ENERGY. We can't afford JAMES B. BEARD to waste it. Soil, Crop Sciences D NORTHERN MICHIGAN TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATO# A&M Urtivi C. E. TUCK” TATE, PRESIDENT FRAN K HEMINGER, Secretary-TreaS. V 1 147 SANTO TRAVERSE CITY, Ml. 49684 PHONE: 616-947-9274 Many things have happened since our last letter and we will try to bring you up to date. The first big thing in this new year was the successful "1st Michigan Turfgrass Conference on January 13th and li+th, at Kellogg Center, M.S.U. Here there was a record attendance, with rooms overflowing with people eager to get additional education from the fine speakers. Many of these speakers were from Michigan State and many from distant places like Dr. A1 Turgeon, Texas A. & M Ag Experimental Station at Dallas, Dr. Don White, University of Minesota, Dr. Tom Watshoe, Penn State University, Dr. Dave Martin, Columbus, Ohio, Clay Nelson, W.A. Cleary Co., Somerset, N.J., Bruce A. Sering, CGCS, Glen View, 111. plus our guest speaker at the luncheon, James Blakely, PhD., with his "Accent on Laughter". During this Conference, the annual meeting of The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation was held and three new directors were elected for a term of three years. Those elected were Mike Edgerton, Meadowbrook Country Club, Bob Olsen, Robert Olsen Landscaping and Joe Yoder, Cadillac Country Club as representative for the Northern Mich. Turf Managers Ass’n. At the Board of Directors meeting follow'ng the conference, James Timmerman was elected President, Jerry Faubel was elected Treasurer, Robert Olsen was elected Vice-President and Gordie LaFontaine was elected Executive Secretary for the coming year. Dr. Paul E. Rieke remains the Assistant Secretary plus Dr. Jos. M. Vargas is the Assistant Treasurer and these two gentlemen carry the paperwork burden for the Feundation, a good team. This is a good time to speak for the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation and raise the question, are you a member or is your club a member????? If not, we would appreciate your checking into your own position oi ask your Board of Directors to give it consideration. Remember that the next M.S.U. Field Day will be on campus July 23rd, 1981 and our next Michigan Turfgrass Conference will be January 19th & 20th, 1982. In the business of turfgrass, one does not stand still, one must keep abreast of every new thing that is happening through continuing education. The biggest, the best 52nd International Turfgrass Conference and Show was held at Anaheim, California, January 25th through January 30th. Over 7700 persons attended this wonderful educational conference and equipment show. The theme of this years conference was " Meeting Golf’s Challenges Efficiently" and started with a keynote address by John C. Argue, President, Southern California Golf Association and the leading exponet to bring the I98U Olympic Games to Los Angeles. Following this, the educational sessions began with outstanding speakers from many corners of the earth. At the session on Thursday, the United States Golf Ass’n President, Will F. Nicholson, Jr., presented their annual award to Dr. Jos. Duich, Penn State University for his outstanding contribution to turfgrass by his research, teaching and the many outstanding students in this profession. Also at this conference Mike Bavier, C.G.C.S. was elected President of G.C.S.A.A. Mike is Superintendent at Inverness Country Club, Palatine, Illnois. Proceedings of the educational sessions are available to GCSAA members, one copy to each member, upon request. There are few, if any, jobs in which ability alone is sufficient. Needed also are loyalty, sincerity, enthusiasm, and cooperation. (2”x4”x10’). This item has been an Prior to any pouring it is of ut­ Concrete Cart Paths excellent labor saving device most importance to plan access By Gary Harrington because of the ease and speed of routes for the concrete truck up to Mesa Country Club installation. On the curved sec­ 30 days in advance. This allows In 1969 I installed my first con­ tions of the path we use 1”x4”x12’ you to adjust your irrigation crete path. This came about as we bender board staked every 6” to schedule in specific areas so that had just finished rebuilding two 18” with a 1”x2”x12” stake. a dry firm route can be establish­ greens and a tee. I was in the pro­ ed. These trucks haul up to 11 cess of getting bids for asphalt yards of concrete and have a gross paths when a board member asked weight of over 30 tons. why I hadn’t considered concrete. During the actual pouring pro­ At the time, everyone felt it was im­ cess it is important to have ample practical. By coincidence, the labor available for distribution, board member that mentioned tamping, screeting, floating and concrete just happened to own the finishing. local Redi-Mix concrete plant. So the next day I was at his office discussing how to start a concrete path program. Three weeks later we started and I’ve been installing concrete paths ever since. Mesa Country Club gave the go ahead to our construction program in the winter of 1977. The planned completion date for our concrete paths will be the winter of 1981. Budgeting a concrete path pro­ gram is not without difficulties. The actual cost of concrete has almost doubled in two years. In­ creased labor cost of from 20 to We have found that with our 40% must also be taken into ac­ soil here in Mesa there is little or count; however, due to the varia­ no need for an ABC base or addi­ tion in productivity and wages tional compaction. Expansion each Superintendent must esta­ joints are placed every 30’ unless blish his own labor cost. When us­ we pass close to a tree. This may ing a depth of four inches your vary for each course depending coverage will be approximately 80 upon their local soil types and sq. ft. per cubic yard. temperature extremes. Location of each path should be determined by existing wear patterns in the turf. If possible, on new courses, wear patterns should be given a reasonable amount of time to develop. Prior to actual excavation all underground irrigation com­ ponents should be located. We start the excavation phase by removing the sod with a sod cutter. This establishes a definite outline for the tractor to work in. In most cases we have found that a 5Vi’ to 9’ width is adequate depending on the specific use area (green-tees- service). When paving a 4” cart path we excavate to a depth of 2V2” so that the finished product is raised above the existing grade. Early in the construction phase we purchased steel curb forms Reprinted from Cactus Clippings All of our pouring is done in the far we have encountered cement winter months with optimum shortages and last winter many weather conditions. However, in days of rain. But with a lot of luck adverse weather conditions it may we are still on schedule. be necessary to establish specific If you would like more informa­ curing techniques. The forms are tion please come by—or write— usually removed with 24 hours and we will be happy to explain our depending on our regular work operation. n . schedule. At this point we fill to Cactus Clippings grade and use either seed or sod to re-establish the turf. HOW THE LEAVES CHANGE COLOR by Ray Falconer According to an official of the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories, for best colors to develop, it requires bright sunny but cool days and cooler nights with the temperature less than 45 degrees, however frost has nothing to do with the color change directly. Overcast skies are not desirable as they cause the yellows and browns to dominate. As the summer wanes, a band of tiny cells at the end of a leaf stem (where it hooks on to a twig) begin to dry and harden. This blocks off the flow of water and other nutrients to the twig, stopping up the plumbing system inside the leaf and the manufacture of Because of the combination of sugar slows down. The chlorophyl foot traffic as well as cart traffic on then surrenders itself and the green grades varying from flat to steep vanishes. The yellow pigments which and conditions varying from dry to were masked with the leaves all sum­ wet, we have found that a very mer are then revealed. coarse to rough finish is neces­ When excessive sugar is trapped sary. The finished edge is ac­ within the leaf it turns scarlet as the complished with a rounded 4” production of red anthocyanin pigment edger. takes place. The intense red of swamp maples and sugar maples illustrates this progress. So called red maples turn crimson while sugar maples turn red, orange and yellow. Dogwoods have a distinct crimson, sassafras becomes deep red and the mountain ash combines orange with scarlet. As for the oaks, some turn scarlet, others burgundy red, still others just brown. The beeches, birches, poplars, tulip and aspen trees are mostly yellow, although some beeches are two-toned with tan and yellow streaks. Some trees like the butternut and walnut do not change color at all. The tamarack tree is the only needle- bearing tree which changes color and whose needles drop each fall. They usually turn along with or slightly later than the hardwoods like birch or maple. These trees grow in pockets of relatively moist ground and their This is just a brief glimpse in needles turn a beautiful golden yellow how we are installing our concrete before dropping. paths at Mesa Country Club. So Cats spread the parasite for the first 7 to 10 days after they become infected. After that they become resistant and shed fewer eggs (oocysts). Toxoplasmosis is particularly a health hazard for pregnant women. The pet manure, of course, does have some fer­ tilizer value. Compared with cattle manure, dog feces has about 40 percent more nitrogen, the same amount of phosphate, and about 1/20 the potash. Dog or cat manure, along with the litter or bedding, would contain about 21/2 times the nitrogen, the same amount of phosphate, and about half the potash as cattle manure. If you were going to use it as a fertilizer, an Fertility application rate of 20 pounds per 100 square feet would supply about all a lawn or about half what a Pet manure on farm garden? Not worth the risk! garden needs. But Hall and Schulte do not Some urban and rural residents have wondered if pet recommend its use as fertilizer, because of the serious manure might be okay to use on small garden plots, health dangers. such as a backyard home garden or the farm family Composting the manure, if it can be done at vegetable plot. temperatures greater than 150 degrees (F) for 5 days RE. Hall, professor of veterinary science, and would make it safe. But home compost piles seldom E.E. Schulte, professor of soil science, both at the reach this temperature internally and almost never do University of Wisconsin-Madison, say while there are on the surface. no studies to fully document the pros and cons, there The manure could be sterilized with methyl are some major health considerations to think about. bromide also, but this would be a costly procedure; There is a roundworm common in dog manure probably not worth the fertilizer value of the manure. and a disease common in cat manure that can serious Instead, Hall and Schulte recommend you simply health problems in humans. Both the worms and the dispose of the dog or cat manure. Either flush it down disease can live in the soil for months or years, so the toilet, bury it at least 6 inches deep in the soil, or there is a good chance that the problem can be trans­ place it in tight plastic bags for garbage collection. mitted to humans by consuming food grown in the *^^Z ^lz soil if it does not happen when the manure is first ¡1* ’HP* ^P* applied. An estimated 90 percent of all puppies are infected with a large roundworm called Toxocara Best Places to Retire canis. The eggs of these worms are present in dog manure and can be transferred to humans either by handling the manure or possibly also by eating plant The ten best states for retirement over the next tubers (potatoes, carrots, etc.) that are grown in soil decade are all in the South and West, reports Money contaminated by the eggs. magazine. A ranking of the states, based on pro­ The eggs hatch in the small intestine and the little worms float through the bloodstream to the liver. jections by Chase Econometrics, reflects cost-of-living From there they can migrate throughout the body, advantages such as low taxes, low unemployment, ending up in the lungs, heart, brain, spinal cord, skin, low housing costs, good medical care and public and in other tissues. The exact symptoms depend on where these worms end up. services. The ten best states for retirement living are: Immature worms can affect the eye by attacking Utah, Louisiana, South Carolina, Nevada, Texas, New the retina and causing blindness. Until recently, removal of the eye was the only treatment available. Mexico, Alabama, Arizona, Florida and Georgia. Just And these are not merely scare stories. In one for the record, the worst state for retirement is pediatric hospital, 37 percent of the retinal diseases of Massachusetts, which has utility bills averaging children's eyes were caused by these worms. Another test, this one conducted by the U S. Public Health $1,600 a year, high taxes, dividends and interest taxes Service, showed that 30 percent of all the adult at double the rate for earned income, high unemploy­ human tissues tested were positive for the worms. ment, part-time jobs dominated by college students The principal problem with cat manure is a disease called Toxoplasmosis. This is an internal and the highest cost-of-living in the nation for retired parasite in cats that is associated with miscarriages people. All of New England, New York and New Jer­ and malformation of unborn children whose mothers sey fall into the ten least desirable states to retire in. handled cat manure. About 45 percent of the cat specimens examined at one animal health diagnostic laboratory were ^lz *TP* ^lz ^lz ^lz ^Iz zjs ^z positive for this parasite. CROPS AND SOILS MAGAZINE/DECEMBER 1980 Weepers don’t win; winners don’t weep. ________ __________ ___________________Harry C. Mabry Patience key to annual bluegrass control with endothall By Dr. James Beard, turfgrass scientist, Texas A&M University Controlling annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) in ingredient per liter. It is sprayed at a rate of % to Vi bentgrass putting greens is a perennial problem. ounce to 2Vi gallons of water per 1,000 square feet. There are a number of pre-emergence herbicides that Typically, two applications at 2- to 4-week intervals effectively control annual bluegrass. However, the are made in both spring and fall when temperatures continuing problem has been to achieve control are between 50° and 70°F. The result has been a without damaging the bentgrass’ shoot or root gradual elimination of annual bluegrass over a 2-year system. Injury to the root system is particularly period. There is evidence that perennial types of noticeable. Also, bentgrass damage can be aggravated annual bluegrass are not as easily controlled with by poorly drained soil and heat stress. endothall as are the annual types. American golf course superintendents have at­ It is important to avoid treatment when the turf is tempted to control annual bluegrass with quick­ under heat, drought or wear stress. Early morning or acting herbicides. Different pre-emergence herbicides late evening treatments have been most effective. have been applied in the past 30 years with marginal Endothall-treated bentgrass turfs possess substantially success and often unwanted consequences. reduced wear tolerance; thus, applications should be Australian golf course superintendents have tackled avoided 5 days before intense traffic is expected. the problem differently. In 1976 several Australian An error in application, such as applying when superintendents began a long-term experimental temperatures are too high or at too high a rate, can program of endothall usage that resulted in bentgrass result in some foliar burn to the bentgrass. However, putting greens free of annual bluegrass. Other super­ the turf readily recovers because endothall has no intendents using a similar control program are long-term soil residual that can cause toxicity currently achieving the same results. problems for bentgrass, especially the root system. Endothall has been available for many years; The specifics on how such a long-term endothall however, the approach in the United States has program might be used in the United States are not always been to use it as a short-term treatment at established. The rates and timings may vary slightly high application rates with the objective of quick depending on the location’s specific conditions. Those eradication. The Australians are doing just the interested in experimenting with such a program opposite: They are pursuing a program of light, should start on a nursery green with a rate of 1/8 repeated applications appropriately scheduled. Con­ ounce per 1,000 square feet and slowly increase the tinual application has resulted in complete control of rate until the bentgrass’ phytotoxicity rate is annual bluegrass. established. Annual bluegrass control should be The endothall formulation being used is the attempted only on greens that contain an adequate sodium salt that contains 17.5 grams of active stand of bentgrass. TODAY Today is the time to begin to tackle a few of the challenges and the opportunities around us. Today is the time to speak only kind words about others. Today is the time to give ONE SET OF something of ourselves, our time and our resources, where FOOTPRINTS One night a man had a dream. He they are urgently needed. Today is the time to do at least dreamed' he was walking along the one worthy thing which we have long postponed. Today is the beach with the Lord Across the sky time in which to express our noblest qualities of mind and flashed scenes from his life For each scene, he noticed iwo sets of foot­ heart. Today is the time to make a beginning. Never put off prints in the sand one belonging to until tomorrow what can be done today. him and the other to the Lord When (by Dr. Paul S. McElroy) the last scene had flashed before him. ********************* he looked back at the footprints and noticed that many times, along the path, there was only one set of foot- prits in the sand He also noted that this happened during the lowest and Sightseers touring Southern battle­ saddest times in his life. This really DUES fields in a bus listened stoically to the bothered him and he questioned the Forget the hasty, unkind word, comments of their driver-guide: “Here, Lord. Lord, you said that once I decid­ Forget the slander you have heard, a handful of our Southern boys routed ed to follow You. You would walk all Forget the quarrel and the cause, 30,000 Yanks ... Here, one fine batta­ the way with me, but I noticed that, Forget the whole affair because. lion of Georgia annihilated a corps of during the most troublesome times of Forgetting is the only way to Forget Yankee troops ... Here, two brave Vir­ my life, there was only one set of foot­ the .storm of yesterday. ginia boys captured an entire regiment prints. I don't understand why, when I Forget the knocker and the sneak, of Northerners ..." needed you the most, you deserted Forget the bad day of the week. Finally, a woman with an unmistak­ me. The Lord replied, “My precious Forget you're not a millionaire, able New England twang asked, “Did­ child, I love you and would never de­ Forget the gray streaks in your hair, n’t the North win a single victory?" sert ^ou. During your times of trial and Forget to even get the blues, “No. ma’am," said the guide polite­ suffering, when you see only one set of BUT, DON'T FORGET TO ly, “and they won’t as long a I’m run­ footprints, it was then that I CARRIED PAY YOUR DUES. ning this bus." YOU." If you have not paid 1980 or 1981 dues, your name will not he in the new 1981 membership booklet which will be in the printing press within 10 days. Further, your name will be dropped from our ma-’ling list in accordance with our By-Laws. If you do not receice further mailings, you will know the reason. ********************** At the G.C.S.A.A. preconference educational seminars, attendance was like the total conference in that full crowds were at the Nutrition, Disease, Insect Identification, Irrigation, Management, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Photography session put on by Eastman Kodak. This is indicative of the need that many have about more information relative to improving your knowledge in your vocation. There was also a program to help and assist those interested in becoming Certified Golf Course Superintendents. We are happy to report that one of our members, Joe Yoder, Cadillac Country Club, became certified while there. We hope that this will be an added incentative for many others in our Association to go this route. Congratulations to Mr. Yoder, C.G.C.S. WWW w u v v w w w w w W W w v ww v v w w w at A R R a A A nrv n MINIMUM WAGE - The Michigan minimum wage is now $3-35 an hour, up from $3-10 last year. This is the same as the federal minimum wage. It applies to those employers who have two or more employees over age 18 at any time during the calendar year. ¥ W, rW, Af U V M W WV V ¥ V W W Y W V ¥ W The New York State Turfgrass Association has just announced its release of a 35mm slide set on "Weeds of Turfgrass". The 80 slide set complements two other slide sets available from the New York State Turfgrass Association, "diseases of Turfgrasses" ans "Insects of Turfgrass in the Northeast." The set is a useful tool in the identification and control of weeds for maintenance personnel at parks, recreational facilities, golf courses, cemetaries, schools, commercial installations and other institutional sites. Produced by Dr. Arthur Bing and Robert O’Knefski, the slide set pictures such weeds as tall fescue, annual bluegrass, crabgrass, gooseg^ass, nutsedges, wild onion, garlic, oxalis, clover, black medic, dandelion, plantain, ground ivy, chickweek, knotweed, spurge, healall, sorrels, speedwell, chrysanthemum weed, mugwort and yarrow. For each weed there is a line drawing and a close up photograph along with shots of the weed interspersed with turf-type grasses. For further information, contact the New York Turfgrass Association, 210 Cartwright Blvd., Massapequa Park, N.Y. 11762, Attention: Ann Reilly, Executive Secretary. Price on the weed slide set is $30.00 and worth every penny to every golf course superintendent for reference. This newsletter needs input from the people that read it, we would like to publish what is happening to you, that would be of interest to others. If you have any good ideas which would benefit others, short cuts which work and have for you, we are interested in passing on your ideas. Your suggestions as to how this letter can be improved plus maybe you would like to help put it together, be an associate editor? Let us hear from you. Thanks. ■M V V V V V V W W W , W V A/ W WWW W w w W WWW W a a a 7v Tv A tv “ R A ~ A A R R R AAR A RR ARR R R A R make your OBTAINED A COLLECTION move NEW MEMBER? now...