10
of these fabrics worked, but "side" costs, such as installation time, and replace- ment and disposal costs, made the con- cept of covers unfeasible. Negative attitudes toward covers were also an important element in their early experimental failures. Covers did not conform with then current man- agement techniques of golf courses and athletic fields. Over the years, however, it was proven that covers worked. Still, the challenge of developing covers without side costs and application inconveniences remained. Plus, they had to be versatile- they had to work in various climatic conditions, from northern Canada to the southern United States. Today's products were developed for the turf industry through input from turf specialists and universities, as well as improved manufacturing technology. The benefits of proper covers are many. Regardless, of their application, they save money and time in areas such as: 1. Earlier Openings-Courses closed during the winter months can be ready up to two or three weeks sooner in the spring. In these applications, covers protect the greens from wind or ice des- iccation, while reducing the damage caused by foot traffic during the winter. The cost of spring cleanup is also dras- tically reduced because the covers shield the surface from debris while remaining clean themselves. Transparent covers also create a greenhouse effect, which accel- erates root development and protects the plant from shock that occurs during the spring periods of"freeze-thaw" cycles. This is why they are used in many southern regions for frost protection. Winter application protection benefits include increased revenues from earli- er openings, reduced costs in opening preparation, and reduced risks of turf destruction posed by vandalism, ani- mals, or abnormal weather conditions. 2. New Construction-New sports fields and golf courses must be con- structed quickly and within budget. Covers accelerate seed germination while reducing seed loss due to rain or wind erosion. The savings of seed "under cover," as opposed to sodding, are sub- stantial. In addition, facilities are able to open months in advance with excel- lent playing conditions. If proper covers continued on page 12 Circle 104 on Postage Free Card September, 1992 11

Newsturf.lib.msu.edu/page/1992sep11-20.pdf · the spring periodsof"freeze-thaw" cycles. This is why they are used in many southern regions for frost protection. Winter application

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of these fabrics worked, but "side" costs,such as installation time, and replace-ment and disposal costs, made the con-cept of covers unfeasible.Negative attitudes toward covers

were also an important element in theirearly experimental failures. Covers didnot conform with then current man-agement techniques of golf courses andathletic fields.Over the years, however, it was proven

that covers worked. Still, the challengeof developing covers without side costsand application inconveniences remained.Plus, they had to be versatile- theyhad to work in various climatic conditions,from northern Canada to the southernUnited States.Today's products were developed for

the turf industry through input fromturf specialists and universities, as wellas improved manufacturing technology.The benefits of proper covers are

many. Regardless, of their application,they save money and time in areas suchas:

1. Earlier Openings-Courses closedduring the winter months can be readyup to two or three weeks sooner in thespring. In these applications, covers

protect the greens from wind or ice des-iccation, while reducing the damagecaused by foot traffic during the winter.The cost of spring cleanup is also dras-tically reduced because the covers shieldthe surface from debris while remainingclean themselves. Transparent covers alsocreate a greenhouse effect, which accel-erates root development and protectsthe plant from shock that occurs duringthe spring periods of "freeze-thaw" cycles.This is why they are used in manysouthern regions for frost protection.Winter application protection benefitsinclude increased revenues from earli-er openings, reduced costs in openingpreparation, and reduced risks of turfdestruction posed by vandalism, ani-mals, or abnormal weather conditions.2. New Construction-New sports

fields and golf courses must be con-structed quickly and within budget.Covers accelerate seed germinationwhile reducing seed loss due to rain orwind erosion. The savings of seed "undercover," as opposed to sodding, are sub-stantial. In addition, facilities are ableto open months in advance with excel-lent playing conditions. If proper covers

continued on page 12

Circle 104 on Postage Free Card September, 1992 11

Going Under Coverscontinued from page 11

are purchased for new construction,they can be used for many years forwinter protection or ongoing mainte-nance.3. Ongoing Maintenance-Even

though new construction grows world-wide, it barely keeps up with demand.Play on existing golf courses and athleticfields continually increases. Not onlyare superintendents battling weatherchanges and course conditions, but theymust now control the increased flow ofpeople and the damage they leave behind.Covers are a common, effective tool fora "quick fix." In heavy-use areas, such astee boxes, driving ranges, or center playportions of sports fields, covers areplaced over the repaired areas and with-in days they can be back to playing con-dition.The key to covers is choosing the cor-

rect one for the specific job. All covers willnot work in all applications. For thebest results, look for the following fea-tures:• Covers must be multi-purpose for

new construction, winter protection,and ongoing maintenance.

• Covers must have one-piece con-struction in order to reduce handling.• Covers must be available in a range

of standard sizes to satisfy small areas,such as tee boxes, or larger areas, suchas 10,000-square-foot greens.• Special sizes must be available for

custom fits. Covers that are either too longor too short are not cost-effective.• Covers must be non-absorbent.

Covers that are absorbent become dirtyand heavy, which reduces their perfor-mance as well as increases handlingand storage costs.

• Covers must be light in weight toreduce handling and storage area require-ments.• Covers must allow the proper mix

of air, water, and sunlight penetration.• Covers must be compact for easy

indoor or outdoor storage.• Covers must be able to last five to

10 years with little or no loss in perfor-mance as they age.• Covers must be strong enough to

withstand heavy winds and remain inplace rather, than blowing off the areaof application.• Covers for sports fields, often 20,000

square feet or larger, must be especial-ly lightweight-but strong. (At MileHigh Stadium, for example, only threeEvergreen covers were used to coverthe entire field.)Like mowers, sprayers, and utility vehi-

cles, covers are vital turf managementtools. They save time and money, whileimproving turf quality and expediting newsports field and golf course construc-tion. Covers work-their role contin-ues to increase. 0

Editor's Note: Peter Hinsperger ispresident of Hinsperger Poly Industries,Ltd., based in Ontario, Canada.

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EXPLORING EQUIPMENT.....SETTING UP A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

Next time you are tempted togrumble about what a painit is to track preventative

maintenance, consider what break-downs have already cost your facili-ty.Idle workers by the side of their dis-

abled truck waiting for a tow truckproduced angry customers and over-time to cover the missed work. The costof new equipment was an unpleasantsurprise, especially when you hadhoped the equipment would last twoto three years longer.Many landscape contractors make

the mistake of thinking that theirfleet size and differing types of equip-ment make them too small and uniqueto maintain a preventative mainte-nance (PM) program. They also believethat a good PM program will be toocomplicated and expensive to gen-erate any real savings, given their lim-ited resources.Good, regularly scheduled pre-

ventative maintenance for your vehi-cles and equipment will save youmany times over and it does notneed to be complicated or difficultto administer,

How to BeginThere are many ways to establish

a PM program. Some people use note-books while others use computers.Use a method you know your employ-ees will follow. Computer programshave the added advantage of not tak-ing up filing cabinet space. Also, oncethe program is setup, the computerdoes the calculations for you.In general, a PM program consists

of setting up routine maintenanceschedules, conducting the mainte-nance and tracking equipment per-formance. The following is one way toset up a program .• ScheduleInspection Intervals. EstablishPM intervals for the different typesof equipment you are maintaining.Inspect all equipment and vehicles atcertain fixed intervals. These can betime (days, weeks, months) inter-

vals, hourmeter intervals, and/ormileage intervals.The easiest and most practical

intervals to start with for a beginningPM program are time. Base the inter-vals on an inspection every few weeksor months. Starting with time-basedPM intervals eliminates the need tobe dependant on meter readings,which much of your equipment maynot have. The equipment servicemanual is a good place to refer for rec-ommended service intervals. Themanual will contain the manufac-turer's recommendations for items,such as oil changes, componentreplacements, and adjustments. Ifdifferent intervals are suggested forlight, medium, or severe service,always choose the severe serviceinterval.Some manufacturers may suggest

multi-level intervals that you do nothave the maintenance staff to handle.If this is the case, set PM intervalsthat will maintain clean oil, keepthe warranty in force, and guaranteesafe operation. Ask your mainte-nance personnel to contribute inputas to optimal intervals.Sell your staff on the proactive

approach of preventative mainte-nance rather than reactive approachmaking costly repairs. You can tellthem that PM programs have proventheir cost sayings at every level ofequipment maintenance over a broadspectrum of industries and busi-nesses.

• Inspection Records. After youset PM intervals, the second step isestablishing a PM inspection record.Start this by using a loose-leaf binder,with each page being a PM recordfor a separate piece of equipment.Enter the equipment number anddescription and PM interval at the topof the page and enter the date, PMtype, and meter reading (if applica-ble) as each PM step is completed. Atthe beginning of each week, checkeach page to see which pieces aredue that week.

Alternate methods include using alarge blackboard schedule or a PC-based PM software program. Typically,if your equipment base (licensed vehi-cles, off-road equipment, chain saws,string trimmers, etc.) exceeds 75units, it will be much more time effi-cient to use a computerized program.

• PM Checklists. The third stepis to establish PM checklists to followthe PM for different types of equip-ment. For example, you may have a25-step inspection procedure for apickup truck (change oil and filter,grease chassis, rotate tires, etc.) andonly a six-step inspection for a chainsaw (check oiler operation, replacespark plugs, sharpen chain, etc.).

• Repair History Logs. Thefourth step is to establish a repair his-tory log for each piece of equipment.This can be as simple as recording thedate and a short description of therepair in a loose-leaf binder. For a larg-er equipment base, it will probably bemore time effective to use some typeof computer-based log. This log isyour feedback mechanism to determineif the PMs are being done correctly oralert you to change or to fine tune thechecklist. For example, if you areseeing a large amount of brokenchains in the repair log for your saws,you may want to change the inspec-tion checklist to include, "Inspect forbad links and replace as necessary."A preventative maintenance pro-

gram for your equipment need not bean overwhelming or expensive process.It does take a certain amount of dis-cipline, commitment, and clericaleffort. Its benefits in increased pro-ductivity and decreased expenseswill repay these efforts many timesover. Your equipment will last muchlonger, you will have fewer fieldbreakdowns and major componentfailures, and your operators will besafer and more productive. 0

Technical Credit: ComputerizedFleet Analysis, Inc., Addison, IL.

September, 1992 13

Silt fences and North American Green erosion control blankets were used to control runoff during construction ofMinami Golf Course on Oahu, HI.

Triggered by wateror wind, erosionis the prime mover

of sediment on con-struction sites. New golfcourses and sports fieldsare not exempt fromerosion's forces-theytoo face, and must com-bat, erosion's detri-mental effects.14 sports TURF

Perhaps the worst of these is dis-placed sediment, which can contami-nate watersheds, obstruct natural andmanmade channels, and cause flood-ing. Sediment disturbs natural habi-tats and, left unaddressed, can cut thelife of a reservoir or holding pond inhalf."Whenever you have a new con-

struction project, you're probably goingto be disturbing the ground," says BenNorthcutt, executive director of theInternational Erosion Control Associationbased in Steamboat Springs, CO. ''Whenthat happens, there is strong potentialfor sediment to leave the site."

A site is most susceptible to erosionand the resulting displaced sedimentduring its first season of construction andweather activity, says Northcutt. Thatmakes it imperative to attack poten-tial erosion sooner instead of later.

"It's better to control erosion fromthe beginning than worry about it afterit become a problem," he explains. "If youput it off, not only can you do significantdamage to watersheds and downstreamdrainage, but it will be more expensiveto correct the problem than it wouldhave been if you'd addressed it in the firstplace."

Tools For StabilityBecause no two sites are exactly alike,

there is no single "recipe" for efficient ero-sion control. Stabilizing the banks of astreambed running through one pro-ject, for example, may be quite differentthan stabilizing those of another depend-ing on the degree of slope, soil type,high-water mark, and more. However,site-specific choices for controlling ero-sion hinge on a general understandingof the basic tools of erosion control andtheir applications. These tools include:

Silt Fences. Silt fences act as fil-tering systems for sediment. They are gen-erally made of woven geotextiles, althoughstraw bales are often used for the samepurpose, with varying degrees of success.Attached between two wooden posts,silt fences are typically two to threefeet high. The bottom six inches of thefabrics, Northcutt emphasizes, must beburied for these tools to be effective.Silt fences can be installed anywhere

on a construction site where water is like-ly to exit. However, they are not dams andshould not be used in areas where watervelocity is high. Instead, they should

A site is mostsusceptible to

erosion and theresulting displacedsediment during its

first season ofconstruction andweather activity,says Northcutt.

be seen and used as filters, allowingwater to pass through while holdingsediment behind.

Hydraulic Mulching And Seeding.In hydraulic mulching, wood fiber orrecycled paper products, and water,often combined with a "tackifier ," (nat-ural glue), are mechanically sprayedonto an area for erosion control. Since theapplicator can spray the mix, under thecorrect conditions, to areas hundreds

of feet away from the spraying equipment,hydraulic mulching is ideal for erosioncontrol in inaccessible areas.Hydraulic seeding, as the name

implies, involves spraying seed mixes ontoareas for both erosion control and reveg-etation. Establishing vegetation is vitalin long-term erosion control."Hydraulic mulching and seeding are

probably unsurpassed in applying mulchand seed to slopes," says Northcutt.''These methods are generally most effec-tive on slopes that are 2:1 or less, includ-ing flat ground, although other methodsmay be more cost-effective on flat terrain.Seed mixtures selection varies with

the site and region. Naturally, somemixtures are better suited to some pro-jects than others. Yet there are a few basicpoints to keep in mind regardless of thespecific site you're treating. For exam-ple, a water-loving grass on a south fac-ing slope probably won't last long, muchless provide soil stability."In terms of the seed mix, it's better

to have more than one species involvedbecause you have a better range of

continued on page 16

Circle 107 on Postage Free Card September, 1992 15

Erosion Controlcontinued from page 15

adaptability," Northcutt advises. "That'sparticularly true on large sites, which mayhave their own range of soil and micro-climate conditions."Covers, Blankets, and Mats. From

jute netting to synthetic mats, theseproducts serve as "coverings" for areasat risk to erosion. They are best used andmost cost-effective, says Northcutt, onsteep slopes 3:1 or greater or areas withrelatively low velocities of "channel-ized" flowing water. Natural blankets areoften constructed of jute, coconut, orstraw fibers, or even recycled paperproducts. Synthetic mats can be made ofvarious plastics or geotextiles. Both nat-ural and synthetic products have theirstrong points."In the correct application, both work

very well," says Northcutt. "Which youchoose may depend on your budget, aswell as your feelings on what shouldgo into the ground. Synthetic productslast longer than natural products, but theyalso cost more. Natural can do the jobsas well as synthetic products and are

biodegradable, but they don't last aslong."

Realistic ApproachesBecoming familiar with the various

products and their applications, work-ing with hydrologic engineers and ero-sion control specialists, and hands-on expe-

"Synthetic productslast longer than naturalproducts, but they also

cost more. Naturalproducts do the jobs

as well and arebiodegradable, but they

don't last as long."

rience are all vital to understandingand implementing erosion control. Still,no matter how thorough the controlplan and its implementation, a certainamount of sediment will always escapefrom a construction, says Northcutt. To

expect to retain all sediment to remainon the site is unrealistic. The idea is tominimize it and, in doing so, minimizeenvironmental impact.''You're not going to be able to control

all the sediment, but you can control itto the point where our natural systemscan handle it. There are environmentaland economic impacts to not control-ling it, whether that means spending taxdollars to clean water, dredge a reservoir,or even return soil to its original site."Sediment is the number one pollutant

of our waterways now, and some of thatcomes directly from construction siteerosion, whether the site is a futureshopping mall or sportsfield complex," heconcludes. "We must be aware of theeffects of uncontrolled erosion on thesites themselves, as well as surroundingwildlife." 0

Editor's note: The International ErosionControl Association's Conference willbe held February 23-26, 1993, inIndiananpolis, IN. For more informationcontact Ben Northcutt at the IECA office,(303) 879-3010.

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We have the most experienced applicators with no less than 6year~ and as much as 21years experience in the application of seeds,erosion and dust control matenals.

When Experience, Knowledge, and Performance Counts, CountOn Us. Many quality contractors have for the last 21 years.

Call or Fax us your next bid.We will promptly give you a competitive quote.

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Circle 109 on Postage Free Card

WORLD CUP GRASS FIELD TESTS SUCCESSFUL IN SILVERDOMEThe initial phase of fine tuning the

grass that will become the playingfield for the games of the 1994 WorldCup at the Pontiac Silverdome inPontiac, MI, is complete. The success-ful seven-week trial ended August 3. TheSilverdome games will be the firstindoor matches in the history of theWorld Cup-the largest single sportingevent in the world.Scientists from Michigan State

University conducted several experi-ments in the Silverdome over the seven-week period. Various types of grasswere tested under conditions, rang-ing from daily Silverdome conditionswithout light enhancement, to sub-stantiallight enhancement. Althoughthe turf will need to be maintainedfor only four weeks in 1994, the addi-tional time used allowed the MSUexperts to further their experimentalprocess. In addition, research was con-ducted involving several types of growthregulators that may be used with thefinal product."The initial Silverdome testing was

conducted in conditions worse than

will be present for the games in 1994,"says Dr. John Rogers, assistant pro-fessor, crop and soil science, MSU.''We are very confident with the results.Failure is the most successful portionof any research. We intended to havegrass fail in the Silverdome. Provisionaluse of special lighting was interruptedfor one week during the recent Guns andRoses rock concert at the Silverdome.There is no question that grass willstand the test of play. We will nowmove our experiments to a new facili-ty at MSU and continue to work withmany combinations of grass, soil, andlighting to ensure that the final prod-uct is world class."In addition to the MSU soil experts,

Phil Szostak, vice president and direc-tor of sports facility architecture, NBBJNorth Carolina, Inc., has been retainedby World Cup USA 1994, Inc., to assistin the overall grass process."The initial phase of turf experi-

ments conducted within the Silverdomewas successful," says Szostak. "We setout to subject various types of turfand soil combinations to various con-

ditions with and without the supple-mental lighting that will be used in1994. The test grass was in the stadiumfor seven weeks as opposed to thefour weeks necessary in 1994."We will continue to test a wide

range of turf and soil combinations atMichigan State in the future. Thegrass products that have been testedin the Silverdome represent phaseone of the final product."In addition to four first round World

Cup 1994 games, the Silverdomeexpects to host at least one match ofthe 1994 U.S. Cup in which the U.S.World Cup team will face.major inter-national competition. The U.S. Cupgarnets) will be played on grass inthe Silverdome and serve as a dressrehearsal for the 1994 World Cupgames."The MSU and NBBJ experts assure

us that the only question regarding thegrass is what type of soil, turf, andlighting combination will ultimatelybe placed inside the Silverdome," saysRoger Faulkner, Detroit host com-mittee president.

Circle 110 on Postage Free Card September, 1992 17

The ideal container for limited water seed priming is the samepoly bag in which most seed comes.Photos courtesy Jacklin Seed.

Visualize the following experi-ment. It's an experiment I'verepeated numerous times over

the past eight years, most recently in afield near Lewiston, ID.It's springtime,the weather is good, and the soil is a bittoo cool to plant yet. In spite of the tem-perature, the east side of the field isbeing seeded with Classic Kentuckybluegrass. On the west side, primedClassic seed is sown.

18 sports TURF

Under cool soil tempera-tures, bluegrass seed is slowto germinate and usuallyprocrastinates until warmerconditions arrive. But thistime, things are different.After only 10 days, a greenfuzz can be seen on the western, primedhalf of the field. It looks as though all theseed in the field was choreographed togerminate on the same day. At 20 days

Seven-day growth demonstration of primed andunprimed Glade Kentucky bluegrass.

after planting, the primed seedlings arean inch tall. On the untreated half of thefield, seedlings can be seen just startingto break ground.

Seed priming can make a noticeabledifference in seed establishment rate.Priming enables seed to germinate inabout half the time normally required.Seed priming is a pre-plant seed

treatment that gets seed ready to groweven before it hits the ground. It's aprocess that involves partially wettingthe seed, allowing it to progress throughseveral steps of seed germination, andthen drying it back for planting. Primingtakes seed past the innate dormancymechanisms that prevent or slow itfrom germinating under less-than-opti-mal conditions.Seed priming is not the same as

pregermination. Pregermination is aprocess of germinating seed in a tank ofwater before sowing. After pregermi-nation, roots have already broken the seedcoat and an occasional leaf blade may beseen. Pregerminated seed must be plant-ed immediately after treatment or the seed(now seedlings) withers and dies.There is a subtle but important dif-

ference between pre germination andpriming. In seed priming, the quantityof water fed to the seed during treatmentis limited. Because the seed does nothave enough water to fully germinate, theroot and shoot do not emerge. But thereis enough water to get the seed startedthrough the initial physiological steps ofgermination.Another important difference is that

primed seed can be dried back and evenstored. Because it can be dried, it iseasier to plant through conventionalspreaders.

Do-It-Yourself PrimingNumerous techniques have been

devised for priming seed. Some involvewater baths with special chemicals, oth-ers combine seed with a moist clay.Most are tricky for the do-it-yourselfer.All priming methods are alike in one

basic concept: seed is fed a limited quan-tity of water. Priming methods differin how the water quantity is limited.Two years ago, while experimenting

with tedious water baths, an idea cameto me: Why not just mix a limited quan-tity of water with a given quantity of seed?It worked. I call this process the "limit-ed water priming" method.The limited water method adheres to

the same basic premise of priming as dothe other, more complex methods, but it'smuch easier to perform, especially on asmall lot basis. The technique can be usedwith virtually any quantity of seed. But

for simplifying the following explanationof how to do it yourself, I'll assume thatyou're going to prime a 50-pound bag ofKentucky bluegrass seed.We found that the best container for

priming seed is the same poly bag thatmost seed comes in. The woven polyallows air 'and light to penetrate thebag-two elements essential to goodpriming.

Dry the seed by

The first step in do-it-yourself prim-ing is to wet the seed. As a suggestion,dump the seeds into a wheel barrow. Addfive gallons of water and stir. A pinch ofwetting agent (the non-ionic kind usedwith ag chemical spraying) helps to wetthe seed faster. After the water isabsorbed, shovel it back into the poly bag.It should remain in the bag at roomtemperature for five days.Each day, you'll notice that some

water oozes out of the bottom of thebag. Replace the water as it escapes bypouring it into the top of the bag.Although it's not absolutely essential,

an air delivery system will help supplyoxygen to the priming seed. It will alsohelp cool the seed as it primes. All damporganic materials self-heat by spontaneouscombustion. You've probably noticedthis phenomenon with grass clippings.Clippings left in a pile for several dayswill become hot and black in the center.The same kind of thing happens withdamp, priming grass seed. To cool and

ventilate the seed, we've used an airhose, stuck into the middle of the bag. Thehose can either be hooked up to your shopair compressor or a small squirrel-cagefan. Very little air quantity is actuallyneeded to keep the seed cool. Too muchair will dry the seed prematurely.After priming, the seed is ready for dry-

ing. If you're going to plant the seedvia a hydroseeder, no drying is needed.Traditional spinner and drop-type spread-ers require reasonably dry seed beforethey'll flow,Dry the seed by spreading it on a

clean surface, preferably on a sunnyday. Turn the seed with a shovel as thetop dries. You'll need to dry it all with-in one day or the seed may begin tosprout. Once the seed is dry enough toflow through a spreader, it's ready to use.Unlike pregerminated seed that has

a minimal shelf life, primed seed-ifproperly dried-can be stored in a cool,dry place for up to two months withoutmajor loss of potency.Each species that you prime will

require a different length of primingperiod. Kentucky bluegrass requiresfive days of priming, for example, whileperennial ryegrass gets by with justtwo. Dr. Akers, the lettuce primingresearcher had a good rule of thumbfor determining when to stop priming anddry the seed. On the day you start prim-ing' also start some seeds of the same lotin a germination test. Place a pinch ofseeds on a wet paper towel inside asealed glass jar. As soon as you see thefirst seeds start to germinate in the jar,immediately cease priming.

Not A PanaceaThe Lewiston, ID field described is a

good example of how dramatic seedpriming can be. It's also a good exampleof the limitations of priming.At 10 and 20 days after planting, the

effects of priming were clear. Seedlingson the primed, west side of the fieldemerged in about half the time at theuntreated side.At six weeks, the story was different.

The primed half was now about threeinches tall and quite thick. But so wasthe untreated half. Even with closeinspection, it was nearly impossible totell the two halves apart.Nature is a great equalizer. Priming

may give seed a five or 10 day jump inemerging. But all seeds-treated ornot-seem to grow equally well after

continued on page 20

September, 1992 19

Limited Water Seed Primingcontinued from page 19

emergence. The priming advantagerapidly dissipates.So, why use primed seed at all?Priming is not suited to every turf

establishment situation. It is useful inthree specific cases:

1. Where you need to get a standestablished as rapidly as possible-per-haps on an athletic field in advance of thenext game.2.Where you're sowing into soil too cool

for germination. Priming tends to over-ride the temperature sensors in seed; itgerminates "no matter what."3. Where you're sowing a mixture of

a slower establishing grass with a fasterestablishing one. Kentucky bluegrass-perennial ryegrass mixtures have beenshown to benefit when the bluegrass isprimed. Priming equalizes the germi-nation rate of the two species, allowingcreation of a more balanced mixture inthe mature stand. 0

Editors Note : Dr. Doug Brede is aresearch director for Jacklin SeedCompany, Post Falls, [D.

EXTERIOR DRAINAGE

3001 Mission Oaks Blvd. Camarillo, CA 93012 805-389-6700800-726-1994

2d sports TURF Circle 111 on Postage Free Card