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transition back to bermudagrassOnce the playing season ends inJune these fields see minimal useuntil October When the soccer fieldwas overseeded the transition backto bermudagrass was difficult andoccurred just prior to the summercamps This put more stress on theturf and made preparations for theearly August season more difficult
The soccer field has not beenoverseeded since 1997 Potts saysWe begin using green turf dye onceevery two weeks when nighttimetemperatures start to fall below 50degrees We use a rate of one gallonof dye to 30 gallons of water to justdarken the color a bit This allowsthe plant to capture more of the lim-ited fall sunlight and grow at ahigher rate Were not sure exactlyhow it works but feel that it helpsin continuing the photosynthesisprocess as temperature and sun-light decrease We need to mowmore frequently and the field recov-ers more quickly in the fall when itis dyed Weve also noticed that thedye helps the turf emerge from dor-mancy more quickly in the springWeve occasionally used the samerate of dye in an application or twoin the spring to speed up the growthprocess
The staff is very cognizant of envi-ronmental issues and public percep-tion The integrated pest manage-ment system theyve developed usescontrol products only when levelspass the tolerance point Billbug con-trol has been applied on occasion Thesoccer fields dense turf requires littleweed control however we apply apre-emergent for winter annuals atthe end of September or beginning ofOctober
The soccer field is a team effortPotts credits the coaches for suchfield preservation measures as mov-ing the goalie practices around thefield and playing from side to sidealong the sideline to avoid excessivewear in the goalmouths He says Ifwet conditions are persistent theymay move practice to the sand-ba edtrack infield even occasionally hold-ing a night practice to accommodate
STMA bull hffpllwwwsporfsturfmanagercom
Texas AampMs womens soccer team looks to score on North Carolina
scheduling Were also fortunate tohave an administration that under-stands the importance of properfield maintenance and gives us thetools and staffing necessary to dothe job
dedicated people who are committedto excellence The reward is the posi-tive feedback from players andcoaches who appreciate the resultswe produce for them
Potts and Goertz both give theirhighest praise to their staff Pottssays We have a staff of high-quality
Steve Trusty is Executive Directorof the Sports Turf ManagersAssociation (STMA) and Suz Trustyis STMA Communications Director
June 2001 21
Warm Season TurfgrassDise se ManagementKnowing which diseases can affect your fields during the
~--w_a_rm_se_a_so_n_c_a_n_he_Ip_y_o_u_id_e_nt_ify_a_n_d_c_om_b_a_tt_h_os_e_fo_e_s---1by Drs Ed A Brown (Plant Pathology)and Gil Landry (Crop and Soil Science) University of Georgia
pathogen the turf or the environ-ment to prevent or reduce the diseaseinfectionEven though there are more
than 70 diseases reported toattack turfgrasses less than
six commonly cause problems onsports fields These disease causingorganisms require specific environ-mental conditions to proliferate andinfect a turfgrass The disease trian-gle is used to examine the interactionbetween the disease causal agent(pathogen) the plant (host) and theenvironmental conditions required bythe pathogen to infect the turf Thissame triangle can be a means of for-mulating a plan to manage the
Since bermudagrass is the mainwarm season turfgrass used for sportsfields and since it is relatively resis-tant to most organisms the focuswill be on the more common organ-isms Also because a healthy turf isthe first step in managing potentialdisease problems a review of thecommon turf management practicesassociated with disease problems isimportant
For deep tine aerlfication In the toughest conditions youcant beat the performance of our new SR75 HD
This machine Is built specifically for deep aeration in heavilycompacted solis
If your sports fields are suffering from problems associatedwith compaction and poor drainage call Southern Greenabout our complete line of deep tine aerators
Proven performance high productivity superior design andconstruction Is what you can expect from the Soli Relieverby Southern GreenBreathin a Whole Lot Easiercopy
Circle 112 on Inquiry Card
22 June 2001
Water management is probably themost common practice that can affectdisease problems Most of the time itis not excess water that causes prob-lems on sports fields but the lack ofwater Even though grass growthslows from moisture stress there isstill generally sufficient moisturefrom dew formation to enable thepathogen to proliferate on the weak-ened turf
Thus providing water when need-ed to maintain a healthy plant isimportant In fact simply irrigatingto encourage moisture-stressed turfis often enough to reduce the diseaseproblem Before sunrise is consid-ered the best time to irrigatebecause of low wind and tempera-ture and the removal of morningdew from turf leaves Irrigationbefore the dew has dried in themorning or before it forms at nightextends the period of free surfacemoisture and may enhance diseasedevelopment
Obviously water management isalso related to soil conditions Hardcompacted soils reduce turf rootingand increase moisture stress Thuscultivation to alleviate compactioncan reduce disease potential
Some thatch is desirable on sportsfields because it forms a cushionwhich decreases turf wear Thatch alsoinsulates the soil from high and lowtemperatures and reduces vaporationlosses of water from the soil surfaceHowever a thatch layer becomesundesirable when it exceeds a depth ofone-half inch Thatch then begins torestrict water and air movement intothe soil encouraging a shallow rootsystem It also provides an ideal envi-ronment for disease organisms Thusproper thatch management is essen-tial to disease management
sports TURF bull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
SymptomsThe fungus starts
to develop frommicroscopic fungalmycelium fragmentssurviving in thethatch and organicdebris and rapidlyforms a circular pat-
These large circular patches usually two to four feet in diameter tern The circularare typical symptoms of brown patch patches can be from
several inches to 20feet in diameter but
usually are between two to four feet indiameter Affected areas are thin in thecenter with sprigs of grass survivingand thinner at the margin of theadvancing outer edge of the ringDuring periods of activity the outeredge has a smoke ring that is grayishto reddish brown in color Fungusmycelium can be seen at the margin inthe early morning when the dew isheavy or water is present In bermuda-grass only the foliage is generallyaffected and the grass will recoverfrom healthy rhizomes
Finally managing soil fertility iscritical to maintaining a healthyplant and manipulating nutrientscan significantly reduce or increasedisease problems
With those general turf manage-ment principles covered the remainderof this article describes conditions thatfavor disease development symptomsof the disease and turf managementpractices for disease control
BROWN PATCHBrown Patch is caused by the fun-
gus Rhizoctonia solani which caninfect all warm season grasses Thisdisease can be devastating and is dif-ficult to control after developing Themost favorable disease conditionsoccur from April through October
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseWet leaves and soil favors growth
of the fungus A heavy dew alonedoes not usually promote diseaseunless the wet period is extended byrain or improper irrigation Highnitrogen (more than one pound of Nper 1000 sq ft) applications canexcessively stimulate the develop-ment of young succulent turf andcause brown patch to be more severeAlthough the most favorable temper-atures for infection are 80-85F thefungus can be active at 50F and up to90F Since the temperatures usuallydrop below 90F for much of any 24-hour period the fungus may contin-ue to be active all summer awaitinga favorable combination of tempera-ture nitrogen-induced succulentturf and water to infect This diseasemainly occurs in the summer
STMA bull httpwWwsporfsturfmanagercom
However a differentstrain is now fre-quently being foundin the cool months ofthe fall and duringspring greenup
Control and ManagementTurfgrass management is impor-
tant in brown patch control Avoidhigh N applications (more than 1pound per 1000 sq ft) and avoid N ifthe disease is active Fungicides canbe applied as a preventive measureif the oncoming weather indicateswet conditions Curative applica-tions should be applied when firstsymptoms are observed The fungi-cide should be applied in a minimumof 120 gallons of water per acre Thisis important to provide foliage stemand upper root zonethatch coveragewith the fungicide
DOLLAR SPOTThe fungus Sclerotinia hom eo-
carpa (Lanzia sp and Melerodiscussp) causes dollar spot The severity ofdollar spot disease is determined bysoil moisture nitrogen and potassiumlevels and temperature
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseIdeal conditions for disease devel-
opment include the combination oflow nitrogen level low soil moisture
THE PROFESSIONALS CHOICE SINCE 1922
USED BY OVER 100 PRO TEAMSOVER 600 COLLEGES PLUS THOUSA DS
OF TOWNS amp SCHOOLS WORLDWIDESPECIAL MIXES FOR INFIELDS
PITCHERS MOU DS amp HOME PLATE AREAS
REGIONAL INFIELD MIXESAND RED WARNING TRACKS
FOR EVERY STATE amp CLIMATEPLUS INFIELD CO DITIO ERS
TO IMPROVE EXISTING INFIELDS
IF TOO HARD AND POORLY DRAINING
THE REDDER LESS DUSTY MORE UNIFORMSOIL CONDITIONER amp DRYING AGENT
SUPER-RED FOR INFiElDSSUPER-GREEN FOR TURF
FOR CONSISTE T I FIELD CUSHIOI WET OR DRY WEATHERIF TOO SOFT amp DUSTY
STABILIZERFOR FIRM YET RESILIENT PLAYING SURFACES
TO QUICKLY DRY INFIELDSThe Original amp Most Absorbent is Now
middotmiddotV4ji4milJIljijljtIQJ)tllli4iMNew Lower PricesFENc-~no 0 ISafety Cover for Chain Link Fence i~~
Now in 6 Color
HOLLYWOOD BASES FIELD MARKING MACHI ESTAMPERS DRAG MATS YA KEE- RAKES
WALL PADDING WINDSCREEN RAIL PADDI GBATIING PRACTICE COVERS RAI COVERSPITCHERS MOUND amp BATIERS BOX PADSo middotDECK CIRCLES WITH TEAM LOGOS
PERMA ENT FOUL LINES amp MUCH MORE
800-247-BEAM908-637-4191 FAX 908-637-8421
PARTAC PEAT CORPORATIONKELSEY PARK GREAT MEADOWS J 078 8
The best infield mix Ive ever usedI - GEORGE TOMA
Circle 111 on Inquiry Card
The straw-colored lesions on the bermuda-grass which have developed from the leaf
margin and moved across the leaf eventuallygirdling the blade are from dollar spot
temperatures in the 60-80F rangeheavy dew or excess water
SymptomsEarly symptoms are straw-col-
ored patches one to three inches indiameter Infection can be severeand these damaged spots coalesce toform rather large areas where thefoliage is bleached to a tan towhitish or straw color There arestraw-colored lesions on the grassblades that develop from the marginof the blade across eventuallygirdling the leaf This fungus is pri-marily a foliage disease and a warmseason grass like bermudagrass gen-erally has no problem recoveringfrom the damage Overnightmycelial growth can be seen duringactive disease periods as cottonygrowth in the morning dew
Control and ManagementManagement practices that help
control this disease are the additionof nitrogen and providing adequatesoil moisture Obviously soil com-paction can increase disease inci-dences by restricting rooting Soilmoisture should be adequateenough for good growth Soil potas-sium levels should be maintained atmedium to high levels When thefirst symptoms are observed evalu-ate if a fungicide should be appliedIf so select a contact fungicide thatis not suspected of developing pestresistance and follow up after thelabeled recommended interval witha systemic fungicide for longerresidual control The fungicidesshould be applied in a minimum of120 gallons of water per acre Thiswill assure good coverage of thefoliage stems and the upper thatchor organic zone
24 June 2001
HELMINTHOSPORIUM DISEASESThere are actually several fungi
that cause this type of disease symp-tom These fungi include Bipolarisspp Exserohilum spp andDrechslera spp which were onceclassified as Helminthosporium sppThey are now considered to beHelminthosporium diseases This isto facilitate communication to notconfuse the issue with turf grass man-agers Some of these fungi can causeleaf crown and root diseases In mostcases bermudagrass is tolerant ofthese fungi although under stressand potassium deficient conditions itcan be affected
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseThe ideal temperature for infection
is 77F but infection can occur from68-95F However Drechslera spp dis-eases can cause disease during coolertemperatures Infection by most ofthese fungi can take place at any timeduring the spring summer and fallprovided adequate moisture is avail-able Problem areas in turf are usual-ly associated with prolonged periodsof leaf wetness and nutrient imbal-ances which weaken the turf
SymptomsBlack to purple spots on leaves and
leaf sheaths with spots turning tan tobrown in the center The lesions areoften elongated running in the direc-tion of the veins of the leaf blade Rootand crown rot are also associatedwith these fungi These phases aregenerally associated with dry periodsduring the hot part of the summerand cause a collapse of the turf tissueresulting in thinning and declineLesions can be found on the stolonsand rhizomes under severe diseaseconditions
Control and ManagementFertilize with adequate amounts of
potassium and nitrogen Areas thatare shaded or protected by structuresor landscape may have more prob-lems so improving air movement inthese areas would be helpful
PYTHIUM BLIGHTBermudagrass is fairly tolerant of
Pythium spp infections if managedcorrectly Poor surface andor subsur-face drainage are often associatedwith this disease Pythium spp arewater molds and need exces water toinfect
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseOverseeded bermudagrass can
have Pythium spp problems but it isgenerally the cool season turf and notthe bermudagrass that has the prob-lem Over-fertilization to stimulateexcess young succulent turf and over-watering are usually associated withthese problem areas
SymptomsGreasy brown patches of turf an
inch or less in diameter increasing toseveral inches and turning straw col-ored Cottony mycelium on leafblades may be seen in the morningdew The roots and crowns can bedamaged These turf problems areusually found in low areas wheredrainage is poor Improving thenutrition may not cause the expectedgrowth response because there arelimited roots to translocate thenutrients
Control and ManagementDo not over-water or over-fertilize
After turf recovery aerify if necessaryto improve drainage Fungicides maybe useful in a fall overseeding pro-gram If a problem has been identifiedpreviously then consider a preventivefungicide application Use treatedseed for overseeding If warm weatherpersists after the oversee ding hasgerminated then a fungicide applica-tion may be recommended until coolweather persists and the threat ofdisease is over
Sports turf diseases can usually bebeaten by good sound managementMonitoring weather conditions andproviding the best possible manage-ment for the turf are the best diseasecontrols Being alert and able to iden-tify disease problems as they developand then knowing what preventativeand curative steps to take will reducethe potential of significant diseasedamage to a sports field
Finally relying on fellow profes-sionals your local county Extensionoffice well-trained suppliers or yourstate land grant university can helpyou manage turf problems
Drs Ed A Brown and Gil Landryare Professors of TurfgrassManagement at the University ofGeorgia Dr Landry a past president ofSTMA may be contacted at e-mailglandryugaedu
sports TURF bull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
Dealing With ExtremesHow to protect turf from the havoc of various weather conditionsand the se of fields for other events
by Dan Douglas Reading Phillies
Ask a sports turf managerabout extremes and his or herfirst thought is about the
weather They conjure up memoriesof spring floods while thousands ofkids are chomping at the bit to usethe fields after a long winter or thesurprise snowfall just before thechampionship football game in earlyNovember Certainly the drought afew years back cannot be forgottenPractically anywhere you go thelocals say If you dont like theweather wait a minute
Weather forecasters like to use theword normal-normal high temper-ature normal low temperature nor-mal rainfall and the like When is thelast time you had a day where theweather was normal Normal is real-ly the average of extremes As anexample in 1999 those of us in themid-Atlantic region suffered througha drought Then in early fall the rem-nants of hurricane Floyd droppedclose to a foot of rain on us As the cli-matologists closed the books on 1999they concluded we had normal rain-fall for the year
When dealing with these weatherextremes our biggest asset is ourexperience I realize that my 15 yearsexperience as a sports turf managerpales in comparison with many of mypeers I was talking with a golf coursesuperintendent the other day Theconversation naturally turned to theweather He has been in charge at thesame country club for over 40 yearsHe wasnt comparing weather condi-tions from year to year but ratherfrom decade to decade I humblyaccept that I am still a mere pup inthis industry With that said I willshare some of the lowlights of mysports turf career
The Need for Proper DrainageI began working for the Reading
26 June 2001
Dan Douglas is accustomed to dealing with the unpredictable weather patterns ofReading PA such as this October ice storm
Phillies in 1991 I inherited a fieldthat was constructed in 1950 and hadbeen abused for over 40 years Fieldconstruction concepts were a tad dif-ferent 50 years ago than they aretoday Take right field for instanceThe warning track sloped from thefence toward the outfield Every timeit rained the water washed onto theplaying surface from behind the out-field wall One day in late July unbe-knownst to me a contractor sprayedan herbicide behind the outfield wallA heavy thunderstorm blew in short-ly thereafter and within a few dayswe had about 3000 square feet of deadturf in right field You cant get anymore extreme than death Ryegrassand green paint allowed me to limpinto fall when needless to say majorregrading occurred and a certainchemical applicator was fired
Adequate drainage is a major com-ponent to the success of every athlet-ic field The best time to address the
drainage of the playing surface is dur-ing construction A complex drainagesystem is nice but a field constructedwith an appropriate slope and propergrading will be able to withstand theworst deluge
Snow tends to create havoc attimes During the baseball season Itreat snow as white rain The infieldis tarped and I helplessly watch theradar My approach to snow isMother Nature put the snow thereso she can take it away If the tem-peratures dont rebound enough tomelt the snow then we dont want tobe playing baseball in those condi-tions anyway
The Need for Efficient IrrigationMy first year in Reading featured a
very dry summer With plans to installan in ground irrigation system thatfall I did what I could to keep thegrass growing with garden hoses Itbecame a frequently repeated night-
sports TURFbull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
An occasional April snow is treated aswhite rain and the field cover is used to
keep the infield dry until nicer weather con-ditions return
long vigil I would set up a sprinklerin the outfield give that spot a gooddeep soaking then move the sprinklerto a new location I would never getenough water on the field but it didkeep the turf alive and by the end ofthe night I at least felt like Id tried totake control of the situation
The 1999 season was a whole dif-ferent story Following a very dry falland spring came a hot summer TheGovernor declared a drought emer-gency in late July and nobody knewwhat that meant to them Eventuallyan archaic set of regulations began toappear which essentially stated thatathletic fields could not be wateredat all Practices for fall sports weregetting underway during the heightof the drought and many schoolboards had discussions about fieldsafety and even considered postpon-ing the start of the fall sports seasonFortunately the hurricane struckand we went back to dealing withdrainage issues
The drought was a public relationsjuggernaut for the organization andmyself Technically we could not applyany water to the playing surfaceRealistically we had to and did I wason the evening news explaining therelationship between water and playersafety and how we had cut our usageby over 50 The public was under-standing (especially the head of ourlocal water authority) until I told areporter off camera that we use 15000gallons of water during an irrigationcycle and she went on the air and saidwe use 150000 gallons per cycle I hadsome phone calls the next day
Most of us in the turf industry werecaught off guard when the drought
STMA bull httpwwwsportsturfmanagercom
GPU Stadium is also used for other events such as concerts Here Dan and his crew makepreparations to protect the infield from concert-goer abuse
emergency was declared We thoughtour usage would be restricted but noteliminated Check with your state tofind out what regulations you willhave to follow if a drought emer-gency is declared in your area ThePennsylvania Department of Envi-ronmental Protection decided toupdate the regulations after thedrought and the latest version is a lotmore athletic field friendly
The Need for ControlLike it or not none of us can do
anything about the weather exceptcomplain about it There are othersources of extremes though Many ofour stresses occur because our fieldsare used in ways they are notdesigned for Concerts are an excel-lent source of ulcers for me Ilearned long ago that I need to bethe one calling the shots during theconcert set-up and tear-down Weused to allow the equipment truckson the field but after one backedthrough a barrier and parked in anewly sodded area they are nowkept in the parking lot and we fork-lift the equipment to the stage Aroadie once called me an anal-retentive gardener Yes I am Myfield my rules
Over the years a lot of situationsoccurred or were about to occur thatI had not had previous experiencewith My peers came to my rescueWhen a situation presents itself thatyou are not comfortable with grab
the STMA membership roster andcall someone who has handled theproblem in the past Our industryprides itself on sharing informationwith one another The best advice Ireceived in college from a professorwas that I dont need to know every-thing but I do need to know whereto go to get information (I wish hehad told me that before my lastsemester)
An observation I have made is thatthe fields that were in good shapebefore some extreme event hit werethe fields that handled the stress thebest Take all the necessary stepsyour budget allows to insure thatyour fields are in the best possiblecondition Have a plan in place fordealing with whatever MotherNature or management can throw atyou Phone your peers and gatherinformation in preparation for anevent you havent had the experienceto handle yet
The best part about extremes isthat they make normal feel special
Dan Douglas is Stadium GroundsSuperintendent for the ReadingPhillies Double A Baseball Club inReading Pennsylvania Hes Presidentof the Keystone Athletic Field ManagersOrganization (KAFMO Chapter ofSTMA) and was key to the formation ofthat Chapter Hes a frequent speaker atturf conferences and contributor to turfpublications
June 2001 27
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Warm Season TurfgrassDise se ManagementKnowing which diseases can affect your fields during the
~--w_a_rm_se_a_so_n_c_a_n_he_Ip_y_o_u_id_e_nt_ify_a_n_d_c_om_b_a_tt_h_os_e_fo_e_s---1by Drs Ed A Brown (Plant Pathology)and Gil Landry (Crop and Soil Science) University of Georgia
pathogen the turf or the environ-ment to prevent or reduce the diseaseinfectionEven though there are more
than 70 diseases reported toattack turfgrasses less than
six commonly cause problems onsports fields These disease causingorganisms require specific environ-mental conditions to proliferate andinfect a turfgrass The disease trian-gle is used to examine the interactionbetween the disease causal agent(pathogen) the plant (host) and theenvironmental conditions required bythe pathogen to infect the turf Thissame triangle can be a means of for-mulating a plan to manage the
Since bermudagrass is the mainwarm season turfgrass used for sportsfields and since it is relatively resis-tant to most organisms the focuswill be on the more common organ-isms Also because a healthy turf isthe first step in managing potentialdisease problems a review of thecommon turf management practicesassociated with disease problems isimportant
For deep tine aerlfication In the toughest conditions youcant beat the performance of our new SR75 HD
This machine Is built specifically for deep aeration in heavilycompacted solis
If your sports fields are suffering from problems associatedwith compaction and poor drainage call Southern Greenabout our complete line of deep tine aerators
Proven performance high productivity superior design andconstruction Is what you can expect from the Soli Relieverby Southern GreenBreathin a Whole Lot Easiercopy
Circle 112 on Inquiry Card
22 June 2001
Water management is probably themost common practice that can affectdisease problems Most of the time itis not excess water that causes prob-lems on sports fields but the lack ofwater Even though grass growthslows from moisture stress there isstill generally sufficient moisturefrom dew formation to enable thepathogen to proliferate on the weak-ened turf
Thus providing water when need-ed to maintain a healthy plant isimportant In fact simply irrigatingto encourage moisture-stressed turfis often enough to reduce the diseaseproblem Before sunrise is consid-ered the best time to irrigatebecause of low wind and tempera-ture and the removal of morningdew from turf leaves Irrigationbefore the dew has dried in themorning or before it forms at nightextends the period of free surfacemoisture and may enhance diseasedevelopment
Obviously water management isalso related to soil conditions Hardcompacted soils reduce turf rootingand increase moisture stress Thuscultivation to alleviate compactioncan reduce disease potential
Some thatch is desirable on sportsfields because it forms a cushionwhich decreases turf wear Thatch alsoinsulates the soil from high and lowtemperatures and reduces vaporationlosses of water from the soil surfaceHowever a thatch layer becomesundesirable when it exceeds a depth ofone-half inch Thatch then begins torestrict water and air movement intothe soil encouraging a shallow rootsystem It also provides an ideal envi-ronment for disease organisms Thusproper thatch management is essen-tial to disease management
sports TURF bull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
SymptomsThe fungus starts
to develop frommicroscopic fungalmycelium fragmentssurviving in thethatch and organicdebris and rapidlyforms a circular pat-
These large circular patches usually two to four feet in diameter tern The circularare typical symptoms of brown patch patches can be from
several inches to 20feet in diameter but
usually are between two to four feet indiameter Affected areas are thin in thecenter with sprigs of grass survivingand thinner at the margin of theadvancing outer edge of the ringDuring periods of activity the outeredge has a smoke ring that is grayishto reddish brown in color Fungusmycelium can be seen at the margin inthe early morning when the dew isheavy or water is present In bermuda-grass only the foliage is generallyaffected and the grass will recoverfrom healthy rhizomes
Finally managing soil fertility iscritical to maintaining a healthyplant and manipulating nutrientscan significantly reduce or increasedisease problems
With those general turf manage-ment principles covered the remainderof this article describes conditions thatfavor disease development symptomsof the disease and turf managementpractices for disease control
BROWN PATCHBrown Patch is caused by the fun-
gus Rhizoctonia solani which caninfect all warm season grasses Thisdisease can be devastating and is dif-ficult to control after developing Themost favorable disease conditionsoccur from April through October
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseWet leaves and soil favors growth
of the fungus A heavy dew alonedoes not usually promote diseaseunless the wet period is extended byrain or improper irrigation Highnitrogen (more than one pound of Nper 1000 sq ft) applications canexcessively stimulate the develop-ment of young succulent turf andcause brown patch to be more severeAlthough the most favorable temper-atures for infection are 80-85F thefungus can be active at 50F and up to90F Since the temperatures usuallydrop below 90F for much of any 24-hour period the fungus may contin-ue to be active all summer awaitinga favorable combination of tempera-ture nitrogen-induced succulentturf and water to infect This diseasemainly occurs in the summer
STMA bull httpwWwsporfsturfmanagercom
However a differentstrain is now fre-quently being foundin the cool months ofthe fall and duringspring greenup
Control and ManagementTurfgrass management is impor-
tant in brown patch control Avoidhigh N applications (more than 1pound per 1000 sq ft) and avoid N ifthe disease is active Fungicides canbe applied as a preventive measureif the oncoming weather indicateswet conditions Curative applica-tions should be applied when firstsymptoms are observed The fungi-cide should be applied in a minimumof 120 gallons of water per acre Thisis important to provide foliage stemand upper root zonethatch coveragewith the fungicide
DOLLAR SPOTThe fungus Sclerotinia hom eo-
carpa (Lanzia sp and Melerodiscussp) causes dollar spot The severity ofdollar spot disease is determined bysoil moisture nitrogen and potassiumlevels and temperature
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseIdeal conditions for disease devel-
opment include the combination oflow nitrogen level low soil moisture
THE PROFESSIONALS CHOICE SINCE 1922
USED BY OVER 100 PRO TEAMSOVER 600 COLLEGES PLUS THOUSA DS
OF TOWNS amp SCHOOLS WORLDWIDESPECIAL MIXES FOR INFIELDS
PITCHERS MOU DS amp HOME PLATE AREAS
REGIONAL INFIELD MIXESAND RED WARNING TRACKS
FOR EVERY STATE amp CLIMATEPLUS INFIELD CO DITIO ERS
TO IMPROVE EXISTING INFIELDS
IF TOO HARD AND POORLY DRAINING
THE REDDER LESS DUSTY MORE UNIFORMSOIL CONDITIONER amp DRYING AGENT
SUPER-RED FOR INFiElDSSUPER-GREEN FOR TURF
FOR CONSISTE T I FIELD CUSHIOI WET OR DRY WEATHERIF TOO SOFT amp DUSTY
STABILIZERFOR FIRM YET RESILIENT PLAYING SURFACES
TO QUICKLY DRY INFIELDSThe Original amp Most Absorbent is Now
middotmiddotV4ji4milJIljijljtIQJ)tllli4iMNew Lower PricesFENc-~no 0 ISafety Cover for Chain Link Fence i~~
Now in 6 Color
HOLLYWOOD BASES FIELD MARKING MACHI ESTAMPERS DRAG MATS YA KEE- RAKES
WALL PADDING WINDSCREEN RAIL PADDI GBATIING PRACTICE COVERS RAI COVERSPITCHERS MOUND amp BATIERS BOX PADSo middotDECK CIRCLES WITH TEAM LOGOS
PERMA ENT FOUL LINES amp MUCH MORE
800-247-BEAM908-637-4191 FAX 908-637-8421
PARTAC PEAT CORPORATIONKELSEY PARK GREAT MEADOWS J 078 8
The best infield mix Ive ever usedI - GEORGE TOMA
Circle 111 on Inquiry Card
The straw-colored lesions on the bermuda-grass which have developed from the leaf
margin and moved across the leaf eventuallygirdling the blade are from dollar spot
temperatures in the 60-80F rangeheavy dew or excess water
SymptomsEarly symptoms are straw-col-
ored patches one to three inches indiameter Infection can be severeand these damaged spots coalesce toform rather large areas where thefoliage is bleached to a tan towhitish or straw color There arestraw-colored lesions on the grassblades that develop from the marginof the blade across eventuallygirdling the leaf This fungus is pri-marily a foliage disease and a warmseason grass like bermudagrass gen-erally has no problem recoveringfrom the damage Overnightmycelial growth can be seen duringactive disease periods as cottonygrowth in the morning dew
Control and ManagementManagement practices that help
control this disease are the additionof nitrogen and providing adequatesoil moisture Obviously soil com-paction can increase disease inci-dences by restricting rooting Soilmoisture should be adequateenough for good growth Soil potas-sium levels should be maintained atmedium to high levels When thefirst symptoms are observed evalu-ate if a fungicide should be appliedIf so select a contact fungicide thatis not suspected of developing pestresistance and follow up after thelabeled recommended interval witha systemic fungicide for longerresidual control The fungicidesshould be applied in a minimum of120 gallons of water per acre Thiswill assure good coverage of thefoliage stems and the upper thatchor organic zone
24 June 2001
HELMINTHOSPORIUM DISEASESThere are actually several fungi
that cause this type of disease symp-tom These fungi include Bipolarisspp Exserohilum spp andDrechslera spp which were onceclassified as Helminthosporium sppThey are now considered to beHelminthosporium diseases This isto facilitate communication to notconfuse the issue with turf grass man-agers Some of these fungi can causeleaf crown and root diseases In mostcases bermudagrass is tolerant ofthese fungi although under stressand potassium deficient conditions itcan be affected
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseThe ideal temperature for infection
is 77F but infection can occur from68-95F However Drechslera spp dis-eases can cause disease during coolertemperatures Infection by most ofthese fungi can take place at any timeduring the spring summer and fallprovided adequate moisture is avail-able Problem areas in turf are usual-ly associated with prolonged periodsof leaf wetness and nutrient imbal-ances which weaken the turf
SymptomsBlack to purple spots on leaves and
leaf sheaths with spots turning tan tobrown in the center The lesions areoften elongated running in the direc-tion of the veins of the leaf blade Rootand crown rot are also associatedwith these fungi These phases aregenerally associated with dry periodsduring the hot part of the summerand cause a collapse of the turf tissueresulting in thinning and declineLesions can be found on the stolonsand rhizomes under severe diseaseconditions
Control and ManagementFertilize with adequate amounts of
potassium and nitrogen Areas thatare shaded or protected by structuresor landscape may have more prob-lems so improving air movement inthese areas would be helpful
PYTHIUM BLIGHTBermudagrass is fairly tolerant of
Pythium spp infections if managedcorrectly Poor surface andor subsur-face drainage are often associatedwith this disease Pythium spp arewater molds and need exces water toinfect
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseOverseeded bermudagrass can
have Pythium spp problems but it isgenerally the cool season turf and notthe bermudagrass that has the prob-lem Over-fertilization to stimulateexcess young succulent turf and over-watering are usually associated withthese problem areas
SymptomsGreasy brown patches of turf an
inch or less in diameter increasing toseveral inches and turning straw col-ored Cottony mycelium on leafblades may be seen in the morningdew The roots and crowns can bedamaged These turf problems areusually found in low areas wheredrainage is poor Improving thenutrition may not cause the expectedgrowth response because there arelimited roots to translocate thenutrients
Control and ManagementDo not over-water or over-fertilize
After turf recovery aerify if necessaryto improve drainage Fungicides maybe useful in a fall overseeding pro-gram If a problem has been identifiedpreviously then consider a preventivefungicide application Use treatedseed for overseeding If warm weatherpersists after the oversee ding hasgerminated then a fungicide applica-tion may be recommended until coolweather persists and the threat ofdisease is over
Sports turf diseases can usually bebeaten by good sound managementMonitoring weather conditions andproviding the best possible manage-ment for the turf are the best diseasecontrols Being alert and able to iden-tify disease problems as they developand then knowing what preventativeand curative steps to take will reducethe potential of significant diseasedamage to a sports field
Finally relying on fellow profes-sionals your local county Extensionoffice well-trained suppliers or yourstate land grant university can helpyou manage turf problems
Drs Ed A Brown and Gil Landryare Professors of TurfgrassManagement at the University ofGeorgia Dr Landry a past president ofSTMA may be contacted at e-mailglandryugaedu
sports TURF bull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
Dealing With ExtremesHow to protect turf from the havoc of various weather conditionsand the se of fields for other events
by Dan Douglas Reading Phillies
Ask a sports turf managerabout extremes and his or herfirst thought is about the
weather They conjure up memoriesof spring floods while thousands ofkids are chomping at the bit to usethe fields after a long winter or thesurprise snowfall just before thechampionship football game in earlyNovember Certainly the drought afew years back cannot be forgottenPractically anywhere you go thelocals say If you dont like theweather wait a minute
Weather forecasters like to use theword normal-normal high temper-ature normal low temperature nor-mal rainfall and the like When is thelast time you had a day where theweather was normal Normal is real-ly the average of extremes As anexample in 1999 those of us in themid-Atlantic region suffered througha drought Then in early fall the rem-nants of hurricane Floyd droppedclose to a foot of rain on us As the cli-matologists closed the books on 1999they concluded we had normal rain-fall for the year
When dealing with these weatherextremes our biggest asset is ourexperience I realize that my 15 yearsexperience as a sports turf managerpales in comparison with many of mypeers I was talking with a golf coursesuperintendent the other day Theconversation naturally turned to theweather He has been in charge at thesame country club for over 40 yearsHe wasnt comparing weather condi-tions from year to year but ratherfrom decade to decade I humblyaccept that I am still a mere pup inthis industry With that said I willshare some of the lowlights of mysports turf career
The Need for Proper DrainageI began working for the Reading
26 June 2001
Dan Douglas is accustomed to dealing with the unpredictable weather patterns ofReading PA such as this October ice storm
Phillies in 1991 I inherited a fieldthat was constructed in 1950 and hadbeen abused for over 40 years Fieldconstruction concepts were a tad dif-ferent 50 years ago than they aretoday Take right field for instanceThe warning track sloped from thefence toward the outfield Every timeit rained the water washed onto theplaying surface from behind the out-field wall One day in late July unbe-knownst to me a contractor sprayedan herbicide behind the outfield wallA heavy thunderstorm blew in short-ly thereafter and within a few dayswe had about 3000 square feet of deadturf in right field You cant get anymore extreme than death Ryegrassand green paint allowed me to limpinto fall when needless to say majorregrading occurred and a certainchemical applicator was fired
Adequate drainage is a major com-ponent to the success of every athlet-ic field The best time to address the
drainage of the playing surface is dur-ing construction A complex drainagesystem is nice but a field constructedwith an appropriate slope and propergrading will be able to withstand theworst deluge
Snow tends to create havoc attimes During the baseball season Itreat snow as white rain The infieldis tarped and I helplessly watch theradar My approach to snow isMother Nature put the snow thereso she can take it away If the tem-peratures dont rebound enough tomelt the snow then we dont want tobe playing baseball in those condi-tions anyway
The Need for Efficient IrrigationMy first year in Reading featured a
very dry summer With plans to installan in ground irrigation system thatfall I did what I could to keep thegrass growing with garden hoses Itbecame a frequently repeated night-
sports TURFbull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
An occasional April snow is treated aswhite rain and the field cover is used to
keep the infield dry until nicer weather con-ditions return
long vigil I would set up a sprinklerin the outfield give that spot a gooddeep soaking then move the sprinklerto a new location I would never getenough water on the field but it didkeep the turf alive and by the end ofthe night I at least felt like Id tried totake control of the situation
The 1999 season was a whole dif-ferent story Following a very dry falland spring came a hot summer TheGovernor declared a drought emer-gency in late July and nobody knewwhat that meant to them Eventuallyan archaic set of regulations began toappear which essentially stated thatathletic fields could not be wateredat all Practices for fall sports weregetting underway during the heightof the drought and many schoolboards had discussions about fieldsafety and even considered postpon-ing the start of the fall sports seasonFortunately the hurricane struckand we went back to dealing withdrainage issues
The drought was a public relationsjuggernaut for the organization andmyself Technically we could not applyany water to the playing surfaceRealistically we had to and did I wason the evening news explaining therelationship between water and playersafety and how we had cut our usageby over 50 The public was under-standing (especially the head of ourlocal water authority) until I told areporter off camera that we use 15000gallons of water during an irrigationcycle and she went on the air and saidwe use 150000 gallons per cycle I hadsome phone calls the next day
Most of us in the turf industry werecaught off guard when the drought
STMA bull httpwwwsportsturfmanagercom
GPU Stadium is also used for other events such as concerts Here Dan and his crew makepreparations to protect the infield from concert-goer abuse
emergency was declared We thoughtour usage would be restricted but noteliminated Check with your state tofind out what regulations you willhave to follow if a drought emer-gency is declared in your area ThePennsylvania Department of Envi-ronmental Protection decided toupdate the regulations after thedrought and the latest version is a lotmore athletic field friendly
The Need for ControlLike it or not none of us can do
anything about the weather exceptcomplain about it There are othersources of extremes though Many ofour stresses occur because our fieldsare used in ways they are notdesigned for Concerts are an excel-lent source of ulcers for me Ilearned long ago that I need to bethe one calling the shots during theconcert set-up and tear-down Weused to allow the equipment truckson the field but after one backedthrough a barrier and parked in anewly sodded area they are nowkept in the parking lot and we fork-lift the equipment to the stage Aroadie once called me an anal-retentive gardener Yes I am Myfield my rules
Over the years a lot of situationsoccurred or were about to occur thatI had not had previous experiencewith My peers came to my rescueWhen a situation presents itself thatyou are not comfortable with grab
the STMA membership roster andcall someone who has handled theproblem in the past Our industryprides itself on sharing informationwith one another The best advice Ireceived in college from a professorwas that I dont need to know every-thing but I do need to know whereto go to get information (I wish hehad told me that before my lastsemester)
An observation I have made is thatthe fields that were in good shapebefore some extreme event hit werethe fields that handled the stress thebest Take all the necessary stepsyour budget allows to insure thatyour fields are in the best possiblecondition Have a plan in place fordealing with whatever MotherNature or management can throw atyou Phone your peers and gatherinformation in preparation for anevent you havent had the experienceto handle yet
The best part about extremes isthat they make normal feel special
Dan Douglas is Stadium GroundsSuperintendent for the ReadingPhillies Double A Baseball Club inReading Pennsylvania Hes Presidentof the Keystone Athletic Field ManagersOrganization (KAFMO Chapter ofSTMA) and was key to the formation ofthat Chapter Hes a frequent speaker atturf conferences and contributor to turfpublications
June 2001 27
Blo 0 v an dd tlonal 10 off f you orcl r before Iy 10 20011
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City State Zip _
Country _
Phone FAX _
To be added to our special promotions list J----write your e-mail address here
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py
Please all w wee for d liv ry without notice
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httpwwwfiltomatcom
httpwwwaquamasterfountainscom
httpwwwaquascapedesignscom
Garber Seeder Companyhttpwwwgarberseedercom
Q pound0-77014httpwwwgeo-boycom
HEFTEEhttp www h ef tee co m
bullMWW HOT BOXhttpwwwbluebirdcom
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JARRAffIndustries Inc
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httpwwwdeerecom
KRAIN
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Marvin Pruners amp Sawshttpwwwprunercom
reg5TIHLhttpwwwstihlusacom
Tknakahttpwww
tanakapowerequipmentcom
ThompsonIRRIGATION EQUIPMENT SINCE 1907
httpwwwutirrigationcom
4 TRANSAMERICAM DISTRIBUTION FINANCEhttpwwwtransamericacom
Vernier
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httpywwwerosioncontroltechcom httpwwwirrigationstationcom
PLANTHEALTH
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httpwwwplanthealthcarecomhttpwwwwestcoastturfcom
IRRIGATION INDUSTRIAL ^ GOLF
httpwwwewing1 com httpwwwirrigationsupplycom httpwwwrotarycorpcom httpwwwweathermaticcom
SymptomsThe fungus starts
to develop frommicroscopic fungalmycelium fragmentssurviving in thethatch and organicdebris and rapidlyforms a circular pat-
These large circular patches usually two to four feet in diameter tern The circularare typical symptoms of brown patch patches can be from
several inches to 20feet in diameter but
usually are between two to four feet indiameter Affected areas are thin in thecenter with sprigs of grass survivingand thinner at the margin of theadvancing outer edge of the ringDuring periods of activity the outeredge has a smoke ring that is grayishto reddish brown in color Fungusmycelium can be seen at the margin inthe early morning when the dew isheavy or water is present In bermuda-grass only the foliage is generallyaffected and the grass will recoverfrom healthy rhizomes
Finally managing soil fertility iscritical to maintaining a healthyplant and manipulating nutrientscan significantly reduce or increasedisease problems
With those general turf manage-ment principles covered the remainderof this article describes conditions thatfavor disease development symptomsof the disease and turf managementpractices for disease control
BROWN PATCHBrown Patch is caused by the fun-
gus Rhizoctonia solani which caninfect all warm season grasses Thisdisease can be devastating and is dif-ficult to control after developing Themost favorable disease conditionsoccur from April through October
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseWet leaves and soil favors growth
of the fungus A heavy dew alonedoes not usually promote diseaseunless the wet period is extended byrain or improper irrigation Highnitrogen (more than one pound of Nper 1000 sq ft) applications canexcessively stimulate the develop-ment of young succulent turf andcause brown patch to be more severeAlthough the most favorable temper-atures for infection are 80-85F thefungus can be active at 50F and up to90F Since the temperatures usuallydrop below 90F for much of any 24-hour period the fungus may contin-ue to be active all summer awaitinga favorable combination of tempera-ture nitrogen-induced succulentturf and water to infect This diseasemainly occurs in the summer
STMA bull httpwWwsporfsturfmanagercom
However a differentstrain is now fre-quently being foundin the cool months ofthe fall and duringspring greenup
Control and ManagementTurfgrass management is impor-
tant in brown patch control Avoidhigh N applications (more than 1pound per 1000 sq ft) and avoid N ifthe disease is active Fungicides canbe applied as a preventive measureif the oncoming weather indicateswet conditions Curative applica-tions should be applied when firstsymptoms are observed The fungi-cide should be applied in a minimumof 120 gallons of water per acre Thisis important to provide foliage stemand upper root zonethatch coveragewith the fungicide
DOLLAR SPOTThe fungus Sclerotinia hom eo-
carpa (Lanzia sp and Melerodiscussp) causes dollar spot The severity ofdollar spot disease is determined bysoil moisture nitrogen and potassiumlevels and temperature
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseIdeal conditions for disease devel-
opment include the combination oflow nitrogen level low soil moisture
THE PROFESSIONALS CHOICE SINCE 1922
USED BY OVER 100 PRO TEAMSOVER 600 COLLEGES PLUS THOUSA DS
OF TOWNS amp SCHOOLS WORLDWIDESPECIAL MIXES FOR INFIELDS
PITCHERS MOU DS amp HOME PLATE AREAS
REGIONAL INFIELD MIXESAND RED WARNING TRACKS
FOR EVERY STATE amp CLIMATEPLUS INFIELD CO DITIO ERS
TO IMPROVE EXISTING INFIELDS
IF TOO HARD AND POORLY DRAINING
THE REDDER LESS DUSTY MORE UNIFORMSOIL CONDITIONER amp DRYING AGENT
SUPER-RED FOR INFiElDSSUPER-GREEN FOR TURF
FOR CONSISTE T I FIELD CUSHIOI WET OR DRY WEATHERIF TOO SOFT amp DUSTY
STABILIZERFOR FIRM YET RESILIENT PLAYING SURFACES
TO QUICKLY DRY INFIELDSThe Original amp Most Absorbent is Now
middotmiddotV4ji4milJIljijljtIQJ)tllli4iMNew Lower PricesFENc-~no 0 ISafety Cover for Chain Link Fence i~~
Now in 6 Color
HOLLYWOOD BASES FIELD MARKING MACHI ESTAMPERS DRAG MATS YA KEE- RAKES
WALL PADDING WINDSCREEN RAIL PADDI GBATIING PRACTICE COVERS RAI COVERSPITCHERS MOUND amp BATIERS BOX PADSo middotDECK CIRCLES WITH TEAM LOGOS
PERMA ENT FOUL LINES amp MUCH MORE
800-247-BEAM908-637-4191 FAX 908-637-8421
PARTAC PEAT CORPORATIONKELSEY PARK GREAT MEADOWS J 078 8
The best infield mix Ive ever usedI - GEORGE TOMA
Circle 111 on Inquiry Card
The straw-colored lesions on the bermuda-grass which have developed from the leaf
margin and moved across the leaf eventuallygirdling the blade are from dollar spot
temperatures in the 60-80F rangeheavy dew or excess water
SymptomsEarly symptoms are straw-col-
ored patches one to three inches indiameter Infection can be severeand these damaged spots coalesce toform rather large areas where thefoliage is bleached to a tan towhitish or straw color There arestraw-colored lesions on the grassblades that develop from the marginof the blade across eventuallygirdling the leaf This fungus is pri-marily a foliage disease and a warmseason grass like bermudagrass gen-erally has no problem recoveringfrom the damage Overnightmycelial growth can be seen duringactive disease periods as cottonygrowth in the morning dew
Control and ManagementManagement practices that help
control this disease are the additionof nitrogen and providing adequatesoil moisture Obviously soil com-paction can increase disease inci-dences by restricting rooting Soilmoisture should be adequateenough for good growth Soil potas-sium levels should be maintained atmedium to high levels When thefirst symptoms are observed evalu-ate if a fungicide should be appliedIf so select a contact fungicide thatis not suspected of developing pestresistance and follow up after thelabeled recommended interval witha systemic fungicide for longerresidual control The fungicidesshould be applied in a minimum of120 gallons of water per acre Thiswill assure good coverage of thefoliage stems and the upper thatchor organic zone
24 June 2001
HELMINTHOSPORIUM DISEASESThere are actually several fungi
that cause this type of disease symp-tom These fungi include Bipolarisspp Exserohilum spp andDrechslera spp which were onceclassified as Helminthosporium sppThey are now considered to beHelminthosporium diseases This isto facilitate communication to notconfuse the issue with turf grass man-agers Some of these fungi can causeleaf crown and root diseases In mostcases bermudagrass is tolerant ofthese fungi although under stressand potassium deficient conditions itcan be affected
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseThe ideal temperature for infection
is 77F but infection can occur from68-95F However Drechslera spp dis-eases can cause disease during coolertemperatures Infection by most ofthese fungi can take place at any timeduring the spring summer and fallprovided adequate moisture is avail-able Problem areas in turf are usual-ly associated with prolonged periodsof leaf wetness and nutrient imbal-ances which weaken the turf
SymptomsBlack to purple spots on leaves and
leaf sheaths with spots turning tan tobrown in the center The lesions areoften elongated running in the direc-tion of the veins of the leaf blade Rootand crown rot are also associatedwith these fungi These phases aregenerally associated with dry periodsduring the hot part of the summerand cause a collapse of the turf tissueresulting in thinning and declineLesions can be found on the stolonsand rhizomes under severe diseaseconditions
Control and ManagementFertilize with adequate amounts of
potassium and nitrogen Areas thatare shaded or protected by structuresor landscape may have more prob-lems so improving air movement inthese areas would be helpful
PYTHIUM BLIGHTBermudagrass is fairly tolerant of
Pythium spp infections if managedcorrectly Poor surface andor subsur-face drainage are often associatedwith this disease Pythium spp arewater molds and need exces water toinfect
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseOverseeded bermudagrass can
have Pythium spp problems but it isgenerally the cool season turf and notthe bermudagrass that has the prob-lem Over-fertilization to stimulateexcess young succulent turf and over-watering are usually associated withthese problem areas
SymptomsGreasy brown patches of turf an
inch or less in diameter increasing toseveral inches and turning straw col-ored Cottony mycelium on leafblades may be seen in the morningdew The roots and crowns can bedamaged These turf problems areusually found in low areas wheredrainage is poor Improving thenutrition may not cause the expectedgrowth response because there arelimited roots to translocate thenutrients
Control and ManagementDo not over-water or over-fertilize
After turf recovery aerify if necessaryto improve drainage Fungicides maybe useful in a fall overseeding pro-gram If a problem has been identifiedpreviously then consider a preventivefungicide application Use treatedseed for overseeding If warm weatherpersists after the oversee ding hasgerminated then a fungicide applica-tion may be recommended until coolweather persists and the threat ofdisease is over
Sports turf diseases can usually bebeaten by good sound managementMonitoring weather conditions andproviding the best possible manage-ment for the turf are the best diseasecontrols Being alert and able to iden-tify disease problems as they developand then knowing what preventativeand curative steps to take will reducethe potential of significant diseasedamage to a sports field
Finally relying on fellow profes-sionals your local county Extensionoffice well-trained suppliers or yourstate land grant university can helpyou manage turf problems
Drs Ed A Brown and Gil Landryare Professors of TurfgrassManagement at the University ofGeorgia Dr Landry a past president ofSTMA may be contacted at e-mailglandryugaedu
sports TURF bull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
Dealing With ExtremesHow to protect turf from the havoc of various weather conditionsand the se of fields for other events
by Dan Douglas Reading Phillies
Ask a sports turf managerabout extremes and his or herfirst thought is about the
weather They conjure up memoriesof spring floods while thousands ofkids are chomping at the bit to usethe fields after a long winter or thesurprise snowfall just before thechampionship football game in earlyNovember Certainly the drought afew years back cannot be forgottenPractically anywhere you go thelocals say If you dont like theweather wait a minute
Weather forecasters like to use theword normal-normal high temper-ature normal low temperature nor-mal rainfall and the like When is thelast time you had a day where theweather was normal Normal is real-ly the average of extremes As anexample in 1999 those of us in themid-Atlantic region suffered througha drought Then in early fall the rem-nants of hurricane Floyd droppedclose to a foot of rain on us As the cli-matologists closed the books on 1999they concluded we had normal rain-fall for the year
When dealing with these weatherextremes our biggest asset is ourexperience I realize that my 15 yearsexperience as a sports turf managerpales in comparison with many of mypeers I was talking with a golf coursesuperintendent the other day Theconversation naturally turned to theweather He has been in charge at thesame country club for over 40 yearsHe wasnt comparing weather condi-tions from year to year but ratherfrom decade to decade I humblyaccept that I am still a mere pup inthis industry With that said I willshare some of the lowlights of mysports turf career
The Need for Proper DrainageI began working for the Reading
26 June 2001
Dan Douglas is accustomed to dealing with the unpredictable weather patterns ofReading PA such as this October ice storm
Phillies in 1991 I inherited a fieldthat was constructed in 1950 and hadbeen abused for over 40 years Fieldconstruction concepts were a tad dif-ferent 50 years ago than they aretoday Take right field for instanceThe warning track sloped from thefence toward the outfield Every timeit rained the water washed onto theplaying surface from behind the out-field wall One day in late July unbe-knownst to me a contractor sprayedan herbicide behind the outfield wallA heavy thunderstorm blew in short-ly thereafter and within a few dayswe had about 3000 square feet of deadturf in right field You cant get anymore extreme than death Ryegrassand green paint allowed me to limpinto fall when needless to say majorregrading occurred and a certainchemical applicator was fired
Adequate drainage is a major com-ponent to the success of every athlet-ic field The best time to address the
drainage of the playing surface is dur-ing construction A complex drainagesystem is nice but a field constructedwith an appropriate slope and propergrading will be able to withstand theworst deluge
Snow tends to create havoc attimes During the baseball season Itreat snow as white rain The infieldis tarped and I helplessly watch theradar My approach to snow isMother Nature put the snow thereso she can take it away If the tem-peratures dont rebound enough tomelt the snow then we dont want tobe playing baseball in those condi-tions anyway
The Need for Efficient IrrigationMy first year in Reading featured a
very dry summer With plans to installan in ground irrigation system thatfall I did what I could to keep thegrass growing with garden hoses Itbecame a frequently repeated night-
sports TURFbull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
An occasional April snow is treated aswhite rain and the field cover is used to
keep the infield dry until nicer weather con-ditions return
long vigil I would set up a sprinklerin the outfield give that spot a gooddeep soaking then move the sprinklerto a new location I would never getenough water on the field but it didkeep the turf alive and by the end ofthe night I at least felt like Id tried totake control of the situation
The 1999 season was a whole dif-ferent story Following a very dry falland spring came a hot summer TheGovernor declared a drought emer-gency in late July and nobody knewwhat that meant to them Eventuallyan archaic set of regulations began toappear which essentially stated thatathletic fields could not be wateredat all Practices for fall sports weregetting underway during the heightof the drought and many schoolboards had discussions about fieldsafety and even considered postpon-ing the start of the fall sports seasonFortunately the hurricane struckand we went back to dealing withdrainage issues
The drought was a public relationsjuggernaut for the organization andmyself Technically we could not applyany water to the playing surfaceRealistically we had to and did I wason the evening news explaining therelationship between water and playersafety and how we had cut our usageby over 50 The public was under-standing (especially the head of ourlocal water authority) until I told areporter off camera that we use 15000gallons of water during an irrigationcycle and she went on the air and saidwe use 150000 gallons per cycle I hadsome phone calls the next day
Most of us in the turf industry werecaught off guard when the drought
STMA bull httpwwwsportsturfmanagercom
GPU Stadium is also used for other events such as concerts Here Dan and his crew makepreparations to protect the infield from concert-goer abuse
emergency was declared We thoughtour usage would be restricted but noteliminated Check with your state tofind out what regulations you willhave to follow if a drought emer-gency is declared in your area ThePennsylvania Department of Envi-ronmental Protection decided toupdate the regulations after thedrought and the latest version is a lotmore athletic field friendly
The Need for ControlLike it or not none of us can do
anything about the weather exceptcomplain about it There are othersources of extremes though Many ofour stresses occur because our fieldsare used in ways they are notdesigned for Concerts are an excel-lent source of ulcers for me Ilearned long ago that I need to bethe one calling the shots during theconcert set-up and tear-down Weused to allow the equipment truckson the field but after one backedthrough a barrier and parked in anewly sodded area they are nowkept in the parking lot and we fork-lift the equipment to the stage Aroadie once called me an anal-retentive gardener Yes I am Myfield my rules
Over the years a lot of situationsoccurred or were about to occur thatI had not had previous experiencewith My peers came to my rescueWhen a situation presents itself thatyou are not comfortable with grab
the STMA membership roster andcall someone who has handled theproblem in the past Our industryprides itself on sharing informationwith one another The best advice Ireceived in college from a professorwas that I dont need to know every-thing but I do need to know whereto go to get information (I wish hehad told me that before my lastsemester)
An observation I have made is thatthe fields that were in good shapebefore some extreme event hit werethe fields that handled the stress thebest Take all the necessary stepsyour budget allows to insure thatyour fields are in the best possiblecondition Have a plan in place fordealing with whatever MotherNature or management can throw atyou Phone your peers and gatherinformation in preparation for anevent you havent had the experienceto handle yet
The best part about extremes isthat they make normal feel special
Dan Douglas is Stadium GroundsSuperintendent for the ReadingPhillies Double A Baseball Club inReading Pennsylvania Hes Presidentof the Keystone Athletic Field ManagersOrganization (KAFMO Chapter ofSTMA) and was key to the formation ofthat Chapter Hes a frequent speaker atturf conferences and contributor to turfpublications
June 2001 27
Blo 0 v an dd tlonal 10 off f you orcl r before Iy 10 20011
Signature _
Name _
Address _
City State Zip _
Country _
Phone FAX _
To be added to our special promotions list J----write your e-mail address here
4089 $4500 Qty_ 4151 $5495 Qty_ 4084 $7495 Qty_4024 $10500 Qty_ 4016 $6700 Qty_ 4149 $3495 Qty_
Shipping $300 per book Illinois Residents Please add 825 Sales TaxCheck or money order enclosed for $ _Charge my VISA MasterCard American ExpressAcct ExpDate _
py
Please all w wee for d liv ry without notice
AMETEKACCESS BOXES
httpwwwametekwatercomSelf Cleaning Filters
httpwwwfiltomatcom
httpwwwaquamasterfountainscom
httpwwwaquascapedesignscom
Garber Seeder Companyhttpwwwgarberseedercom
Q pound0-77014httpwwwgeo-boycom
HEFTEEhttp www h ef tee co m
bullMWW HOT BOXhttpwwwbluebirdcom
httpwwwhot-boxcom
DiG HunterhttnVwwwhijntprinriustries exhttpwwwdigcorpcom
Ditch Witch
httpwwwhunterindustriescom
usqvarnahttpwwwhusqvamacom
JARRAffIndustries Inc
httpwwwjarraffcom
httpwwwdeerecom
KRAIN
httpwwwk-raincom
Marvin Pruners amp Sawshttpwwwprunercom
reg5TIHLhttpwwwstihlusacom
Tknakahttpwww
tanakapowerequipmentcom
ThompsonIRRIGATION EQUIPMENT SINCE 1907
httpwwwutirrigationcom
4 TRANSAMERICAM DISTRIBUTION FINANCEhttpwwwtransamericacom
Vernier
httpwwwvermeercom
httpwwwnetafim-usacom
httpwwwditchwitchcom
I r r i g a t i o n S t a t i o n
C P A C I A M r A M T D A Ibull T - l - C - M - N - O - l O amp - I t S -
httpywwwerosioncontroltechcom httpwwwirrigationstationcom
PLANTHEALTH
CARE INC
httpwwwwechappscom
WEST COAST
TURF
httpwwwplanthealthcarecomhttpwwwwestcoastturfcom
IRRIGATION INDUSTRIAL ^ GOLF
httpwwwewing1 com httpwwwirrigationsupplycom httpwwwrotarycorpcom httpwwwweathermaticcom
The straw-colored lesions on the bermuda-grass which have developed from the leaf
margin and moved across the leaf eventuallygirdling the blade are from dollar spot
temperatures in the 60-80F rangeheavy dew or excess water
SymptomsEarly symptoms are straw-col-
ored patches one to three inches indiameter Infection can be severeand these damaged spots coalesce toform rather large areas where thefoliage is bleached to a tan towhitish or straw color There arestraw-colored lesions on the grassblades that develop from the marginof the blade across eventuallygirdling the leaf This fungus is pri-marily a foliage disease and a warmseason grass like bermudagrass gen-erally has no problem recoveringfrom the damage Overnightmycelial growth can be seen duringactive disease periods as cottonygrowth in the morning dew
Control and ManagementManagement practices that help
control this disease are the additionof nitrogen and providing adequatesoil moisture Obviously soil com-paction can increase disease inci-dences by restricting rooting Soilmoisture should be adequateenough for good growth Soil potas-sium levels should be maintained atmedium to high levels When thefirst symptoms are observed evalu-ate if a fungicide should be appliedIf so select a contact fungicide thatis not suspected of developing pestresistance and follow up after thelabeled recommended interval witha systemic fungicide for longerresidual control The fungicidesshould be applied in a minimum of120 gallons of water per acre Thiswill assure good coverage of thefoliage stems and the upper thatchor organic zone
24 June 2001
HELMINTHOSPORIUM DISEASESThere are actually several fungi
that cause this type of disease symp-tom These fungi include Bipolarisspp Exserohilum spp andDrechslera spp which were onceclassified as Helminthosporium sppThey are now considered to beHelminthosporium diseases This isto facilitate communication to notconfuse the issue with turf grass man-agers Some of these fungi can causeleaf crown and root diseases In mostcases bermudagrass is tolerant ofthese fungi although under stressand potassium deficient conditions itcan be affected
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseThe ideal temperature for infection
is 77F but infection can occur from68-95F However Drechslera spp dis-eases can cause disease during coolertemperatures Infection by most ofthese fungi can take place at any timeduring the spring summer and fallprovided adequate moisture is avail-able Problem areas in turf are usual-ly associated with prolonged periodsof leaf wetness and nutrient imbal-ances which weaken the turf
SymptomsBlack to purple spots on leaves and
leaf sheaths with spots turning tan tobrown in the center The lesions areoften elongated running in the direc-tion of the veins of the leaf blade Rootand crown rot are also associatedwith these fungi These phases aregenerally associated with dry periodsduring the hot part of the summerand cause a collapse of the turf tissueresulting in thinning and declineLesions can be found on the stolonsand rhizomes under severe diseaseconditions
Control and ManagementFertilize with adequate amounts of
potassium and nitrogen Areas thatare shaded or protected by structuresor landscape may have more prob-lems so improving air movement inthese areas would be helpful
PYTHIUM BLIGHTBermudagrass is fairly tolerant of
Pythium spp infections if managedcorrectly Poor surface andor subsur-face drainage are often associatedwith this disease Pythium spp arewater molds and need exces water toinfect
Environmental ConditionsFavoring DiseaseOverseeded bermudagrass can
have Pythium spp problems but it isgenerally the cool season turf and notthe bermudagrass that has the prob-lem Over-fertilization to stimulateexcess young succulent turf and over-watering are usually associated withthese problem areas
SymptomsGreasy brown patches of turf an
inch or less in diameter increasing toseveral inches and turning straw col-ored Cottony mycelium on leafblades may be seen in the morningdew The roots and crowns can bedamaged These turf problems areusually found in low areas wheredrainage is poor Improving thenutrition may not cause the expectedgrowth response because there arelimited roots to translocate thenutrients
Control and ManagementDo not over-water or over-fertilize
After turf recovery aerify if necessaryto improve drainage Fungicides maybe useful in a fall overseeding pro-gram If a problem has been identifiedpreviously then consider a preventivefungicide application Use treatedseed for overseeding If warm weatherpersists after the oversee ding hasgerminated then a fungicide applica-tion may be recommended until coolweather persists and the threat ofdisease is over
Sports turf diseases can usually bebeaten by good sound managementMonitoring weather conditions andproviding the best possible manage-ment for the turf are the best diseasecontrols Being alert and able to iden-tify disease problems as they developand then knowing what preventativeand curative steps to take will reducethe potential of significant diseasedamage to a sports field
Finally relying on fellow profes-sionals your local county Extensionoffice well-trained suppliers or yourstate land grant university can helpyou manage turf problems
Drs Ed A Brown and Gil Landryare Professors of TurfgrassManagement at the University ofGeorgia Dr Landry a past president ofSTMA may be contacted at e-mailglandryugaedu
sports TURF bull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
Dealing With ExtremesHow to protect turf from the havoc of various weather conditionsand the se of fields for other events
by Dan Douglas Reading Phillies
Ask a sports turf managerabout extremes and his or herfirst thought is about the
weather They conjure up memoriesof spring floods while thousands ofkids are chomping at the bit to usethe fields after a long winter or thesurprise snowfall just before thechampionship football game in earlyNovember Certainly the drought afew years back cannot be forgottenPractically anywhere you go thelocals say If you dont like theweather wait a minute
Weather forecasters like to use theword normal-normal high temper-ature normal low temperature nor-mal rainfall and the like When is thelast time you had a day where theweather was normal Normal is real-ly the average of extremes As anexample in 1999 those of us in themid-Atlantic region suffered througha drought Then in early fall the rem-nants of hurricane Floyd droppedclose to a foot of rain on us As the cli-matologists closed the books on 1999they concluded we had normal rain-fall for the year
When dealing with these weatherextremes our biggest asset is ourexperience I realize that my 15 yearsexperience as a sports turf managerpales in comparison with many of mypeers I was talking with a golf coursesuperintendent the other day Theconversation naturally turned to theweather He has been in charge at thesame country club for over 40 yearsHe wasnt comparing weather condi-tions from year to year but ratherfrom decade to decade I humblyaccept that I am still a mere pup inthis industry With that said I willshare some of the lowlights of mysports turf career
The Need for Proper DrainageI began working for the Reading
26 June 2001
Dan Douglas is accustomed to dealing with the unpredictable weather patterns ofReading PA such as this October ice storm
Phillies in 1991 I inherited a fieldthat was constructed in 1950 and hadbeen abused for over 40 years Fieldconstruction concepts were a tad dif-ferent 50 years ago than they aretoday Take right field for instanceThe warning track sloped from thefence toward the outfield Every timeit rained the water washed onto theplaying surface from behind the out-field wall One day in late July unbe-knownst to me a contractor sprayedan herbicide behind the outfield wallA heavy thunderstorm blew in short-ly thereafter and within a few dayswe had about 3000 square feet of deadturf in right field You cant get anymore extreme than death Ryegrassand green paint allowed me to limpinto fall when needless to say majorregrading occurred and a certainchemical applicator was fired
Adequate drainage is a major com-ponent to the success of every athlet-ic field The best time to address the
drainage of the playing surface is dur-ing construction A complex drainagesystem is nice but a field constructedwith an appropriate slope and propergrading will be able to withstand theworst deluge
Snow tends to create havoc attimes During the baseball season Itreat snow as white rain The infieldis tarped and I helplessly watch theradar My approach to snow isMother Nature put the snow thereso she can take it away If the tem-peratures dont rebound enough tomelt the snow then we dont want tobe playing baseball in those condi-tions anyway
The Need for Efficient IrrigationMy first year in Reading featured a
very dry summer With plans to installan in ground irrigation system thatfall I did what I could to keep thegrass growing with garden hoses Itbecame a frequently repeated night-
sports TURFbull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
An occasional April snow is treated aswhite rain and the field cover is used to
keep the infield dry until nicer weather con-ditions return
long vigil I would set up a sprinklerin the outfield give that spot a gooddeep soaking then move the sprinklerto a new location I would never getenough water on the field but it didkeep the turf alive and by the end ofthe night I at least felt like Id tried totake control of the situation
The 1999 season was a whole dif-ferent story Following a very dry falland spring came a hot summer TheGovernor declared a drought emer-gency in late July and nobody knewwhat that meant to them Eventuallyan archaic set of regulations began toappear which essentially stated thatathletic fields could not be wateredat all Practices for fall sports weregetting underway during the heightof the drought and many schoolboards had discussions about fieldsafety and even considered postpon-ing the start of the fall sports seasonFortunately the hurricane struckand we went back to dealing withdrainage issues
The drought was a public relationsjuggernaut for the organization andmyself Technically we could not applyany water to the playing surfaceRealistically we had to and did I wason the evening news explaining therelationship between water and playersafety and how we had cut our usageby over 50 The public was under-standing (especially the head of ourlocal water authority) until I told areporter off camera that we use 15000gallons of water during an irrigationcycle and she went on the air and saidwe use 150000 gallons per cycle I hadsome phone calls the next day
Most of us in the turf industry werecaught off guard when the drought
STMA bull httpwwwsportsturfmanagercom
GPU Stadium is also used for other events such as concerts Here Dan and his crew makepreparations to protect the infield from concert-goer abuse
emergency was declared We thoughtour usage would be restricted but noteliminated Check with your state tofind out what regulations you willhave to follow if a drought emer-gency is declared in your area ThePennsylvania Department of Envi-ronmental Protection decided toupdate the regulations after thedrought and the latest version is a lotmore athletic field friendly
The Need for ControlLike it or not none of us can do
anything about the weather exceptcomplain about it There are othersources of extremes though Many ofour stresses occur because our fieldsare used in ways they are notdesigned for Concerts are an excel-lent source of ulcers for me Ilearned long ago that I need to bethe one calling the shots during theconcert set-up and tear-down Weused to allow the equipment truckson the field but after one backedthrough a barrier and parked in anewly sodded area they are nowkept in the parking lot and we fork-lift the equipment to the stage Aroadie once called me an anal-retentive gardener Yes I am Myfield my rules
Over the years a lot of situationsoccurred or were about to occur thatI had not had previous experiencewith My peers came to my rescueWhen a situation presents itself thatyou are not comfortable with grab
the STMA membership roster andcall someone who has handled theproblem in the past Our industryprides itself on sharing informationwith one another The best advice Ireceived in college from a professorwas that I dont need to know every-thing but I do need to know whereto go to get information (I wish hehad told me that before my lastsemester)
An observation I have made is thatthe fields that were in good shapebefore some extreme event hit werethe fields that handled the stress thebest Take all the necessary stepsyour budget allows to insure thatyour fields are in the best possiblecondition Have a plan in place fordealing with whatever MotherNature or management can throw atyou Phone your peers and gatherinformation in preparation for anevent you havent had the experienceto handle yet
The best part about extremes isthat they make normal feel special
Dan Douglas is Stadium GroundsSuperintendent for the ReadingPhillies Double A Baseball Club inReading Pennsylvania Hes Presidentof the Keystone Athletic Field ManagersOrganization (KAFMO Chapter ofSTMA) and was key to the formation ofthat Chapter Hes a frequent speaker atturf conferences and contributor to turfpublications
June 2001 27
Blo 0 v an dd tlonal 10 off f you orcl r before Iy 10 20011
Signature _
Name _
Address _
City State Zip _
Country _
Phone FAX _
To be added to our special promotions list J----write your e-mail address here
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py
Please all w wee for d liv ry without notice
AMETEKACCESS BOXES
httpwwwametekwatercomSelf Cleaning Filters
httpwwwfiltomatcom
httpwwwaquamasterfountainscom
httpwwwaquascapedesignscom
Garber Seeder Companyhttpwwwgarberseedercom
Q pound0-77014httpwwwgeo-boycom
HEFTEEhttp www h ef tee co m
bullMWW HOT BOXhttpwwwbluebirdcom
httpwwwhot-boxcom
DiG HunterhttnVwwwhijntprinriustries exhttpwwwdigcorpcom
Ditch Witch
httpwwwhunterindustriescom
usqvarnahttpwwwhusqvamacom
JARRAffIndustries Inc
httpwwwjarraffcom
httpwwwdeerecom
KRAIN
httpwwwk-raincom
Marvin Pruners amp Sawshttpwwwprunercom
reg5TIHLhttpwwwstihlusacom
Tknakahttpwww
tanakapowerequipmentcom
ThompsonIRRIGATION EQUIPMENT SINCE 1907
httpwwwutirrigationcom
4 TRANSAMERICAM DISTRIBUTION FINANCEhttpwwwtransamericacom
Vernier
httpwwwvermeercom
httpwwwnetafim-usacom
httpwwwditchwitchcom
I r r i g a t i o n S t a t i o n
C P A C I A M r A M T D A Ibull T - l - C - M - N - O - l O amp - I t S -
httpywwwerosioncontroltechcom httpwwwirrigationstationcom
PLANTHEALTH
CARE INC
httpwwwwechappscom
WEST COAST
TURF
httpwwwplanthealthcarecomhttpwwwwestcoastturfcom
IRRIGATION INDUSTRIAL ^ GOLF
httpwwwewing1 com httpwwwirrigationsupplycom httpwwwrotarycorpcom httpwwwweathermaticcom
Dealing With ExtremesHow to protect turf from the havoc of various weather conditionsand the se of fields for other events
by Dan Douglas Reading Phillies
Ask a sports turf managerabout extremes and his or herfirst thought is about the
weather They conjure up memoriesof spring floods while thousands ofkids are chomping at the bit to usethe fields after a long winter or thesurprise snowfall just before thechampionship football game in earlyNovember Certainly the drought afew years back cannot be forgottenPractically anywhere you go thelocals say If you dont like theweather wait a minute
Weather forecasters like to use theword normal-normal high temper-ature normal low temperature nor-mal rainfall and the like When is thelast time you had a day where theweather was normal Normal is real-ly the average of extremes As anexample in 1999 those of us in themid-Atlantic region suffered througha drought Then in early fall the rem-nants of hurricane Floyd droppedclose to a foot of rain on us As the cli-matologists closed the books on 1999they concluded we had normal rain-fall for the year
When dealing with these weatherextremes our biggest asset is ourexperience I realize that my 15 yearsexperience as a sports turf managerpales in comparison with many of mypeers I was talking with a golf coursesuperintendent the other day Theconversation naturally turned to theweather He has been in charge at thesame country club for over 40 yearsHe wasnt comparing weather condi-tions from year to year but ratherfrom decade to decade I humblyaccept that I am still a mere pup inthis industry With that said I willshare some of the lowlights of mysports turf career
The Need for Proper DrainageI began working for the Reading
26 June 2001
Dan Douglas is accustomed to dealing with the unpredictable weather patterns ofReading PA such as this October ice storm
Phillies in 1991 I inherited a fieldthat was constructed in 1950 and hadbeen abused for over 40 years Fieldconstruction concepts were a tad dif-ferent 50 years ago than they aretoday Take right field for instanceThe warning track sloped from thefence toward the outfield Every timeit rained the water washed onto theplaying surface from behind the out-field wall One day in late July unbe-knownst to me a contractor sprayedan herbicide behind the outfield wallA heavy thunderstorm blew in short-ly thereafter and within a few dayswe had about 3000 square feet of deadturf in right field You cant get anymore extreme than death Ryegrassand green paint allowed me to limpinto fall when needless to say majorregrading occurred and a certainchemical applicator was fired
Adequate drainage is a major com-ponent to the success of every athlet-ic field The best time to address the
drainage of the playing surface is dur-ing construction A complex drainagesystem is nice but a field constructedwith an appropriate slope and propergrading will be able to withstand theworst deluge
Snow tends to create havoc attimes During the baseball season Itreat snow as white rain The infieldis tarped and I helplessly watch theradar My approach to snow isMother Nature put the snow thereso she can take it away If the tem-peratures dont rebound enough tomelt the snow then we dont want tobe playing baseball in those condi-tions anyway
The Need for Efficient IrrigationMy first year in Reading featured a
very dry summer With plans to installan in ground irrigation system thatfall I did what I could to keep thegrass growing with garden hoses Itbecame a frequently repeated night-
sports TURFbull httpwwwsportsturfonlinecom
An occasional April snow is treated aswhite rain and the field cover is used to
keep the infield dry until nicer weather con-ditions return
long vigil I would set up a sprinklerin the outfield give that spot a gooddeep soaking then move the sprinklerto a new location I would never getenough water on the field but it didkeep the turf alive and by the end ofthe night I at least felt like Id tried totake control of the situation
The 1999 season was a whole dif-ferent story Following a very dry falland spring came a hot summer TheGovernor declared a drought emer-gency in late July and nobody knewwhat that meant to them Eventuallyan archaic set of regulations began toappear which essentially stated thatathletic fields could not be wateredat all Practices for fall sports weregetting underway during the heightof the drought and many schoolboards had discussions about fieldsafety and even considered postpon-ing the start of the fall sports seasonFortunately the hurricane struckand we went back to dealing withdrainage issues
The drought was a public relationsjuggernaut for the organization andmyself Technically we could not applyany water to the playing surfaceRealistically we had to and did I wason the evening news explaining therelationship between water and playersafety and how we had cut our usageby over 50 The public was under-standing (especially the head of ourlocal water authority) until I told areporter off camera that we use 15000gallons of water during an irrigationcycle and she went on the air and saidwe use 150000 gallons per cycle I hadsome phone calls the next day
Most of us in the turf industry werecaught off guard when the drought
STMA bull httpwwwsportsturfmanagercom
GPU Stadium is also used for other events such as concerts Here Dan and his crew makepreparations to protect the infield from concert-goer abuse
emergency was declared We thoughtour usage would be restricted but noteliminated Check with your state tofind out what regulations you willhave to follow if a drought emer-gency is declared in your area ThePennsylvania Department of Envi-ronmental Protection decided toupdate the regulations after thedrought and the latest version is a lotmore athletic field friendly
The Need for ControlLike it or not none of us can do
anything about the weather exceptcomplain about it There are othersources of extremes though Many ofour stresses occur because our fieldsare used in ways they are notdesigned for Concerts are an excel-lent source of ulcers for me Ilearned long ago that I need to bethe one calling the shots during theconcert set-up and tear-down Weused to allow the equipment truckson the field but after one backedthrough a barrier and parked in anewly sodded area they are nowkept in the parking lot and we fork-lift the equipment to the stage Aroadie once called me an anal-retentive gardener Yes I am Myfield my rules
Over the years a lot of situationsoccurred or were about to occur thatI had not had previous experiencewith My peers came to my rescueWhen a situation presents itself thatyou are not comfortable with grab
the STMA membership roster andcall someone who has handled theproblem in the past Our industryprides itself on sharing informationwith one another The best advice Ireceived in college from a professorwas that I dont need to know every-thing but I do need to know whereto go to get information (I wish hehad told me that before my lastsemester)
An observation I have made is thatthe fields that were in good shapebefore some extreme event hit werethe fields that handled the stress thebest Take all the necessary stepsyour budget allows to insure thatyour fields are in the best possiblecondition Have a plan in place fordealing with whatever MotherNature or management can throw atyou Phone your peers and gatherinformation in preparation for anevent you havent had the experienceto handle yet
The best part about extremes isthat they make normal feel special
Dan Douglas is Stadium GroundsSuperintendent for the ReadingPhillies Double A Baseball Club inReading Pennsylvania Hes Presidentof the Keystone Athletic Field ManagersOrganization (KAFMO Chapter ofSTMA) and was key to the formation ofthat Chapter Hes a frequent speaker atturf conferences and contributor to turfpublications
June 2001 27
Blo 0 v an dd tlonal 10 off f you orcl r before Iy 10 20011
Signature _
Name _
Address _
City State Zip _
Country _
Phone FAX _
To be added to our special promotions list J----write your e-mail address here
4089 $4500 Qty_ 4151 $5495 Qty_ 4084 $7495 Qty_4024 $10500 Qty_ 4016 $6700 Qty_ 4149 $3495 Qty_
Shipping $300 per book Illinois Residents Please add 825 Sales TaxCheck or money order enclosed for $ _Charge my VISA MasterCard American ExpressAcct ExpDate _
py
Please all w wee for d liv ry without notice
AMETEKACCESS BOXES
httpwwwametekwatercomSelf Cleaning Filters
httpwwwfiltomatcom
httpwwwaquamasterfountainscom
httpwwwaquascapedesignscom
Garber Seeder Companyhttpwwwgarberseedercom
Q pound0-77014httpwwwgeo-boycom
HEFTEEhttp www h ef tee co m
bullMWW HOT BOXhttpwwwbluebirdcom
httpwwwhot-boxcom
DiG HunterhttnVwwwhijntprinriustries exhttpwwwdigcorpcom
Ditch Witch
httpwwwhunterindustriescom
usqvarnahttpwwwhusqvamacom
JARRAffIndustries Inc
httpwwwjarraffcom
httpwwwdeerecom
KRAIN
httpwwwk-raincom
Marvin Pruners amp Sawshttpwwwprunercom
reg5TIHLhttpwwwstihlusacom
Tknakahttpwww
tanakapowerequipmentcom
ThompsonIRRIGATION EQUIPMENT SINCE 1907
httpwwwutirrigationcom
4 TRANSAMERICAM DISTRIBUTION FINANCEhttpwwwtransamericacom
Vernier
httpwwwvermeercom
httpwwwnetafim-usacom
httpwwwditchwitchcom
I r r i g a t i o n S t a t i o n
C P A C I A M r A M T D A Ibull T - l - C - M - N - O - l O amp - I t S -
httpywwwerosioncontroltechcom httpwwwirrigationstationcom
PLANTHEALTH
CARE INC
httpwwwwechappscom
WEST COAST
TURF
httpwwwplanthealthcarecomhttpwwwwestcoastturfcom
IRRIGATION INDUSTRIAL ^ GOLF
httpwwwewing1 com httpwwwirrigationsupplycom httpwwwrotarycorpcom httpwwwweathermaticcom
An occasional April snow is treated aswhite rain and the field cover is used to
keep the infield dry until nicer weather con-ditions return
long vigil I would set up a sprinklerin the outfield give that spot a gooddeep soaking then move the sprinklerto a new location I would never getenough water on the field but it didkeep the turf alive and by the end ofthe night I at least felt like Id tried totake control of the situation
The 1999 season was a whole dif-ferent story Following a very dry falland spring came a hot summer TheGovernor declared a drought emer-gency in late July and nobody knewwhat that meant to them Eventuallyan archaic set of regulations began toappear which essentially stated thatathletic fields could not be wateredat all Practices for fall sports weregetting underway during the heightof the drought and many schoolboards had discussions about fieldsafety and even considered postpon-ing the start of the fall sports seasonFortunately the hurricane struckand we went back to dealing withdrainage issues
The drought was a public relationsjuggernaut for the organization andmyself Technically we could not applyany water to the playing surfaceRealistically we had to and did I wason the evening news explaining therelationship between water and playersafety and how we had cut our usageby over 50 The public was under-standing (especially the head of ourlocal water authority) until I told areporter off camera that we use 15000gallons of water during an irrigationcycle and she went on the air and saidwe use 150000 gallons per cycle I hadsome phone calls the next day
Most of us in the turf industry werecaught off guard when the drought
STMA bull httpwwwsportsturfmanagercom
GPU Stadium is also used for other events such as concerts Here Dan and his crew makepreparations to protect the infield from concert-goer abuse
emergency was declared We thoughtour usage would be restricted but noteliminated Check with your state tofind out what regulations you willhave to follow if a drought emer-gency is declared in your area ThePennsylvania Department of Envi-ronmental Protection decided toupdate the regulations after thedrought and the latest version is a lotmore athletic field friendly
The Need for ControlLike it or not none of us can do
anything about the weather exceptcomplain about it There are othersources of extremes though Many ofour stresses occur because our fieldsare used in ways they are notdesigned for Concerts are an excel-lent source of ulcers for me Ilearned long ago that I need to bethe one calling the shots during theconcert set-up and tear-down Weused to allow the equipment truckson the field but after one backedthrough a barrier and parked in anewly sodded area they are nowkept in the parking lot and we fork-lift the equipment to the stage Aroadie once called me an anal-retentive gardener Yes I am Myfield my rules
Over the years a lot of situationsoccurred or were about to occur thatI had not had previous experiencewith My peers came to my rescueWhen a situation presents itself thatyou are not comfortable with grab
the STMA membership roster andcall someone who has handled theproblem in the past Our industryprides itself on sharing informationwith one another The best advice Ireceived in college from a professorwas that I dont need to know every-thing but I do need to know whereto go to get information (I wish hehad told me that before my lastsemester)
An observation I have made is thatthe fields that were in good shapebefore some extreme event hit werethe fields that handled the stress thebest Take all the necessary stepsyour budget allows to insure thatyour fields are in the best possiblecondition Have a plan in place fordealing with whatever MotherNature or management can throw atyou Phone your peers and gatherinformation in preparation for anevent you havent had the experienceto handle yet
The best part about extremes isthat they make normal feel special
Dan Douglas is Stadium GroundsSuperintendent for the ReadingPhillies Double A Baseball Club inReading Pennsylvania Hes Presidentof the Keystone Athletic Field ManagersOrganization (KAFMO Chapter ofSTMA) and was key to the formation ofthat Chapter Hes a frequent speaker atturf conferences and contributor to turfpublications
June 2001 27
Blo 0 v an dd tlonal 10 off f you orcl r before Iy 10 20011
Signature _
Name _
Address _
City State Zip _
Country _
Phone FAX _
To be added to our special promotions list J----write your e-mail address here
4089 $4500 Qty_ 4151 $5495 Qty_ 4084 $7495 Qty_4024 $10500 Qty_ 4016 $6700 Qty_ 4149 $3495 Qty_
Shipping $300 per book Illinois Residents Please add 825 Sales TaxCheck or money order enclosed for $ _Charge my VISA MasterCard American ExpressAcct ExpDate _
py
Please all w wee for d liv ry without notice
AMETEKACCESS BOXES
httpwwwametekwatercomSelf Cleaning Filters
httpwwwfiltomatcom
httpwwwaquamasterfountainscom
httpwwwaquascapedesignscom
Garber Seeder Companyhttpwwwgarberseedercom
Q pound0-77014httpwwwgeo-boycom
HEFTEEhttp www h ef tee co m
bullMWW HOT BOXhttpwwwbluebirdcom
httpwwwhot-boxcom
DiG HunterhttnVwwwhijntprinriustries exhttpwwwdigcorpcom
Ditch Witch
httpwwwhunterindustriescom
usqvarnahttpwwwhusqvamacom
JARRAffIndustries Inc
httpwwwjarraffcom
httpwwwdeerecom
KRAIN
httpwwwk-raincom
Marvin Pruners amp Sawshttpwwwprunercom
reg5TIHLhttpwwwstihlusacom
Tknakahttpwww
tanakapowerequipmentcom
ThompsonIRRIGATION EQUIPMENT SINCE 1907
httpwwwutirrigationcom
4 TRANSAMERICAM DISTRIBUTION FINANCEhttpwwwtransamericacom
Vernier
httpwwwvermeercom
httpwwwnetafim-usacom
httpwwwditchwitchcom
I r r i g a t i o n S t a t i o n
C P A C I A M r A M T D A Ibull T - l - C - M - N - O - l O amp - I t S -
httpywwwerosioncontroltechcom httpwwwirrigationstationcom
PLANTHEALTH
CARE INC
httpwwwwechappscom
WEST COAST
TURF
httpwwwplanthealthcarecomhttpwwwwestcoastturfcom
IRRIGATION INDUSTRIAL ^ GOLF
httpwwwewing1 com httpwwwirrigationsupplycom httpwwwrotarycorpcom httpwwwweathermaticcom
Blo 0 v an dd tlonal 10 off f you orcl r before Iy 10 20011
Signature _
Name _
Address _
City State Zip _
Country _
Phone FAX _
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AMETEKACCESS BOXES
httpwwwametekwatercomSelf Cleaning Filters
httpwwwfiltomatcom
httpwwwaquamasterfountainscom
httpwwwaquascapedesignscom
Garber Seeder Companyhttpwwwgarberseedercom
Q pound0-77014httpwwwgeo-boycom
HEFTEEhttp www h ef tee co m
bullMWW HOT BOXhttpwwwbluebirdcom
httpwwwhot-boxcom
DiG HunterhttnVwwwhijntprinriustries exhttpwwwdigcorpcom
Ditch Witch
httpwwwhunterindustriescom
usqvarnahttpwwwhusqvamacom
JARRAffIndustries Inc
httpwwwjarraffcom
httpwwwdeerecom
KRAIN
httpwwwk-raincom
Marvin Pruners amp Sawshttpwwwprunercom
reg5TIHLhttpwwwstihlusacom
Tknakahttpwww
tanakapowerequipmentcom
ThompsonIRRIGATION EQUIPMENT SINCE 1907
httpwwwutirrigationcom
4 TRANSAMERICAM DISTRIBUTION FINANCEhttpwwwtransamericacom
Vernier
httpwwwvermeercom
httpwwwnetafim-usacom
httpwwwditchwitchcom
I r r i g a t i o n S t a t i o n
C P A C I A M r A M T D A Ibull T - l - C - M - N - O - l O amp - I t S -
httpywwwerosioncontroltechcom httpwwwirrigationstationcom
PLANTHEALTH
CARE INC
httpwwwwechappscom
WEST COAST
TURF
httpwwwplanthealthcarecomhttpwwwwestcoastturfcom
IRRIGATION INDUSTRIAL ^ GOLF
httpwwwewing1 com httpwwwirrigationsupplycom httpwwwrotarycorpcom httpwwwweathermaticcom
AMETEKACCESS BOXES
httpwwwametekwatercomSelf Cleaning Filters
httpwwwfiltomatcom
httpwwwaquamasterfountainscom
httpwwwaquascapedesignscom
Garber Seeder Companyhttpwwwgarberseedercom
Q pound0-77014httpwwwgeo-boycom
HEFTEEhttp www h ef tee co m
bullMWW HOT BOXhttpwwwbluebirdcom
httpwwwhot-boxcom
DiG HunterhttnVwwwhijntprinriustries exhttpwwwdigcorpcom
Ditch Witch
httpwwwhunterindustriescom
usqvarnahttpwwwhusqvamacom
JARRAffIndustries Inc
httpwwwjarraffcom
httpwwwdeerecom
KRAIN
httpwwwk-raincom
Marvin Pruners amp Sawshttpwwwprunercom
reg5TIHLhttpwwwstihlusacom
Tknakahttpwww
tanakapowerequipmentcom
ThompsonIRRIGATION EQUIPMENT SINCE 1907
httpwwwutirrigationcom
4 TRANSAMERICAM DISTRIBUTION FINANCEhttpwwwtransamericacom
Vernier
httpwwwvermeercom
httpwwwnetafim-usacom
httpwwwditchwitchcom
I r r i g a t i o n S t a t i o n
C P A C I A M r A M T D A Ibull T - l - C - M - N - O - l O amp - I t S -
httpywwwerosioncontroltechcom httpwwwirrigationstationcom
PLANTHEALTH
CARE INC
httpwwwwechappscom
WEST COAST
TURF
httpwwwplanthealthcarecomhttpwwwwestcoastturfcom
IRRIGATION INDUSTRIAL ^ GOLF
httpwwwewing1 com httpwwwirrigationsupplycom httpwwwrotarycorpcom httpwwwweathermaticcom
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