Protect Your Turf from Summer Stress with the Holiday Spray Program

During summer, stressors like heat, humidity, traffic, aeration, and disease pressure are tough on turf. This easy spray program will keep your turf healthy and resilient. Before major summer holidays, apply Intrinsic® brand fungicide to fortify your cool-season fairways, greens, and tees from heavy disease pressure.

Intrinsic brand fungicides also boost your turf’s ability to deal with stress. So if you’re concerned about summer stressors, follow this program. Your turf will be championship-ready all summer.

Holiday Spray program for cool-season greens:

BASF suggests that you treat your greens with Lexicon® Intrinsic brand fungicide before major summer holidays. This will provide your turf with an optimal plant health foundation. Lexicon Intrinsic brand fungicide provides resilient, healthy greens by controlling 27 turfgrass diseases.

Holiday Spray program for cool-season fairways, tees, and surrounds:

Before major summer holidays, apply Honor® Intrinsic brand fungicide or Insignia® Intrinsic brand fungicide to fairways, tees, and surrounds. Honor Intrinsic brand fungicide supplies excellent preventive control of dollar spot and summer patch. It also provides 28 days of turf-boosting plant health. Insignia SC Intrinsic brand fungicide is the industry standard for plant health and disease control.

Grub Identification and Control Options

Several grub species impact the roots or stems of cool season grasses within the Midwest. Turf managers must be aware of the symptoms and damage that each species can cause due to the impact to turf quality on golf courses, home lawns, and sports fields the grubs can have. The most common grub larvae that continue to impact turfgrass roots are both the Japanese Beetle and S. Masked Chaffer. 

Both adult beetles are distinguished by their color as well as their flight patterns. SMC typically fly at night, are attracted to light and can be observed on driveways or sidewalks. The Japanese Beetle, on the other hand, flies during the day and can be observed feeding on flowers and leaves. Once mating has occurred, eggs are deposited into the turf. Within one month, grub larvae emerge and begin to chew on grass roots below the soil surface.

Another grub species that is one of the misdiagnosed is the bluegrass billbug. This beetle has an easily identifiable feature, its elongated snout. Females use it to lay an egg in the stem of the plant. The tiny larvae feed inside the stem, which causes the turf to appear wilted. To see if bluegrass billbugs are present, employee the “tug test.” Pull upward on the affected turf stems and see if you see a “legless” grub at the base of the plant. Sometimes weakened or dead plants can be associated with the early stages of damage.  

The black turfgrass ataenius or BTA is the tiny grub that exclusively impacts golf course turf consisting of bentgrass and/or annual bluegrass. These small beetles can overwinter in plant debris or near woods and emerge the following spring where they can produce 1-2 generations of grub larvae. BTA beetles and their damage can occur during the same time as other grub beetle complexes.

Choosing the correct insecticide for controlling various grub complexes begins with proper timing and selection of granular or sprayable applications. Almost every turf manager selects a preventative approach using new class chemistries (CNI – Merit Mallet or Arena or Chlorantraniliprole – Acelerpryn) for only one application per season. Product applied to the turf will control for various larvae instars before damage occurs. Watering in is recommended to move active ingredient into the soil and reduce any photodegradation. Applications can begin during the month of May or early June to optimize control.  

Should a curative treatment need to be used in the late summer/fall, Dylox® granular, from Bayer®, is the best choice for controlling both small and large instars. Dylox needs to be irrigated to be effective and only lasts for less than a couple of weeks.  

The #1 question about the grub forecast for 2017? Will we have higher populations of grubs this year? Yes, I believe we will have higher populations due to the higher precipitation from last summer.  

John Turner

Sales Account Manager, Advanced Turf Solutions

Coal City School District Testimonial

"Healthy Grow 10-3-2 fertilizer provides the results I need when I need them. The fact that it is organic makes it the perfect fertilizer for my applications." 

                                                                                       -Matt Cook, Coal City School District

How to Properly Sustain Pressure on Your Z-Spray

Learn how to maintain proper pressure in the spray system of the Z-Spray zero turn sprayer/spreader.

8 New Standard Golf Company Products

Standard Golf Company, the world's largest continually-operated manufacturer and marketer of golf course accessories, is proud to announce eight exciting new products coming to the market. 

Click here to learn more

Quickly Establishing A Newly Seeded Area In The Spring

You may be eager to establish turf in an area you are renovating and asking yourself, "How do I quickly establish a newly seeded area in the spring?" The chief step in establishing a newly seeded area is a comprehensive preparation of the seedbed.

The method of seedbed preparation will be different, depending on the area you are seeding. The preparation process can be complex if it’s an area on a golf course. Start by rough grading the area and clearing away rocks and existing vegetation. Soil tests should be completed at this time to determine what amendments will be needed. When rough grading is complete, sub-surface drainage and an irrigation system can be installed. The finished seedbed should be uniformly firm, so areas don’t settle and create “bird baths.” These "bird baths" can make it difficult for seed to establish.

The quality of the seed will determine the long-term success of the area. Don’t skimp on quality. At the time of seeding, apply a starter fertilizer. 

Frequently water as needed to keep the top half-inch of the soil constantly moist. However, avoid making puddles. Water at least three times per day until all the seed has germinated and you have mowed several times (up to six weeks). The best times to water are from morning to 2 pm or 3 pm. Do not let the soil dry out in the afternoon sun and heat and do not water in the evening. 

When you are all done and want the seedlings to grow quickly, let us help. Foliar-Pak® Micros Plus enhances density, rooting, and recovery. It's great for turf establishment. 

A recommended program for rapid turf establishment involves applying a two-ounce rate per 1000 square feet on a weekly basis for three weeks. Follow that up with two bi-weekly applications at a two-ounce rate per 1000 square feet. Start the applications when the seedlings are well established, and when it is possible to drive a sprayer across the area without resulting in damage.

Using Foliar-Pak Promote or Foliar-Pak Bio Sea, with the last two applications, will improve the stress tolerance of the newly established turf. Maintaining correct nitrogen and phosphorous levels are important. Foliar-Pak Amperage, Foliar-Pak 11-0-11, and Foliar-Pak Armament P will help.

For turfgrass establishment on sports fields and lawns, try Foliar-Pak GROW-IN. It' an all-in-one product that provides a complete turfgrass establishment program with the convenience of one single product. 

Help Your Clients Manage Geese

Geese will start nesting soon. Now is the time to stop geese from feeding and selecting a nest location for a drop zone.

Click to enlarge

For applicators, right now is the best time to buy. Also, receive a 10% rebate on Flight Control Plus® purchases all year if you become an applicator on the Flight Control Plus website! 

Not an applicator on the website? You should be! Have your ATS Sales Rep help you get on the website, and begin saving money today!

In the interim, discover best practices and treatment strategies for geese in this short video.

Watch the video here

The Ultimate Ornamental Package

The Ultimate Ornamental package is a nutrient program for annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs.

Download here

Checklist to Prepare for the Spring and this Year

Spring is here whether we like it or not. There are a few items you can do to prepare for the year at hand. 

• Have a software available to track GGD, Labor Hours, & Equipment. All these consume much of your time and using a simple tool, such as an app, will ensure critical money and your time are saved. There are only so many hours in the day. 

• Talk to others. Your staff, your business neighbors, and sales vendors all have information you may not. Simple conversations often lead to successes in your own job. Take personal time away from the job. 

• Relaxation is more important than we all imagine. Having a clear mind means we are able to communicate even clearer with our boss, employees, customers, and golfers. Who knows what Mother Nature will dish out this year. 

Crabgrass and Pre-emergents: Get Effective Control Throughout the Growing Season

Applications of pre-emergent herbicide are used to prevent grassy weeds and crabgrass is one of the most common warm season grassy weeds.

Crabgrass arrives early. In fact, it is one of the first warm season grassy weeds, and this is due to its ability to germinate at a lower soil temperature (around 58 degrees Fahrenheit). Crabgrass's existence is a symptom of soil, fertility, and watering problems. Fix these problems and the pre-emergent herbicide will not need to be applied.

As early as mid-April, crabgrass may begin to appear in the middle to lower transition zone. It will first appear along sidewalks, driveways and parking lots, where it warms up quick. Do not worry if crabgrass is showing up and you have yet to put control down. Early, germinating crabgrass is often killed by late season frost. However, this early germinating crabgrass is your call to action. Now is the time to put a pre-emergent herbicide down.

How do pre-emergent herbicides work?

Apply pre-emergent herbicide before a seed germinates. This is when the pre-emergent is most effective. The first week of April should be a target date, especially, if the first week of April is not unusually cold or warm.

Stay as near to that first week of April as best as possible when applying pre-emergents. Try not to put them down any earlier. Why? The herbicide barrier will start to degrade (quickly in the beginning, and then slower as time passes) after the application. Weeds will start to break through as the herbicide brakes down to a minimum level in the soil. Put down an application too early and the barrier will have more time to degrade.

Pre-emergent herbicides are available on a granular fertilizer carrier and spread with a broadcast spreader, or in a sprayable form. Typically, either of these requires watering-in or application ahead of a rain event.

Always check your product label for specific application instructions.

Increase the probability of obtaining effective control throughout the growing season by following these guidelines:

• Use a herbicide with a long-lasting, active ingredient: prodiamine (Barricade®), dithiopyr (Dimension®), or Oxadiazon (Ronstar®). These products provide control for up to 16 weeks. Dithiopyr also provides post-emergent control of crabgrass to the first tiller (fifth leaf) stage of growth.
• Put down your application at the correct time. The first week of April can be used as a target date, but, not, that the date may be sooner or later based on the weather conditions.
• Apply a sufficient amount of herbicide: duration of control is directly related to the application rate. The more product that is applied, the longer the control will last. (Always stay within label limits.)
• Split applications are a way to apply higher rates, while increasing application safety/ minimizing applicator error. Putting down the first application at half-rate, and then following it 4-6 weeks later with a repeat application can be an effective method.
• Established rate recommendations for common pre-emergent herbicides:
• Prodiamine (Barricade®) 0.65 – 0.75 lbs ai / Acre
• Dithiopyr (Dimension®) 0.25 – 0.50 lbs ai / Acre
• Oxadiazon (Ronstar®) 3.0 – 6.0 lbs ai / Acre (generally only used on Bermuda)
• Accurate, uniform application is critical for optimum control. Set rotary spreaders at the right setting and ensure proper spacing/overlap for uniform coverage. Consistent speed of application is also of utmost importance: +/- 0.5 mph is equivalent to a 16.7% change in rate.

Preventative Spring Fungicide Applications

Spring is almost here! Which means it is time to get the sprayer out of the barn to calibrate and change out your nozzles. Fortunately, ProGro can help supply you with any variety of Greenleaf or Teejet nozzles you will need. After you blow the dust off the sprayer, you can start filling it up with a variety of essential fungicide and foliar fertilizers for spring disease prevention. 

We have three new fungicides this spring to help prevent take all patch and other soil-targeted diseases. Pinpoint™, our new strobi from NuFarm, will help control take all patch and also knock down dollar spot populations. ArmorTech® Rotator, our new fluazinam (Secure) contact made by NuFarm, will help reduce dollar spot populations and clean up any pink snow mold from spring. Finally, Exteris® from Bayer, our new SDHI partnered with Compass® and Stressgard®, will help knock down dollar spot populations, clean up pink snow mold and prevent cool-season brown patch.

Fungicides also will need to be partnered with some foliar fertilizers and penetrant wetting agents to help complete the preventative, soil-targeted disease applications. Our Foliar-Pak Minors, Manganese and A.S Fusion (AMS) are all great liquid fertilizer choices to combine with your fungicides. Finally, adding in Hydro-Pak® Command, Dispatch® or Alypso™ Plus penetrant wetting agents, will get your fungicides and fertilizers where they need to be.

Have a great spring and contact your ProGro professional if you have any further questions!

Foliar-Pak MicroSync is the ideal micronutrient addition for lawn care applications and is safe in spray tank broadleaf herbicides. 

Download the Brochure Here

Poa Annua Seedhead Suppression Progam

Timing is critical when it comes to suppressing Poa annua seedheads. Use this program now to control those problematic seedheads. 

Download the program here

Use the GDD Tracker for Poa annua Suppression

The winter of 2016-2017 has been mild to say the least. With recent record-breaking temperatures, the time is now to start seriously considering applying your poa seedhead suppression application. Plants don't abide by human calendars. If the environment is telling them to grow, then grow they will.  

At the time of this article, the total GDD (growing degree days) in Cook County, IL was 123.  Poa annua seedhead suppression apps should ideally begin a little over 200 GDD. If you don't know your GDD, go to gddtracker.net and enter your zip code. This gives you a quick and easy way to help plan this application. I am a firm believer in applying this application on the early side. If you wait too long, your application becomes less effective. Monitor your GDD, get your sprayer up and running, and apply Proxy to your target areas. If you wait too long, you will regret it.

By Brett Zeigler

Offsetting Road Salt/High Sodium Levels in Turf and Ornamentals

Even though we have only seen a small amount of snow this winter, there is still time for more snow before winter ends. With that in mind, let’s talk about offsetting road salt/high sodium levels in turf and ornamentals.

Bushes in foreground were not treated.

Maintaining healthy turf and ornamental beds that are close to parking lots and roads can be difficult when ice melt and road salt are used in the winter. Using road salt and ice melt can cause the amounts of sodium and chlorine in the soil to reach levels that are harmful or even toxic. Irrigation water can also add sodium, chlorine, and bicarbonates to the soil, which are damaging to all types of plants and the soil itself.

Some of the adverse effects of elevated sodium, bicarbonates and chlorides are:

• Reduced soil structure, 
• Soil dehydration 
• Reduction of plant-available water, 
• Availability reduction of beneficial plant nutrients. 
• Surface crusting effect of soils (creates a barrier barring water and air to infiltrate the soil) 

Overall, turf and ornamental beds close to roads and walkways with road salt and ice melt on them produce weaker, thinner plants, with less color and density. How can this problem be combated? Use this schedule:

SuperCal SO4 

• 10 lbs/1,000 sq ft as soon as the snow melts

Foliar-Pak BioDrive or Foliar-Pak Promote 

• 9 oz/1,000 sq ft or 6 oz/1,000 sq ft before spring green-up

Foliar-Pak BioDrive or Foliar-Pak Promote 

• 9 oz/1,000 sq ft or 6 oz/1,000 sq ft 30 days after 1st application

Plan, Plan, and Plan Some More

Ahhhh, January in Chicago…You never know what you’ll get, do you? On the 21st, it was 60 degrees and I admit, I liked it! How many times in your life were you able to wear shorts in January? This will come to an end soon, I think, and I’ll be shoveling and cursing plow trucks once again.

I figure we may have 6 weeks until the proverbial shit hits the fan, at which point we will all be running in a million different directions. For now, though, the temps are mild, there’s no snow or ice on the ground and March seems months away. What to do with this idle time you ask?

Plan, plan and plan some more (hopefully, you have started planning already). Now is the time to schedule your first round of fertilizer. You also want to figure out if you want to change anything in your programs. This spring, will you use a different landscape bed pre-emergent? Which broadleaf weed control will best suit you and your customer’s needs? Do you need to purchase a new, shiny L.T. Rich Z-Sprayer? Ha, okay, I lied, I am trying to sell you something. 

Seriously though, let’s face it. You have many options on where to buy your fertilizer, seed, plant protectants, equipment etc. There are different reasons why we decide who to do business with, in all aspects of our life, not just within our industry. We all want to deal with companies that bring innovation, savings and speed into our lives. Great partnerships are based on trust and honesty, not just who’s going to give us the best deal. Don’t get me wrong, deals are great, but a business based on great deals can’t survive. The point I’m trying to make with my rambling is this, while you have time before the season starts, sit down with your favorite sales reps and find out as much as you can about what’s new. Expand your horizons on some new technology, even if it costs a little more. It may make your life easier and more productive. I wish you a safe and prosperous 2017.

So, with that, I bid you adieu.   

Brian Hissem
ProGro Sales Rep

2016 Holiday Hours

Due to giving our employees a well-deserved break and the holidays, we will have limited hours starting Friday, December 23.

Holiday Hours:

December 23: Closed at 12pm 

December 26 - 30: 7am-12pm 

Turf Tip: Does ice melt directly harm surfaces when it is used?

No. The real damage to concrete comes from water seeping into it and then refreezing. Water is absorbed by concrete and accumulates. When the water freezes, it expands, causing pressure to build up. The increased pressure will eventually become too much and will damage the concrete. Poor quality concrete, or less than a year old is most vulnerable.

ArmorTech® Rotator

As a multi-site mode of action contact fungicide, ArmorTech Rotator will help you control the toughest golf course diseases, like dollar spot. Plus, as a FRAC group 29 fungicide, it provides a new alternative for resistance management. It can be used as a rotation partner for chlorothalonil or combined with systemic fungicides. ArmorTech Rotator is both a powerful and cost-effective fungicide for golf courses.

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Snowrator Easily Handles a Foot of Snow

Watch the L.T. Rich Snowrator in action!