How To: Collect plant samples
Sooner or later, every grounds-care professional requires the services of a plant laboratory. The two basic reasons for submitting plant samples are to...
Use course design to speed up play
When was the last time you were able to complete an 18-hole round of golf in less than 4 hours? This has become an almost impossible feat on weekends...
How insecticides work
Grounds-care professionals who use insecticides on turf and ornamentals can benefit from an understanding of how these materials work. Knowledge of these...
What to consider when designing recreational facilities
Parks provide important recreation and leisure opportunities for people of all ages. Communities increasingly are developing parks to keep up with demand...
Portable augers are praiseworthy assets
You might think portable augers - sometimes called hole diggers - are "luxury" tools: nice to have but not very cost-effective. Yet portable augers can...
High-voltage advice on irrigation wiring
Ask anyone involved with irrigation-system maintenance and they'll probably agree: Troubleshooting an irrigation electrical system is one of the most...
Low-maintenance turfgrass - the practical choice for golf-course roughs
In The Dictionary of Golf, Spencer David defines "rough" as the "undesired playing area where grass is maintained above 1.5 inches in height." This is...
NTEP needs your help!
You may recall last year around this time that the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) was battling to save its USDA funding that President Clinton...
Researching Maintenance
Mulch for turf establishment Which mulch is best for using over grass seed? I am now trying grass clippings. Is this effective or hurting my germination...
Evolution of turf seed
Over the last 30 years, seed producers have developed and introduced thousands of new varieties. And, as with any commodity, success increases consumer...
PGMA Winner: The Mirage
Las Vegas needs no introduction. Known the world over as an entertainment and gaming center, this gambler's mecca arose from desert sands that seem the...
Tips for sports turf managers
Compaction can be a turf manager's nightmare. Traffic, weather conditions and normal use push soil particles closer together, reducing pore space and...
Re-evaluating your business format
Three years ago you started doing business as a sole proprietor. In light of your exposure to personal liability, is a sole proprietorship still the best...
Measuring soil moisture helps schedule irrigations
Man's early attempts at irrigating plants took place almost 7,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. These early farmers must have realized quickly that if they...
Seedbed preparation
Before the mechanical equipment rolls in to prepare a seedbed for turfgrass plantings, the enlightened grounds-maintenance manager has already spent hours...
How To: Read a pesticide label
You can't determine seed quality just by looking - you must rely on what the label tells you. However, to get the best value for your seed dollar, you...
Seed-field burning
Should burning be allowed on turf-seed fields?Linda Clovis, executive director, Intermountain Grass Growers Association (Coeur D'Alene, Idaho)In Eastern...
Engineering turf for the future
For the past several decades, breeders have made dramatic improvements in turfgrass cultivars of many species. Cultivars available today offer greater...
Plant bulbs now for dazzling color next spring
Bulb flowers signal the rebirth of spring with a color show that is unmatched any other time of the year. Vibrant shades of red, blue, purple, pink, yellow...
Gasoline-powered blowers
How do you feel about bans on power blowers?Robin Pendergrast, marketing/public relations consultant, Echo Inc.The noise issue with power blowers has...
Tracking trends in riding-mower design
In the last 15 years, riding mowers have undergone a tremendous change. What many considered a commercial unit at that time, we now regard as a consumer...
Increase in sprinkler-head longevity
A term you commonly hear in the vernacular of lawn-care professionals is "mower bait." This is how operators refer to sprinkler heads that are incorrectly...
Benefits of oil analysis
A detailed analysis of engine, transmission and hydraulic oils enables you to identify potential problems before a major repair is necessary. Oil analysis...
Convert your fairway to bentgrass
During the 1960s and '70s, most golf-turf research focused on the management of putting greens. Improved chemical and mechanical cultural practices, irrigation...
Researching Maintenance
Oklahoma webworms Sod webworms have been a problem on some of my clients' lawns. However, I don't have time to monitor on a regular basis. Is there a...
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