M UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION S O U T H W E S T E RN D I S T R I CT TE X AS A 8 EM CO L L E GE C O L L E GE S T A T I O N, T E X AS S O U T H E A S T E RN D I S T R I CT PL A NT IN D U S T RY ST A T I ON B E L T S V I L L E, M A R Y L A ND SOUTHERN TIIRFLETTER M A R V IN H. F E R G U S ON MID-CONTINENT DIRECTOR NATIONAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR J A M ES B. M O N C R I EF SOUTHWESTERN AGRONOMIST J A M ES M. L A T H A M, J R. SOUTHEASTERN AGRONOMIST Vol. I No. k October 1957 CONVERTING TO WI NT EE GRASS ON GREENS This is the season when questions arise about changing from Bermuda to cool-season grasses. Where f i n e - l e a f ed Bermudas are grown there is a trend toward the use of redtop and bent. Good results have been reported from the use of both grasses. It is advisable to use one or the other of these grasses, or a combination of both, rather than to take a chance on f r o st damage this season. Seed redtop and bent at the rate of about 3 pounds per 1,000 square If next spring is cool and l a t e, you may wish to allow the bent to be f e e t. carried up into June as the Bermuda w i ll be slow in making a substantial growth. The redtop may be expected to make a faster change-over in the spring. Ryegrass continues to be used during the winter on common Bermuda- It makes a good combination with the common Bermudagrass as a grass greens. putting surface. Ryegrass usually makes the best growth in A p r il and May when one is interested in the Bermuda. The transition from ryegrass to Bermuda seems to be more d i f f i c u lt than that of bent to Bermuda. Seed Treatment In the South we experience what is normally called a "damping o f f" disease which causes f a i l u re in seedlings of grasses. This is especially so if one seeds too early in the f a l l. Damping o ff is the result of the a c t i v i ty of one or more fungus disease organisms, such as Rhizoctonia or Fusarium. This information suggests that it would be advisable to treat seed with fungi- cides. These fungicides could be one of many, such as Arasan, Semesan, Captan and numerous others. The seed may be treated by placing it cement mixer and adding the correct quantity of fungicide to the seed, lowed by thorough mixing. It would be desirable to follow the directions on the container of the package in which the fungicide is purchased. Dampen the seed if you are using a dust so that the fungicide w i ll stick to the seed. Be sure that precautionary methods are taken by the men who are handling the fungicide to prevent any mis-use of the material. Most seed-treating materials w i ll be harmful if they are inhaled, and some persons s u f f er skin from contact with them. in a small f o l- i r r i t a t i on Care of Seedlings If the seed have been treated and are coming up in a good stand the If a weak-looking seedling or an o f f - c o l or plant is observed examine fungicide used for treating the seed should protect the seedlings for a short period of time. It should last from a week to ten days, at l e a s t. a close examination of the seedlings is made each day, one should be able to observe any damping o ff disease that might begin to attack the young seed- lings. the plant very closely at the ground surface to see if there is a darkened condition of the stem at the s o il surface. In case this condition e x i s t s, would be advisable to spray the seedlings with a fungicide to prevent t h e ir further damage by disease. It is advisable at a ll times to follow the direc- tions on the container or package in which a fungicide is purchased. Be sure that seedlings are w e ll attached to the ground and that the mower is sharp and carefully adjusted before mowing the young seedlings. it If "GREEN PIASMA" WITH "INSTANT GREEN" It is doubtful if many g o lf course superintendents have been much impressed by the recent large display advertisements in newspapers throughout the country which announced the discovery of "Green Plasma" with "Instant Green." This discovery is supposed to turn grass green in 60 seconds a f t er application. You may interpret the statement so that it claims that grass w i ll be kept green 365 days a year. However, the advertisement mentions several sprinklings of "temporary brown areas." Most experienced turf mana- gers know i n s t i n c t i v e ly that such miraculous claims should be accepted with caution. So it is with this latest " f i n d ." "Green Plasma" consists of urea 6$> nitrogen) and a coloring agent (primarily malachite green dye) which the advertiser calls "Instant Green." Of course, urea is a good source of nitrogen and malachite green has been used f or a great many years as an ingredient of some fungicide formulations and as a dye f or t u r f. Sometimes, however, the claims of an advertiser are such that (despite careful and c r i t i c al reading) one may not recognize that the advertiser is talking about products that are thoroughly familiar to the reader. The National Better Business Bureau, Inc., Chrysler Building, New York 17, N. Y ., serves a very f i ne purpose in acting to protect consumers from misleading advertising. The Bureau has investigated this particular product and has been able to a f f e ct some modification of the wording of ad- vertisements. organization has anticipated some complaints and has stated: of such complaints depends on the individual customer's propensity to take claims out of context." In Advertising local Better Business Bureaus, the National "The v a l i d i ty TURFGRASS CONFERENCES October December 21-22 9-10-11 Louisiana Turfgrass Conference, I a f a y e t t e, La. 12th Annual Texas Turfgrass Conference, Texas A. & M. College, College Station, Texas w p L A N A H E A D Many g o lf courses throughout the South have i n i t i a t ed a program to change from common Bermudagrass greens to one of the f i n e - l e a f ed types- Unless solid sod is used the greens are out of play for six to eight weeks. This quite often means a large number of unhappy g o l f e r s. To keep this number to a minimum the project should be well planned by the superintendent and green committee chairman so that the job can be done in the shortest possible time and with the least inconvenience to the g o l f e r s. Such a program should include the following points: 1. 2. 3. k . Advertise: Post notices w e ll in advance of any major work of this nature, explaining the "why's" and "how's" of the project, the length of time it w i ll take, and the aim of such work. No one should be surprised to find a green plowed up. Prepare: This is the most important feature of a smooth- running operation. Temporary greens should be more than a rough, sandy c i r c le in a fairway. Choose the sight of the temporary green several months in advance of i ts use. Begin f e r t i l i z a t i o n, topdressing and mowing so that it w i ll have a r e l a t i v e ly good putting surface when i t 's time for use. If the broadcast method of planting is to be used, stockpile a supply of screened, s t e r i l i z ed topdressing so that the planting opera- tion w i ll not be held up while more is prepared. As in other methods of planting, there should also be enough s o il on hand to provide for the smoothing operation a f t er growth has begun. Work E f f i c i e n t l y: The size of the crew should be s u f f i c i e nt to do the job without any wasted motions. material is purchased, make arrangements with the grower f or having the grass delivered on certain dates so that the work w i ll not be held up for lack of grass. Smooth-working, w e l l- organized crews can plant a lot of grass in a day. If the planting BBBalBg , fc- Follow Up: A f t er planting keep the temporary greens in good condition so that it w i ll not be necessary to open the new greens f or play too soon. Do not open the newly-planted greens until there is a smooth, completely-covered putting surface. The g o l f er w i ll be better s a t i s f i e d. A rough green or bare sopts on the putting surface w i ll not be welcomed a f t er two months on a temporary green. A green which is r e a l ly ready for play w i ll go a long way in helping a g o l f er forget the temporary green or the money he has spent f or the changeover. Southern Turfletter USGA GREEN SECTION Sec. 34.66, P.L.&R. U. S. POSTAGE lVatf PAID Beltsvill©, Maryland Permit No. 4 Ralph W. White, J r ., Asst. Ornamental Horticulturist Dept. of Ornamental Horticulture University of Florida "Gainesville, Florida _______