Podcast Association

Julie Holt (00:00.204) Welcome to the turf zone. In this relaunch episode, we're talking to Dr. Becky Bowling, assistant professor and extension specialist in turf grass science and management at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Bowling, thank you so much for joining me today. Thank you for having me, Julie. It's good to be here [...] The post The TurfZone Podcast: Dr. Becky Bowling on Industry Recruiting and UT's First Beacon Event appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ATA TURF TIMES: J. Scott McElroy, PhD – Professor, Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences Auburn University As a scientist, I hesitate to make predictions such as those a fortune teller might reveal. I wince when I hear people speaking with absolute certainty that this or that will happen in the future. That some [...] The post Alabama Turfgrass Association – A Contrarian's Guide to Autonomous Turfgrass Robotic Technology appeared first on The Turf Zone.

PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS: What happens when turf professionals from Penn State Cooperative Extension, the world of professional sports, and the private sector all team up to work on a community turf project? It results in a special “feel-good” synergy that gets the job done and also has great community impact. Westinghouse Academy, an inner-city high school [...] The post Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council – Turfgrass Professionals Make Westinghouse Field of Dreams Come True appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NEW ENGLAND BLADE: Everyone wants better employees and today, that usually requires growing them internally. By starting with a high-potential worker and developing them intentionally, companies are able to build a near-ideal employee ready to tackle their specific issues. But employee development only occurs in the right environment. Employee growth is not unlike plant growth [...] The post NESFMA – Cultivating an Environment of Growth appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MTC NEWS: Fereshteh Shahoveisi In 2023, our team conducted several fungicide and nematicide trials at the UMD Paint Branch Research Facility to evaluate their efficacy against various turfgrass diseases and nematodes. The trials were mainly focused on: • Brown patch and dollar spot affecting fairway and green height creeping bentgrass. • Brown patch on home [...] The post Maryland Turfgrass Council – Fungicide Trials Update – Turfgrass Pathology Program appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS: J. Scott McElroy, PhD – Professor, Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences Auburn University As a scientist, I hesitate to make predictions such as those a fortune teller might reveal. I wince when I hear people speaking with absolute certainty that this or that will happen in the future. That some team [...] The post Mississippi Turfgrass Association – A Contrarian's Guide to Autonomous Turfgrass Robotic Technology appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ARKANSAS TURFGRASS: J. Scott McElroy, PhD – Professor, Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences Auburn University As a scientist, I hesitate to make predictions such as those a fortune teller might reveal. I wince when I hear people speaking with absolute certainty that this or that will happen in the future. That some team [...] The post Arkansas Turfgrass Association – A Contrarian's Guide to Autonomous Turfgrass Robotic Technology appeared first on The Turf Zone.

PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS: Brad Jakubowski, Assistant Teaching Professor, Center for Turfgrass Science, Penn State University Keeping an eye on the weather is something professional turfgrass managers have ingrained into our systems. Can I mow today? We check our phones for the most recent forecast. Should I spray today? We monitor dewpoints, humidity and temperatures. Will I [...] The post Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council – Weather Apps and Weather Decisions – Let's Make the Most of Both! appeared first on The Turf Zone.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS: Kyley Dickson, Ph.D. When it comes time to reseed or renovate an area in the fall or spring, selecting the most suitable grass variety can be a challenging task. Over the years, plant breeders and seed companies have made significant advancements in enhancing their grasses through plant breeding. These improvements include developing grasses [...] The post Tennessee Turfgrass Assoication – Improving Turfgrass Sustainability with Better Genetics appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MTC TURF NEWS: Geoffrey Rinehart Did you know that the University of Maryland turfgrass research program conducts ongoing experiments to evaluate varieties from several different turfgrass species? Using data from these trials and in coordination with data collected by turfgrass researchers at Virginia Tech, and the professionals from the Maryland Department of Agriculture and Virginia [...] The post Maryland Turfgrass Council – Research Updates from UMD / Turfgrass Variety Trial Update appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NEW ENGLAND BLADE: Pam Serratt Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is the predominant cool-season sports turf grass. It was originally introduced to the United States as an amenity grass, forage grass, and for soil erosion control, and we've been successfully using turf-types since their introduction in the 1960s. Although perennial ryegrass is revered in Europe, [...] The post NESTMA – Perennial Ryegrass on Athletic Fields appeared first on The Turf Zone.

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL: Mike Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Tech The 2023 50th Anniversary of the Turfgrass Research Center provided the opportunity for one of the largest Field Day crowds in many years to return to Blacksburg for the two days of festivities on August 28th and 29th. The formal part [...] The post Virginia Turfgrass Council – 50th Anniversary of the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center appeared first on The Turf Zone.

PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS: Everyone wants better employees and today, that usually requires growing them internally. By starting with a high-potential worker and developing them intentionally, companies are able to build a near-ideal employee ready to tackle their specific issues. But employee development only occurs in the right environment. Employee growth is not unlike plant growth in [...] The post Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council – Cultivating an Environment of Growth appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NORTH CAROLINA TURFGRASS: TCNC Member Since 2016 Why did you join TCNC? Simple answer; I joined TCNC because I'm in the turfgrass industry and it's a professional organization that supports what I do. If turfgrass is what I do then I'd be crazy not to join it. What drew you to volunteer on the Board [...] The post Turfgrass Council of North Carolina – Board of Directors Spotlight on Greg Harris – Owner, Leapfrog Landcare appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MTC TURF NEWS: Brad Jakubowski, Assistant Teaching Professor, Center for Turfgrass Science, Penn State University Keeping an eye on the weather is something professional turfgrass managers have ingrained into our systems. Can I mow today? We check our phones for the most recent forecast. Should I spray today? We monitor dewpoints, humidity and temperatures. Will [...] The post Maryland Turfgrass Council – Weather Apps and Weather Decisions – Let's Make the Most of Both! appeared first on The Turf Zone.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS: Jared Marshall It is no secret that job opportunities abound in the turfgrass management industry. Students in the University of Tennessee Turfgrass Science program have the immense benefit of a strong group of professors to advise them on training, internships and job opportunities. Here, Dr. Horvath's student, Jared Marshall shares his exciting internship [...] The post Tennessee Turfgrass Association – TPC Twin Cities – 3M Open appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ARKANSAS TURFGRASS: Everyone wants better employees and today, that usually requires growing them internally. By starting with a high-potential worker and developing them intentionally, companies are able to build a near-ideal employee ready to tackle their specific issues. But employee development only occurs in the right environment. Employee growth is not unlike plant growth in [...] The post Arkansas Turfgrass Association – Cultivating an Environment of Growth appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NEW ENGLAND BLADE: Where did you go to school? I began my turf career at Wachusett Country Club in West Boylston, MA during high school working under Donald and Matt Marrone. This is where my passion for turf began. After high school, I attended UMass Amherst, Stockbridge School of Agriculture majoring in Turfgrass Management. A [...] The post NESTMA – Member Spotlight on Brendon Connor – Superintendent of Grounds, The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts appeared first on The Turf Zone.

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL: Jordan Thompson, Thomas Kuhar, Ph.D. and Alejandro Del Pozo, Ph.D. – Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech In the world of turf grass management, earthworms have often been considered our underground allies, contributing to nutrient cycling and soil aeration. Unfortunately, a new earthworm has arrived with the potential to turn our current beliefs [...] The post Virginia Turfgrass Council – Potential Asian Jumping Worm Impact on Turfgrass Management appeared first on The Turf Zone.

PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS: Mike Fidanza, Ph.D.1 and John Pope 2 1 Professor of Plant and Soil Science, Penn State Berks Campus; Reading, PA (maf100@psu.edu) 2 Pope Soils Consulting and Counseling Services; Maple Glen, PA (overthefencegarden@gmail.com) The Eastern Pennsylvania Turfgrass Conference and Tradeshow (i.e., “The Eastern”), first began as the Southeastern Pennsylvania Turf School, and was organized [...] The post Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council – History of the Eastern Pennsylvania Turf Conference and Trade Show appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS: Barry Stewart, William Stark and Jay McCurdy It all started with a contest/challenge from Cubico Sustainable Investments. Cubico is a global renewable energy infrastructure company, owning and operating large-scale solar farms. As part of its corporate responsibility program, Cubico created a competition for MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) students to [...] The post Mississippi Turfgrass Association – Searching for the Right Grass on the Delta's Edge Solar Farm appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NORTH CAROLINA TURFGRASS: Ask any landscape professional about business; talent is usually the hot topic. Finding qualified and motivated candidates to work in this dynamic industry seems to be half the business battle. Yet surprisingly, college turfgrass programs are decreasing or folding across the country. Golf Course Management Online estimates a 75% decrease in college [...] The post Turfgrass Council of North Carolina – Growing Turfgrass Graduates – Tools to Boost Green Industry Recruiting appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MTC TURF NEWS: Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM Many leaders seek to hire people who fit their company culture, meaning they choose candidates who share their values, style, or goals. Their theory is that these teams will be more cohesive and aligned to enable performance of key business outcomes. Unfortunately for these leaders, the science shows [...] The post Maryland Turfgrass Council – Hiring for Talent appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ARKANSAS TURFGRASS: Dr. Casey Reynolds, Executive Director TPI Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) has members who produce and sell turfgrass seed and sod in almost every U.S. state and over 30 countries. As I travel to visit with them, speak at conferences, write magazine articles, etc., I often get to speak with producers first-hand about what [...] The post Arkansas Turfgrass Association – State of the Industry – A Perspective from Turfgrass Producers International appeared first on The Turf Zone.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS: Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM Many leaders seek to hire people who fit their company culture, meaning they choose candidates who share their values, style, or goals. Their theory is that these teams will be more cohesive and aligned to enable performance of key business outcomes. Unfortunately for these leaders, the science shows exactly [...] The post Tennessee Turfgrass Association – Hiring for Talent appeared first on The Turf Zone.

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL: Brad Jakubowski, Assistant Teaching Professor, Center for Turfgrass Science, Penn State University Keeping an eye on the weather is something professional turfgrass managers have ingrained into our systems. Can I mow today? We check our phones for the most recent forecast. Should I spray today? We monitor dewpoints, humidity and temperatures. Will [...] The post Virginia Turfgrass Council – Weather Apps and Weather Decisions – Let's Make the Most of Both! appeared first on The Turf Zone.

PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS: KAFMO's annual Field of Distinction award recipients for 2023 are East Pennsboro Area School District, John Gross Field in Enola, PA and Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters. Both facilities deserve recognition for their outstanding record of providing safe, playable conditions for their users. Both fields [...] The post Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council – John Gross Field Groundskeeping Team Receives Field of Distinction Award appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NEW ENGLAND BLADE: Tom Barry, CSFM – Sports Turf Manager, Greens Farms Academy, Westport, CT INTRODUCTION Many schools are challenged to maintain safe, uniform, and healthy playing surfaces due to intense playing schedules and repeated traffic. Fraise mowing is a renovation practice that reinvigorates the turfgrass surface and can remove shallow-rooted weeds (Sitko and Rossi, [...] The post NESTMA – Case Study: Fraise Mowing for Weed Control on Athletic Fields appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS: Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM Many leaders seek to hire people who fit their company culture, meaning they choose candidates who share their values, style, or goals. Their theory is that these teams will be more cohesive and aligned to enable performance of key business outcomes. Unfortunately for these leaders, the science shows exactly [...] The post Mississippi Turfgrass Association – Hiring for Talent appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ATA TURF TIMES: Brad Jakubowski, Assistant Teaching Professor, Center for Turfgrass Science, Penn State University Keeping an eye on the weather is something professional turfgrass managers have ingrained into our systems. Can I mow today? We check our phones for the most recent forecast. Should I spray today? We monitor dewpoints, humidity and temperatures. Will [...] The post Alabama Turfgrass Association – Weather Apps and Weather Decisions – Let's Make the Most of Both! appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NORTH CAROLINA TURFGRASS: Bryan Tolar, Tolar Capitol Partners Symbolism is great, but integrity is what matters. It's a universal truth that confidence in a person or product sustains brand value, whether for automobiles, electronics, whiskey – you name it. With stiff competition in the marketplace and ne'er-do-wells pitching knockoffs, the integrity of a product and [...] The post Turfgrass Council of North Carolina – The Simple Truth of Integrity appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MTC TURF NEWS: Casey O'Neal, Graduate Research Assistant, Auburn University Julie Wang, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Georgia Nikolay Minaev, Graduate Research Assistant, Mississippi State University Movements such as “Save the Bees”, “No Mow May”, and “Let it Bloom June” are recently trending critiques of monoculture lawns. They highlight the lack of plant and insect [...] The post Maryland Turfgrass Council – Ecologically Beneficial Turf A Changing Landscape appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ARKANSAS TURFGRASS: Brad Jakubowski, Assistant Teaching Professor, Center for Turfgrass Science, Penn State University Keeping an eye on the weather is something professional turfgrass managers have ingrained into our systems. Can I mow today? We check our phones for the most recent forecast. Should I spray today? We monitor dewpoints, humidity and temperatures. Will I [...] The post Arkansas Turfgrass Association – Weather Apps and Weather Decisions – Let's Make the Most of Both appeared first on The Turf Zone.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS: Daniel O'Brien, Wendell Hutchens Ph.D., Mike Richardson Ph.D. At the risk of stating the obvious, water matters. In an increasingly crowded world, with increasingly strained resources, this is true for all walks of life and turfgrass is no exception. Decisions about how we use, and just as importantly, how we conserve water are [...] The post Tennessee Turfgrass Association – Maximizing the Benefits of Wetting Agents, New Research at the University of Arkansas appeared first on The Turf Zone.

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL: Xunzhong Zhang, Ph.D., Mike Goatley, Ph.D., Rose Harvey, and Ben Goddard – School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA Wetting agents are a primary management strategy utilized by most golf courses in putting green water management. Adding wetting agents can reduce the surface tension of water and overall soil [...] The post Virginia Turfgrass Council – Evaluating Effects of a Wetting Agent for Improving Creeping Bentgrass Putting Green Quality and Root Growth during Summer appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NEW ENGLAND BLADE: Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM Many leaders seek to hire people who fit their company culture, meaning they choose candidates who share their values, style, or goals. Their theory is that these teams will be more cohesive and aligned to enable performance of key business outcomes. Unfortunately for these leaders, the science shows [...] The post NESTMA – Hiring for Talent appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS Dr. Marta Pudzianowska has been working in the warm-season turfgrass breeding program at University of California, Riverside since 2017. Her efforts as a breeder focus on developing new bermudagrass and kikuyugrass cultivars with improved winter color retention and drought tolerance. She was born and raised in Poland, where she earned her master's and [...] The post Mississippi Turfgrass Association – Welcome New Turfgrass Breeder, Dr. Marta Pudzianowska appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ATA TURF TIMES Plans for the 2023 Deep South Turf Expo are percolating! Once again, our education committee has provided a thoughtful incentive to attend the Expo in the form of a great speaker line-up. Wednesday, October 18th's keynote speakers include Becky Bowling, Ph.D. University of Tennessee, David McCall, Ph.D., Virginia Tech, and Travis Gannon, [...] The post Alabama Turfgrass Association – Welcome to the Deep South Turf Expo's Keynote Speakers in 2023 appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NORTH CAROLINA TURFGRASS: Don Brown I recently sat in on an industry association panel on coaching and mentoring. The audience was made up of students and early and mid-career healthcare practitioners. The subject of mentoring and coaching comes up a lot these days, and if my own coaching practice is any indicator, I believe the [...] The post Turfgrass Council of North Carolina – Mentor or Coach … What Will it Be? appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MTC TURF NEWS: Jay McCurdy Ph.D., Associate Professor, Turfgrass Extension Specialist, Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University Lawns are not going away, but how we manage them is changing. Recent, rapid urbanization has driven the development of urban green space in the United States and abroad. The world population has almost doubled [...] The post Maryland Turfgrass Council – Origins of Turfgrass, Part 3; Future – Proofing the Lawn Care Industry appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ARKANASAS TURFGRASS: Casey O'Neal, Graduate Research Assistant, Auburn University | Julie Wang, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Georgia | Nikolay Minaev, Graduate Research Assistant, Mississippi State University Movements such as “Save the Bees”, “No Mow May”, and “Let it Bloom June” are recently trending critiques of monoculture lawns. They highlight the lack of plant and [...] The post Arkansas Turfgrass Association – Ecologically Beneficial Turf A Changing Landscape appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ATA TURF TIMES: Dave Han, Ph.D., Auburn University and Alabama Extension Plant growth regulators (PGRs) have been used for decades in all areas of turf management. The primary reason most turf managers use PGRs is to slow down growth to reduce the frequency of mowing. This is still a prime reason for using PGRs in [...] The post Alabama Turfgrass Association – Plant Growth Regulators for Turfgrasses appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MTC TURF NEWS: Peter H. Dernoeden, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland Rough bluegrass (aka Poa trivialis, Poa triv., roughstalk bluegrass) is an extremely common perennial grass weed in lawns and golf courses in the mid-Atlantic. Rough bluegrass looks like Kentucky bluegrass in that leaves have a boat-shaped tip and there are two parallel lines [...] The post Maryland Turfgrass Council – Rough Bluegrass Can Be Your Worst Lawn Nightmare appeared first on The Turf Zone.

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL: Chuan Hong, Ph.D., Virginia Tech  Boxwood has been the choice evergreen ornamental shrub in landscape designs for homes, public gardens, parks, golf courses, and other green spaces; they accentuate garden entryways, give structure to garden designs, edge garden beds, divide courtyards, designate parking areas, fill window boxes, and create labyrinths. This [...] The post Virginia Turfgrass Council – Boxwood Blight: An Emerging Disease that Keeps Landscapers and Gardeners Awake at Night appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NORTH CAROLINA TURFGRASS: Jay McCurdy Ph.D., Associate Professor, Turfgrass Extension Specialist Department of Plant & Soil Sciences Mississippi State University Recent, rapid urbanization has driven the development of urban green space in the United States and abroad. The world population has almost doubled since 1970, and more than 80% of U.S. citizens reside in urban [...] The post Turfgrass Council of North Carolina – Origins of Turfgrass, Part 3 appeared first on The Turf Zone.

MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS: Paul Bartley, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Horticulture, Auburn University / Contributing: Jeff Atkinson, Ph.D., Harrell's and Alex Hedgepath, Auburn University Since discovering and understanding plant hormones, plant growth regulators (PGRs), both naturally and synthetically derived, have been used to suppress or promote plant growth. Their applications have varied from industry to industry [...] The post Mississippi Turfgrass Association – Plant Growth Regulators Lend a Hand appeared first on The Turf Zone.

NEW ENGLAND BLADE — Neal Glatt, GrowTheBench.com "We have a dilemma” is how one of my employees, ten days into managing her first direct report ever, started the conversation. The issue was that there were some concerns about the work her new employee, who started with the company only ten days previously, had just submitted. [...] The post NESTMA – The Manager's Dilemma appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ARKANSAS TURFGRASS The 2023 ATA Turf Conference was held on January 26th-27th at the Hot Springs Convention Center. This location has proven to be a great place for members from across the state to gather to enjoy education, networking and recognizing leaders in our industry. We had approximately 210 attendees for Thursday's session and 130 [...] The post Arkansas Turfgrass Association – Highlights from the 2023 ATA Conference appeared first on The Turf Zone.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS: Jay McCurdy Ph.D., Associate Professor, Turfgrass Extension Specialist Department of Plant & Soil Sciences Mississippi State University Lawns are not going away, but how we manage them is changing. Recent, rapid urbanization has driven the development of urban green space in the United States and abroad. The world population has almost doubled since [...] The post Tennessee Turfgrass Association – Origins of Turfgrass, Part 3 Future – Proofing the Lawn Care Industry appeared first on The Turf Zone.

PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS: Maxim J. Schlossberg, Ph.D. Email responses I receive from PTC members are the most rewarding part of contributing to Pennsylvania Turfgrass Magazine. Which shouldn't come as a surprise given the above-average mean aptitude of Pennsylvania Turfgrass magazine's readership. Well above average. These enlightening interactions support and facilitate direction to my ongoing efforts (so [...] The post Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council – Site-Specific Plans & PA Act 83 Compliance appeared first on The Turf Zone.

ALABAMA TURF TIMES Having worked at Auburn University (AU) for 30 years and nearing retirement, an opportunity was presented to Dr. Beth Guertal to get involved in significant international work. So, she retired from AU in 2022 a little earlier than expected to take advantage of this exciting possibility. She accepted a post with Kansas [...] The post Alabama Turfgrass Association – Beth Guertal, Ph.D. Accepts Job with New Challenges and Opportunities, but Misses her Students and Colleagues at Auburn University appeared first on The Turf Zone.