VGA NEWS

The VGA.

With our newsletters

and website we aim

to provide up to date

information, photos

and turf trial results

from around the

state. Our

association is not

only for Qualified

Greenkeepers but

also Volunteers,

Greens Directors,

Bowling Clubs or

those interested in

the industry are

welcome join. We

also have our VGA

Facebook page

which is located on

our website and

allows you to gather

information right

from Victoria’s very

own Greenkeepers.

this issue

The heat is on P.1

Keep Your Eye Out For P.2

Get to Know Our Members P.4

VGA Calendar P.6

Get To Know Our Members P.7

A Word from the Pres’ P.8

The heat is on...

Welcome to 2012, we hope that everyone

had a great Christmas and New Year and is

ready for the coming months. Well what a

difference a few weeks makes, after a wet

start to the season, hot weather finally

arrived followed by Christmas Day hail

storms... Victoria’s weather unpredictable

as always.

To those who sprigged their greens prior to

the hail storm, hopefully damage was

minimal and you now have a good strike, to

those ... including myself who went in after

the new year, the coming weeks should aid

us in achieving a full cover of grass.

The season’s events have now been

planned and a calendar is attached to this

newsletter. We ask you to please make the

effort to attend these days and show your

support for the VGA.... as well as catch up

with each other.

All information regarding the association

can be found on our website at

www.victga.com

REMINDER

MEMBERSHIPS are NOW

DUE!!

Please send your forms and

money into

PO BOX Bundoora 3083.

Or visit our website for online

banking details.

ERI (ectotrophic root-infecting fungi) Disease

(Information taken from article that appeared in Australian Turfgrass Management (June 2006) by Dr Marcelle Stirling and Dr Graham Stirling and from the AGCSA The Cut)

ERI disease has become one of the hardest disease to control in fine cut couch turf in QLD and Northern NSW. No doubt that it will spread in years to come to other areas of Australia. ERI is not a single fungus but a collection of different fungal species. Common fungal species of ERI found in couch include:

Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis- Couchgrass decline

Gaeumannomyces graminis var. avenae – Take-all patch

Ophiosphaerella korrae and O. narmari (previously Leptosphaeria)- Spring dead spot

Note that even though Pythium is not in the ERI complex it is common to find it in disease samples. Hence make sure when treating ERI that you are taking measures for pythium control.

Cultural Control Options:

Cease use of growth regulators until disease is under control.

Check the soil pH. Alkaline soils are conducive to the presence of Gaeumannomyces spp and acidifying fertilisers should be applied to lower the pH.

Apply manganese using a granular form of Manganese (Mn), such as manganese sulphate which should be applied directly to the soil to supply sufficient quantities of Mn to suppress these fungal pathogens. Manganese is tied up by the Gaeumannomyces spp fungi and becomes unavailable to the plant.

Soils low in potassium make turfgrasses more susceptible to the disease.

Make sure that the thatch is kept under control. Thatch not only harbours the disease organism it also reduces the effectiveness of fungicides that are applied.

Apply fungicides as a preventative measure

Keep Your Eye Out For....

Pythium

FOR SALE

VGA Merchandise

Polo Shirts

$15

Jumpers

$30

Federation Bowls Shirts

$40

Caps

$15

We have an array of sizes so please

contact us now to see if we can kit you

out in our gear.

Dyson Appleyard 0411 629 564

Registered Chemical Control Options:

Propiconazole Pre Mix Azoxystrobin/Propiconazole Pre mix Trifloxystrobin/Tebuconazole

Pythium sp All turf species are affected but predominately fine cut turf of bent and couch grass. Pythium appears as circular spots during warm to hot humid weather. Spots appear as brown to bronze in colour. Pythium causes a wide range of damage including root and leaf blight. Outbreaks most severe following warm nights coupled with humid days. Pythium is also very active during the seeding process as frequent watering is taking place with creating a humid wet environment. Pythium can spread a number of ways including:

mowers Traffic Water -especially if water is from a dam or

effluent as spores can be present. Poor drainage Low soil pH is ideal environment for pythium

along with High nitrogen either in the soil or from

fertilizer used. Registered Chemical Control Options

Propamocarb (preventative and Curative)

Etridiazole (curative only)

Pre Mix Azoxystrobin/Propiconazole (short preventative)

Azoxystrobin (short preventative)

Metalaxyl-M (Preventative and Early Curative)

Fosetyl Aluminium (Preventative)

Lastly visual inspection of diseases is beneficial for identification but I strongly recommend getting a disease analysis done as to identify if there is more than one pathogen at fault or if there are other issues present which cannot be identified visually.

By Nadeem Zreikat Colin Campbell (Chemicals) Pty Ltd

zreikat@campbellchemicals.com.au Blog: www.campbellturf.blogspot.com

Twitter: @campbellturf

Get To Know Our Members

DYSON APPLEYARD

Work History : Turf & Lawncare Victoria

under Darren Vincent : 1995 – 2002

Bundoora Bowling Club 2002 – Present

Education : Turf Management

Apprenticeship, Advanced Certificate and

Diploma Turf Management

Job Title : Head Greenkeeper

Green surfaces you look after : 28 year

old Santa Ana, What will be a new Tifdwarf

and a 2 year old Sand Filled Synthetic.

Funniest thing you have seen as a

Greenkeeper : Watching... then chasing

an idling scarifier across the green after it

slipped into gear.

One mistake you have made that you

will never make again : Using MTK on a

couch green..... lucky Santa Ana is a tough

grass

Favourite piece of machinery/tool :

Grooming reel

Most Valuable piece of advice you

have been given in turf : Present your

club in the best way possible, neat

surrounds, ditches and greens.

One product you couldn’t do without

in the shed : Monument.

Favourite thing about being a

Greenkeeper : Working outside, early

starts....being able to wear shorts every

day, catching up with the boys at the

K & B Adams Pairs Day, always a good

laugh.

Least favourite thing about being a

Greenkeeper : Whinging bowlers who

think they know it all and don’t mind

telling you how best to do your job.

Long time sponsors of the VGA,

K & B Adams have recently moved to a

new factory.

Units 24/25 Cornhill St

Ferntree Gully 3156

We Have Moved

For all information call

Nev Treadwell 0413 943 450

Golf & Bowling Machinery

Trade Day

Thursday 26th April

More Details Shortly

VGA Calendar 2012

Thursday March 15th

K & B Adams Pairs Day

Princes Park BC 12.00pm

Thursday April 26th

Golf & Bowling Machinery Trade Day

Norton Drive Melton

Wednesday May 2nd

Golf & Bowling Machinery Singles

Sunbury BC 9.30am

Wednesday June 6th

VGA Information Day / Seminar

Venue TBA

Thursday 26th July

2012 End Of Season Yarra Cruise

Departing from Southbank

SHANE SYMES

Work History : Mechanic, Groundsman,

Greenkeeper, Horticulturist,Golf Course

Superintendent, Head Greenkeeper, Sales

Rep.

Education : Ongoing

Job Title : Area Manager

Green surfaces you look after : All types

Funniest thing you have seen as a

Greenkeeper : Madam Captain taking a

leak at back of a green while I was mowing

it and she didn't know.

One mistake you have made that you

will never make again : Work for a

bankrupt club

Favourite piece of machinery/tool :

Jacobsen GK 1V with grooming heads

Most Valuable piece of advice you

have been given in turf : When they're

looking good it's time to work on 'em

One product you couldn’t do without

in the shed :A power point.

Favourite thing about being a

Greenkeeper : Satisfied with your work

Least favourite thing about being a

Greenkeeper : Never switching off

Get To Know Our Members

Be and active VGA Member

Get the most from your

membership, try and

attend our various events

held during the year.

Welcome members to 2012, I trust everyone had a great Christmas and New

Year. It’s been great to hear that the number of Tifdwarf greens that went in over

the last few months are doing very well. It’s great to see a return to summer....

especially after the past couple of years. While we are still all learning how best

to maintain Tifdwarf here in Melbourne, the network of information sharing

amongst members is growing. This is a huge asset in our industry and will help

keep natural grass greens in our clubs. Members should n’t be afraid to ask

other greenkeepers questions, especially if they are having a problem with their

green, be it either couch or bent. I have found over the past few years that I have

learnt more about greens by talking with fellow greenies, either over the phone,

at seminar days or on Gudgies Tiff Tour. Our Facebook page is proving to be

useful as well so please look us up on it.

Our events for the coming year have been planned and a calendar is attached to

this newsletter, it would be great to catch up with you at some of these events.

This year will see a return of the Yarra Cruise, this will be just a relaxing day of

catching, some good food and a few drinks. Please make the effort to attend our

days and show your support for the association.

Greenkeeper of the Year nominations start soon, so if know a PAID up member

who you think is a worthy nominee, then download a form from the website and

send it in to us.

Good luck for the rest of the bowls season and look forward to seeing you soon.

Dyson Appleyard

President

A Word from The President