IN WET WEATHER, Pene-Turfmakes soil more permeable, aiding

drainage and reducing runoff.

IN DRY WEATHER, Pene-Turfmeans better availability of capillarywater to keep grass from drying out.

Wet or DryPene-Turf Solves Soil Water· Problems

For total soil maintenance, you can't beat Pene-Turf Soil Treatment.Extensive university and independent tests prove Pene-Turf makes soilmore permeable and less plastic. That means reduced erosion problems... better drainage in wet weather and better moisture availability in dryweather ...and better pesticide and herbicide incorporation.

Pene-Turf ...a cost-effective, basic part of any good management program.For more information, see your Pene-Turf representative today!

FOUR STAR:,AGRICULTURALSERVICES, INC.

2275-N StateRoad 1, P.O. Box 463, Bluffton, Indiana 467141-800-348-2608

This product is available as Perk Soil Treatment in thefollowing states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, 10, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA

Circle 123 on Reader Service Card

TURFGRASS STUDENTS ATTEND JACOBSEN SEMINAR

The students received tips on engine maintenance and repair from factory personnel dur-ing the week-long seminar.

Thirty-eight turf management students,selected from colleges and universitiesacross the country, were treated to a five-day seminar by the Jacobsen Division ofTextron at its plant in Racine, WI, recent-ly. The company has sponsored the Col-

lege Student Turf Seminar for the past 19years.

During the seminar, the students attendedworkshops on engine and machine main-tenance, budgeting, sports turf managementand personnel scheduling. A panel discus-

sion with area park superintendents, golfcourse superintendents and STMA execu-tive director Dr. Kent Kurtz gave the stu-dents an opportunity to ask questions abouttheir future careers.

The students gained hands-on experiencein equipment operation and maintenanceand toured the Jacobsen plant to see ademonstration of the company's computer-aided design system. "Equipment and laborare the two biggest responsibilities turfmanagers have when they graduate," saidJacobsen vice president Ned Brinkman. "Fornearly 20 years, we have selected the bestturf management students in the countryto give them a head start in these areas."

NATIONAL GOLFFOUNDATION ASSISTSCOURSE BUILDING

The National Golf Foundation's new GolfFacts program will provide potential buy-ers and developers of golf courses withdetailed information they need for planningand financing. "Course developers and buy-ers now have a place to go for initial datafor their feasibility studies," says Joe Be-ditz, NGF vice president of research in NorthPalm Beach, FL.

For a fee, NGF will provide reports cus-tomized for specific regions of the country

32 sportsTURF Circle 119 on Reader Service Card Circle 120 on Reader Service Card

and types of golf facilities. These reportswill include population and demographicbreakdowns for the targeted area, the ra-tio of public and private golf facilities to thepopulation of the area, and estimates of thenumber of rounds played there and a listof existing golf facilities in the market. Eachreport will cost $500 for NGF members and$700 for nonmembers.

"Golf Facts represents a considerable in-vestment by NGF to provide the informa-tion necessary to aid the development ofnew courses where they are needed," statesDavid Hueber, NGF president. The foun-dation's reports currently indicate a signifi-cant increase in the number of golf coursesplanned or under construction in the U.S.

The NGF was organized in 1936 to pro-vide information necessary for the growthand development of golf. Its membershipconsists of thousands of golf courses, ar-chitects, builders, commercial suppliers andother golf associations. Developers interest-ed in the Golf Facts program or member-ship can contact NGF, 200 CastlewoodDrive, North Palm Beach, FL 33408.

STMA OFFERSSCHOLARSHIPS, OBTAINSFINANCIAL ADVICE

During the Midwest Sports Turf Institutein June the officers and directors of the

Sports Turf Managers' Association (STMA)voted to offer two scholarships for collegestudents pursuing careers in sports turfmanagement.

"We want to encourage college studentsto take classes which will prepare them formanaging athletic turf in the future," saidSteve Wightman, STMA president. "We alsohope the scholarships will be the first steptoward developing a college curriculum spe-cifically for athletic field managers, muchlike program that exist now for students whowant to be golf course superintendents."Students interested in applying for thescholarships should contact Dr. Kent Kurtz,STMA, 1458 N. Euclid, Ontario, CA 91764.

The board also voted during the meet-ing to hire a financial consultant to advisethe organization on dues, fund raising andhiring paid staff. STMA was incorporatedin 1985 as a non-profit organization. "Weare trying to do the things that will put STMAon a course for the future," said Wightman."The potential for this organization is so greatwe don't want to get in over our heads inthe beginning. With more than 400 mem-bers, we are reaching the point where volun-teers can no longer provide the servicesneeded by our members."

The decision was made by the board tohold its annual meeting in conjunction withthe Golf Course Superintendents Associ-ation of America this coming January inPhoenix, AZ. STMA will also continue to

sponsor the Sports Turf Institutes in Ontario,CA, and the new institute in Glen Ellyn, IL.An eastern institute is being studied for 1987.

NOR-AM DONATES $1,500TO SPORTS TURFCOUNCIL

The National Sports Turf Council (NSTC),a non-profit group dedicated to collecting,organizing and distributing important facts .about management of sports fields, hasreceived a $1,500 donation from Nor-AmChemical Company. Dr. Fred Grau, presi-dent of NSTC, said the money will be usedto develop a fund-raising brochure.

NSTC wants to raise $100,000 to fund I

its information service and key research at !

universities across the U.S. It is exploringa cooperative agreement with the Turf I

Research Center, a part of the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture, located in Belts-ville, MD. NSTC is considering hiring an ex-ecutive director in the near future to beginfund raising and distribution of current ath-letic field construction and maintenanceguidelines.

"Our main goal," says Grau, "is safer fieldsfor all sports in this country. We want to helpthose who need help most, those who takecare of fields at parks and schools. Gifts,like Nor-Am's, make this possible."

Lely has manufacturedthe most accepted TurfBroadcaster for manyyears. Lely now offers themost ideal FairwayThatching Implement onthe market.

LELY THATCHER

Model 450 & 600

Specifications2-Models20' Thatcher10' Thatcher7' Transport-20'10' Transport-10'5 Position Tine Adj.

Up to 12 MPHWorking speed

3 pt. HitchHydraulic Lift-20'

Features• Thatching grass• Stands Grass up for better mowing• Knocks down mounds of dirt• Improves Fertilizer Penetration• Ideal over seed after thatching• 7' Transport on 20' Model (hydraulic)• Removes Weeds• Working speed up to 12 mph• 5 position tine adjustment• 3 pt. hitch

LELY PACIFIC, INC.P.O. BOX 961

ALBANY, OREGON 97321(503) 926-7753

Circle 125 on Reader Service Card July/August 1986 33

Surfactants --Practical ToolFor T rf

Uniformity

Race track grounds crew applies a surfactant to infield to eliminate dry spots and to obtainuniform turf appearance.34 sportsTURF

Managing large turf areas character-istic in sports is considerably differ-ent than managing other types of turf,

The primary goal is to establish and main-tain a dense, uniform stand of turfgrass toprovide optimum footing, reliable bounceand cushion for falling athletes. Any gapin the uniformity of the surface not onlyreduces the competitiveness of the sportbut can result in serious injuries to players.

One of the biggest obstacles to achiev-ing uniformity of turf is a lack of uniformityin soil conditions across an entire field orplaying surface. Sports turf managers em-ploy a variety of methods to eliminate in-consistencies in soil conditions on playingfields. One particular method being utilizedmore today than in the past is the periodicapplication of chemicals called surfactants.These chemicals, when used in conjunc-tion with other methods of soil maintenance,can improve drainage, reduce compactionand increase irrigation efficiency.

The most reliable method of assuring con-sistent soil conditions across an entire play-ing area is to construct a field to precisespecifications. Such specifications aredesigned to provide uniform drainage, soiltexture and irrigation. Qualified athletic fieldcontractors go to great lengths to test andmix soil components before they are spreadand graded on the field. Sands must be ofa certain particle size and soils must con-tain the right fractions of sand, silt and clay.Any unreasonable departures from specifi-cations are cause for rejection.

Since reconstruction is an expensiveproposition, a number of methods to improvesoil conditions without disrupting existingturf have been developed. One of the mostpractical and effective of these is aerifyingor coring. In this process hollow tines or solidtines are driven into the soil to open up chan-nels for air, water and chemicals such asfertilizers and insecticides to enter.

Topdressing with sand or organic mat-ter is sometimes combined with aerificationto help level out areas, cushion soil fromthe weight of foot traffic and to provide auniform growing medium on the surface.Topdressings will fill in holes left by aerifi-ers to provide a very limited form of soilmod ification.

Vertical mowers and thatch rakes areother devices used to make sports turf sur-faces more uniform. They remove exces-sive thatch which may be impeding waterand chemicals from entering the soil. Ver-tical mowers can also open up the surfacesoil for overseeding or break down bumpsto make the surface smoother.

Despite efforts to make all soil equal, ir-regularities in turf density and health stilldevelop. One of the most obvious is local-ized dry spots. Water is simply not absorbedas rapidly in these areas as in surround-ing turf areas. Surfactants are gainingpopularity today as a solution to localizeddry spots.

continued on page 36

Surfactantscontinued from page 34

Dr. Martin Petrovic of Cornell Universityhas studied the effects of surfactants on turffor more than ten years. He says localizeddry spots that were once considered aproblem just on golf courses, are now agrowing concern on other turf areas.

Petrovic points out that localized dry spotsare caused by a fungus. This fungusproduces a wax-like material which coatsthatch and soil particles. The wax seals thesoil surface in the area preventing moisturefrom entering the soil. In a short time, theturf goes into water stress. Tests have shownsurfactants can get the water through theseareas and help the turf recover.

The way to distinguish localized dry spotsfrom chemical burn or buried debris underthe surface is to take a soil sample in theaffected area. Petrovic says if the soil is con-siderably drier than a sample taken froma nearby healthy area, the problem is local-ized dry spot.

Surfactants are not soil conditioners, theyare water conditioners. The word surfac-tant is derived from the words "surface ac-tive." They effectively reduce the force thatholds water droplets together so dropletsbecome smaller. Smaller droplets can thenfit between a wider range of soil particles.Once water is more "surface active," it willpenetrate soils and soil layers that previ-ously would not accept it.

Surfactants have many practical benefits

for the sports turf manager. They helpreduce soil compaction, one of the biggestenemies in sports turf, by preventing water-soaked surface soil. Wet soil packs downmore easily under the weight of a playeror piece of maintenance equipment. For thisreason, some sports turf managers applysurfactants to compaction-prone areas, suchas bench areas on football fields, turf ad-jacent to golf cart paths, and goal boxeson soccer fields. If water drains quickly inthese areas and the soil does not stay wet,compaction can be greatly reduced.

Compacted soils lack sufficient pore spacebetween soil particles for the air and waterturf requires. Dr. William Daniel, professoremeritus of Purdue University, says an ideal,well-textured clay/loam soil should containby volume 25 percent air and 25 percentwater. The remaining half is soil solids andorganic matter.

Daniel, who invented and is continuouslyadapting the Prescription Athletic Turf (PAT)system, is a proponent of sand for athleticfield and golf green rootzones. Since sandof the size range suggested by Daniel drainsrapidly and does not store as much waterin its pore spaces as clay or loam, closerattention must be paid to fields construct-ed with sand. Sand resists compaction andcontains a great deal of air.

But the vast majority of fields today werebuilt with local topsoils. When these soilsbecome compacted, it becomes harder forwater to infiltrate the surface and drain

through.Daniel's research has shown that com-

paction reduces the amount of water drain-ing into a clay/loam soil from 1.5 inches perhour to less than half an inch per hour. Asthe infiltration rate drops, the percentageof runoff increases to more than 75 percentof water applied to the surface. In otherwords, compacted athletic fields reject threefourths of the irrigation water and rainfallapplied to them.

Although compacted soils reduce infiltra-tion, they also hold water more tightly saysDr. Herbert Dostal, vice president of researchfor Four Star Agricultural Services. Com-pacted soils do not drain as well and staywet longer than well-textured soils. Dostalalso points out that well-drained and aer-ated soil serves as a more favorable environ-ment for beneficial soil flora and fauna andreduces the potential of severe soil-bornediseases.

Robert Moore, president of Aquatrols Cor-poration of America, says tests have shownuntreated soils take six times longer to drainthan soils treated with surfactants. To avoidcompacting wet soils, Moore says traffic frommowing or play should be avoided on un-treated fields for six hours or longer aftera heavy rain or irrigation. This is the timeit takes for the soil to drain off excess water.Traffic could be resumed on the same fieldtreated with surfactant in about an hour, ac-cording to Moore.

continued on page 38

36 Circle 117 on Reader Service Card

CONTROL THE CONTROLLER'Up TO A MILE AWAI

CUT TIME AND COSTS OF INSTALLATIONAND MAINTENANCE.

The RainMaster Remote Control lets you find irrigationproblems immediately: without wasting time running tothe controller - back to the field - and back to the con-troller again. Now, with The Remote coded FM transmit-ter, one serviceman alone can operate the controller,station-by-station, using random access or forward orreverse sequencing. Fingertip control saves hours onwalkthrough inspections.

The Remote is compatible with all other makes of solidstate or electro-mechanical controllers. The receiver unitplugs into the built-in jack on all RainMaster controllers.

For a demonstration of how much time The Remote cansave you, contact RainMaster. We've spent a lot of timefiguring out how to save you a lot of time.

One person troubleshoots the systemon the spot.

Works with all controllers:RainMaster or othermanufacturers' units.

4565-8D Industrial St., Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 527-4498 RAINMAsTERT---------------------'Circle 280nReaderServIceCardr·-----------~----~

DURSBAN*Win the war against chinch bugs,

sod webworms, billbugs and other in-sect enemies that invade your turf. Leba-

non has the ammunition you need-two insect controlformulations containing DURSBAN Insecticide.

Greenskeeper Insect and Grub Controland Country Club 19-4-6

with DURSBANDURSBAN sets its sight on harmful insects for ef-

fective surface and soil control, but it won't harm birds,pets or other lawn allies. It also doesn't build up toxiclevels in the soil and is the only insecticide with pub-lished human toxicity data.

Lebanon's full-weight, high-density products con-taining DURSBAN are easy to apply with any spreader-one application gives you the weaponry you need.

Enlist the Total Turf TroopsOf course, DURSBAN is backed up by Lebanon

Total Turf Care and its complete network of sales rep-resentatives, distributors and service professionals.Lebanon is a major distributor for The Dow ChemicalCompany. And because we're 'Partners with Dow',additional DURSBAN formulationsare available.

For more information onDURSBAN, or our full line of fertiliz-ers, SCU blends, combination prod-ucts and straight chemical products,call our Greenline today at 1-800-233-0628; in Pennsylvania, call 717-273-1687. And start winning the bat-tle against insects and other turfenemies . . . from the ground up.

A division of Lebanon Chemical CorporationP.O. Box 180 • Lebanon, PA 17042

BETTER TURF CARE FROM THE GROUND UP.*DURSBAN is a registered trademark of The Dow Chemical Company.

38 sportsTURF Circle 115 on Reader Service Card

Surfactantscontinued from page 36

Healthy turfgrass is often the result of deep roots. Surfactantsenable water and water soluble nutrients and chemicals to leachdeeper into the rootzone. Often distinctly different layers of soilbelow the surface prevent deeper penetration of water andnutrients. Water reaches these layers and stops. Surfactants allowthe water to pass through these layers. Roots will then grow deeperto reach and utilize this moisture. Roots that were once merelytwo or three inches long can extend more than 18 inches intothe soil to reach water and nutrients.

As the importance of irrigation is realized by a rapidly grow-ing number of athletic field managers, so is the importance ofsurfactants. They have discovered, like golf course superinten-dents, that natural rainfall is too unpredictable to maintain acresof important turf to the standards required by most sports.

Managers of all sports facilities share a concern for using waterefficiently. Irrigation systems, intended to place water only whereit is needed, have often been misused to waste water. Exces-sive irrigation not only wastes water, but contributes to compactionproblems. Surfactants help cut water waste by getting appliedwater into the soil.

Turf managers who gauge how much water to apply to a largearea by the appearance of localized dry spots will waste thou-sands of gallons of water and cause damp conditions favorableto turf diseases. By treating the dry spots separately or by in-jecting surfactants into the irrigation system, vast amounts ofwater can be saved.

Of course, surfactants won't help if the irrigation system is poorlydesigned and maintained. Poor irrigation patterns must be cor-rected first. Once an irrigation system is performing well, sur-factants injected into the system can cut water usage by a third,says Moore. He attributes the savings to rapid infiltration, lessrunoff and less chance of loss to evaporation.

Surfactants can also be applied in granular form to the sur-face. These materials must be watered in to become effective.Both injected and granular materials improve water flow in thesoil for up to 30 days. It's important to reapply the materials ac-cording to a schedule to maintain the benefits. Since surfactantschange the water, not the soil, once they are depleted the soilis as flawed as it was when you started.

Both compaction and excessive irrigation are primary factorsin the invasion of Poa annua on fairways and athletic fields. Theseconditions favor annual bluegrass over bentgrass or Kentuckybluegrass. Surfactants can be used to improve drainage in theseareas and discourage Poa annua from invading.

When used in combination with other practices, such as light-weight mowing, clipping removal, aerification and reduced irri-gation, surfactants can play an important role in stopping thespread of Poa annua.

One surfactant, AquaGrow, has been shown to reduce the num-ber of seedheads on stands of annual bluegrass. The weed'sshort, white seed heads spoil the appearance and uniformity ofdesired turf in the summer. They are also the primary methodthe weed uses to spread. By greatly reducing the seeds producedby Poa annua and correcting soil moisture conditions, the desiredturfgrass will overtake the invader in two or three seasons.

Another contributing role played by surfactants is helping in-secticides and preemergence herbicides get into soils where theymust be to work. Some insecticides have a difficult time gettingthrough heavy thatch layers. If they become bound to the thatch,when they are needed for insects feeding below the surface,they are wasted.

Thorough distribution of preemergence herbicides in the root-zone is very important for their effectiveness. These productsprevent weed seeds in the soil from germinating. If dry spotsreject the herbicide solution, control will not be provided.

Some formulations of herbicides and insecticides may alreadycontain surfactants. Read the labels on your particular pesticidesand check with your chemical suppliers before mixing them withsurfactants. Furthermore, surfactants do differ. Use those mar-keted specifically for turf. e&

CITATION II • BIRDIE II • MANHATTAN IIFERRY-MORSE GOLD TAG BRANDCOVERS THE 1986 ROSE BOWL

The RoseBowl at Pasadena, CA,January 1, 1986

New generation perennialryegrasses provide 'nearperfect' playing surface. . . prove older ryegrassvarieties to be passePA';ADENA,CA- When the field turfmanagement team for the Rose Bowlspecified the perennial ryegrass blend to

The field still looked terrific the day afterthe game

overseed the 1986Classic, they choseFerry-Morse Gold Tag Brand, a blend ofCitation II,Birdie II and Manhattan IIryegrasses produced by Turf-Seed, Inc.To meet demanding time and

performance constraints, they opted touse this blend of genetically improvedryegrasses based on performance inprior testing against other varieties andcombinations. Gold Tag Blend germi-nated and established quickly,producinga dark green, durable playing surfacethat enhanced the playing fieldgraphics and the proud heritage of theRose Bowl itself.Based on comments and accolades

bestowed in 1986,the turf managementteam anticipates the use of geneticallyimproved ryegrasses like Citation II,Birdie II and Manhattan II, and Gold TagBlend in the future.And it looks like a very bright future,

indeed.Circle 130 on Reader Service Card

Citation II, Birdie II and Manhattan II are products of

.~~I",PO Box 250, Hubbard, OR 97032503/981·9571 TWX 510 590 0957

Gold Tag Brand is a product of

Ferry-Morse Seed Co.PO Box 4938, Modesto, CA 97352In California, 1-800-572-SEED2091 579-SEED2120 Via Burton, Anaheim, CA 928067141 774-5460600 Stephen Beale Dr., Fulton, KY420411-800-626-3392 5021 472-3400

1. Rolling back sod where TerraFlow lines will run. 2. Cutting 2" wide trench. 3. Laying TerraFlow lines in 12" deep trench. 4,5. Joining TerraFlow lines using only a utility knifeand duct tape. 6. Fully installed TerraFlow System. Workers backfill with site soil, puddle with sand. 7. Replacing sod. 8. Completed TerraFlow System. Installation time: about100 ft. per hour. 9. Green was back in play in 2 hours /Nith TerraFlow. (Photos by Greg Fast, Turf Irrigation Supply, Englewood, Colorado.)

Mlarren's®Fur# Pro#essionals jUS't eu't 'tileeos't 0# your nex't drainage sys'telll by 60%•

. . . a totally new concept in more efficient drainage systems that gives you up to30 times more drainage per linear foot than perforated drainpipe ... and goes

in 3 times faster, without large crews, backhoes, gravel trucks or costly re-Iandscaping.

Because 95% of new TerraFlow System's surface areais available for water entry, it absorbs water into itswaffle-like core without the need for extensive, costlygravel surrounding it.Result a completely self-contained, modern drainagesystem that can be installed in a fraction of the time andcost of conventional systems ... and with a minimum ofsurface disruption or inconvenience.

TerraFJow measures 1V2" across and comes in 85 footlong rolls in 6", 12", 18",24" and 42" depths. TerraFlowDrainage System design aids are now available forapplications including: golf greens, tees and fairways... athletic fields and general turf areas ... retainingwalls ... roof gardens and planters ... roadway edges ...foundations ... pavements ... bridge abutments ... andmany more.

TerraFlow is now available anywhere in the U.S. Call us for the name of the stocking dealer nearest you.Call1·800·828·TURF (8873) In California call: 1·800·828·8882.

"It always costs less to put in the best."

lVarren's®TURF PROFESSIONALS

Corporate Offices: Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014For specific product information contact Warren's Seed & Special Products Division, P.O. Box 459, Suisun City, CA 94585.7557

Circle 113 on Reader Service Card