For many turfgrass managers, the arrival of Memorial Day officially closes the book on spring and marks the start of summer. It’s been a rather tumultuous spring for bermudagrass in East Tennessee with plants behind normal benchmarks for growth and vigor. …

Things are different in 2020. Social distancing, mask mandates, and sanitizing equipment were not part of the lexicon prior to this year but have become the norm in response to COVID-19. The pandemic has also challenged many in the turfgrass industry to adjust (or reduce) staffing and operate under budget…

Mother Nature finally heard the cries of “uncle” from those managing cool-season turfgrasses across Tennessee and beyond. Cooler temperatures have allowed turfgrass managers across the state a much-needed opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief after what can only be described as an “endless summer.” A review of climatic…

“This is the worst Poa year I can remember” “I’ve never seen it like this before” “We’ve never had this much Poa ” These were common refrains across Tennessee this spring as many turfgrass managers struggled with annual bluegrass control. One of the things our research team has learned over…

Drive through Knoxville, TN neighborhoods on nearly any weekend after Valentine’s Day and you’ll often see one thing — people beginning the process of cleaning up their yard for spring. In addition to picking up debris from trees and preparing beds, attention is often paid to the lawn. …

abnormal (adj.) — deviating from the normal or average; unusual in an unwelcome or problematic way. This definition of “abnormal” from the Merriam Webster dictionary certainly applies to climatic conditions faced by many turfgrass managers across Tennessee in 2018. Oddities in temperature and rainfall resulted in significant turfgrass management challenges…

Visiting turfgrass managers in recent weeks has revealed one major theme: Poa control is the last thing on anyone’s mind right now. Sustained periods of hot and humid weather have most in the southeast focused on the not-so-simple task of maintaining turf quality until the fall. …

Why are our fairways brown? It’s May. Why isn’t the grass growing? My lawn wasn’t brown in May last year. What changed? These are common questions that many turfgrass managers have been answering across Tennessee during the spring of 2018. Golfers, greens committees, coaches, and even homeowners are all interested…

Implement a programmatic approach to weed control in 2018 — In the world of turfgrass education, many refer to winter as “conference season.” All over the country there are numerous meetings that bring together turfgrass professionals from far and wide to learn about the latest trends in turfgrass management. Last week was the Deep South Turf Expo; this week the…