the backfill’s physical characteristics. Backfilling with soil rect time encourages the growth of healthy trees. that is lighter or better drained than the native soil can result In general, plants are best moved when shoots are not ac­ in stunted or dead plants because roots may have difficulty tively growing— the resting or dormant stage. Deciduous growing into the soil surrounding the planting area. trees are normally planted in the fall after leaf drop and be­ The area around the soil ball should be watered to elimi­ fore the soil freezes or in early spring before bud break. nate air pockets. Watering puts the soil into direct contact Narrowleaf evergreens also may be planted in the fall or with the roots. Backfill and water then should be added alter­ in the spring before new growth starts, broadleaf evergreens nately. should be planted in the spring in climatic zones where soils Applying mulch. Include mulch application in your plant­ freeze. In northern regions where the soil freezes early and ing plans. Mulch has many benefits. It is attractive and helps deep, spring planting of evergreens is perhaps the safest, suppress weed growth and protect trees from moisture loss. says Len Brukhart, Ph.D., a horticulturist with Davey. “In Mulch slows soil water evaporation, providing trees with a the south with its mild winters, fall planting is preferred,” consistent source of water. Burkhart says. “Winter planting is fine for plants with a root Mulch also protects root systems from temperature ex­ ball large enough to contain undisturbed roots that supply tremes by insulating the roots. Mulched soil doesn’t cool as branches with water until spring.” quickly in the winter or warm as quickly in the summer as Transplant success often depends on soil temperatures. unmulched soil. For mulch to be effective, it should be ap­ The soil must be warm enough to permit the growth of new plied before temperatures change drastically. roots immediately after planting and continue until adequate Mulch should be two to three inches deep, and it should root growth can support the plant’s water-absorbing poten­ never be piled against the tree’s trunk. Too much mulch re­ tial. “Roots grow best when soil temperatures are beetween duces air and water exchange, and the roots suffer. 40°F and 90°F,” Burkhart says. “Trees should be transplant­ Staking trees. One of the most common planting mistakes ed at least four weeks before soil temperatures drop below is improper staking. Many people don’t know when to stake 40° F to allow proper root development in the fall.” (and not stake) a tree. As a general rule, most trees with a di­ Preparing the planting area. Current research shows ameter greater than three inches don’t require staking. Plan to that a shallow planting area should surround the transplant purchase staking materials for smaller diameter trees. hole. To make a planting area, the ground around the hole Proper staking can help newly planted trees withstand should be shovel-dug or rototilled to at least a 10- to 12-inch strong winds. Staking anchors and supports young trees that depth. This depth is appropriate because the tree’s roots that can’t stand alone after transplanting. However, staking is ex­ absorb water and nutrients are located within an 18-inch pensive and time-consuming. So, staking should only be depth of the soil surface. done when it is necessary to the tree’s health. The planting area should be three to five times the width If staking is done correctly, the tree roots and trunk will of the root ball or, at least, the soil should be loosened or become strong enough to stand unsupported. Improper stak­ tilled well past thge current-year drip line so roots can spread ing can damage or even kill a tree. Trees should be staked to horizontally into the native soil. Roots spreading out in this bend with the wind only if they are unable to stand against manner create stronger base for the tree, especially in times the wind. of drought. A common staking mistake is these of only one stake. Digging the hole. A planting hole should be dug near the Two stakes with a flexible tie on each will provide better center of the planting area after the area has been rototilled. trunk support and reduce the potential for injury. The hole should be deep enough so that the tree’s base is at A tie should have a flat, smooth surface and be somewhat or slightly higher than ground level. The root balls should elastic to allow slight movement of the tree. Rubber hosing is not sit on the fill soil, but on the bottom of the hole. This a good staking material. Wire covered with a hose or tubing prevents the root ball from sitting too low in the ground. should not be used. “No plant should be planted deeper than it was at its original The concepts of tree pruning and planting are the building planting site,” Rathjens says. “Err on the side of planting too blocks of tree care. To help preserve your trees’ beauty and high, as opposed to too deep.” the value of the course, your tree care plans should include The size of the plant’s hole sho lid be at least two times the hiring professional arborists. Workers not trained in tree care root system (for bare-root plantings) or root-ball diameter. basics can damage trees, destroying beautiful vistas and the The hole should be larger when possible and dug with slop­ play of the course. Repairing or replacing the damaged trees ing sides at about a 45° angle f om the ground surface. The can be costly, as well. slanting sides direct roots to sp ead horizontally, not down­ The Davey Tree Expert Company provides tree care and ward. grounds maintenance services and arboricultural and horticul­ If a hole is dug deeper than necessary, some fill soil tural consulting to utilities and residential, commercial and should be added to the bottom of the hole. Stone, rocks or municipal customers in more than 40 states and five Canadi­ cement chips should not be ad led to the bottom of a hole an provinces. Davey is employee-owned with more than dug too deep. 5,000 employees coast to coast. Adding backfill. Soil remo 'ed from digging the hole 4 OSH A Safety Laws ... Are You In Compliance? By Ralph Kepple, GCS East Lake Country Club If the U.S. Department of Labor visited your Club, While my OSHA inspection was not a pleasant experi­ would you pass their inspection? After having been ence, it was a learning one. The Department of Labor is through the process recently, I have to believe most of us simply trying to protect employees. My only problem is would not. There are a myriad of potential violators, and their method. I strongly believe that a company should be most of them are probably totally unaware that they exist. given a chance to comply before being fined. On the other Another thing you may not be aware of, OSHA fines you hand, I am now more aware of safety problems in the work if any violation is found before they give you a chance to place. If any of you have ever gone through this procedure comply! and know of some violations that we may not be aware of, What I want to do is discuss my violations so that you please write a letter to the Editor to make us aware of them. may be aware of a few things OSHA may cite you for. That is the reason I sent this article in. For the sake of our “29 CFR 1910.219(d) (1); Pulley(s) with part(s) seven industry and our biggest asset- our employees - please feet or less from the floor or work platform were not commit to compliance! guarded in accordance with the requirements specified at Reprinted from the July-August 29 (FR 1910.219) (m) & (o).” 1992 issue of Through the Green “29CFR 1910.219 (e) (3) (i): Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the require­ ments specified at 29 CFR.219(m) & (o).” Yes, these are two separate citations. In my case, a back lapping unit did not have the guards over the pulleys and drive belts. Make sure yours does- it could cost you at least $750! The Mechanic, the Superintendent, “29 CFR 1910.2536(b) (2) (ii): Inside of buildings, cyl­ and the NMTMA inders were not stored in a well-protected well-ventilated, One of the most valuable individuals on a maintenance dry location, at least 20 feet from highly combustible mate­ crew is the golf course mechanic. In most cases the golf rials such as oil or excelsior.” course mechanic is the one member of the crew with the You cannot store you oxygen and acetylene tanks to­ most seniority. The success of the entire golf maintenance gether unless they are on a cart and hooked up to your operation is pivotal upon the proper operating condition of torches. They must be at least twenty feet apart, or separat­ the equipment. Therefore, the relationship between the ed a fire wall from flammable substances. How many of golf course mechanic and the superintendent is a very criti­ you knew this? I didn’t, and it resulted in my largest fine. cal one. Expect to pay at least $1,000 for this citation! A superintendent must have the utmost trust in the me­ “29 CFR 1903.2 (a) (1): The OSHA notice was not chanic. The mechanic is responsible for the maintenance posted to inform employees of the protections and obliga­ and proper operating condition of all equipment. He or she tions provided for in the Act.” usually accomplishes this feat with a large degree of pride, Call your local Department of Labor Office and get this almost as if they owned the equipment themselves. Just notice (OSHA Poster #2203) for free. I had to pay $500 knowing that the mechanic is taking care of this aspect of for mine! the maintenance picture is a huge relief to the superinten­ “29 CFR 1904.2 (a): A log of all recordable occupation­ dent. al injuries and illnesses. (OSHA Form NO. 200) or Equiv­ Communication is key to making this relationship a suc­ alent), was not maintained at the establishment.” cess. Mechanics need to be able to approach the superin­ You are required to keep this log for each year, and must tendent with ideas for such things as improving mainte­ post the previous year’s log where all employees may see nance on equipment, cost cutting, eliminating waste, and it. Surprise! No fine was assessed for this one. reporting on how the crew is treating the equipment from “29 CFR 1910.1200 (e) (1): Employer had not devel­ day to day. The mechanic also has an important role in ad­ oped or implemented a written hazard communication pro­ vising on new equipment purchases and evaluating demon­ gram which at least describes how the criteria in 29 CFR strator models. 1910.1200 (f), (g) and (h) will be met.” For a mechanic to continue to perform these and other I think we are all aware of this one. I had actually devel­ duties year-in and year-out with a high degree of expertise, oped a written program before I started the job at East Lake he or she must have the opportunity to participate in con­ (one month prior to the inspection). Unfortunately, my As­ tinuing education and exchanges with their peers. One way sistant had taken it home to read it over the previous day, to accomplish this is for superintendents and managers to and he had the day off whe'n the inspection took place. I support their mechanics involvement in the Mechanics As­ wasn't fined for this citation, but I did not feel I deserved sociation of the NMTMA. Mechanics must be given the it. time to attend meetings, as well as some minimal financial One other thing I discovered but was not cited for is that support (cost of fuel, meals, or dues). This is a very good gasoline must be stored in self-closing cans if it is stored investment to insure that you equipment fleet and mainte­ inside your facility. I know many of us are not in accor­ nance shop all run in tip-top form. dance with this law. - David Pretznow, McGuire's Resort 5 ÎW buisuei *3 ruE jqn 34 3A NMTMA Executive Secretary Rick Warren MTF Liaison Thomas J. Reed David Little, CGCS Jon Maddem EXECUTIVE 3733 Apollo Dr. COMMITTEE Traverse City, MI 49684 Past Presidents Newsletter Editor Phone 616-943-8343 Ed Karcheski Michael Morris President C.E. "Tuck” Tate, CGCS Mark Wildeman P.OBox 1575 Directors David Longfield, CGCS Frankfort, MI 49635 Jeff Dorrell Jonathon Scott, CGCS Vice-President Michael Meindertsma Tom Brogger David Pretznow Tom Heid Jeffrey Holmes, CGCS Kimberly Olson Michael Meindertsma SecretaryFTreasurer Jon Maddem, CGCS Dave Foucher Pat Mertz The NMTMA appreciates the support from the following businesses... • GOLF CART SALES & SERVICE • • EQUIPMENT SERVICE & SUPPLIES* • FERTILIZERS, CHEMICALS & SEED • Boylan Sales, Inc. D&C Distributors, Inc. Chipco Pat Boylan • Kathy Hanson (800) 888-7779 • (810) 349-7779 Bob Dugan (616)685-6828 • (810)742-370 (313) 782-0323 • Fax (313) 782-6344 Golfs Driving Force Tire Wholesalers Co. North, Inc. (313) 425-7001 Dan Cross The Scotts Company (800) 482-8830 (616) 775-6666 • Fax (616) 775-8810 Scotts Tom Heid, Territory Representative (616) 275-7700 • (616) 620-1442 Ellis Sales, Inc. • SOD, SOIL & CONSTRUCTION • H&D, Inc. Sweeney Seed Company Bob Hope “It Pays To Plant The Best ” (616) 375-3535 Complete Construction/Specialty Sands (800) 344-2482 • (517) 773-5391 (616) 347-2547 • IRRIGATION SERVICES • Tri Turf C J. Colein & Associates, Inc. Bunting Sand & Gravel, Inc. “ A Warehouse on Wheels ” Irrigation Design & Consulting Services Bob Resteiner (616) 943-8343 (810) 656-6805 (517) 345-2373 • (517) 345-1718 • FULL SERVICE: EQUIPMENT D.G. Irrigation Co. • ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN • J. John Gorney, Inc. & IRRIGATION • “Where Service Comes First - Buckner” (800) 334-7011 • (517) 772-5621 Golf Course Design Valley Turf, Inc. (616) 235-1323 (616) 532-2885 Thielen Turf Irrigation (800) 688-3605 - Parts Only Golf Course Installation Matthews & Associates, P.C. (517) 773-3409 “Elevating Golf to a New Plateau” • CONTRACT SERVICES • (517) 485-0480 • Fax (517) 485-0334 Mechanical Soil Technology*^ • AUTOMATED PUMPING SYSTEMS • Contract Verti-drain ® Aèrattorr ' Commercial Pump Service, Inc. (800) 743-2419 • (309) 34-2-244^ Mike Wilczynski (800) 426-0370 • (419) 825-2353 ... and we encourage you to support them. Northern Michigan Turf Managers Assn. C/O Tom Reed 3733 Apollo Drive Traverse City, Ml 49684 For US. addresses only