1990 Summer Turfgrass-Fest
The Northwest Turfgrass Association, with the
corporation of the WSU Puyallup Research and
Extension Center and the High Cedars Golf Club, is
sponsoring a Summer Turfgrass-Fest June 25 & 26,
1990.
The event is planned to provide the opportunity for
friends, colleagues, co-workers and everyone involved
with the turfgrass industry to get together to share
problems (and solutions); hear about recent research
activities; see the "state of the art" in industry equipment
demonstrated; and, practice your golf game.
Monday, June 25th, a Turfgrass Research Golf
Tournament will be held.
Tuesday, June 26th, the annual Turfgrass Field
Day at the WSU Puyallup Research and Extension
Center, Field Laboratory - Farm 5 will be held.
Following the field day there will be a Turf Grounds
Maintenance and Irrigation Equipment Display and
Demonstration and great luncheon cookout at High
Cedars Golf Club. Wally Staatz, owner/manager of High
Cedars Golf Club, has donated his club and facilities.
Look for registration information for the Summer
Turfgrass-Fest in the spring.

1990 Annual Membership
And Dues
The NTA is a non-profit corporation founded in 1948
to help all people interested in turfgrass culture. The
association now has grown to over 400 people involved
in turf facilities development and maintenance at
schools, parks, golf courses, cemeteries, parks, sports
fields, commercial sites, and home lawns. In addition,
lawn spray services, landscape architects, landscape
contractors, and equipment and chemical suppliers all
participate as members in this organization. Through its
many activities, the NTA has benefited all of these
people by helping them learn more about their profession. Its annual conference and publications program
provide timely and pertinent information specifically
aimed at turf culture needs in the Pacific Northwest. In
recent years, its focus has broadened to include
landscape maintenance in addition to turf culture.
The NTA offers an opportunity to participate
shoulder to shoulder with other leading turf professionals

in the Pacific Northwest. Members get:
1. An opportunity to attend the annual conference to
listen to outstanding researchers and practitioners an
then discuss their findings face to face.
2. A copy of the annual conference Proceedings.
This publication typically runs 100 to 150 pages and
contains approximately 25 different topics as presented
by top researchers throughout the Pacific Northwest and
the United States. Many of the talks are practically
oriented and provide information to take home and
apply.
3. An opportunity to exchange ideas and
experiences with other turf colleagues in the Pacific
Northwest.
4. A first hand look at new equipment and products
as displayed at the conference by suppliers from
throughout the region and the United States.
5. A quarterly publication, Turfgrass Topics, filled
with timely information on turf care and other items of
interest in our industry. Turfgrass Topics also includes
advertising by the suppliers with whom you want to do
business on a regular basis.
6. An annual Directory including a listing of
association members along with valuable industry data.
7. A handsome annual Certificate of Membership.
8. An active group of elected and appointed
colleagues looking out for your interests and those of the
industry.
9. An opportunity to support and promote industryrelated research.
Annual dues statements were mailed this last
month. If you haven't returned yours yet, get it in
soon so you can be listed in the NTA Annual
Directory.

1990 Research And Scholarship
Fund Raising Campaign
Bill Griffith, chairperson the NTA Research and
Scholarship Fund committee, has announced the kick off
of the 1989/1990 Research and Scholarship fund raising
campaign.
Intimately involved with turfgrass management, we
realize more than most, that today's turfgrass quality is
the result of knowledge and technological gains resulting
from research and education accompanied by hard work
(continued on page 3)

President's Corner
By Dr. William Johnston

"How to Kill the NTA!"
In July 1988, I read an
article by James N. Moore in
the ASHS Newsletter on how to
kill a professional society. His
thoughts and mine on this
subject have been lying
dormant for some time, but with
the coming of spring they have
sprouted. The following six tips
outline many of the ways we
can keep the NTA from growing and serving our
membership more effectively. The list is not all inclusive
and I am sure others could be added.
1) Do not attend the NTA Annual Meeting, especially
the business meeting where important issues and
policies are discussed and voted upon.
2) Limit any input to destructive comments and
criticisms, or do not even participate an then complain
that no one listens.
3) Never, never accept an office or task. Or, if
unlucky enough to be in a position of responsibility, do
not attend meetings, do nothing more than the minimum,
and oppose all new ideas.
4) Do not pay your dues on time. That NTA Annual
Dues notice of $75 for regular membership received in
January - forget it! Wait till you receive two or three
notices and then pay late. Also, an absolute must is do
not contribute to any special fund such as the R. L. Goss
Turfgrass Endowment Fund - someone else will take
care of your share.
5) Do not read Turf Topics and other newsletters.
This permits one to complain loudly about a lack of
communication.
6) Do not spend any time on recruiting new
members into the NTA. Someone else will do that and
we are so good anyway that everyone knows about us
and wants to join.
My experience as a past member of the Board of
Directors and Vice President, and current President has
shown me that most NTA members do not have the
above faults. Most are willing to serve the NTA in any
possible way o the best of their ability. Members I have
called upon for help have responded enthusiastically
and I gratefully appreciate their willingness to serve.
However, from time to time, it is possible that we all are
guilty of one or more of the above mentioned faults. We
decide that the new bunker we were going to put in for
the last three years just has to be built during the NTA
Annual Meeting in September. Any one of us may easily
decide that we are too busy to serve on the Board of
Directors or assist on a committee. We believe that our
presence at the annual business meeting is of so little
importance that we go shopping or play golf. We know
we should contribute to the R. L. Goss Turfgrass
Endowment Fund to insure a healthy future for the
turfgrass industry in the northwest and to pay Roy back
for the time he came out to look at the dying turf when

we "just had to see him - now!", but we are a little short
on cash right now and besides only big contributions
make a difference.
When we make such judgements we weaken the
NTA, for each of us is important to its health, well being,
an future growth. The purpose of the NTA is to serve its
members and its ability to accomplish this task is in
direct proportion to the involvement of its members in
the organization. I urge all members to become more
involve in your organization in 1990. You will benefit
personally and the NTA will certainly benefit from your
participation. The NTA really does depend upon you
because you are the NTA. In the next issue of Turf
Topics I will discuss "How to participate in the NTA". I
wish you all a good spring turfgrass season - may your
grass always be green (or at least rate a 7).

CORRECTION
The editor apologizes for the misspelling on the
1989-1990 NTA Board Director roster insert in
the last issue of the Turfgrass Topics. Jacobson
should have been Jacobsen.

SREFand2%
plant-available iron
combined for great
turf performance
Get all the advantages of Scott's advanced sulfurcoating technology, plus readily available ferrous
sulfate iron to help correct and prevent iron
deficiencies, in one high-quality product—
Scotts® Turf Fertilizer
with Iron.
Ask your ProTurf®
Tech Rep for details.
Don Clemans
(206) 254-8748
Mark Jones
(509) 255-6033

22-3-10
Turf Fertilizer
with 2% Iron

*SREF is the acronym for Slow Release
Encapsulated Fertilizer

XMMiJtiumMi

i i p

Fund Raising

(continued from page 1)

and effort. We owe our thanks to those who gave their
time and money to make the research and education
possible, for without them we would have to rely on our
own slow trial and error methods.
Few of us are independently capable of, nor
prepared to conduct the research or develop the
education programs necessary to keep the industry on
the leading edge. Recognizing this, the Northwest
Turfgrass Association created a research and scholarship fund to help make it possible for each of us can
financially contribute to industry research and education
advancements.
Donation forms will be mailed to members and
industry supporters within the next month or so. Contributions are tax deductible and those contributing to
the research and and scholarship fund each year are
recognized in the NTA Annual Directory.
Buy a share today in better turfgrass for tomorrow.

1990 NTA Conference to Feature
Dr. A. J. Turgeon
& Dr. Robert Sherman

resorts do not have large exhibition hall facilities to
accommodate a large scale trade show.
Recognizing this, the 1990 trade show at Rippling
River is scheduled in conjunction with our Monday night
conference kick-off reception and golf tournaments
award ceremony rather than as a separate afternoon or
evening event. Conference registrants will e treated to
the hosted reception including hors d'oeuvres and
refreshments, while strolling in a relaxed and casual
atmosphere among some forty suppliers and
manufacturers' table top displays. The reception/show
will begin in the late afternoon and go on into the
evening.
During the summer, the Turfgrass-Fest/Field Day will
continue to offer a grounds maintenance and irrigation
hands-on display and demonstration program, which
has become a success sin its own right.
The Board of Directors of the NTA would like to
extend its gratitude and appreciation for the support,
both technical and financial, that is provided by our trade
show participants. The majority of the fall conference
and Summer Turfgrass-Fest trade show fees are
dedicated to the NTA Turfgrass Research/Scholarship
Fund.

by Bill Griffith, NTA Program Chairperson

The 1990 NTA 44th Annual Northwest Turfgrass
conference educational program is being finalized with
many excellent speakers on this year's program. The
1990 conference, to be held at Rippling River Resort,
will run from September 17-20, 1990. In addition to our
featured speakers, there will be presentations given by
Tom Cook, Dr. Gwen Stahnke, Larry Gilhuly, Tim Rhay,
Mike Vandecouevering, Crystal Frickner, and others.
Many timely topics are planned including; several
pertinent pesticide subjects, opportunities for turfgrass
education and information, tree fertilization, crowd control and turf recovery, computerized irrigation controller
systems, soil testing and interpretation, and a wide
variety of others.
This year we are offering two optional Wednesday
afternoon sessions, one dealing with sprayer selection
and calibration, and the other will be a forum discussion
on the use of computers in turf management (bring your
favorite IBM programs and software to share). We
encourage each of you to plan on attending.

NTA Trade Show Charts
New Directions
by Pat Nibler, NTA Trade Show Chairperson

The NTA 44th Annual Northwest Turfgrass
Conference trade show will adopt a new approach
beginning at his year's event at Rippling River Resort.
Membership attendance seems to improve when the
convention is sited in a resort setting instead of a
metropolitan/ downtown location. Understandably,
resorts offer a change of scenery, centralized recreation
and meal facilities and family accommodations. In short,
a vacation atmosphere. More often than not, however,

The LESCO 48-Inch
Commercial Rotary
(Generating profits in the mowing business depends on quality equipment. The LESCO
48-Inch Commercial Rotary, built rugged and durable, delivers this dependability.
An extra-deep cutting deck is balanced for better maneuverability and more
uniform cutting, while double-V drive belts provide more surface area to reduce slippage in wet conditions. Power for day-long mowing comes from a 12.5-horsepower
Kawasaki engine.
LESCO. Quality name. 48-Inch Commercial Rotary Mower. Quality Equipment.

uaaftg

Nationwide • (800) 321-5325
In Ohio •(800)686-7413

LESCO Inc.. 20005 Lake Road. Rocky River. OH 44116, (216)333-9250

ASPA Offers New Turf Referral
Service
Listing of turfgrass sod producers are now available
upon request from the American Sod Producers
Association (ASPA).
While contacts can be obtained by specifying
general varieties, ASPA does not have information on
specific blends or mixes. Producers can be requested by
the following varieties - Bahaigrass, Bentgrass,
Bermudagrass, Fine Fescue, Ryegrass, St. Augustinegrass, Tall Fescue and Zoysiagrass. As ASPA members
are required to adhere to a strict Code of Ethics, utilizing
ASPA producers can ensure turfgrass sod purchasers
that they will receive a quality product.
Individuals interested in requesting a listing of ASPA
Producers can contact American Sod Producers
Association, 1855-A Hicks Road, Rolling Meadows,
Illinois 60008 or call 708/705-9898. Requests should
specify geographic area(s) and varieties of turfgrass
individuals are interested in purchasing.

USGA Turfgrass Information On File
by Peter Cooklngham, TGIC Manager
TGIF Manager

Throughout the business world, technology continues to alter the way we act and produce. Car phones,
FAX machines, and personal computers sprout up

everywhere. Seemingly, a library could be one of the last
places to feel the influence of "the electronic age."
But not so. In fact, libraries have long been
recognized as a "natural" candidate for automation.
Much effort is currently underway to use this "new
technology" to help users of libraries, and the world of
turf culture is no exception.
Beginning in 1982, the USGA Turfgrass Research
Committee identified a basic need to inventory and
classify existing turf literature as it embarked on a longterm research program to reduce turfgrass water and
maintenance requirements. Much research has been
conducted over many years on a wide range of issues
in turf culture. How do you quickly and comprehensively
identify such work?
The MSU Libraries was chosen to be the home for
this project primarily because of the presence of the O.
J. Noer Memorial Turfgrass Collection at MSU. This
collection began over 20 years ago, and with the
continuing support of the O. J. Noer foundation has
grown to become one of the best of its kind in the world.
Originally based on the personal literature collection of
the late turf agronomist O. J. Noer, materials continue to
be donated and purchased.
The role of the Turfgrass Information File:
Owning literature and having it easily accessible are two
different things, however. The link between the
prospective user and the collection itself is the role of
the USGA Turfgrass Information File. USGA TGIF is an
(continued on page 5)

"VANDALS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD?
NO PROBLEM WITH HUNTER SPRINKLERS.
"HUNTER SPRINKLERS ARE DESIGNED TO RESIST TAMPERING. HEAWDUTN RETRACTION SPRINGS
AND CAPS THAT LOCK TO SPRINKLER BODIES DISCOURAGE EVEN THE MOST DETERMINED. "

Hunter
1940 Diamond St. •

PROFESSOR WATER
<k

The Irrigation Innovators

San Marcos, CA 92069 •

619 / 744-5240 •

FAX: 619 / 744-7461

Turf Referral (continued from page

4)

electronic index file to the turf literature, or bibliographic
database you need access to the "raw materials," of
such databases: the published literature. At MSU, we
attempt to collect everything published on turf, index and
abstract the material, and make it available through mail,
telephone, or direct computer-to-computer access.
Many bibliographic databases exist in a wide range
of academic and business areas. At present over 2,000
are commercially available; some small like USGA TGIF,
while others in far more general areas contain millions of
records. Used in the past primarily by academics, the
tools are increasingly being exploited by practitioners,
following the lead of the medical and legal professions.
But no one else worries about turf, and only turf.
Under construction since 1984, USGA TGIF
currently has over 16,600 records in it, and continues to
grow daily. Current publications relevant to turf research
or turf culture are monitored for items which relate to
turf. Each is indexed and abstracted, as necessary. We
intend to "keep current" with materials as they are
produced today and into the future, and also to work
back into time to make the wealth of the past more
accessible. Ever wonder how you would keep track of all
the articles or presentations you saw or heard or read?
Over a span of years this becomes a sizable amount of
remembering to try and do, and numerous professionals
maintain their own indexing files to keep the "good stuff"
organized and accessible. The computer is an ideal way
to do this organizing. At the MSU Libraries, we use the
computer to organize access to the mass of published
material in turf science; thus USGA TGIF. TGIF can
serve as a collective index to your materials as well as
ours.
What can it do?
1. Act as an index to guide you to sources that may
contain the information that you seek.
2. Identify names, products, researchers, cultivars,
etc., thus serving as a reference source.
3. Function as a textbook, by overviewing (but not
synthesizing) published material on a given topic.
4. Sometimes it can locate a specific piece of
information and thus "answer a question."
5. Act as a clearinghouse for the cumulated
published experience of turf research and management.
USGA TGIF provides us the ability to identify
relevant works on a given topic. The Noer collection
provides a known location for the majority of those
works. The two elements lay complimentary and
mutually-supportive roles.
How can you use USGA TGIF? Several alternatives are possible, depending on your needs and
computer capabilities.
1. If you don't have a microcomputer, you can call or
write us at MSU, describe the subject or objective of
your search, and we will take it from there. Search
results will be mailed to you, generally within 48 hours.
The search results will consist of a customized

bibliography of items relating to your topics, including
abstracts in most cases.
2. If you have access to an IBM-PC (or compatible)
with a modem, you can sign up to conduct you own
searches via your machine. You can thus directly
construct a search and download the results to your
computer. This is possible 7 days a week, 18 hours per
day.
In an effort to make USGA TGIF as self-supporting
as possible, a fee schedule has been established
relating to services. Subscribers sign up on an annual
basis, and can search the database directly (as
described above) or receive searches via mail at
reduced rates. Non-subscribers are billed on a pay-asyou-go basis for searches and other services.
What if you need or want an entire article that
you have identified via a search, but do not have
access to yourself? We can provide document delivery
in many cases, on a cost recovery basis, using mail,
overnight deliver, or fax, as necessary.
What kinds of materials are present in USGA
TGIF? Included are journal articles reporting the results
of original research (e.g. Crop Science, Agronomy
Journal, Plant Disease, etc.), state-by-state annual
reports (Kentucky Turfgrass Research, etc.), conference
(continued on page 6)

The
UNDERGROUND
WEATHERSTATION™
for turf irrigation
g
•
•
•

Controls irrigation in relation to weather.
Retrofits to existing irrigation systems.
Pays for itself in labor and water savings.
Provides water use information.

Call (503) 758-4560 today for information and
seminar dates, or ask your northwest dealer:
AgriTurf Irrigation & Supply, Inc., Eugene OR, (503) 342-1203
Waterworks, Inc., Medford OR, (503) 773-7440
Valley Water Works & Irrigation, Keiowna BC, (604) 763-9107
C.P.I. Equipment Ltd., Langley BC (604) 530-0264
Saanichton BC (604) 652-6406

H.D. Fowler Co. Turf Irrigation Division
Beaverton OR, (503) 626-2466
Clackamas OR (503) 656-3900
Bellevue WA (206) 746-8400
Olympia WA (206) 459-7300
Sumner WA (206) 863-8642

MOISTURE
DYNAMICS
INC.

P.O. Box 2066
Corvallis, OR 97339
(503) 758-4560

Intelligent Irrigation Controllers™

Turf Referral

(continuedfrompage5)

proceedings (Virginia Turfgrass conference, Michigan
Turfgrass Conference, Northwest Turfgrass Conference,
etc.), professional magazines (USGA Green Section
Record, TurfNews, Golf Course Management, Greenmaster, etc.), trade publications (Grounds Maintenance,
SportsTurf, ALA, etc.), and newsletters (The Grass
Roots, The Florida Green, etc.). Add in theses and
dissertations, special reports, books, films, software,
extension publications, etc., and USGA TGIF includes a
wide range of sources.
How can we search this mass of material to try
and identify only those materials which we want?
USGA TGIF can be searched by subject or subjects,
author or authors, year of publication or a range of years
(e.g. 1985-1988 only), etc. each alone or in combination
with any other factor which is present in our TGIF
record. We thus could search and identify all published
(and acquired) research on:
1. Bluegrass Billbug control.
2. Comparative quality evaluations of tall fescue
cultivars.
3. Review articles on white grub control alternatives.
4. All articles written by Dr. James Beard on heat
stress.
5. Bahiagrass control in Centipedegrass sod,
6. Pendimethalin effectiveness.
Searches will be successful to the extent that the
subject has been discussed in the published literature
of turf agronomy. IF not; then no results. Several other
cavaets are in order, to:
1. USGA TFIG is still under construction; it is big
and getting bigger, but much of the older material
remains to be processed. In other words, just because it
isn't in TGIF (yet) doesn't mean the work wasn't done
(or published).
2. Our primary focus is on turf culture. Related
materials on turf equipment, business operation issues,
marketing, etc. will probably not be present in USGA
TGIF.
3. We don't evaluate the contents of what is
published. Our role is not to filter; it is to transmit. As the
information user, you are the professional who must
evaluate the content of any report of conclusion. There
are contradictory materials present in the database, just
as there are contradictory opinions in the real world.
What does the USGA Turfgrass Information File
do? It uses the computer as a tool to provide access to
the published literature of turf science. We intend to
continue to make this access easier, quicker, cheaper,
and more efficient, based on industry needs and
available technology
To obtain complete information regarding the USGA
Turfgrass Information File and its associated services,
call or write: Turfgrass Information Center, W-212
Main Library, Michigan State University Libraries,
East Lansing, Ml 48824-1048; (517) 353-7209.
We hope to hear from you, and assist with your
information-seeking needs.

Turf - More than Aesthetics
And Sports
by J. F. Shoulders, Professor Emeritus, Agronomy
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

My objective is to broaden your appreciation of turf
as a high priority need in the life style of people, and to
encourage you to inform your clients and the general
public of the important role of turf in the environment and
its beneficial effects.
Recently the turf industry has been challenged by
certain individuals and by the news media. These
challenges have increased the awareness of those in
our industry of the continuing need to always do the best
job possible with minimum risk to our clientele, to the
general public, to our employees, to ourselves, and to
the environment.
We must provide answers that assure our clientele
and the public that any risks involved are acceptable
and justified by the benefits provided by turf.
It is my purpose to encourage turf professionals to
be constantly aware of the broad values of turf as we go
about our daily routine. These broad values include such
categories as reducing soil loss by water and wind
erosion, temperature modification, water purification,
enhancement of property values, and other times which
I will discuss. In my opinion, enhancing the public's
understanding of the total value of turfgrass in everyday
living and in environmental improvement is among the
highest priorities for our industry at the present time.
Before discussing these less emphasized values of
turf, let us review briefly some of the development of the
turfgrass industry and explore some of the reasons we
are faced with the present day challenges.
When we analyze the use of turfgrass in today's
culture, turf can be placed into three general categories ornamental, recreational, and functional.
We are most familiar with the first two - ornamental,
which includes lawns, formal gardens, grounds, and
general grassed areas where turf is used primarily to
beautify and serve as a foundation planting to enhance
other landscape plants and structures (including statues
and buildings) ; and, recreational, which includes turf for
sports areas, such as playgrounds, golf courses, parks,
athletic fields, horse race courses, and ski slopes.
The functional category comes to mind less frequently and it is in this area that we must place more
emphasis in the immediate future. This is the area that
touches every person in some manner and enhances
their quality of life. This includes such items as dust and
mud reduction, air purification, water purification, climate
modification, glare reduction, etc.
There are logical reasons for our neglect of the
functional are: Turf management was not recognized as
an important segment of agriculture until lately when
compared to crops such as com, cotton, tobacco, small
grains, even forestry. These crops provided immediate
food, clothing, shelter, or cash and consequently were
given a higher priority than turf.
(continued on page 9)

IPM And The
Golf Course Superintendent
by Christine Casey

Insect, disease and weed problems are nothing new
to the golf course superintendent, and neither are the
problems that often accompany the pesticides used to
control them. Diminishing effectiveness, increasing
costs, and safety considerations are legitimate concerns
surrounding pesticide usage. In response, many
agriculture professionals have turned to an alternative
pest control strategy called integrated pest management
(IPM). In New Jersey, IPM programs are developed and
implemented by IPM agents, county agricultural agents,
and specialists who work for Rutgers Cooperative
Extension. While New Jersey vegetable and tree fruit
growers have had IPM programs for many years,
ornamentals and turf IPM is a relatively new program in
our state. IPM programs often use pesticides, but the
emphasis is put on keeping pests at low levels through
the use of other pest control strategies so that pesticides
are used less often and serious pest problems are
prevented. IPM also differs from traditional pest control
in that it employs a variety of control strategies, rather
than relying on a single strategy (usually) pesticides).
Some of the different pest control tactics used in an IPM
program include:
Monitoring
Traditional pest control programs have been based
on the calendar - sprays were applied at certain times of
the year, regardless of whether the pest was actually
present. In an IPM program, regular plant inspections
(about every two weeks) are an essential way to keep
track of changes in pest problems. In addition to plant
inspections, insects are monitored through the use of
insect traps. Black light traps catch insects which are
attracted to light, while another type of trap, the pheromone trap, uses a synthetic sex attractant similar to that
emitted by the female to attract the male for mating.
These traps can indicate when an insect is first present
in an area, and how its population is changing. Another
useful monitoring tool for the turf professional is the
diagnostic test kits which have been developed for
brown patch, dollar spot, and pythium. These enable
superintendents to make a positive disease identification
in less than half an hour. Based on monitoring, pest
control decision can be made according to what pests
are known to be present, not on what is through to be
present, regular monitoring can prevent pest problems
because potentially serious infestations can be
discovered while they are still minor. In addition, when
plants are inspected on a regular basis, it is possible to
keep track of biological control agents such as ladybird
beetles or scale predators when plants are being
inspected regularly. Monitoring alerts the
superintendents to previously undetected pest problems,
so plant and turf quality improve.
(continued on page 10)

TURF-SEED PRODUCTS
ARE DISTRIBUTED IN THE
NORTHWEST BY 'THE CHIEF

Norm Whitworth

KENTUCKY
BLUEGRASSES
Columbia •Midnight
Challenger
Galaxy Blend
FINE FESCUES PERENNIAL
•Shadow *Flyer
RYEGRASSES
• Fortress
•Citation II • Birdie II
HARD FESCUES •OmegaII • ManhattanII
• CBS II Blend
• Aurora •Waldina
SHEEPS FESCUE TALL FESCUES
• Bighorn
•Olympic'Apache
• Monarch
CREEPING
BENTGRASSES •Triathalawn Blend
•Peimcross*Penneagle
Wildflower mixture
•PennLinks
• Bloomers
• Pennway blend

Norm Whitworth
Turf Products Division
P.O. Box 68314 • Oak Grove, OR 97268

503/659-3114

Pruning Guide
The following is a pruning guide adapted from the
September 1989 "Dundee Leaflet" newsletter by Dundee
Nursery and Landscaping, and the Minnesota Extension
Service publication "Pruning Trees and Shrubs" (AG-FO0628) by Men/in C. Eisel, Extension Horticulturist.

5 - RIGHT AFTER FLOWERING: usually done
because plant flowers on old wood.
6 - SUMMER: best time is when it is not rainy or
humid. Locust should be done after July 15.
7 - FALL: best when plant has lost its leaves for the
year.

Common questions asked at the Extension office
and at local nurseries is when to prune a particular kind
of shrub or tree. Hopefully this guide will aid in knowing
the correct time of year to prune for optimum effect. Any
dead, diseased, or damaged branches can be pruned as
soon as they are noticed even though the time of year
may be less than desirable for pruning.
(Note: Refer to the "key" below to interpret the
pruning chart)

QUALITY
AT ITS

(BEST)

KEY:
1 - WINTER: December, January, February. This
helps prevent possible diseases and insect infestations.
"Bleeding" of sap doesn't hurt trees.
2 - SPRING: before growth starts. Usually because
flowers on new wood or because plant is grown for
foliage effect.
3 - EARLY IN GROWING SEASON; generally May early June.
4 - DURING GROWING SEASON; pines should be
pruned before candles (new growth) have fully opened
and become woody. Usually in early May.

PLANT

PRUNE

PLANT

Almond, Flowering
Apple
Apricot
Arborvitae
Ash
Aspen
Azaleas
Barberry
Birch
Boxwood
Buckeye
Buckthorn
Cherry, Canada Red
Cherry, Meteor;
North Star
Cherry, Nanking
Cherry Plum
Chokeberry
Chokecherry
Coffeetree,
Kentucky
Coralberry
Corktree
Cotoneaster
Crabapple
Curant, Alpine
Deutzia
Dogwood

5
1
1,5
3
1,6,7
1,6,7
5
2
1,6,7
3
2,7
2
1.5

Elder
Elm
Euonymus,
(Burningbush)
Falsespirea
Fir
Forsythia
Ginkgo
Hackberry
Hawthorn
Hemlock
Honeylocust
Honeysuckle
Hydrangea
Ironwood
Juniper
Lilac
Linden
Magnolia
Maple
Mockorange
Mountain Ash
Ninebark
Oak
Olive, Russian
Pear
Peashrub
Pine

1,2
5
1,2
5
5
1,2,7
2
1
1
1
2
5
2

J. R. SIMPLOT COMPANY

(SECT)
FERTILIZER
(206) 822-3895

PRUNE

2
1
2
2
2
5
2
1
1
3
1,6
5
2
1,2,6
3
5
1,6,7
5
1,6
2
1
2
1,7
1
1
5
4

PLANT

PRUNE

Plum (fruit tree)
1
Plum (ornamental)
5
Poplar
1,6,7
Potentilla
2
Privet
5
Rhododendron
5
Rugosa (shrub) rose
2,5
Serviceberry
5
Smoketree
2
Snowberry
2
Spirea (Anthony
Waterer; Goldflame;
Curly Leaf; Daphne;
Froebeli)
2
Spirea (Arguta: Fairy
Queen; Snowmound;
Prunifolia;
Vanhoutte; Thunbergi)
5
Spruce
2
Sumac
2
Tamarack
2
Tamarix
2
Viburnum
5
6
Walnut
Weigela
2
Willow
1,6,7
Winterberry
2
Yew
3

\

Golf Course Operations Must Supply
Information About Hazardous
Chemicals
Congress recently approved the largest
appropriation to date — $27 million for fiscal 1990 — for
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement
the federal right-to-know act, specifically to encourage
local emergency planning. Congress also has ordered
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to
prepare, by March 31, a study on the major threats
facing communities and local emergency management
coordinators.
In 1986, the U.S. Congress enacted the Emergency
Planning and Community Right-To_Know Act (EPCRA)
as a response to growing concerns about the effects of
chemical releases on communities. The act (1) supports
emergency planning efforts at the state and local levels,
(2) provides citizens and local governments with information concerning potential chemical hazards present in
their communities and (3) establishes enforcement procedures and civil, administrative and criminal penalties
for non-compliance.
Subtitle A establishes the framework for emergency
planning by state and local governments by calling for
the creation of state emergency response commissions
and local emergency planning committees. These local
panels are designed to work on emergency response
plans in cooperation with representatives of facilities —
including golf courses — covered by the law.
Subtitle B, which was designed to provide information to appropriate local, state and federal officials on
the type, amount, location, use, disposal and release of
chemicals, includes three reporting provisions:
Section 311 applies to all facilities, such as golf
courses, that are subject to the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1970 and subsequent OSHA regulations.
The owner or operator of a golf facility must submit
material safety data sheets (MSDSs) or a list of the
chemicals for which the facility is required to keep
MSDSs to state emergency response commissions and
local emergency planning committees and fire
departments.
Updates are due within three months after OSHA
regulations require the owner/operator to prepare or
have available an MSDS for a specific hazardous
chemical. A revised MSDS must be submitted for
significant new information regarding a chemical for
which an MSDS was previously submitted.
Also under Section 311, EPA can establish threshold
quantities for hazardous chemicals, so that no reporting
is required if a facility has a below-threshold amount of a
hazardous chemical.
Section 312 requires facilities covered by Section
311 to submit a chemical inventory form annually by
March 1. The inventory forms must contain an estimate
of the maximum amount of the hazardous chemicals
present at the facility during the preceding year, an
estimate of the average daily amount of hazardous
chemicals at the facility and the location of these
chemicails at the facility.

Section 312 calls for two reporting "tiers." Tier I
requires only general information on the amount and
location of hazardous chemicals at the facility. Tier II
information, which need not be submitted unless
requested by the state commission or the local planning
committee or fire department, requires more detailed
information about each chemical.
Section 313 requires EPA to establish an inventory
of toxic chemical emissions from facilities that meet
certain criteria. The information will be used to establish
a computerized national database accessible by the
general public.
Under Section 313, owners and operators of certain
facilities must complete a toxic chemical release form for
specified chemicals, reflecting releases during the
preceding calendar year, to be submitted to EPA and
state officials annually on or before July 1.
Facilities that use more than 10,000 pounds of a
single listed toxic chemical or that manufacture or
process more than 25,000 pounds total of any of the
listed chemicals must submit toxic chemical release
forms. These forms request information on the
maximum amount present at the location; treatment and
disposal methods; and annual quantity released into the
environment for each listed chemical or chemical
category.
The initial list of toxic chemicals subject to reporting
requirements consists of 329 entries, including 20
categories of chemicals. EPA's administrator may add or
delete chemicals on the list based upon an agency
determination of health or environmental hazards. State
governors and the public may petition the administrator
to add to or delete from the list.
Title III of EPCRA outlines trade secret protection
and enforcement procedures:
Section 322 applies to trade secret claims under
reporting requirements for emergency planning and
Sections 311, 312 and 313. Even if specific chemical
identity of an extremely hazardous substance or
chemical is allowed to be withheld as a trade secret, the
generic class or category of the chemical must be
provided.]
Section 323 requires that chemical information
withheld from the public as a trade secret must be made
available to health professionals for diagnostic purposes
and emergency assessment activities. In these cases,
the person receiving the information must be willing to
sign a confidentiality agreement with the facility.
Section 325 provides for enforcement procedures
and penalties as follows:
• civil penalties for owner/operators not complying
with emergency planning requirements
• civil, administrative and criminal penalties for
owner/operators not complying with emergency notification requirements following the release of a listed
hazardous substance
• civil and administrative penalties for owner/operators not complying with reporting requirements in
Sections 311, 312, 313
• civil and administrative penalties for trade secret
claims that are ruled frivolous

• criminal penalties for disclosure of trade secret
information.

How EPCRA Works In Washington
As a response to growing concerns about the effects
of chemical releases on communities, the U.S.
Congress enacted the Emergency Planning and
Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) in 1986. The
act supports state and local emergency planning efforts
and provides citizens and local governments with
information concerning potential chemical hazards
present in their communities by requiring reports from
businesses — including golf courses — that deal with
hazardous chemicals.
The state of Washington has two separate laws with
community right-to-know provisions. The 1987
Hazardous Substance Information Act, administered by
the state Department of Ecology, established an
outreach program to facilitate access to existing information on hazardous substances within a community.
The Worker and Community Right-To-Know Act implements the provisions of Title III. It also requires the state
Department of Labor and Industries, which administers
the law, to develop educational material and public
service announcement. These materials are sent to
each county health department for public distribution.
Golf course operations must fulfill the federal
reporting and notification requirements for material
safety data sheets (MSDSs) and hazardous chemical
lists.
The Department of Ecology's office of hazardous
substance information and education is responsible for
providing the community and public health or safety
organizations with the following information:
• point and non-point air and water emissions
• extremely hazardous wastes, moderate risk wastes
and dangerous wastes (as defined by the Department of
Ecology) that are produced, used, stored, transported
from or disposed of by any facility
• data on acute and chronic health and environmental effects of hazardous chemicals
• data on government and commercial pesticide use
• facility compliance history.
The law also requires public educational programs
including health hazard information, safe handling and
disposal of hazardous household substances, guidelines to aid counties in developing and implementing a
hazardous household substance program and a technical resource center on hazardous substance
management.
The state Department of Labor and Industries is
responsible for developing translations of written hazard
communication programs and MSDSs into any of the
five most common foreign languages in the workplace,
and distributing them to employers or the public.
Community Right-To-Know Contacts
For emergency release notification, call 800/2625990.
For general information or document submissions,
call the Division of Emergency Management at 206/438-

7395. For emergency planning notification, call the
Emergency Response Commission at 206/753-5255.
Submit follow-up emergency release notification,
MSDSs, chemical inventories and annual toxic chemical
release forms to Chairman, State Emergency Response
Commission, 9th and Columbia Building, Mail Stop GH51, Olympia, WA 98504.
Source: GCSAA

Northwest Turfgrass Association
in cooperation with

Washington State University
Western Washington Research and Extension Center
and

High Cedars Golf Club
INVITE YOU TO THE

2ND ANNUAL
SUMMER TURFGRASS-FEST
including
• NTA R. L. Goss Turfgrass Research
Golf Tournament
• WSU/WWREC 1990 Turfgrass Field Day
• NTA Turf Grounds Maintenance and
Irrigation Equipment Display and
Demonstration
• High Cedars Cookout

- Get it on your calendar today -

JUNE 25 & 26, 1990
(registration information and materials will be mailed in the spring)
For further information, contact: NTA
P.O. Box 1367
Olympia, WA 98507
(206) 754-0825

NORTHWEST
TURFGRASS
ASSOCIATION
RO. BOX 1367
OLYMPIA, WA 98507

SUMMER TURFGRASS-FEST

BULK RATE
U.S. POSTAGE

PAID
OLYMPIA, WA
PERMIT #385

Turf Aesthetics

(continued from page 6)

Grass was taken for granted until the late 19th and
early 20th century. Pastures were a "last resort" crop.
When nothing else would grow, the land was allowed to
return to grass (and unto the climax vegetation of the
area). "Grass is the forgiveness of nature - her constant
benediction" wrote Senator John James Ingalls of
Kansas in 1872.
Some writers have suggested that the home lawn is
a "living fossil" that has survived from the time when wild
animals roamed the forest. Open grassed areas around
the house provided protection for both people and
animals as well as grazing for farm animals. As a farm
boy, I can attest to the fact that the lawn around our
house was mowed almost, if not as, frequently by
horses or sometimes by sheep as it was cut by scythe or
by an old reel mower that was very hard for a boy of six
to ten years to push.
It required more than 50 years and the efforts of a
few farsighted individuals to break through the general
indifference to turf.
The first appropriation from the federal government
in which funds for turf research were included was in
1901. The earliest turf research in a state - for which
there is a record - was in 1890 in Rhode Island. The
earliest recorded turf research in Virginia was in the
1910-1915 period.
I would characterize the development of turf in
Virginia and in most of the U. S. as follows:
Before 1949 - indifference and secrecy. The decade
of the 50's - awakening and search for information. The
decade of the 60's - professionalism and growth. The
decade of the 70's - maturing of research and educational programs, development of strong segments within
the industry such as the golf course and sod production
segments, and the emergency of the lawn service
segment.
In the present decade of the 80's, we have seen
tremendous growth in sod production, lawn service an
the emergency of the movement for accelerated athletic
field improvement.
The increased interest that developed during the
50's created the second challenge for the turf industry that of providing technical information needed for the
production and management of turfgrass.
For the past 25 years, the turf industry has done an
excellent job of dealing with problems related to turf
production and quality. Research and educational programs have provided information in eery segment of the
industry. Industry has supplied the products an
equipment necessary to produce and maintain quality
turf.
Although the need for additional information and
techniques will continue, and the equipment and tools
needed to do the job will continue to improve, as an
industry we have excelled in developing the technical
knowledge, skills, and techniques necessary to produce
quality turf for all uses.
We have done this through cooperative efforts
involving all segments of the industry: as professionals
and members of turf organizations, with universities and

colleges through research, teaching and extension, with
industry and all that is involved in the development and
supply of products and equipment, and with federal and
state government through programs which provide
knowledge and promote the smooth flow of commerce.
All have participated in the advancement of the
Turfgrass Industry.
The advances we have made over the past ten to
twenty years have brought us face-to-face with our
current - and very important - challenge: changing public
opinion about turf and its often overlook advantages.
Public recognition of these attributes should be an
important factor in reinforcing the cost-benefit ratio as
we deal with the pesticide issue.
People in general still think of turf as being used
primarily for beautification, ornamental, or as sports turf recreational. Important as these uses are for our mental
attitude and our recreational/leisure activities, many
people still regard turf as having a low priority whenever
limitations on the use of resources are necessary. We
have periodically faced restrictions on the use of water
for irrigation and have gone through periods within the
past fifteen years when the use of fuel and fertilizer for
turf production have been questioned. I am sure these
issues will surface again. The turf industry must develop
a sound basis from which to compete for essential
resources. This and the subject of safe pesticide use
give the turf industry ample reasons for making
whatever effort is needed to inform the public of the total
uses and advantages of turf.
The following are twelve attributes, or advantages,
of turf which are frequently overlooked.
1. Water erosion. In a Missouri Experiment Station
study of 14 years, with an average rainfall of 40.4
inches, and on a slope of 4 feet per 100, almost 42 tons
of soil were lost from a plowed field compared to only
1/3 ton (680) from a bluegrass turf. There is more
information available on soil erosion control than almost
any of he other areas.
2. Wind erosion. Again, turf protects the soil. Soil
loss from under a good turf is negligible.
3. Reduction of water runoff and flooding. Turf
retains much water. If the infiltration rate is 1 inch per
hour, 27,254 gallons of water are retained per acre. The
value of turf in water runoff control has been observed
many times as areas were developed. Following the
hard surfacing of parking lots and streets and the
construction of buildings, streams that rarely flooded
before development were inadequate to carry the runoff
following a moderate to heavy rain.
4. Temperature reduction. Dr. H. J. Carew of
Michigan State pointed out that the cooling effect of one
acre of grass is equal to that of a 70 ton air conditioner.
Also in an Alabama study on a hot day when
(continued on page 10)

Turf Aesthetics

(continued from page 9)

temperatures were 110° F at the surface of natural turf, it
exceeded 150° F at the artificial turf surface, an increase
of 40° F.
George Tomas has reported a temperature of 160° F
over artificial turf on a day when air temperature was 90°
F. Similar comparisons could be made between blacktop
and turf.
5. Dust control. Little dust comes from well turfed
areas compared to bare areas. In fact, grass blades trap
dust particles thus reducing the dust remaining in the air.
6. Mud abatement. Little mud clings to feet or is
brought into the house after a rain from a well turfed
lawn. This was vividly etched on my memory when we
moved into a new home in Blacksburg with three
children under the years of age, before the lawn was
established. After a rain - there was mud!
7. Water purification. Turf is used in the food
processing industry to reduce the biological oxygen
demand level of waste water before discharge into
natural streams or waterways. There are many other
areas in which water is made cleaner by running over
grass areas.

12. Highway safety. Turf seems to make highways
safer by reducing glare, and otherwise helping to reduce
driver fatigue.
There are other attributes of turf that I could include,
some undoubtedly more significant than those I have
listed. However, these give you an idea of the functional
areas of turfgrass use in which I think we must place
considerable emphasis, now and for the foreseeable
future.
We must maintain and improve the public image of
our industry. We must continue to improve our
performance of routine management practices. We must
at all times be professional in our approach.
In my lifetime we have changed from a rural society
where most people understand plants to an urban
society in which fewer and fewer people understand the
basic requirements for plant survival and growth.
This change in peoples understanding is one of the
factors we face as we strive to enhance the image of the
turfgrass industry and its value in today's lifestyle.
Throughout the development and history of turf, we
have successfully met and conquered challenges. This
emerging challenge is no different. We can and will meet
it successfully.

I P M (continued from page 7)

8. Glare reduction. Turf reduces glare around
dwellings, in commercial areas, along highways.
9. Air quality improvement. Turf releases oxygen
and uses carbon dioxide. O. M. Scott's lawn care
magazine pointed out that the turf in a 50' by 50' lawn, if
well maintained, yields enough oxygen to supply a
family of four for one day. Turf also is a user of C02
which reduces the rate at which carbon dioxide is
increasing in the atmosphere.
10. Fewer injuries on natural turf. Well maintained
and managed turf reduces the number of injuries to
players when compared to artificial turf, poorly mainained natural turf surfaces, or paved playing surfaces.
There are several studies which show that a high quality
natural turf playing surface is a safer surface on which to
lay contact sports such as football. These studies and
the preferences of many players reinforce the current
efforts of the National Sports Turf Council to upgrade the
quality of natural turf athletic fields.
11. Increases property values. High quality turf
used in an attractive landscape plan increases property
values and enhances commercial appeal. Some
authorities have estimated that a high quality lawn in a
well landscaped setting adds from 5 to 15% to the value
of a residence. In a survey in Sioux Falls, South Dakota,
it was reported that 83% of those responding to a
survey placed external appearance as their first priority
in selecting an apartment complex in which to live. How
much influence does an attractive community with good
residential and commercial lawns have in attracting new
industry?

In addition to plant monitoring, environmental
monitoring is also important. This enables the superintendent to stay on top of environmental conditions
which favor a particular disease or insect.
Cultural Conditions
Golf course superintendents are aware of the role
that temperature, humidity, irrigation, and fertilization can
play in the development of turf diseases. While the first
two cannot be controlled, the latter two can be
manipulated to help reduce the incidence of disease.
Also, some of the pest problems seen on the golf course
are the result of plant stress from either poor soil
conditions, poor plant quality, or improper plant siting
(wrong amount of sun, soil moisture, etc.). Regular soil
tests can provide a great deal of useful information bout
plant growing conditions which the superintendent can
use to prevent pest problems.
Physical Control
Many pest problems can be prevented via physical
means. A weekly washing with the hose will remove
such common pests as aphids, while other insect or
disease-infected plant parts can be removed by pruning.
Barriers such as burlap tree bands can also be effective.
Insects such as gypsy moth caterpillars and elm leaf
beetles will hide under the bands during they day, where
they can be destroyed. In addition, physical barriers
such as mulch can be used to reduce weed levels
around landscape plants. Mulch has the additional
benefit of increasing soil moisture retention.
(continued on page 12)

Because every drop counts.

t

f

f/

Water.
Respect for its value.
Concern for its use.
Commitment to its conservation.
All critical components in the creation of waterefficient irrigation products.
Rain Bird has been a technological leader in the
design and manufacture of water
management products for more than 50 years. And we
recognize that now—more than ever—
"Good to the last drop" no longer is just a catchy
advertising slogan. It's a sobering
possibility each irrigation professional must
work to avoid.
Rain Bird.. .where every drop counts.
For more information, call our TOLL FREE number
1 800-999-1229 ext. 305

RA/N^B/rd

PREFERRED BY PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE

Rain Bird Sales, Inc., Turf Division
145 N. Grand Avenue, Glendora, CA 91740

IPM

(continued from page 10)

Biological Control
There are many naturally-occurring predators and
parasites of plant pests. These include the ladybird
beetle an the preying mantis, while an example of an
introduced parasite is milky spore disease for Japanese
beetle grubs. There are many others which are
commonly present, but are so small that they are
seldom seen. When the use of pesticides is limited,
natural predators and parasites are encouraged since
most pesticides will kill these beneficial organisms.
Resistant Plant Varieties
Many landscape plants and turf varieties are
naturally resistant or have been bred to be resistant to
insects or diseases. Use of these plants can have a
positive effect in the reduction of pest problems.
Breeding programs at Rutgers are now focusing on the
introduction of endophytes into turf varieties. An
endophyte is a fungus which is found between the cells
of the turfgrass plant and helps to reduce feeding by
some turf insects. It is not pathogenic to the turf.
Pesticides
As mentioned earlier, pesticides are part of an IPM
program, but they are used differently than in a
conventional pest control program. The plant monitoring,
which is part of an IPM program, enables the
superintendent to pinpoint just those areas of the course
where a problem is serious enough to warrant spraying.
These spot sprays can represent a great savings in the
amount of pesticide applied to a property when
compared with a conventional program in which all
plants would be sprayed. When pesticides are
necessary, an IPM program makes their use more
efficient since monitoring lets the superintendent know
exactly what the pest is and at what time to apply the
pesticide so it will be most effective.
Landscape IPM programs have shown great
potential, having reduced pesticide usage up to 70%,
while improving plant quality. When monitoring costs are
included, this corresponds to a cost reduction of 2030%. The notification laws which will go into effect this
year have created an increased interest among golf
course superintendents for information on IPM.
Additionally, last summer's drought put a heavy stress
on golf course landscapes, so superintendents can
expect additional pest problems on their landscape
plants.
For more information on IPM, contact your county
agriculture agent.
Source: The Greenerside

Identification of Soil Types
The United States Department of Agriculture defines
soil separates as having the following diameters in
millimeters: very coarse sand 2 to 1; coarse sand 1 to
0.50; medium sand 0.50 to 0.25; fine sand 0.25 to 0.10;
very fine sand 0.10 to .05; silt .05 to .002; and clay
below .002 millimeter.

Sand is loose and single grained. The individual
grains can be seen or felt. Squeezed in the hand when
dry, it will fall apart when pressure is released.
Squeezed when moist, it still forms a cast, but will
crumble.
A Sandy Loam is a soil containing mostly sand but
which has enough silt and clay to make it somewhat
coherent. Squeezed when dry, it will form a cast which
will fall apart; but is squeezed when moist, a cast can be
formed that will bear careful handling without crumbling.
A Loam is a soil having a mixture of the different
grades of sand, silt, and clay in such proportion that the
characteristics of no one predominate. Squeezed when
dry, it will form a cast that will bear careful handling,
while the cast formed by squeezing the moist soil can be
handled quite freely without crumbling.
A Silt Loam is a soil having a moderate amount of
the fine grades of sand and only a small amount of clay
over half of the particles being of the size called "silt".
When dry, it may appear quite cloddy, but the lumps can
be readily broken; and when pulverized, it feels smooth,
soft, and floury. When wet, the soil readily runs together.
Either dry or moist, it will form casts that can be freely
handled without breaking.
A Clay Loam is fine-textured which usually breaks
into clods or lumps that are hard when dry. When the
moist soil is pinched between the thumb and finger, it
will form a thin "ribbon" which will break barely sustaining its own weight. The moist soil is elastic and will
form a cast that will bear much handling. When kneaded
in the hand, it does not crumble easily.
A Clay is a fine-textured soil that usually forms very
hard lumps or clods when dry and is quite elastic and
usually sticky when wet. When the moist soil is pinched
out between the thumb and finger, it will form a long,
flexible "ribbon".
Source: Turf Tales/September

J .A. Jack & Sons

IMPERIAL AGLIME
Raising Soil pH
Full Fertilizer Utilization,
Especially Phosporous & Potassium.
Ground Fine (over 80% passing 100 mesh)
97% Neutralizing Power
Calcium Carbonate Equivalent of 97
SOLD
by HEMPHILL BROTHERS, INC.

SEATTLE
762-7622

Lawns are important in reducing temperatures and
can be 30 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than asphalt and
10-14% cooler than bare soil.

Lawn and Sports Turf Statistics - USA
The total turfgrass area in the United States is
estimated to be 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 acres (size of
the 5 New England states), with 81% of this lawns (over
20,000,000 acres.) Municipal, county and city parks
have close to 1,000,000 acres of turf.

A turf area 50'x50' produces enough oxygen to
meet the needs of a family of four.
Grasses trap much of an estimated 12 million tons
of dust and dirt released annually into the atmosphere.

In a thick lawn, there are 6 turfgrass plants in each
square inch, 850 turf plants in a square foot and about 8
million in an average lawn of 10,000 square feet.

An acre of grass will absorb hundreds of pounds of
sulfur dioxide during a year.
Healthy lawns absorb rainfall 6 times more
effectively than a wheat field and 4 times better than a
hay field.

Turfgrass is considered to be a $25 billion plus per
year industry in the United States. It is estimated that
500,000 people make their living directly from the care
and maintenance of turf. The sale of lawn care items is
estimated at $4 billion a year, nearly 1/3 of the total
amount spent on gardening.

One single grass plant can have 387 miles of roots.

Surveys show that a well maintained and designed
landscape adds 15% to the selling price of a home.
Recovery value is 100% to 200% for landscape
improvement compared to an investment in new deck or
patio which have recovery values of 40%-70%. Well
designed and maintained landscapes add 60% to
commercial property value.
Undesirable noise levels can be reduced 20-30% by
grassed areas which absorb sounds.

4

A

Most of the 58 million children enrolled in public and
private schools participate in physical education. It is
important to have their playing surfaces well maintained
and resilient to help minimize injuries.
20,200,000 golfers play 445 million rounds of golf a
year in the United States.
It is recommended that 6 acres of publicly owned
land be maintained as communal recreational facilities
(not including golf courses) for every 1,000 people.
Source: The Lawn Institute

PACIFIC
HORTICULTURAL
SUPPLY

SERVING THE PROFESSIONAL TURF MANAGER

J

with

A

SEED v RESEARCH

PROFESSIONAL TURF PRODUCTS

OF OREGON, NC.

Featuring:
Wonder Green
Winter Green
Bent Green
POA Green

Featuring:

25-5-15
15-10-25
18-2-18
18-9-15

SR 1020 Creeping Bent Grass
Champion Perennial Rye Grass
Survivor Turf Type Tall Fescue

LOCATIONS
Ferndale, Washington
(206)384-1231

Pasco, Washington
(509)545-1865

Sumner, Washington
(206)863-6327

Gresham, Oregon
(503)663-0164

Medford, Oregon
(503)779-0121
Caldwell Idaho
(208)454-0475

What Every Turf Manager Needs To
Know About Soil Testing
by S. J. Donahue, Virginia Tech.

A healthy, vigorous turf is the primary goal of a good
turf manager. And one of the most important management practices for establishing and maintaining a
vigorous turf is soil testing.
There are several reasons for testing soil. First, soil
testing assists in determining fertilizer needs, by
indicating both how much fertilizer is needed and what
kind of fertilizer to apply. Second, soil testing tells us
how much lime is needed to correct soil acidity, as well
as what kind of limestone to apply (e.g., dolomitic,
calcific, regular agricultural lime). Third, soil testing helps
to detect potential minor element needs, both directly,
through minor element testing, and indirectly through
the soil ph test. Fourth, soil testing assists in identifying
causes of poor turf growth. If the problem is one of poor
plant nutrition, the soil test will help indicate this. In
some cases, factors other than inadequate plant nutrition such as disease, insects, etc. are responsible for
the poor plant growth. However, a soil test in this case
will help eliminate nutrition as the cause of the poor
growth, thereby narrowing down the real cause of the
problem. Fifth, soil testing enables one to utilize
research in turf production, researchers have developed
a considerable amount of information on turf growth and
management. Soil test recommendations are based on
these research findings. Therefore, on can utilize this
research in turf production through soil testing. Sixth,
soil testing helps to protect your investment. When one
considers the cost in labor and materials that go into
establishing and/or maintaining a good turf the
importance of soil testing for maintaining adequate
fertility levels and ensuring good turf growth to protect
the investment becomes apparent. Soil Testing is one
simple, straightforward way to protect your investment.
From the above, it can be seen that soil testing is an
important agronomic tool for a turf manager. The
question today is not "why" test soil, but rather "how " to
take a good meaningful soil sample. Sampling is
perhaps the most important part of a soil testing
program. When one considers that a two-pound soil
sample must represent, on the average, 25-50 tons of
soil in the area being samples (there are 25-50 tons of
soil in the area being sampled (there are 25 to 50 tons of
soil in 1,000 to 2,000 square feet from the surface of the
soil down to the six inch depth) the importance of
collecting a good soil sample becomes apparent.
To begin the sampling process, the first step is to
separate the turf to be sampled into uniform areas, i.e.,
areas that have been fertilized and limed the same and
areas that have the same soil type. A separate soil
sample is required from each uniform area in order to
obtain an accurate representation of the fertility status of
that areas. As an example, the lawn around a house
might be separated into two areas for sampling purposes, the front lawn and the back lawn, for situations
where the front lawn received more attention (i.e., more

fertilizer, lime, and general care) than the back lawn.
Tees would be considered apart from greens and
fairways.
Within each uniform area, 10 or more subsamples or
soil "cores" should be collected in a random fashion.
Care should be taken to avoid flower borders, etc. which
might have a fertility level quite different than that from
the general turf area. In regard to sampling depth, an
established turf should be sampled from the surface to
the 2-4 inch depth. The reason for this is because
phosphate, potash, and lime, when surface applied,
move downward very little in the soil. In addition, most of
the grass roots feed within this area. Sampling at this
depth will give a reliable indication of the fertility status
of the soil as the plant sees it. When establishing a new
turf, the sample should be collected down to the depth at
which the soil is being tilled.The mixing effect of the
tillage operation makes the fertility status of the soil fairly
uniform throughout the tilled area.
After taking each subsample (core), be sure to
scrape away or discard the surface mat of grass.
Otherwise, this will affect the soil test. After 10 or more
subsamples have been collected from the uniform area,
these should be mixed thoroughly in a pail in order to
obtain a good representative composite sample. Soil
from the pail is then put into a sample box for sending to
the soil testing lab.
The laboratory needs to know exactly what kind of
grass is being grown and whether the recommendation
will be for maintaining an already established turf or
establishing a new turf. The reason for this is that
recommendations differ considerably depending on
whether one will be applying fertilizer to the surface (i.e.,
maintenance application). Regarding soil type, the
laboratory must know whether the soil is sandy or light in
texture or predominantly clay and heavy in texture since
texture has an important bearing on the amount of
limestone recommended.
In conclusion, soil testing can be a very valuable tool
to the turf profession. Its importance is readily seen and,
when sampling procedures are followed correctly,
fertilizer and lime recommendations from the soil test will
be accurate and profitable to the user in terms of turf
quality and vigor.
Source: NYSTA Bulletin 119

Seed Research Awards Turf
Research Grant
Mike Robinson, (above left) President of Seed
Research of Oregon, recently awarded a %500.00
research grant to the Oregon State University Dept. of
Horticulture. Tom Cook, Associate Professor, heads the
turf research and instruction program. The money will be
used to continue the fine research being undertaken by
Mr. Cook and his students. Many golf course
superintendents throughout the country are graduates of
Cook's program.

Plant Variety Protection
Act Liability

The P.V.P.A. was enacted by Congress to give plant
breeders the exclusive right to market new varieties for
18 years. The act is patterned after federal patent laws.
Violations of the act carry heavy penalties including the
possibility of treble damages and attorney fees. The act
is relatively new and untested. The decision in Eugene
appears to be one of the first to answer some of the
questions that have troubled growers and seed
companies.

The Federal District Court Magistrate in Eugene,
Oregon, has determined that a person does not avoid
liability under the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 USC
Section 2321, et. seg.) by selling a protected variety of
grass seed as V.N.S. or Variety Not Stated. The
defendant in that case argued that he did not infringe on
the variety owner's rights where he did not represent the
seed to be a particular variety. United States Magistrate
Michael R. Hogan disagreed. The court ruled that "the
fact that defendant sold the seed as 'V.N.S.' is irrelevant
to the issue of infringement."

Many in the seed industry have wondered whether a
person could avoid liability for buying or selling
protected varieties by either leaving them unmarked as
to the variety name or marking them simply as V.N.S. or
Variety Not Stated. The court held that labeling of the
seed was irrelevant to determining liability under the act.
The defendant, a land owner, also argued that his
rights in seed grown on his land were paramount to
those of the variety owner especially where the
protected variety was planted by previous tenant
farmers under seed production contracts without his
knowledge or consent. The court found in favor of the
variety owner on that issue noting that the land owner
had actual notice that the seed in question was a
protected variety prior to the attempted sale. He
therefore was subject to the variety owner's rights
arising out of the P.V.P.A. certificate.

ULLYjMILLER
.

.

|i J

l^N^i^g^M

COMMERCIAL
TURF PRODUCTS
Fertilizers • Seed • Chemicals

TheChas. H.LILLY Co.
PORTLAND
(503) 256-4600
1 -800-433-3015 (In Oregon)
1 -800-523-3668 (Outside Oregon)

SEATTLE
(206)762-0818
1 -800-562-7013 (In Washington)
1 -800-562-7823 (Outside Washington)

Serving the
Northwest
Turf Grass
Industry
with

v

Wilbur-Ellis
Ideas to grow with®

Fertilizers
Herbicides
Fungicides
Insecticides

Pullman, Washington
($09) 872-2231
Spanish Fork, Utah
(801) 798-8643

Billings, Montana
(406)248-1176

Spokane. Washington
($09) 928-4512

Caldwell, Idaho
(208) 459-1631
Great Falls, Montana
(406) 727-4500
Kent, Washington
(206) 872-6920

v v

\V

y\
J

v-

Twin Falls, Idaho
(208) 734 1880
Umatilla. Oregc
Oregon
(503) 922-32
922-3278

Moses Lake, Washington
(509) 765-91 }>7

Walla Walla,
la. Washington
(509) 529-5381

Pasco, Washington
(509) $45-9329

Wenatchee. Washington
(509) 663-8754

Portland, Oregon

(503) 22*7-3525

Yakima, Washington
(509) 248-6171

1989-90
NTA Board of Directors
President
William J. Johnston
Agronomist Turfgrass Science
Department of Agronomny & Soils
Washington State Universiey
Pullman, Wsahington 99164
(509) 335-3620

Directors (continued)
Thomas M. Wolff
Golf Course Superintendent
Sahalee Country Club
21200 N.E. 28th Street
Redmond, Washington 98053
(206) 868-1600

Vice President
William B. Griffith
Golf Course Superintendent
Walla Walla Parks & Rec. Dept.
Veterans Memorial Golf Course
P.O. Box 478
Walla Walla, Washington 98362
(509) 527-4336

Patrick J. Nibler
Operations Manager
PRO GRASS
8600 S.W. Salish Lane
Wilsonville, Oregon 97070
(503) 682-6076

Treasurer
Bo C. Hepler
Turfgrass Agronomist
Senske Lawn and Tree Care
P.O. Box 9248
Yakima, Washington 98909
(509) 452(0486
Past President
Mike L. Kingsley
Golf Course Superintendent
Spokane County Park Dept.
NeadowWood Golf Course
N. 111 Wright
Liberty Lake, Wshington 99010
(509) 255-6602
Directors
Don L. Hellstrom
Golf Course Suiperintendent
Seattle Dept. Of Parks & Rec.
Jackson Park Golf Course
1000 N.E. 135th
Seattle, Wsahington 98125
(206) 684-7521

Alan L. Nielsen
Golf Course Superintendent
Royal Oaks Country Club
8917 N.E. 4th Plain Blvd.
Vancouver, Washington 98662
(206) 236-1530
David P. Jacobsen
President
Farwest Turf Equipment
2305 N.W. 30th
Portland, Oregon 97210
(503) 224-6100
Director Emeritus
(Nonvoting)
Roy L. Goss
Extension Agronomist
(Retired)
13716 Camas Road
Anderson Is., Washington
98303
(206) 884-4978

February 16-19

Northwest Flower and Garden Show
Contact: (206) 292-9198

February 19-26

GCSAA 61 st International Golf Course Conference and Show
Contact: GCSAA (800) 472-7878

February 20-22

W S U Cooperative Extension
Pesticide Recertification Program
Contact: W S U Cooperative Extension County Office

February 21-23

W S U Cooperative Extension
Pre-Licensing Pesticide Training Short Course
Contact: W S U Cooperative Extension County Office

April 20

Calculations & Practical Mathematics for Use in
Turfgrass Management Seminar
Contact: GCSAA ( 8 0 0 ) 4 7 1 - 7 8 7 8

May 14

NTA Board of Directors Meeting
Contact: NTA Office (206) 754-0825

J u n e 25 & 26

NTA Summer Turfgrass-Fest
Contact: NTA Office (206) 754-0825

August 13

NTA Board of Directors Meeting
Contact: NTA Office (206) 754-0825

September 16

NTA Board of Directors Meeting
Contact: NTA Office (206) 754-0825

September 17-20

NTA 44th Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference & Exhibition
Contact: NTA Office (206) 754-0825

NTA Executive and Editorial
Office
P.O. Box 1367
Olympia, Washington 98507
(206) 754-0825

Rebecca R. Michels
President
Messmer's Landscaping Svc. Inc. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
2466-156th S.E.
Blair Patrick
Kent, Washington 98042
(206) 228-5779

NORTHWEST
TURFGRASS
ASSOCIATION

Calendar of Events

II
Si
2
S If
f ll
2 8f
I 12
i i|
1h «
Isc
£ S®

ADVERTISING/EDITORIAL
DEADLINE
15th OF MONTH
PRECEDING PUBUCATION

ADDRESS
CORRECTION
REQUESTED

NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 385
OLYMPIA. WA

CD -o a
c2 £
9- c®

5 £ ® <b
2 ®£
8

o|z

2 2o ®

£<2
1
i2 c _ «
I "S*
i£ «®o

^

f

P.O. Box 1367
Olympia, Washington 98507
(206) 754-0825

I
£ «2«
1<2 ©I cI I®
«

t3c

S £o>2
£
S
5« 2®
2 aq.%
-I

(L <</> 13

****************************3-DIGIT 973
1/0 51 »5
Cook, Thomas W.
Oregon State University
OSU-Horticulture Dept,
Corvallis OR 97331