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Athletic Field Construction& Drqinoge Speciqlists
Site EvqluqtionsDesign/Build
Lqser GrqdingRenovqtions
speciolizing in sqnd/slit Drqinoge systems
235 County Line RoodAmifyvi l le,NY l l70l
631 -691 -2381Fox: 631 -691-2392
Sports Field Managers Association of New Jersey
Welcome New & RenewedSFMANJ Members
Currently we have 330 members. If you did not see yourname in last months or this newsletter please call(908)730-77 70 to see if you renewed your membership.This year you can not renew with the National STMAchapter if you did please call us. Take advantage of theSpring Field Day discount by renewing today.
Mulch Pro Inc.Middlesex County, Dept. ParksHolmdel Township Board of Ed.Piscataway Twp. board of Ed.Cranlbrd Board ol' EducationWeehawken TownshipBerkeley Heights TownshipRidgewood Vil lageTenally Board ol' EducationTenafly BoroughRidgewood, Vil lage ofCollege of Staten IslandPhiladelphia Turf Co.Manalapan-Englishtown BOEFinch Turf EquipmentTri State Athletic FieldEdison Board ol' EducationEatontown BoroughMorris & Bergen Cnty Irrigation
2004SFMANJ Board of Directors
President...... Eleanora Murfitt-Hermann. CRSWashington Twp Parks & Recreation
Vice President ................... Jim Hermann CSFMTotal Control Inc
Secretary ............................ Fred CastenschioldStorr Tractor Company
Treasurer ..... Dean MarzoccaDean's Lawn & Landscape Co.
Directors
Dr. James Murphy - Rutgers University
Jeff Cramer - Plainsboro Township DPW
Clare Liptak - Rutgers University
Brad Park - Rutgers University
George McCarthy - Spring Irrigation Co., Inc.
Robin VanDerlyn, Chatham School District
Advisor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dr. Henry IndykThrfCon GSI Consultants. Inc.
Mission StatementCommitted to enhancing the professionalism of athleticfield managers in New Jersey by improving the safety,playability and appearance of athletic fields at all levelsthrough seminars, field days, publications andnetworking with those in the sports turf industry.
Contact us at:
P.O. Box 370Annandale, NJ 0E801
Web Site - www.sfmanj.orgE-mail - [email protected]/Fax - 90E-730-7770
National OrganizationSports Turf Managers Association
www.sportsturfmanager.come-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1-8ffi-366-0391
CharlieRalph AlbanirJames AlbertiBi l l AlmendingerWayne AtkinsonVictor BaroneTom BartonEugene BellusciVincent BenenatiRobert BeutelNancy BigosVincent BonoLouis BoscoJames BradburyPaul BrandonBob BuonoJack CampbellFrank Cannella Jr.John Carbone Jr.
Robert CarfagnoFred CastenschioldDr. Richard CatonJames ChimentoDr. Bruce ClarkeDave ColemanMatthew ContiJeff CramerTimothy CroninKevin CrossleyMario CunhaRobert CzumbilDan DandreaGregory DeBuckDennis DeSanctis Sr.John DeVries Jr.
Cranfbrd Board of EducationStorr Tractor Co.. Inc.NJ Turfgrass AssociationJC Landscape Constr/Mangmt.Cook College PathologyRaritan Township Public WorksPrinceton UniversityPlainsboro TownshipRidgewood, Vil lage ofHo-Ho-Kus. Borough of'Cranfbrd Board ol' EducationEwing TownshipBuena Regional School DistrictDeBuck's Sod Farm of NY. Inc.Aer-Core, Inc.Hil lside Gardens Inc.
continued on page 4
SFtAtJ Annual tlemberchip Reglstntion Form* receive update information by email
Name
Tit le
Employer
Address
City
State zlp
Gounty
Phone Fax
Signature
lndividualAssociate
$35..... $35
O rg a n i z at i o n I t n stit uti o n $35$20
$85$2s
$to
Additional member from facility
Com merci aI I ContractorlVendorl Su p pt i er .....Additional member from company ............
Sludenf
Send with Check or voucher to:SFMANJ
P.O. Box 370Annandale, NJ O88O{
Marclr/April2004
Calendar of Events
Rutgers University Athletic Turf Classes* February 24-26 Athletic Field Consrruction and
Maintenance coursex March 9'h The Importance of Understanding
Athletic Field Soil* March l6'h The Importance of Understanding
Athletic Field Turfgrass* March 23'd Understanding Athletic Field
Construction ProceduresFor information call 732-932-927 |ljVc off for SFMANJ members
Annual SFMANJ Spring Field DayApril 20, 8am-3:00pmDrum Point Sports Complex, Brick NJ
Box lunch included, Door prizesNo vendor booths$35 members, $45 non-membersFor more info call 908-730-7770Fliers will be sent soon.
New Jersey Recreation & Parks Assoc.Annual Convention & Trade Show
March 14-17 at Bal lys in At lant ic CityFor more information call NJRPA at732-s68-1270
continued from page
Anthony Diafbrl iJoy DobroskyRobert DruzsbaThomas ElderRalph Ell isSalvatore FamaWill FannerThomas FisherDave Fitzgerald Sr.Donald FrederickCeorge FreyPeter GalosiScott GeierSean GoodwinJoe GourniakDr. John GrandeTodd CritschkeMichael HaenerErik HammerdahlRob HaynesJohn HeltonKen HenshawRobert HickeyLuis HidalgoChristopher HolensteinBarry ImbodenDr. Henry IndykKenneth Jenks
3
Princeton Regional SchoolsBetter Materials Corp.Woodbridge Township, ParksEwing TownshipBerkeley TownshipSherwin Will iams Co.Old Bridge TownshipComplete Lawn Service, Inc.Til l Paint Co. Inc.Cranfbrd Board of EducationFair Lawn Parks & RecreationCinnaminson Board of Ed.Hawthorne Borough DPWEnviroscapes, Inc.Crop Production ServicesRutgers Univ., Snyder ResearchRahway Public WorksMichael B. Haener, CIDChatham School DistrictUnion TownshipCinnaminson Board of Ed.Atlantic County Vocational SchoolNorth Colonie Central SchoolsRamapo Indian Hil ls B. of Ed.Summit Board of RecreationHunterdon Central Hish SchoolI ur tconStorr Tractor Co.
Van KampenWill iam KoonzTom LaRoweTJ LawsonDiane LeonFrank LoSassoCary R. LucksRobert ManningThomas MartinPaul MartinoDean MarzoccaRon MatakitisWill iam MateykaKen MathisLarry MayerowitzGeorge McCarthyBrian McCormickCraig McCoyBrian McGuirtBil l MenaghThomas MillerChr is MonohanMike MooreJohn Muj icaDennis MurphyArt NeffThomas NewberyNat NuovoRichard OatesBradley ParkJ. Casey Parkeq CPWMTony Pavelec Jr.Wes PerrineHarold PierceRay PoerioSteve PolakowskiJudy PolicastroRich ResavyMel issa RipaSteve RivielloRich RomanikCharles RomanoJames SaxtonMichael ShannonKevin ShipmanFrederic SibleyEd SinclairBrent Sliker, CPwMThomas StokesJames StrykerMark TindallRobert TirserioCraig TolleySteven TothRobert Tranquil l iSuz TrustyWalter TuckerDawn TuttleScott Van DemarkBarry VansantDavid Ward Sr.George WardenJay WeisenbachBetty WeisrWayne WhiteBruce WildCreg Winf'reeThomas WittThomas WojcikRobert YoungRon ZaleskiJohn Zambrano
Van Kampen Advertising, Ltd.Koonz Sprinkler SupplyDelaware TownshipRutgers UniversityLeons Sod Farm. Inc.Hammonton Board of Ed.Lucks Sales AssociatesPiscataway Twp Board of EdPritchard Industries, Inc.Applied Landscape TechnologiesDean's Lawn & LandscapeDelbarton SchoolOld Bridge TownshipBrick TownshipMiddlesex County ParksSpring Irrigation Co. Inc.College of Staten IslandScotch Plains TownshipClitkide Park RecreationMendham BoroughEnvironmental Resolutions. Inc.Scotch Plains TownshioSpringiield Public SchoolCranfbrd Board of EducationAllendale BoroughCroton. Vil lase OfRahway Pubt-ic WorksField Pro Enterprises. LLCOcean Cty.Util i t ies AuthorityRutgers Univ.,Plant/PathologyLacey TownshipPavelec Bros.Golf Course Cnst.Geo.Schofleld Co. Inc.Winslow Twp. Board of Ed.Scotch Plains TownshipSeton Hall UniversityIrrigation Association of NJHi l lsborough TownshipDVH Athletic TurfMoyer & Son, Inc.Mi l lv i l le, Ci ty oiCliffside Park RecreationGlen Rock Dept. Public WorksBetter Materials Coro.Pine Hil l Public SchoolMedway, Town ofMahwah TownshipMansf ie ld TownshipCrantbrd Board of EducationDelaware Valley Reg.High ScCinnaminson Board of Ed.Clen Rock Puhlic WorksCounty College ol' MorrisMontvi l le TownshioSpringfield Public SchoolSTMAOcean CityBow School DistrictMahwah Board of EducationNational SeedRoxbury TownshipMiddlesex Countv. Deot.ParksGlen Ridge BoroughNJ Landscape Contractors As.Holmdel Township Board of Ed.Storr Tractor Co.DVH Athletic TurfCranbury TownshipFinch Services Inc.Fair Lawn BoroughGlen Ridge BoroughMonmouth Universi ty
Sports Field Managers Association of New Jersey
Head Groundskeeper - Newark BearsSpecific responsibil i t ies include but are not l imited to, the following:
. Responsible.for all field maintenance including, tertilization, pesticides, mowing, turt areas,skin area (mound, Plate and infield)
. M_anage pre game set up & post game break down of field operations
. Must have knowledge of sand based fields.
. Working kngwledge of irrigation systems, sprayer, spreaders, and tractors and mowingequipment.
. Develop and manage relationships with outside vendors
. Negotiate prices and contracts
. Maintain inventories
. Order supplies
. Schedule all maintenance & repairs necessary for field through outside vendors.
. Hire,.train and superulsor full-time hourly employees and game day staff.
. Establish and maintain budgets.'89 aYeary plaller,Actively participate in.other gpelational functions as necessary inctuding
but not limited to pulling tarp, attending all scheduled events and meetings.
To apply: Send or e-mail cover letter, resume and list of three professional references to:Dean Rivera, General ManagerNewark Bears450 Broad StreetNewark, NJ 07102drivera @ newarkbears.com
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Chip's comments confirm what we hearfrom the many grqqrndskeepers who use aCOVERMASTER'y raincover to keep theirfie_lds dry and ready for play.
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continued from page I
A common mistake committed bymany sports field managers is to addinf ie ld mix to compensate for animproperly maintained lip.
Lip build up is caused by manyfactors and is to a large degree sit-especific in nature and severity. In thisarticle we will consider some of thecauses and controls.
The most obvious cause for l ipbuildup is the movement of infield miifrom the infield into the grass perimeter.Improper grooming technique is themost l imi t ing factor in proper l ipmanagement. Both wind and watererosion are also contributins factors.Game play is another obviouifactor inparticle migration and therefore lipbuildup. The buildup caused by gam-eplay is most obvious at the turf adiacentto first and third base.
There is clearly no maintenancetechnique capable of prevent ingmaterial movement within the confineiof the infield skin. However, there areconsiderations and cultural practices,which can help to minimize thismovement and its negative effects onsafety and playabilily. There are inaddition, procedures that can managethe lip buildup that does occur.
Most importantly, prior to all othermaintenance procedures, the infield turfperimeter should be cleared of anyinfield mix that has accumulated sincbthe last maintenance. This maintenanceis essential prior to rain since rain hasthe ability to wash the mix down intothe thatch layer where removal is muchmore difficult if not impossible.
Procedures avai lable for th ispurpose are blowing, power washingand brooming. In more severecircumstances the use of a thatch rakeis sometimes effective.
In view of the fact that you can'tkeep the infield mix from moving to theturf perimeter, it is sometimes beneficialto move the turf perimeter away fromareas of concentrated disturbancecaused by game play. By cutting outexisting turf and increasing the distancefrom first and third base to the outerperimeter of the infield, the amount ofmix that is deposited into the turf canbe greatly reduced. There are differentdesigns conducive to this concept. Thenumberof options is limited only by yourimagination.
Grooming technique is most limitingand therefore f i rst on the l is t o l
size particles and containing l5Vo-30Voclayey m1x is considered an acceptableproduct. The sandier a mix is, typicallythe less stable it is given the affbcts ofgame play. The higher the percentageof sand a infield mix contains, the moredifficult it is to maintain moisture atlevels sufficient to promote stability.
The more clayey an infield mix is,the more that mix tends to retain moistureand the more ef fect ive moisturebecomes as a means of stabilization. Letme repeat; th is moisture is onlybeneficial when maintained betweensite-specific limits. Most all of us areaware that a clayey mix usually takesmore time to condition after a heavy rainthan a sandy mix. The benefit derivedfrom the ability of a clayey mix to retainmoisture is lost in this circumstancebecause the level of moisture hasexceeded the limits of potential benefit.
It should be understood that a mixon the clayey side of theASTM standardthat is allowed to become verv drv issomewhar difficult to rewet. tittini orsome other means of cul t ivat ioi issometimes necessary as a part of thewetting procedure.
When a level of maintenance isreached which al lows for the"scheduled" periodic application ofwater, a soil amendment such as calcinedclay may be beneficial in extending thedurat ion of t ime between waterapplications. It must be understood thatthese products constitute the potentialfor a double-edged sword.
As was addressed ear l ier , asandier mix or a mix with more sand"sized" particles is less stable and ismore likely to migrate given the effectsgame play. I f moisture levels arepermitted to vary beyond the limits ofpotential benefit (either too wet or toodry), these products wi l l d isplaycharacteristics similar in nature to sand.When allowed to dry out, a mix that hasbeen modified with an amendment suchas calc ined clay wi l l havecharacteristics similar to a sandier mix,which does not have an amendmentadded. If allowed to become saturated,a mix amended with a product such asthis will move in much the same way asa sandier mix.
For the purposes of this arriclethe characteristics of a drv infield mixare determined almost solely by particlesize and nothing more. When discussingthe stabi l i ty of an inf ield mix, a drycalcined clay particle will differ littl-efrom a dry sand particle given the samepart ic le size. I f anything, the clay
pre ventat l ve marntenanceconsiderations. Always rake parallel tothe foul lines and turf perimeters. Whendragging the infield, always stay 6" fromthe turf. Vary your dragging pattern.Alternate your starting and sioppingpoint. Never contaminate the turf withinfield mix for any reason.
The amount of moisture containedby an infield mix, while being maintainedwithin maximum and minimum limitscould be considered the glue that holdsan infield together and as such is a factorin l ip management. The key is todetermine these limits. The limits willvary based on site-specific factors. Themost important factor to be consideredwhen addressing moisture managementis particle size and distribution of yourinfield mix. What is the physical anaiysisof your infield mix? What is the sand,gj ! t and clay part ic le size analysis?Would your mix be considered a sandymix or would your mix be considered hclayey mix?
The ASTM Standard Guide forConstruct ion and Maintenance ofSkinned Areas on Sports Fields hasprovided guidelines to help in identifyingand classi fy ing your pari icular mi i . l igeneral a mix containingT0Vo-85Vo sand
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Sports Field Managers Association of New Jersey
particle will be more mobile due to beingl ighter and maintaining a lower bulkdensity. The benefits of products suchas calcined clay are only realized in theirability to absorb moisture and aid inmaintaining moisture levels betweensite-specif ic maximum and minimumlimits.
I have in the past used the followingcomparison to explain the affects ofmoisture on a sandy infield mix. Whenwalking along the beech an observationcan be made. Up on the beach wherethe sand is dry the conditions are veryunstable. You sink into the sand. As youapproach the waterline, the sand hasmore moisture content and as such sainsstability and firmness. As you enteiintothe water and the sand becomessaturated it again looses stability. Themoisture in the sand provides stabilityonly between maximum and minimumsaturation levels.
Wind erosion is a subtle culprit thatcan slowly but surely eat away at theintegrity of your infield. It is obviouslysite specific based on the severity andconsistency of the wind. As with anyerosion problem (wind or rain) winderosion impacts on the smaller and orlighter particles. For this reason winderosion has the potential to erode the
si l t , c lay, f ine sand and or addedamendments from your inf ield anddeposit this material at the turf perimeteradding to the problem of lip buildup.Along with adding to l ip bui ldup, i fallowed to persist, wind or rain erosionwill destroy the integrity of a clayey mixand leave you with a sand box.
Controls would include providing awindbreak to minimize wind veloci ty.This can be incorporated into thepermanent perimeter fencing. It can alsobe provided as snow or silt fence utilizedduring the off-season. If snow or siltfence is util ized as a windbreak durinsthe off-season, remember to keep iiaway from the turf on the down windside of the f ie ld. I f a windbreak isinstalled to close to the turf it will causeairborne particles to drop right into theturf . As can be observed by theeffective use of snow fence in winterstorm management, drifting occurs onthe downwind side. Maintaininsmoisture levels within the mix wi l ' iincrease stabi.lity of the mix and alsomtnlmlze eroslon.
When discussing erosion of aspecif ic inf ield mix caused by water(rain), two major factors contribute tothe severity of the problem. These twofactors are water volume and velocity.
The more water there is and the fasterit travels, the more severely it impactson the stability of the infield mix.
First, consider water volume. Thevolume of water is the amount of wateryou are deal ing with. Al though youcannot control the amount of rain youreceive, there are a number of ways tocontrol the volume of water that travelswithin the conf ines of an Inf ield.
l . Cover the inf ield when i t rains.For most of us this is an impossibi l i ty
2. As water travels alons a l inearpath i t increases in volume. t imit thedistance the water travels before exitinethe infietd and you limit the accumulatedvolume. By properly grading the infield,you can direct water the shortestdistance to the perimeter thereby limitingthe volume of water. An example of onesuch grading plan would be to maintainthe pitchers area as the high point ofthe infield and slope the infield to theper imeter wi th al l bases beingapproximately level to one another.
3. Limit the concentration of waterin specific areas when exiting the field.An example of the very worst gradingdesign which encompasses the veryworst of examples #2, #3 and #4 wouldbe a skinned infield with home plate asthe low point of the entire infield. As
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water is funneled to a central locationpotent ia l volume is increased andtherefore the potent ial severi ty oferosion is increased. This problem isalso magnified due to the distance thewater has traveled in order to exit theinfield.
4. Eliminate the potentialfor waterto enter the infield from other areasduring episodes of rain. If the outfieldor foul terr i tory is higher than theinfield, water should be channeled awayfrom the infield by some means.
The second player in this game oferosion is velocity or the speed of thewater. Water increases in speed or"velocity" with an increase in slope. Byminimizing slope you minimize velocityand therefore minimize erosion.Professional fields I have read abourmaintain around Vz Vc slope. Thisequates to approximately 5 % inches offall from the area at the base of thepi tchers mound to the turf radiusassuming a 90' radius. I prefer tomaintain a slope of between 3/a Vc andlVz Vo on the infields I take care of. Ibelieve, at less than 3/t 7o there is toomuch potential for ponding and above
lVz Vc there is too much potential forerosion. These tolerances become morecritical as the distance to exit increases.Remember, volume and veloci tyincrease with distance as long as thesupply (rain) remains constant
The last factor that contributes tothe development of a lip that I stumbledon (literally) by accident is the combinedaffects of freezing and thawing alongwith the increased development of athatch layer at the turf perimeter.
In November of last year I returnedto an infield I had recently renovated toadmire my work. I had completelyresodded the perimeters of the infieldand for that reason I was certain therelva! no lip. To my dismay a defined liphad developed within a period of days.The freezing and heaving of the veryedge ofthe sod caused the lip. I believethis honeycombed soil structure providesan avenue for the inwashins of materialfrom the infield. In additionio increasingthe volume of soil within the lip, thiimodi f ied root zone coupled withincreased moisture supply at theperimeter of the inf ield promotes alocalized environment conducive to the
development of a concentrated rootsystem. With this proliferation of rootdevelopment comes an increase inthatch layer and therefore an increasein elevation contributing to a lip.
Depending upon the severity of thelip, there are a number of ways to dealwith it after it has established. The mostaggressive procedure would be to usea sod cutter and remove the entire areaof turf that r ises above the desiredelevation. The excess material that hasaccumulated below the sod is removedand the area is either resodded usinsthe-existing sod or new sod is brough'iin for the procedure.
A less aggressive approach to theproblem is to dig a shal low trenchadjacent to the turf lip and roll the lipinto the trench. This procedure is mosteffective if the lip is very narrow anddef ined in relat ion to the desiredelevation.
x A procedure that f i l ls the gapbetween the least invasive ( trench androl l ) and most invasive (sod cut)procedures is to aggressively coreaerate the area of lip, remove the coresand then rol l the l ip to the desiredelevation. There must be enoush volumeof mater ia l removed thrbush theaerat ion process to al low f i r themovement of remaining material withoutincreasing compacti;n. The aerationprocedure must penetrate deep enoughto provide compaction relief 2" to 3"below the desired finish srade. Theremust be sufficient soil moislure availableso as to allow for movement in the soilbut not so much moisture so as to allowfor smearing of the soil, which is in factdamaging to the soil structure.
xThis idea was contr ibuted bvBrian Meola of Washington TownshipParks & Recreation (Morris County;..
Did You Know?
Phosphorous is the least solubleof the major turf nutrients and as suchmoves very slowly through most nativesoil root zones. For this reason much ofthe phosphorous applied, is not availableto the turf roots in the year ofapplication. In new construction, if soiltest results report phosphorous as "low"availability, it is advisable to incorporatehalf of the recommended phosphorousinto the root zone prior to seeding andtopdress the balance. o
Moyer & Son, Plant NutrientsOffers professional sport tur f care products.
M.O.S.T. organic fer t i l izersMoyer Green Gro granular sport tu r f f er t i l izers
Fert igat ion & Turf lo@Liquid Fert i l izersExclusive grass seed & erosion control products
Soi l amendmenrsClay drying mater ia ls
For Further Information Call 888-408-5433
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For Golf Courses and Athletic Fields
548 Rosedale Road
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Sports Field Managers Association of New Jersey
Rutgers Corner - Crabgrass control strategies for sports fietds
By Brad Park, Rutgers University - [email protected]
"Crabgrass can grow on bowlingballs in airless rooms, and there is noknown way to kill it that does not involvenuclear weapons" - Dave Bany, MiamiHerald
With spring soon to arrive, it is animportant time to begin thinking aboutoptions for controlling crabgrass. If asignificant soil seed bank exists andthere are voids in the turfsrass standwhich minimize competiti vJbenefits ofthe turf, as a summer annual, crabgrasswill germinate profusely in the sp-ring,mature throughout the summer months,and die in early fall at the first kill ingfrost leaving dead "skeletons;throughout the landscape. Crabgrassseed will typically begin germinaringafter April l0 in South Jersey and byApril 20 in Central and North Jersey.Crabgrass will continue to germinatethough mid-July.
Integrated Pest Management(IPM)
Recall that IPM attempts to reducethe risk that pest control strategies mayhave on the environment and people byincorporating all suitable techniques tomaintain pests within acceptable limits.Although it is acommon misconception,IPM does not entail the elimination ofpesticide use.
Simply mowing ar a cutting heightsuitable for the specific turfgrass speciesor mowing at a frequency such thatscalping is avoided can constitute IPM.Improper mowing techniques leading toscalped turf will thin-out turfgrass areas,lead to voids in the stand, andsubsequently provide opportunities forcrabgrass to encroach. IPM also entailspro-per fertil ization. Under-fertil izingturfgrass will often result in a weakstand, poor tur f densi ty, and anenvironment in which crabgrass canreadi ly invade. Year ly -ni t rogen
requirements per 1000 f t , for coolseason turfgrasses used on New Jerseylports fields are: Kentucky bluegrass,2-5 lbs; perennial ryegrass, 3-5 lbs; tallfescue, 2-4 lbs. High-use sports fieldsoften necessitate the hieh-end of thesenitrogen fertilization gui-delines in orderto encourage turfgrass recovery fromtraffic.
Preemergence herbicides: Arethey an option?
For sports field managers whosecul tural program includes spr ingoverseeding of his or her fields, applyingmost preemergence herbicide productsat the time of seeding will notonly deter crabgrassemergence, i t wi l l a lsoinhibit establishment ofcool season turf .Products such aspendimethal in(Pendulum orPre-M),benef in + tr i f lural in(Team). prodiamine(Barricade), oxadiazon(Ronstar), and dithiopyr(Dimension) are not viableopt ions for preemergence
application rate, the residual of theseproducts is such that the seeding ofdesired cool season turfgrasses may notbegin for 2 to 6 months following theapplication of the herbicide. Additionally,these products many not be used inprOuucrs many not De useo ln
newly seeded turf as young\ turfgrass seedlings are highly
susceptible to the phytotoxiceffects of these herbicides.
SiduronSiduron (Tupersan)
is a herbic ide that islabeled for preemergencecrabgrass control in
newly seeded Kentuckybluegrass, tall fescue, and
crabgrass control if overseeding is apart bf the manager's spring pro-gram.Depending on the product and the
7 perennial ryegrass. Tupersan isformulated as a wettable powder
and should be applied in the spring tocoincide with maximum craberassgermination. The label calls for eit-her a
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single application of product at 4.0- 12.0lbs/Acre or sequential applications at6.0-12.0lbs/Acre followed by a 4.0-6.0lbs/Acre application 4 weeks later.
Postemergence herbicidesIn order to use the chemical tools
available to selectively treat crabgrasspostemergence, the sports field managermust be able to accurately ident i fycrabgrass at various seedling stages.Large crabgrass seedl ings arecharacterized by upright growth andleaves that are rolled in the bud, lackauricles, and have ajagged membranousligule. Large crabgrass leaf blades andsheaths are covered with stiff hairs.Smooth crabgrass is similar to largecrabgrass, however it has fewer hairson its leaf blades and sheaths.
Quinclorac and fenoxapropQuinclorac (Drive) and fenoxaprop
(Acclaim Extra) are labeled for theselect ive postemergence control ofcrabgrass in perennial ryegrass,Kentucky bluegrass, and tall fescue.Quinclorac is effective in controllingyoung, un-til lered crabgrass seedlingsand may be applied up to 0.75 lbs/Acre(1.0 lb Drive/Acre). To increase theeff icacy of weed control , the label
recommends applying quinclorac withan oi l -based adjuvant such crop oi lconcentrate or methylated seed oil.
Quinclorac may be applied up to 7days prior to the seeding of tall fescue,Kentucky bluegrass, and perennialryegrass, at the t ime of seeding forperennial ryegrass and tall fescue, 7 andl4 days after the emergence of tal lfescue, and I month af ter theemergence of Kentucky bluegrass,perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. Thelabel notes that adjuvants should not beadded to quinclorac appl icat ions tonewly seeded turf prior to 28 days afterseedling emergence.
Fenoxaprop may be applied at ratesranging from 0.016-0.17 lbs/A (3.5-39.0f l . oz Acclaim/A) depending on thestage of crabgrass growth andestabl ished turfgrass species. Forexample, 4-5 til ler crabgrass may betreated with fenoxaprop at 0. | 7 lbs/A(39.0 f l oz Acclaim Extra/Acre) inperennial ryegrass and tal l fescuewhereas no more than 0.12 lbs offenoxaprop (28.0 fl oz Acclaim ExtralAcre) may be appl ied to 3-4 t i l lercrabgrass in Kentucky bluegrass turf.
Fol lowing appl icat ions offenoxaprop, tall fescue and perennialryegrass may be seeded immediately.
Following germination of tall fescue andperennial ryegrass, fenoxaprop shouldnot be appl ied unt i l seedl ings havematured for I month. Of the cool seasonturfgrasses used on sports fields in NewJersey, Kentucky bluegrass is the mostsuscept ib le to phytotoxic ef fectsassociated with fenoxaprop. Forexample, when utilizing fenoxaprop ratesgreater than 0.04 lbs/A (9.0 f l ozAcclaim Extra/A), Kentucky bluegrassseedlings must be at least 3 growingmonths old before fenoxaprop can beapplied. Additionally, 2l waiting daysshould be al lowed fol lowing theappl icat ion of fenoxaprop pr ior toseeding Kentucky bluegrass
Due to the complexity of Drive andAcclaim Extra labeling with respect tocrabgrass growth stage susceptibility,individual turfgrass species herbicidetolerances, and turfgrass seedingt imings, pest ic ide labels must bethoroughly read and understood prior tothe application of these materials.
Literature CitedHart , S. 2000. Crabgrass and
goosegrass control in cool seasonturfgrass. Rutgers Coop. Ext., NJ Ag.Exp. Stn., E233. c
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