C IE N Ç L ^ctsi- - March/April, 1987 Published by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association »»«s»»*. 1k *;r > ^ r «¿...ÿ A Volume XVII, No. 2 ~S— 7mm'--------------------- # £\ J fî \ I **»• i &«* ^ - Manipulation of Poa Annua with Plant Growth Regulators by Scott E. Niven If use of plant growth regulators (PGR’s) is part of your fairway maintenance pro­ gram, now is the time to make plans for this spring’s applications. The following information is a brief update depicting three growth regulators and how they might be used on fairway turf. If you have abundant amounts of Poa annua and are content to live with it, use of Embark PGR (mefluidide) will control its obnoxious seedheads and as a result of increased root growth, improve its summer survival potential. On the other hand, if you have declared war on Poa annua, you can still use Embark for its playability and aesthetic benefits and also to decrease the dispersion of poa seed into surrounding areas and the soil. Two other PGR’s which have proven to be useful in gradually eliminating Poa annua, but do not control its seedheads, are Elanco’s Cutless (flurprimidol-still under EUP label) and O.M. Scott’s new TGR (paclobutrazol). These three growth regulators are each effective in managing Poa annua in the way they were designed. However, an objectionable side effect is that they all have the potential to cause significant yellowing on treated fairways for a 2-4 week period. During the past four years I have concentrated on developing a program for use of these chemicals which would eliminate or at least keep this discoloration to a minimum. If you plan to use any of these PGR’s, I would highly recommend that you first experiment on a limited basis Property Manager prior to treating all of your fairways. Notification to your green chairman and or golfing membership is also advised. Timing is very important when applying these products, but perhaps even more so, is to apply PGR’s evenly and at the proper rate. Your ability to make an accurate spray application without overlaps and misses will be put to the strictest test ever. Mis­ takes in application cannot be corrected and the turf will not grow out of any derrogatory effects for at least three weeks. I’ve spent countless hours in pursuit of a spray boom and nozzle that would be dependable, easy to maintain and provide an even spray pattern while allowing for small variances in boom height. My dream finally came true when I discovered a company known as Chem Farm who is producing a nozzle and boom kit with the kind of accuracy and dependablity I was looking for. Until now this equipment was not available for golf course use (farm industry only). If you are interested in upgrading your present spray equipment, please give me a call, I ’d be happy to refer you to Chem Farm. The general effects and brief details of application for these products are as fol­ lows: EMBARK (mefludide) This PGR is very effective in controlling Poa annua seedheads. It has also been shown to encourage leafspot, consequently LOJSIVERSITV The Stanwich Club LiBHAKltb a couple of timely applications of fun­ gicides is extremely important. Timing: after full green-up and when seeds first appear on south facing slopes (April 15-25). Rate: 4-8 oz/A (6 oz/A seems optimum). Application Precautions: 1. use top running spray apparatus — avoid misses and overlaps. 2. spray with at least 25 gal. H20/A. 3. apply leafspot fungicide 3 days prior to application and 2 weeks after. 4. do not spray K. Bluegrass roughs. 5. do not irrigate turf for 2 days follow­ ing application. Benefits: 1. lack of seeds improves aesthetic appeal of fairways. 2. improved lie of golf ball. 3. reduces dispersion of poa seed to surrounding areas. 4. improves summer survival potential of Poa annua. 5. decreases mowing requirements for 3-4 weeks. CUTLESS (flurprimidol) & SCOTT’s TGR (Paclobutrazol) — The chemistry and effects on turfgrass of these two products is very similar, therefore recommendations for their use will also be nearly identical. The only significant difference is that the TGR is formulated on a fertilizer granule which (continued on page 3) J John Reid Memorial Award BOARD OF DIRECTORS From the Editors President Patrick Lucas Innis Arden GC Vice-President Scott Niven Stanwich C Secretary Timothy O ’Neill CC of Darien Treasurer Lawrence Pakkala The John Reid Award is a lifetime achievement award. It is presented annually to a local resident who has demonstrated through a lifetime, a knowledge of and committment to the game of golf and the science of golf course management. Last year’s recipient was Guido Cribari. The following letter was dated last fall, and we apologize to the membership and Mr. Cribari for not printing it sooner. Woodway CC Past President Peter Rappoccio Silver Spring CC Joseph Alonzi Dear MGCSA ..*=5 Lofts/New York Brewster, NY 10509 (914) 278-2710 Pinto is available in four pound bags of 100% wildflower seeds or as a combination with 26 pounds of sheep fescue for ground stabilization. Either way, each is sufficient to seed one acre. Give your course the beautiful, natural look — use Pinto Wildflower Mix. Compatibility Is Important When Mixing Pesticides At a recent regional grounds manage­ ment short course in Savannah, Dr. Ed Brown, Extension Plant Pathologist at the University of Georgia, discussed the hazards of mixing several different pesticides in one spray tank. Combining several different materials in one tank can result in a chemical reaction between the materials that may inactivate them or cause a chemical breakdown. The label is your best source of information telling you what can and cannot be mixed, said Dr. Brown. When there is any doubt whether two materials can be mixed he recommends measuring the specified amount of each material for a quart of water into a quart jar of water and shaking them up. If a white precipitate forms on the surface or if there is a definite separation of the two materials after shaking, they are not compatible and should not be mixed. Even if the pesticides are compatible, the mixture should be tested on a few leaves of several different plants for phytotoxicity and possible injury to the foliage before it is sprayed freely throughout the landscape. Trimec, for instance, is not chemically compatible with Daconil and Karathane is not compatible with Sevin. When mixing pesticides, Dr. Brown provided the following rules: • Never mix two emulsifiable concen­ trates together in the same tank. Petroleumbased materials may undergo a chemical reaction and become phytotoxic to plants when mixed. • Use only one soluble material, such as an emulsifiable concentrate, when mixing any insoluble material. • Always fill the spray tank half full with water before adding pesticides. With the tank agitating add materials in the follow­ ing order: add wettable powders first (pre-mix them in a bucket to avoid clump­ ing), then add flowables, then soluble powders, then surfactants and emulsifiable concentrates last. • Soluble fertilizers can be mixed with pesticides but do not exceed rate of 1 oz of fertilizer product per gallon of tank spray mix. • Always pre-mix wettable powders in a bucket before adding them to the spray tank to avoid clumping. • Always read the label for mixing instructions before combining any pes­ ticides. Finally, Dr. Brown advised that it is very important to know the pH level of the water being used to mix pesticides. Benlate fungicide, for instance, loses 50% of its chemical activity within an hour of mixing at pH 7.0. At pH 5.6, Benlate requires more than 30 hours to lose 50% of its activity. ■ reprinted w/permission from Park Mainte­ nance and Grounds Management (Feb­ ruary 1987)P.O. Box 1936, Appleton, WI 54913-1936. According to EPA policy tank mixes are ruled consistent with the label and recommendable if: 1) the label specifies such uses; 2) there is a state registration for such uses, or 3) such uses are recommended by state agen­ cies or are common agricultural prac­ tice. turf products Rubs out grubs faster. TORO L_____________ J corporation 1496 John Fitch Boulevard P.0. Box 133 South Windsor, Connecticut 06074 Office 203-528-9508 N.E. Wats 800-243-4355 IRRIGATION DIVISION CHIPCO* MOCAP* ? M a rk Joe grass & roots turf products, ine. Loper K ennedy You can't grow GRASS w ithout ROOTS Distributor of OTTERBINE FountainsA e ra-to rs BERT JONES ( 201 ) 686-8709 RHÔNE-POULENC INC. AGROCHEMICAL D IV IS IO N KEN KUBIK Monmouth Junction, New Jersey 08852 - Telephone: (201) 297-0100 ( 201 ) 5 361-5943 MetGCSA Meeting Welcome To New Members The Met GCSA Board of Directors welcomes the following new members: The site for this month’s meeting is Knoll wood Country Club in Elmsford, New York. Our host superintendent will be Tim Moore. Tim Moore has had a life-long affinity with the game of golf. A frequent player, he took a job as a groundsman to be closer to the golf course, and he eventually worked his way through the ranks. Tim was the Assistant at Beekman C.C., and Superintendent at Mahopac C.C. for 8 years before coming to Knoll wood in 1984. A practical and diverse education has helped Tim along the way. He studied Parks & Recreation (Alfred State College), Business (Duchess Community College), and finally Turfgrass Management at U. Mass. As well as the MGCSA, Tim is also a member of the National, Hudson Valley GCSA, and NYSTA. Working with different people, and the diversity of the job requirements on a day-to-day basis are a few of the reasons Tim enjoys his work so much. He’s rarely bored with the golf course and Mother Nature. Organization is the singlemost important quality to being a good Superintendent, in Tim’s opinion. “If you can plan and set up your priorities, then it’s easier to achieve your goals.” Not surprising then, that the one improvement Tim is most pleased with is the development and implementation of a 7-year Master Plan at Knollwood. Now in its third year, the plan helps determine equipment replacement, necessary tree pruning and planting, and foresee longrange course design changes, among other things. Outside of work, Tim enjoys golf and skiing. He and his wife Beth, daughter Meredith (age 7), and son Brian (age 5) live in Hopewell Junction, NY. — Mary Medonis Assistant Superintendent Westchester C.C. The speaker at the April meeting will be a representative of the insurance firm, The American International Group. The topic will be “Pollution and Pesticide Liability Insurance.” George Pierpoint III Class A ArdsleyC.C. Ardsley-on-Hudson, NY Peter Burnham Class A Richter Park G.C. Danbury, CT Jeffrey Gibson Class B Old Oaks C.C. Purchase, NY Brian Rusnak Class B Old Oaks C.C. Purchase, NY Jim Lawler Associate Marriott Seaview C.C. Absecon, NJ Congratulations to the following members who have recently been re-classified: John Cartone Class A Middle Bay C.C. Oceanside, NY David Kerr Class A Ridgewood C.C. Danbury, CT EGYPT FARMS Sterilized WHITE MARSH MO. 301-335-3700 EGYPT FARMS EXCLUSIVE! All top dressing ingredients are thoroughly mixed and sterilized by indirect heat in our special process. The sand particles are actually coated with a mixture of top soil and peat humus for a completely homogenous mixture that will not separate during handling and spreading. Egypt Farms top dressing is formulated especially for your area to specifications recommended by the United States Golf Association, Texas A&M, Penn State, North Carolina State, and the University of Maryland. Many years of research and testing by these leading universities have produced a soil mixture for superior growth; to maintain the best balance of percolation; to resist compaction; for good aeration; and for the retention of usable water and nutrients in the growing medium. Green and tee construction materials & mixes con­ forming to U.S.G.A. specs are also available. Distributed by: Metro-Milorganite, Inc. (9 1 4 ) 769-7600 The Terre Co. Wagner Seed Co., Inc. (2 0 1 ) 473-3393 ( 5 16 ) 293-6312 6 Golf Course Architect New Development, remodeling, renovation, and contour mowing. Main P.O.Box 81 Purchase, New York 10577 914-963-9555 New Evidence In 2,4-D Issue N e w evidence exists that the conclusions reached in a w idely publicized empidemiology study that links herbicides, especially 2,4-D, to cancer may be incorrect, accord­ ing to an article in the December, 1986 issue o f Agrichemical A ge . The E P A used the National Cancer Institute and U niver­ sity o f Kansas study to warn o f a possible special review o f 2,4-D, perhaps as the first step toward product cancellation. According to Agrichemical Age , it was able to obtain a copy o f a Harvard School o f Public Health review o f the study. The magazine claims that the E P A has tried to suppress this review , even though the agency commissioned it. The w idely reported epidem iology study said that farmers exposed to herbicides for more than 20 days each year had six times the risk o f developing non-Hodgkin’ s lymphoma (N H L ) compared to non-far­ mers. A m ong those who mixed or applied the herbicides themselves, the risk was eight times greater, the study claimed. The key points made in the Harvard School o f Public Health’ s review were: • The weight o f evidence does not support the conclusion that there is an association between exposure to 2,4-D and NH L. • In a high proportion o f subjects (50 percent o f cases o f soft-tissue sarcoma and N H L and their controls), the exposure information was obtained from relatives and others since the subjects themselves were dead. Surrogate-supported informa­ tion on occupation would be reasonably accurate, but surrogate’ s knowledge o f what specific herbicides were used and on how many days o f the year is questionable. • Taken as a whole, the weight o f evidence indicates that an association between 24-D and N H L remains a hypothesis that is still to be tested. Specu­ lation as to whether 2,4-D causes N H L is premature until the evidence is clear that there is an association between them. ■ Shirts Lisle Cotton 50-50 Blend $18 $18 Sweaters - Orion $24 Vests - Orion $24 Windbreakers - 50-50 Blend $30 (available in most colors and sizes) T o place an order, contact Bob A lon zi (914) 698-2827. Bob w ill arrange for pick-up or delivery. Please support and promote your organization by making a purchase. ■ IP Y O U R T U R F COULD T A L K IT W OULD A S K FOR S A N D -A ID AN D P A N A S EA / • Bigger roots • Stress tolerance Glenmore Landscape Service • Delayed senescence • Moisture and nutrient retention • Micronutrient-rich • Effective, safe & organic Irrigation Installers RR #3 - Box 199, Hackgreen Rd. Pound Ridge, NY 10576 ProTurf. The follow in g items are in stock and sold to you at cost plus $3 profit which is contributed to the scholarship and research fund. reprinted with permission from Dow Chemical Lawn Care Report (Feb. 87) Outgrow your Poa annua problems with ProTurf Now, with Scotts new TGRtmtechnology, you can reduce your course’s Poa population, while encouraging more desirable grasses. You’ll see a gradual, more natural transition to greener, denser turf without a sudden decrease in playing surface quality. Ask your Tech Rep for full details. Met GCSA Logo Sportswear Available (914) 764-4348 For betterturf management CALL METRO MILORGANITE TOD AY (914) 347-4222 7 Patrons of Tee to Qtèen Patrons listed on this page are supporting our A ssociation. Y ou are encouraged to support them. *Denotes Met GCSA member Alpine Tree Care, Inc.* Main office: White Plains 914-948-0101 Branch offices: Chappaqua 914-238-4400 Darien 203-655-8008 Professional Tree Care & Consulting I & E Supply, Inc.* Dick Smith - Paul Roche 66 Ema Avenue, Milford, CT 06460 BUCKNER IRRIGATION SYSTEMS 203-878-0658 Pro-Lawn Products, Inc.* Stephen M. Kotowicz 30 Nashville Road Bethel, CT 06801 203-792-3032 Big Tree Nursery Stan Lubowicki P.O. Box 6081 Edison, NJ 08818 We transplant large trees Irrigation Systems Incorporated* P.O. Box 66, Windsor, CT 06095 203-727-9227 Installation, Service, Winterization and Designing for Course Irrigation Systems The Reichert Company* Lubricant & Filter Distributor P.O. Box 273 Riverside, CT 06878 203-637-2958 - Frank Reichert James Carriere & Sons, Inc.* Bill Carriere 7 Cottage Street Port Chester, NY 10573 914-937-2136 or 914-937-5479 - V/*' Cecio Bros., Inc. General Excavating Contractor P.O. Box 4100; 500 Old Post Road #3 Greenwich, CT 06830 203-869-2340 James W. Taylor Tree Surgery, Inc. TREE TRANSPLANTING 240-B Plains Road Walden, NY 12586 914-561-3490 - Vickie Poltrack Rhone*Poulenc Inc. Samuel L. Horst RD 2, Box 294 Stockton, NY 08559 201-996-4306 LESCO, Inc.* 20005 Lake Road, Rocky River, OH 44116 Mike Oleykowski 201-387-9254 Bob Dwyer 201-665-9728 . . . for all your golf course needs Stephen Kay, Golf Course Architect* P.O. Box 81, Purchase, NY 10577 914-963-9555 Long Range Planning, Remodeling, & New Development Egypt Farms, Inc. Golf Green Topdressing John Strickland White Marsh, MD 21162 301-335-3700 Loft’s Seed, Inc. John Morrissey Box 146 Bound Brook, NJ 08805 201-356-8700 Steven Willand, Inc. Bill Rapp Box 9, Rt. 206, South of Ross Comer Augusta, NJ 07822 201-579-5656 Emerald Isle, Ltd. Bob Middleton 2153 Newport Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 313-662-2727 The Magovern Company* Joseph Schnieder 911 Hope Street Stamford, CT 06907 1-800-243-9094 Terre Company of N .J., Inc.* Byron Johnson, Jr. 206 Delawanna Avenue Clifton, NJ 07014 201-473-3393 Glenmore Landscape Service* Glenn S. Moore RR3 Box 199 Hackgreen Rd. Pound Ridge, NY 10576 914-764-4348 Metro Milorganite, Inc.* John G. Wistrand & Anthony L. Grasso P.O. Box 267 Hawthorne, NY 10532 914-347-4222 Turf Products Corporation* South Windsor, CT 06074 Joe Kennedy - Irrigation A1 Tretara - Equipment 203-528-9508 Grass Roots Turf Products, Inc.* Bert Jones 201-686-8709 Ken Kubik 201-361-5943 P.O. Box 336 Mt. Freedom, NJ 07970 MONTCO/SURF-SIDE/ZAP! Surfactants - Defoamers Box 404, Ambler, PA 19002 Robert Oechsle Home: 215-836-4992/Whs: 215-628-3144 Valley View Nursery* Route 123 R.R. #2 Box 27 So. Salem, NY 10590 (914) 533-2526 (914)533-2504 Harford Industrial Minerals, Inc. Jack Montecalvo - Topdressing, Bunker Sand & Construction Mix Joppa, MD 21085 301-679-9191 O.M. Scott & Sons* A1 Arison 226 Barry Scott Drive Fairfield, CT 06430 203-336-9890 Westchester Ford Tractor* Goldens Bridge, NY 10526 914-232-7746 Wesco Inc., Norwalk CT 06851 203-847-2496 Hawthorne Brothers Tree Service, Inc.* 5 Center Street Bedford Hills, NY 10507 914-666-7035 and 203-531-1831 Professional Tree Care and Transplanting Partac Golf Course Topdressing Kelsey Park Great Meadows, NJ 07838 James Carriere & Sons/ J. & B. Trucking 914-937-2136 Bill & Joe Carriere Westchester Turf Supply, Inc.* P.O. Box 198, Lincolndale, NY 10540 Serving the Fine Turf Profession Bob Lippman Bus. 914-277-3755/Home: 914-248-5790