sports turf manager - michigan state...

DR. ERIC LYONS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, TURFGRASS SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

Sports Field Assessment

Often the only assessment of a sportsfield occurs at the beginning of agame as the referee quickly perusesthe field to assure that it will be safefor play. This is necessary and will

An OTS Highlight Article. Assessment is an important part of any managementplan, whether talking about managing businesses, facilities or sports fields. Itprovides information about what is being done correctly and what needs to beimproved upon. In many cases, sports field assessment is not done regularly orit is not performed with the correct intent. This article will explore some of thetypes of sports fields assessment, help determine the goals of sports field assess-ment and will explore some common oversights in blending assessment withexpectations.

identify irrigation heads that are stuck or pos-sibly identify large holes in the field causedby concerts and other alternative uses. How-ever, this assessment will not help the sportfield manager fulfill the goals of identifyingmanagement problems and moving towardsimproving overall quality.

One of the most important steps of sportsfield assessment is to determine and explic-itly state the goals of the assessment. Thereare many things that can be assessed. Gener-ally we think of assessing the playing fieldbut other things need to be addressed con-currently, such as construction, the manage-ment plan, the implementation of themanagement plan and possibly even the clas-sification system that many municipalitiesand athletic facilities are implementing. Thegoals for identifying problems...

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President’s Message

Coming Events

Turf Industry News

Lyon’s Cover Story Continued

Proper Field Management

Ontario Grass Seeds Summarized

Happy Anniversary, STA!

STA Scholarship Renamed

Member/Past President Profile

Grasses for Cold Climates

VOLUME 20, NUMBER 1

Spring 2007

We’ve done your homework for you!See pages 11-12 for a comprehen-sive list of turf seed available fromOntario suppliers. STA publishes thisvaluable information every 2 years.

Ontario Turf Seeds

➟ page 6

for safe, natural sports turf

Sports Turf ManagerSports Turf Manager

2 SPRING 2007 | Sports Turf Manager

www.sportsturfassociation.com | SPRING 2007 3

STA OFFICE HOURSLee Huether is in the office from 9:00 a.m. to

2:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. The office phonenumber is (519) 763-9431. At other times, a

message may be left on the voice mail system.Please include the vital information of name,telephone number with area code, and time of

calling. The office may be reached at any time byfaxing (519) 766-1704 or via e-mail.

SPORTS TURF MANAGER

The President’s Desk

T

Volume 20, Issue 1, ISSN 1201-3765

is the official publication of theSPORTS TURF ASSOCIATION INC.

328 Victoria Rd. S., RR 2, Guelph, ON N1H 6H8Tel: (519) 763-9431, Fax: (519) 766-1704E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.sportsturfassociation.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPRESIDENT Gord Dol

PAST PRESIDENT Andrew GaydonTREASURER Rick Lane

SECRETARY Bob SheardEXECUTIVE MANAGER Lee Huether

DIRECTORSJane Arnett-Rivers, Cam Beneteau,

Murray Cameron, Dave Chapman, Bill Clausen,Paul Cooper, Rob Field, Paul Gillen,

Bob Kennedy, Grant Mckeich & Paul Turner

SPORTS TURF MANAGER is published quarterly by the STA for freedistribution to its membership. An annual

subscription may be obtained for $60/year.Please direct advertising inquiries to

Lee Huether at the STA office.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEEMurray Cameron, Andrew Gaydon,

Paul Turner & Lee Huether

PUBLISHERNew Paradigm Communications

R.R. #8, Owen Sound, ON N4K 5W4Tel. (519) 371-6818, Fax: (519) 371-5789

E-mail: [email protected]

CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAILSALES AGREEMENT No. 40031883

Postmaster: Please return undeliverablecopies to the STA at 328 Victoria Rd. South,

RR 2, Guelph, ON N1H 6H8.

he Sports Turf Association is 20years old in 2007. We celebratedat the Ontario Turfgrass Sympo-sium with a retrospective presen-tation and the publication of 20

Spring is here, and it’s time to get back to the business of sports turf manage-ment. After an extremely wet fall and a winter with very little snow cover, I’msure you all have your work cut out for you over the next few months.

Years of Service by Mike Bladon which isincluded as an insert in this edition. Dur-ing the OTS, the Guelph Turfgrass Insti-tute also celebrated its 20th anniversary.

This year’s OTS was again a great suc-cess with high attendance, a great venueand a first class slate of speakers. The OTSis, and continues to be, the premier turfeducation forum in Ontario. Many thanksto the OTS Committee for a job well done.

During the symposium, we also heldour annual general meeting. As you mayrecall, over the past year we changed ourscholarship program and revamped thescoring matrix. At the AGM, we also an-nounced its renaming to the “Robert W.Sheard Scholarship” and Bob was pre-sented with a plaque recognizing his con-tributions to our association and the sportsturf industry. We did a good job of keep-ing this under wraps prior to the confer-ence, however when Bob’s lovely wifeGladys entered the room, he knew that wewere up to something!

During the AGM, elections for boardpositions were also held. Many thanks fora job well done to Roy Forfar, Brian

Adriaans and Greg Snaith – all three havestepped down from our board. I would liketo welcome Murray Cameron, BillClausen, Paul Cooper and Rob Field asdirectors. I look forward with great enthu-siasm to the next year of my chair.

The STA currently has 262 members.The more members we have, the strongerour voice will be. I challenge each of youto encourage just one new person to join.It should be an easy sell as the benefits ofa professional membership are multiple.

Finally, part of our mandate set out inour strategic plan is to encourage and sup-port education and research. During theOTS, we made a donation to the OntarioTurfgrass Research Foundation. We havea great team of Ontario turf researchers(including many at the University ofGuelph) and they need and deserve oursupport. Donations to the OTRF are ap-preciated. For more information on be-coming an OTRF member or to donate tothe future of turf research in Ontario, con-tact the OTRF office at 519-824-4120(x56149) or email [email protected].

— Gordon Dol, STA President

Above: STA President Gord Dol (left)presents Ron Schiedel, President of the On-tario Turfgrass Research Foundation, witha donation in support of turfgrass research.


EQUIPMENT LTD.

Paul TurnerSales Representative

1184 PLAINS ROAD EAST, BURLINGTON, ON L7S 1W6Burlington (905) 637-5216 Toronto (905) 338-2404

1-800-883-0761 • Fax: (905) 637-2009 • www.gcduke.com

Cellular: (416) 566-0211

ISO 9001 REGISTERED

EVENTCALENDARApril/May (various dates)Guelph Turfgrass Institute

Pesticide Certification PreparatoryCourses for MOE Exams

Guelph, ONInfo: (519) 824-4120 x 52501

www.uoguelph.ca/GTI

April 29 – May 3Ontario Recreation Facilities

Association ProfessionalDevelopment Program & Expo

Guelph, ONInfo: (416) 426-7062

www.orfa.com

September 2007Sports Turf Association20th Annual Field Day

Watch for details!Info: (519) 763-9431

www.sportsturfassociation.com

November 1, 2007Sports Turf Association

Robert W. Sheard ScholarshipApplication DeadlineInfo: (519) 763-9431


EMPLOYMENT ONLINE

Are you advertising a position orjob searching? Visit us online atwww.sportsturfassociation.comand click on “Turf Trades” for info.Cost to post an ad is only $75 forSTA members (2-month listing).

WELCOME TO THE STA!Herman Krecker, Town of East Gwillimbury. Sharon, ON

Steve Jemmett, NewRoads National Leasing, Richmond Hill, ON

Tom Mulvale, Town of Oakville, ON

Janis Olbina, Town of Oakville, ON

Frank Cain, University of Guelph, Department of Athletics, Guelph, ON

Harry Hakim, City of Windsor, ON

Summer 2007 SubmissionsIf you have something you’d like tosubmit for the next issue, pleaseforward it to the STA office by May18, 2007.

STA Membership PlaquesDisplay membership plaques areavailable in executive engravedwalnut for $50 plus S&H. To order,contact Lee at the STA office.

Editorial ContentOpinions expressed in articlespublished in Sports Turf Managerare those of the author and notnecessarily those of the STA, unlessotherwise indicated.ODDS & ENDS

NEW MEMBERS


Turf Industry Press Releases

New Overseeder from DukeThe TriWave 60 Overseeder is the lat-

est innovation from Turfco set to revo-lutionize turf overseeding andinterseeding practices. Each of the threeindependent floating heads have downpressure adjustment that adjust to vary-ing turf conditions increasing germina-tion by following the ground contoursand creating more consistent slits. Thecombination of WaveBlade design andcounter-rotating movement creates aclean, optimal square slit while minimiz-ing turf disruption. A patent-pendingseed delivery system places the seed di-rectly into the slit reducing waste andcreating increased seed-to-soil contact.For more information on this revolution-ary new product, please contact:

Zander Sod Co. Limited Celebrates50th Anniversary in 2007

In 1957, Fred Zander purchased his firsttruck and started Zander Sod Co. Limitedas a sod delivery service. At that time, thesod was rolled and carried to the truck,loaded and unloaded, all by hand. Howthings have changed! We now grow over3,000 acres. With many varieties ofbluegrass, bentgrass and fescue, we areproud to be the choice for Ontario’s top-rated golf courses and constructionprojects.

Right from the beginning, Zander Sodhas been dedicated to their customers andthe sod industry. Our company is basedon the foundation of supplying a qualityproduct and great service at a competitiveprice. As much as technology has changedour business, our values have remained thesame.

Just how much sod have we sold? Byour estimates, Zander Sod has sold enoughsod to cover over 13,000 average-sizedsoccer fields!

Our sod not only looks greener, it’shealthier. Zander Sod prides itself on sup-plying the best turf and ensuring that thesoil and environment stays healthy forgenerations to come. With the assistance

of an agronomist, Zander Sod utilizes acomplete soil management program thataddresses the micro nutrient levels in boththe soil and the plants. From seed bedpreparation right through to harvest, wecontinuously monitor and adjust to pro-duce only the highest quality grasses.

For many years, Zander Sod has beenactive members of a number of local andinternational associations which work topromote and better the turfgrass, land-scape and golf industries, as well as pro-tect the environment.

Three Generations of Zander’s Continuethe Tradition

Fred’s two sons pride themselves withcontinuing the family business and main-taining Zander Sod’s industry reputationfor excellent products and service. ClausZander oversees operations as Vice-Presi-dent and Mike Zander is the Manager ofBentgrass Production. For the last fewyears, the third generation, Mike’s sons,have helped out in many departments.With over 70 employees during the busyseason, Zander Sod has grown to be oneof the largest sod-producers in Ontario andcan be contacted at 905-727-2100, 1-877-727-2100, or www.zandersod.com.

ZANDER CELEBRATES FIVE DECADES & DUKE RELEASES THE TRIWAVE 60 OVERSEEDER

CONTRIBUTIONS WELCOMEContact Lee Huether at the STAoffice if you are interested in con-tributing to the Sports Turf Man-ager. We appreciate feature-length articles, column ideas andnewsworthy items. Updates on in-novative research or equipmentare also welcomed. This is a greatway to both support your profes-sional association and enhanceyour resume!

www.gcduke.comISO 9001 REGISTERED1184 Plains Road East, BurlingtonOntario L7S 1W6Burlington: 905-637-5216Toronto Area: 905-338-2404All other Ontario Areas: 800-883-0761Fax: 905-637-2009


... should be realistic and it is crucial tokeep an open mind and try to use the in-formation in a positive way.

Another procedural question that needsto be asked is who should perform the as-sessment? Should it be done internally orexternally, through a consultant or a col-league from a neighbouring facility ormunicipality? Both options have their mer-its and downfalls. Internal assessmentshould be done continually by turfgrassmanagers but an overall assessment withspecific goals can also be achieved inter-nally. Internal assessments have the advan-tage of a greater historical knowledge ofmanagement and the construction of thefields, often allowing assessments to bemore accurate. That knowledge is accom-panied by preconceived ideas about whatthe problems may be. In order for assess-ment to be as valuable as possible, blindersmust be taken off and everything must belooked at with an open mind. Alternativelyan outside person could be brought in who

is in a position to see more athletic fieldsand will come in with new ideas. This isalso accompanied by a lack of knowledgeof the history of construction and legacyof the fields. While generally this is viewedas a downside, the outside assessor is notclouded by “we tried that before,” or “thepolitics won’t allow that.” This independ-ence can be crucial in “telling it how it is”so that improvements can be made.

When assessing athletic fields the firstthing that is done is a general safety as-sessment, looking for grass cover, poten-tial tripping hazards or collision hazards.After that is completed, the general con-struction of the field can be assessed. Doesthe field have a proper crown, are therelow lying areas where water can accumu-late and is there a place for the water togo once it exits the field? One of the mostimportant tools in a turfgrass managers kitis her/his soil probe. The probe will letyou know the thatch accumulation of afield, it can identify areas of compaction,

and probably most importantly it can tellyou about the soils used in the field’s con-struction. One of the most common mis-takes is to expect fields constructed verydifferently to perform the same underidentical management regimes. For exam-ple, sand-based fields have greatly differ-ent moisture and fertility requirementsthan soil-based fields.

The management program can be as-sessed on paper for best management prac-tices but it is essential to get out to thefields to see their condition and assesswhether or not the management plan isrealistic and implemented properly. Fol-lowing are a few of the primary culturalpractices and some of the common prob-lems that can be uncovered through as-sessment.

MowingThe management practice that is most

crucial to providing safe athletic fields isalso the one that can be the root of the

COVER STORY CONTINUED... FIELD ASSESSMENTDR. ERIC LYONS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, TURFGRASS SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH


THE SPORTS TURF ASSOCIATION HAS MANY PRIME ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. CALL US!

most problems. Mowing needs to be doneoften and with good equipment. One ofthe most common problems with the im-plementation of a management plan oc-curs with targeted mowing frequenciesthat are not possible with the equipmentor staff available. Another problem withmowing that may be uncovered is prob-lems with proper maintenance of the mow-ers. Are the mowers cutting cleanly? Isthere a consistent cut with no “mo-hawk-ing”? Other problems that are commonlyfound during assessment are wear patternsbeing caused by mowers turning tootightly, or compacted areas along mow-ing patterns.

FertilityThe most common problem with fer-

tility that can be uncovered is a lack ofconsistency of application, or evidencethat fields are just not being fertilized dueto inconvenient locality or other mitigat-ing factors. Many fields have areas thatconsistently do not get fertilized. The only

way to tell if a field or area is fertile or haspoor soil conditions is to get out the soilprobe and test that soil. Another commonproblem that a program assessment can un-cover is that the type of fertilizer is incor-rect. Are the proper fertilizers beingapplied and are they being applied at theproper nitrogen rate for the prescribedmowing frequencies? As fertility increases,the need for mowing also increases. Manymunicipalities have responded by lower-ing their application of nitrogen through-out the season. The result is less growthand less expense for mowing, but thiscomes at the price of a lack of recoveryand overall poor field quality, leading tounsafe playing conditions.

Adjacent Page: Severe compaction oncorner of an athletic field caused by nearbyconstruction. Right: Understanding the soilis crucial in determining managementplans. A soil probe is an invaluable tooland can uncover many underlying causesof problems.


Aeration, Topdressing, OverseedingAeration is a crucial aspect of any man-

agement program. It helps control thatchand organic matter build-up at the soil sur-face by mixing the soil in with the thatchallowing the microbes in the soil to breakdown the organic matter. Often aerationis not done aggressively resulting inthatch accumulation and layering if or-

ter from accumulating at the surface of theplaying field, inhibiting healthy turfgrassgrowth. Assessment can help coordinatedifferent management practices to maxi-mize the effectiveness. Overseeding, a cru-cial part of any athletic field managementplan, should be timed with aeration tomaximize soil to seed contact and assuremaximum benefit.

Classification SystemsFinally, assessments of the overall clas-

sification systems are essential. Often theclassification systems are based on inputsand have implied quality for those addedinputs with little to no regard for use pat-terns. Often the fields that are higher onthe classification system are expected tobe the premier fields yet they are sched-uled for the most hours of use. Use pat-terns must be part of an overall athleticfield management plan. While there are

always unscheduled uses from schools andkids playing in parks, it should be remem-bered that field quality and safety are of-ten most correlated with use patterns.

It is essential that we continue to try toimprove how we manage athletic fieldsand one way to see where we are and de-cide how to move forward is through com-prehensive sports field assessment. Thisprocess goes beyond looking at the endproduct and analyzes how the entire man-agement program including use manage-ment impacts field quality. This broadbased assessment can lead to new ideasand continuation of successful practicesand allows the turfgrass manager to moveforward in an effective manner. ♦

Top Left: Special events can cause excess-ive wear and need to be accounted for inassessing use. Top Right: Field failure dueto overuse and wet weather.

ganic topdressing is being used. Iftopdressing with compost or other organicmaterial, it is essential that an aggressiveaeration program is in place. This is es-sential to prevent a layer of organic mat-

Comprehensive sports field assess-ment goes beyond looking at the endproduct and analyzes how the entiremanagement program including usemanagement impacts field quality.

99 John St. N, Box 171Harriston, OntarioN0G 1Z0Phone (519) 338-3840Fax (519) 338-2510Email [email protected]

SUPPLIERS OF PREMIUMTURF SEED PRODUCTS


roper field management todaygoes beyond the traditional “mowand blow” concept of the past. Theincreased study of turf grass haslead to many new concepts on

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER FIELD MANAGEMENTIAN FERGUSON, 2007 STA ROBERT W. SHEARD SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Pplant physiology and the advancement oftechnology has created a fleet of equip-ment which is greatly superior in terms ofaccuracy, consistency and quality.

With these advancements in turf man-agement, we are now able to provide fieldsof unsurpassed quality which has lead tothe progression of athlete’s skills and thesports played on our fields. This has ledto greater demands and expectations forour fields, which means that we, as edu-cated turf managers, need to implementthe skills and knowledge that we have ac-quired in order to meet the needs of thegames.

These skills go beyond merely imple-menting an irrigation schedule, which iswithout a doubt a vital asset to turf man-agers, but rather to the more mechanicalside of proper field management, such asfertility regimes, aerification, over-seed-ing and topdressing, spraying, and fieldrenovations. Without the proper use andtiming of these skills, turf managers maystruggle to keep their fields performing atthe same level as the sports being playedon them, resulting in weakened and dis-eased fields, which are uneven and unsafefor play.

FertilizationPerhaps the most utilized skill by turf

managers today is the use of fertilizers.Whether they be organic or synthetic, fastor slow release, granular or liquid, theaddition of essential nutrients into the soilprofile is critical to turf health. Implement-ing a regime that best suits the needs ofyour turf will be crucial in maintaining ahealthy stand of grass. There are severalfactors to consider when planning a fer-tility program: climate, turf type, irriga-tion scheduling, budget, and field use arefive of the more common ones. By takingall factors into consideration, a program

can be built to best supply the turf withnutrients. The most recent concept iscalled “spoon-feeding” and in southernOntario typically consists of a late fall ni-trogen slow release and a late spring all-purpose slow release fertilizer to providea base level of fertility throughout the year.Once base fertility is established, the“spoon-feeding” method is applied byusing fast release liquid fertilizers bi-weekly to control growth rates, colour anddisease pressures. This concept has thusfar proven to be an effective fertility tool,and should be considered by all turf man-agers to implement on their fields.

AerificationAerification of fields may be the most

important management practice for sportsfields in terms of type and timing. The fre-quency of aeration is entirely dependanton the type of field and the amount of playit receives (thus the intensity ofcompaction). By using this theory of therelation between wear and aeration, asports turf manager can decide when toaerate their fields. Clearly a football pitchwould receive more wear and compactionthan a baseball diamond, and the fre-quency of aeration practices should reflectthat. A general recommendation for theaeration of high wear fields in the south-western Ontario region is once per month,which works out to roughly six times perseason. Some of this aeration should besolid tine, and some should be cored.When a turf manager chooses to do oneor the other it is usually based on timing,budget and labour restrictions Coring usu-ally requires more time and money, as thecores need to be crumbled or collectedafterwards. Without aeration practices,fields become compacted, which affectsthe turf by preventing gas exchange, re-ducing drainage and inhibiting rootgrowth. This creates weak turf with highprobabilities of contracting disease, suchas several types of fungal species. In ad-dition, compaction also creates a hazard-ous playing surface by making the surface

soft and squishy, which is difficult to playon and increases risk of injury.

Topdressing & OverseedingIn conjunction with core aerating is a

practice known as topdressing andoverseeding. Typically, prior to core aer-ating, a sand-seed mixture is spread overthe playing surface approximately 1/8" to1/4" thick. The sand is used as a soilamendment to increase the drainage ca-pacity of the field and the seed is mixedin to speed up recovery time from the dam-age of coring, to avoid weeds and diseasefrom interrupting turf growth. The entireprocess will cause some stress to the field,but with proper practices, a turf managerwill end up with a thicker, lusher field,which drains better and performs welleven with high wear. This is typically donein the spring while fields are kept moistwith frequent rainfall and as the tempera-ture is increasing to aid with seed germi-nation. Fields in southwestern Ontario aretypically a blend of Kentucky bluegrassand perennial ryegrass, and so a seedblend which matches the content of thefield is suggested. It should be noted thatperennial ryegrass germinates faster thanKentucky bluegrass, but also that Ken-tucky bluegrass is more resilient to wearthan perennial ryegrass.

Pesticides, Fungicides & IPMOn high end fields, having consistent

uniform turf is an absolute necessity. Toachieve such perfection usually requiresthe use of herbicides and fungicides tokeep pests from growing in the fieldswhere they are not wanted. Many munici-palities are currently banning the use ofmost pesticides, but there is a need forthem in certain circumstances whichshould be brought to the council’s atten-tion to appeal the bylaws to exempt highquality turf, such as sports fields, lawnbowling clubs and golf courses. Sprayingsports turf with preventative herbicides,fungicides and pesticides is not entirelynecessary. Post emergent treatments for


most pests are usually effective at allevi-ating the problem. A turf manager shouldbe able to argue their point to a council bymaking the argument that only post-emer-gent spraying will be done, and it will bedone by an IPM licensed professional inareas only where the disease, insects orweeds are seen. The application of chemi-cals to ensure uniformity in the playingfields is a cost effective way to maintainfield quality and is vital to the maintenanceof a field.

General MaintenanceThere are other practices which also

affect the quality of the game which arenot directly related to the turf itself. Fieldrepairs, such as back-stop patching, fencecapping, goal net repairs and bleacher re-finishing are other maintenance practiceswhich affect the game and reflect the qual-ity of the fields. Back-stops and fences andnets with holes in them allow balls to passthrough, which is an issue both for safetyand for consistency in the rules of thegame. Fence capping and re-finished

bleachers are also crucial in keeping bothplayers and spectators safe. It would bevery unfortunate for a player to injurethemselves on the top of a chain link fenceor for a spectator to be seated on an un-safe bleacher stand and have an accident.Other repairs that occur directly on thefield, such as the removal of lips, edgingwarning tracks and sodding goal creasesare also vital in ensuring a safe playingsurface. Fields need to be as smooth andconsistent as possible, and all transitionareas (such as clay to grass) need to beclean, smooth and level to avoid injuriesfrom occurring. This type of maintenancepractice is usually forgotten about onslightly lower quality fields, which atsome times may be acceptable by thestandards of the games being played onthem, but for high quality fields with pro-fessional level sports being played onthem, ignoring these repairs is intolerable.

Going beyond the management prac-tices of the past is vital in providing fieldsfor the future of sports. With the large in-crease in player skill comes a large de-

mand for an increase in field quality. To-day’s new technology and knowledge ofturf now allows us to meet and raise thestandards for sports fields and sports fa-cilities. By using these new resources, turfmanagers are now able to provide thicker,smoother, tougher fields to stand up to theincreased level of play. These new prac-tices don’t come without their costs, butthe benefits of properly implementingthem on fields doesn’t compare to thefields which don’t receive them. It is be-coming a struggle for turf managers to-day to keep up with player and gameexpectations; many facilities have alreadychosen to change their fields to syntheticturf to be rid of the complications ofcompaction, drainage and fertility, but thevalue and experience of having natural turffields is an immeasurable quality whichturf managers should strive to preserve.♦

Information gathered from: 1. PersonalKnowledge 2. The Ohio State University:ht tn://ohiol ine.osu.edu/sr t - fact/0002.htm1 (Oct. 25th, 2006).

AGRONOMICSGREATER TORONTO, Mark A. Scenna, Sales Manager

(416) 458-2396, [email protected]

TURF CARE PRODUCTS CANADA200 Pony Drive, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 7B6

Tel: 905-836-0988 Fax: 905-836-6442New Website! www.turfcare.ca/agronomics.asp

SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO, Duncan BrewerSales Representative, (905) 657-1745, [email protected]

EASTERN & NORTHERN ONTARIO, Bill MartelSales Representative, (705) 627-3590, [email protected]

WESTERN ONTARIO, Craig McCutcheonSales Representative, (519) 421-6593, [email protected]


The Sports Turf Association strongly recommends to athletic field managers that they use only improvedcultivars that have been tested and found superior under local conditions.

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>> cont. next pg.

Grass SeedsGrass Seeds


Weeping alkali

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Aurora GoldChariotDiscovery

BighornLIttle Bighorn

AvengerCoyote IIDominion

Penn A-1Penn A-2Penn A-4Penn G-2PenncrossPenneagle

Glory

Greenwich

NavigatorRoseShademaster II

TiffanyWrigley

HeronRiduSerra

TahoeRaptor

Penneagle IIPennlinksPennlinks IISeaside IIShark

Highland

Salty

AberdeenBorealSalsa

Intrigue

BrigadeHeron

AzureMX86

Arid IIICoronado GoldMillennium

18th GreenA-4BengalG-5L-93OEB G6Pen G2Pen TIPenn A2

Highland

Legendary

Fults

RegimentTomcat

PenncrossPenneaglePenneagle IIPennlinksPennlinks IIPennwayProvidenceSR119SR1020

The following are seeding rates per 100m2 for specific species of grass seeds: creeping bentgrass, 0.5-1.0 kg; Kentucky bluegrass,1.0-2.0 kg; perennial ryegrass, 2.0-4.0 kg; fine fescue, 1.0-3.0 kg; tall fescue, 2.0-3.0 kg; and velvet bentgrass 0.5-0.8 kg.

Source: Turfgrass Management Recommendations, Publication 384, OMAFRA, 2005

TURF SEEDING RATES


Celebrating20 Years

Browse through the followingsix pages for a look at STAyesterday and today. Along withan assortment of photos andtidbits, we also publish a profileof STA founding member MichaelBladon and announce the re-naming of the STA Scholarship.Enjoy the journey!

TWO DECADES STRONG!

What’s Inside

Above: Sports Turf Association President Gord Dol; Rob Witherspoon, Director of theGuelph Turfgrass Institute; and Chris Mark, Chair of the OTS Executive Committee at the2007 Ontario Turfgrass Symposium. Both the STA and GTI celebrate 20 years in 2007.

The Sports Turf Association was conceived in 1987, when, at a“brain storming” session held at the University of Guelph, a broadsegment of the turf industry endorsed its need. Of particular con-cern at that meeting was the need to minimize and avoid injury toparticipants using athletic facilities where they relate to sports turf.Two decades later we continue to promote safe, natural sports turfthrough education and professional development.


Above: Board of Directors 1987. Michael Bladon, President;Annette Anderson, Conference Chairperson; John Watson,Director; and Ron Dubyk, Secretary. Absent: Bruce Calhoun,Vice President and Robert Allen, Treasurer.

*Sports Turf Newsletter, Volume 1, Issue 1, October 1987

Top: Board of Directors 2007. Paul Cooper; Bob Sheard, Sec-retary; Rick Lane, Treasurer; Grant Mckeich; Bill Clausen;Murray Cameron; Jane Arnett-Rivers; Dave Chapman; CamBeneteau; Bob Kennedy; Lee Huether, Executive Manager;Gord Dol, President; and Andrew Gaydon, Past President.Absent: Rob Field, Paul Gillen and Paul Turner.

The 16th annual Ontario Turfgrass Symposium was heldFebruary 19 and 20th at Rozanski Hall at the Univer-sity of Guelph. Turf managers from across the provincegathered to participate in educational sessions reflect-ing the many critical maintenance and environmentalissues influencing the care of turf. Speakers from bothindustry and research offered insight relating to turfcare, government legislation and the environment. Aswith every Ontario Turfgrass Symposium, attendees hada chance to update skills and network with colleaguesin the turf industry. Participants at OTS also had thechance to mark and celebrate the 20th anniversariesof both the Sports Turf Association and The GuelphTurfgrass Institute. Planning has already started for the2008 Ontario Turfgrass symposium. We look forwardto seeing you there!

Ontario’s Premier TurfEducational Event

STA Board: Then & Now...

“20 YEARS OF SERVICE” CHRONICLING

INCLUDEDWITH THIS ISSUE

STA’S HISTORY


This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of theGuelph Turfgrass Institute (GTI). The institute was establishedby the University of Guelph in 1987 to “promote an inter-disciplinary approach to research, education and exten-sion programs in turfgrass science at the University ofGuelph, and to facilitate greater interaction between theuniversity, industry and provincial government.” A subse-quent industry fundraising drive resulted in the 1993 open-ing of the G.M. Frost Research & Information Centre building,an impressive structure located on research lands providedby the Province of Ontario. The Guelph Turfgrass Institutecontinues to be actively engaged in turf and related envi-ronmental research and teaching as well as providing ameeting place for the Ontario turfgrass industry.

GTI Celebrates 20 Years!

As part of the mandate of the Sports Turf Association tosupport turf research, Peter Kleschnitzki (left), President ofthe Sports Turf Association, presented Chris Hall, Directorof the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, with a cheque for $1,000.The funds will be used to complete the construction of theinstitute building. Construction is well underway and com-pletion is expected in late August. The formal opening willoccur sometime in October. A machinery storage and serv-ice building has already been erected by OMAF. Plans arenow being formulated for the development of the researchplots. The first seeding of turf plots may occur as early as thespring of 1993.

*Sports Turf Newsletter Volume 5, Issue 2, July 1992

STA Donates to GTI (1992)

STA Fast Facts

2006 Field Day

02/87 Inaugural meeting of the STA

By January of 1989 we had enrolled 76 members.Since then membership has grown to 262 at thebeginning of our 20th year.

01/94 STA office established at the new Guelph Turfgrass Institute

10/93 Scholarship program launched

01/92 1st annual Ontario Turfgrass Symposium, University of Guelph

03/88 1st annual conference, Toronto, ON

09/87 Volume 1, Issue 1, Sports Turf Newsletter

06/87 1st annual Field Day, University of Guelph


Burlington 905.637.5216 Toronto Area 905.338.2404 All Other Ontario Areas 1.800.883.0761 Fax 905-637-2009

www.gcduke.comISO 9001 REGISTERED


Above: Robert W. Sheard (right) congratu-lates Ian Ferguson, recipient of the 2007Sports Turf Association Robert W. SheardScholarship.

scholarship established by theSports Turf Association (STA)to further its goal of the promo-tion of safe, natural sports turfthrough education and profes-

IN HONOUR OF LONGTIME DIRECTOR DR. ROBERT W. SHEARD

STA Renames Scholarship

Asional programs was renamed at the asso-ciation’s annual meeting to honour Dr.Robert W. Sheard.

The STA Scholarship will henceforthbe known as the STA Robert W. SheardScholarship in recognition of Dr. Sheard’simmeasurable contribution and supportprovided to the Sports Turf Associationover the last seventeen years. Bob’s in-volvement with the fledgling organizationbegan in 1990 upon his retirement as aProfessor of Soil Science at the Univer-sity of Guelph. He became the STA’s firstExecutive Secretary and has played a rolein most, if not all, association initiatives

since that time. He was editor and a ma-jor contributor to the Sports Turf News-letter, now the Sports Turf Manager. Heedited and produced An Athletic FieldManagers’ Guide and penned the Con-structing the Sports Field brochure and thetext Understanding Turf Management,transferring ownership and donating allproceeds to the association. He has servedon the boards of the InternationalTurfgrass Society, the Guelph TurfgrassInstitute and the Ontario Turfgrass Sym-posium, among others.

The Scholarship Program, fundedthrough STA membership fees, is intendedto assist students in a recognized post-sec-ondary program in turf management withthe cost of tuition, books and related ex-penses. To date, 26 students from acrossCanada have benefited from these schol-

arships. Applications are available onlineat www.sportsturfassociation.com.

The 2007 scholarship recipient is IanFerguson, a second year student in theUniversity of Guelph’s Diploma inTurfgrass Management Program. Bornand raised in Guelph, Ontario, he willgraduate this spring. Ian is on the Dean’sHonours List and spent his required sum-mer internship working with the City ofKitchener in sports field management,assisting in preparations for the WorldFastball Championships in August, 2006.His essay, on pages 9-10, is required aspart of the scholarship application proc-ess and is an example of the calibre of thestudents the STA plans to support. Con-gratulations Ian on being the first recipi-ent of the Sports Turf Association RobertW. Sheard Scholarship!


Michael Bladon • Past PresidentSTA Member ProfileSTA Member Profile

1. You were president of the Sports TurfAssociation from its inception in 1987until 1989. What was your role in theturfgrass industry at that time?At the time I was president of the SportsTurf Association, I was with the GroundsDepartment at the University of Guelph.Included in that role was the maintenanceof 17 acres of athletic fields. I came fromRegina, SK, where I was involved withthe Wascana Centre Authority, a 2,200acre parks system where once again partof the job was the maintenance and careof athletic fields. I am retired but still en-joy contact with the STA.

2. What was the biggest challenge inyour job at that time?Keeping people off fields when they werefrozen and on warm spring days beforethey were ready for play, and the old oneof two many games scheduled too closetogether.

3. What was the most satisfying part,what made the job worthwhile for you?The compliments on occasion from usergroups made the work worthwhile.

4. What was the biggest misconcep-tion about your job?

That we were sitting by the phone wait-ing for work.

5. What is your educational/employ-ment background?I am a graduate of the Niagara Parks Com-mission School of Horticulture. On leav-ing there I was employed in largelandscaping – dam sites in Quebec,Trudeau Airport in Montreal, anythingover $5000. I then established a large treefarm in Cambridge where people wouldcome and order trees for their needs 2-5years later. The trees were then balled,burlapped and shipped by company truck


to their site. After that, I went to Wascana as an area foreman forsix years which is where I met my wife. Then in 1969 I moved tothe University of Guelph.

6. Tell us about your family.I have an extremely supportive wife, one daughter and one son.My wife is a nurse, our son is employed in the horticulture in-dustry and our daughter works in the university system.

7. What do you enjoy doing now that you are retired? Hob-bies, favourite past times?I enjoy volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, the local theatrein various jobs, and am now helping prune an orchard for a non-profit organization. I enjoy painting in oils when I make the time. REIST INFIELDER

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8. How has the industry changed and in what direction(s)would you like to see the industry, as a whole, move to-wards?The industry has changed in terms of methods employed in main-tenance and construction. I believe that as an association wehave helped initiate those changes through books, a newsletter,and single information sheets. User groups are also becomingmore knowledgeable and more vocal when field conditions arepoor or unsafe.

9. What do you consider to be the biggest benefit of beinga member of the STA?There are several – the newsletter and books that keep one cur-rent, field days and conferences each year are both educationaland the networking which occurs is invaluable.

10. What would your advice be for current and future presi-dents of the STA?Keep current and when attracting new board members ensurethey are given a job to do on behalf of the association. As aniche organization there is a need to be vigilant and to continueto plan as to where the association is going and what it mustaccomplish to reach those goals. Do not back away from change,plan for it and embrace it.


WEAR TOLERANT GRASSES FOR COLD CLIMATE FIELDS

SummaryThis trial was initiated to examine the

effects of traffic on various grasses forsports fields in a cold climate. Two loca-tions were seeded in 2003, one in Calgaryand one in Edmonton. The Calgary sitewas seeded in late June, and under irri-gated conditions, established normally.The Edmonton site was seeded in earlySeptember on an unirrigated site. Due todrought stress in 2004 and physical dam-age from construction equipment work-ing in the area, this site was abandoned inthe spring of 2005.

At the Calgary site, athletic events wereinitiated in the fall of 2004. The plots en-dured moderate to heavy traffic from mid-August through to the end of October.Cleat injury was visible throughout thesite. Damage ranged from moderate shear-ing of the above ground plant portion (ver-dure) to the more severe physical uprooting of the plants.

The tall fescue plots exhibited morephysical uprooting than the other grassesand the bare patches created in the fall of2004 required most of the season to fill-in. The perennial ryegrass, Kentuckybluegrass and the sports field mix plotssuccessfully recovered from traffic dam-age and were rated as acceptable in over-all turf quality. The Poa supina mixshowed the greatest improvement over thecourse of the season and scored the high-est in overall turf quality.

IntroductionDuring the summer of 2001, the Prai-

rie Turfgrass Research Centre conducteda site visit to the County of Strathcona(Sherwood Park, Alberta) to examine thecondition of their sports fields and to as-sist in the development of a long-term planfor their improvement. Many of the highuse fields were characterized by bare ar-eas and thin turf that was a result of ex-tremely high levels of traffic and wasexacerbated by drought conditions thatwere prevalent throughout much of Al-berta.

M.A. ANDERSON AND J.B. ROSS, PRAIRIE TURFGRASS RESEARCH CENTRE, OLDS, ALBERTA

Sports participation, and in particularsoccer, has increased dramatically in thelast few years. These high participationlevels have resulted in sports fields receiv-ing far more traffic than the existinggrasses are capable of withstanding. Inaddition, highly organized leagues in foot-ball, softball and baseball have also servedto increase traffic on sports fields, particu-larly in urban areas.

Sports fields grasses in this climate arepredominately Kentucky bluegrass andcreeping red fescue. These grasses are con-sidered to have only a moderate toleranceto traffic and wear (the effects of abrasiveactivity from foot traffic). These grassesare, however, quite cold tolerant and as aresult survive Canadian Prairie wintersquite well. In areas with a moderate cli-mate, i.e. the lower mainland of BritishColumbia, perennial ryegrass and tall fes-cue are frequently used in high traffic ar-eas due to their good wear tolerance.However, in Alberta, their lack of cold tol-erance has made them unsuitable for useon sports fields or other high traffic areas.

In recent years, many new varieties ofperennial ryegrass and tall fescue havebeen developed, but have never been testedfor their cold tolerance. As there are oftendifferences in cold tolerance between va-rieties, some of these new wear tolerantperennial ryegrasses or tall fescues mayhave better cold tolerance. In addition,other grasses, such as Poa supina, havebeen successfully used in sports fields inother parts of North America due to theirgood recovery from traffic but have notbeen adequately tested for their cold tol-erance.

The objective of this trial is to developadditional information regarding wear andcold tolerant grasses that can be used onsports fields.

Specific Objectives of This Trial• Screen new species and varieties ofgrasses for improved cold tolerance.• Evaluate the most promising cold toler-ant species and varieties for their wear

tolerance and turfgrass quality under fieldconditions.• Evaluate these cold tolerant grasses indifferent climate zones throughout theprovince.• Evaluate mixtures of the best cold andwear tolerant grasses from the field study.

Methodology – Initial ScreeningA preliminary screening of 48 grass

cultivars for cold tolerance was conductedin order to identify the most suitablecultivars for field-testing. Grasses weregrown in the greenhouse and then weresubjected to a standard freeze test to de-termine their relative hardiness levels (Ta-ble 1). Twenty-one grasses were chosenfor the field study component of this trial.In addition, Poa supina, a Poa supina andTouchdown Kentucky bluegrass mix, andthe City of Calgary standard sports fieldmix were added.

Methodology – Field StudyPlots that measured 1.5 by 2 metres

were arranged in a randomized completeblock design (RCBD) and replicated fourtimes. The Calgary site was seeded June30, 2003, and the Edmonton site wasseeded September 3, 2003. Seeding rateswere 0.5 kg/100 m2 for Kentuckybluegrass, and 3.2 kg/100 m2 for the tallfescue and perennial ryegrasses. The plotswere seeded by hand using a shaker bot-tle and were then raked lightly to ensuregood seed to soil contact. Irrigation wasavailable at the Calgary site, while theEdmonton site relied solely on natural pre-cipitation.

Over the course of the 2004 season,poor seed germination combined withsome physical damage to the plots as aresult of further construction at the Ed-monton site left most of the turf plotssparse and patchy. After the initial springrating of 2005, the stands of turf weredeemed as not acceptable and the collec-tion of data for this site was discontinued.

At the Calgary site, athletic events wereconducted on the turf in the fall of 2004.


The plots endured moderate to heavy traf-fic from mid-August through to the endof October. The site was routinely mowedat a height of 6.25 cm (2.5”) and regu-larly fertilized at a rate of 0.5 kg N/100m2 (1b N/1000 ft2) per growing month.Irrigation was carried out to prevent mois-ture stress.

Following National Turfgrass Evalua-tion Program (NTEP) protocols, the over-all appearance of the turf plots wasassessed. Three turf quality factors, col-our, density and area coverage, wereevaluated on a monthly basis from earlyMay through to mid-October.

The colour factor subjectively evaluatedthe uniformity and intensity of the colourdisplayed by the turf. To ensure that theturf colour was representative of thecultivar’s genetic potential and not as a re-sult of an environmental stress on the turf,only actively growing turf was rated. A 1to 9 scale was used to rate the spring green-up and seasonal colour of each plot.Cultivars with a uniform dark green col-our received scores ranging from 6 for an

acceptable colour to 9 for turf with out-standing colour. Cultivars displaying weakor chlorotic turf colour were scored lower.

Density, the second quality factor, sub-jectively evaluated shoot and tiller produc-tion. The 1 to 9 scale was used to rate eachplot. Cultivars which developed a thicktight knit turf surface received scores rang-ing from 6 for an acceptable density to 9for a superior turf. Cultivars associated witha weak or thin turf stand were scored lower.

The final quality factor area cover sub-jectively evaluated the vigour of turf.Again the 1 to 9 scale was used to rateeach plot. Cultivars with a thick competi-tive turf cover received scores rangingfrom 6 for an acceptable area cover to 9for superior area coverage. Cultivars af-fected by weed encroachment and/or thepresence of bare patches were scoredlower.

To compare the overall turf quality ofthe cultivars, the average of the combinedcolour, density and area cover scores foreach plot was calculated and statisticallyanalyzed.

Results and DiscussionInitial Screening for Winter Hardiness

All of the Kentucky bluegrasses se-lected for this study had winter hardinesslevels >-26oC, which is considered good(Table 1). Winter hardiness levels for theperennial ryegrasses were -17oC, while thetall fescues had winter hardiness levels of-22oC. These values would be consideredmoderate to poor winter hardiness levels.Poa supina values were not determined.

Overall Traffic InjuryInjury from football cleats was visible

throughout the site in the fall of 2004.Damage ranged from moderate shearingof the verdure (above ground plant por-tion) to more severe physical up rootingof the plants. The turf overwintered in thisworn condition as the turf damage was notrepaired. With no athletic events playedon the turf surface in 2005, the turf wasallowed to recover. The turf damage withineach plot was left for the entire season inorder to evaluate the recovery rate of thegrasses.


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Kentucky Bluegrass RatingsSpring Greenup

Two separate rating dates, May 5 and19, were conducted in order to determinethe transition from winter dormancy toactive spring growth. An analysis of the

Kentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassKentucky BluegrassPerennial RyegrassPerennial RyegrassPerennial RyegrassPerennial RyegrassTall FescueTall FescueTall FescueTall FescueTall FescueTall FescuePoa supinaPoa supina mix

Sport field mix

Table 1. List of grasses seeded and their relative winter hardiness level.

Grass Species

SR 2284ShowcaseAwardTotal EclipseTsunamiAmericaLangaraMoon ShadowTouchdownRamboArgyleFiesta 3PennfinePick RC2PR A-97GrandeSR 8600Arid 3PixieMustang IIWatchdogSupranova10% Poa supina90% Touchdown (Kentucky Bluegrass)25% Award (Kentucky Bluegrass)25% Liberator (Kentucky Bluegrass)25% Odyssey (Kentucky Bluegrass)25% Champion (Perennial Ryegrass)

Cultivar

>-26ºC>-26ºC>-26ºC>-26ºC>-26ºC>-26ºC-26ºC-26ºC>-26ºC>-26ºC>-26ºC-17ºC-17ºC-17ºC-16ºC>-22ºC>-22ºC>-22ºC>-22ºC>-22ºC>-22ºCUnknownUnknown>-26ºC>-26ºCUnknown>-26ºCUnknown

Relative Hardiness (LT50 Values)

turf colour data for the first sampling daterevealed no significant difference in earlyspring greenup between the cultivars (Ta-ble 2).

By the second sampling date there wasa statistical difference in spring colour

between the cultivars (Table 2). CultivarSR228 scored the highest for springgreenup, while Rambo scored the lowest(Table 2).

Summer ColourThe summer rating revealed a statisti-

cal difference between the highest scor-ing cultivars: Showcase, Tsunami andSR228 and the lighter coloured cultivars:Langara, America, Total Eclipse andRambo (Table 2).

Fall ColourThe Kentucky bluegrass cultivars

showed good colour retention under thecooler and frost-prone conditions of Oc-tober. The cultivars Showcase, Tsunamiand Moon Shadow scored the highest forfall colour, while the turf colour of TotalEclipse and Rambo were the lowest (Ta-ble 2).

Turf DensityShoot density can vary greatly over the

course of the growing season. While thescores improved from the spring to thesummer rating period, no significant dif-ference in turf density was detected be-tween the cultivars over the entire season(Table 3).

Area CoverWith damage sustained by the turf in

the fall of 2004, the spring area cover rat-ing was generally lower and consideredunacceptable. By the summer rating pe-riod, plots had recovered and the bluegrassrated higher. There were no statistical dif-ferences between the cultivars for areacover at any time during the growing sea-son (Table 3).


Turf QualityA seasonal mean combining the three

quality factors was calculated for each ofthe cultivars. The cultivars were rankedfrom highest to lowest based on overallturf quality (Table 3).

Perennial Ryegrass RatingsSpring Greenup

An analysis of the turf colour for springgreenup revealed no significant differencebetween the cultivars. Fiesta 3 scored thehighest for spring greenup but was not sig-nificantly better than the other ryegrasses(Table 4).

Summer ColourThe cultivar PR A-97 recovered from a

slow spring start to receive the highestcolour score for the summer rating period(Table 4). Again the analysis of the turfcolour data revealed that the summer col-our of the cultivars was not significantlydifferent from each other (Table 4).

Fall ColourThe perennial ryegrass cultivars showed

excellent colour retention under the coolerconditions of the fall. Fiesta 3 and PickRC2 scored the highest for fall colour (Ta-ble 4). An analysis of the fall turf colourdata revealed that there was no statisticaldifferent between the ryegrass cultivars.

Turf DensityThe density of the ryegrasses was very

similar to each other. An analysis of theturf density data revealed that the cultivarswere not statistically different from eachother (Table 5).

Area CoverThe spring area cover of the ryegrasses

was open and not tightly knit. The barepatches created by the traffic in the fall of2004 required most of the season to fill-in. Pennfine generated the best area cov-erage for both the summer and fall ratingdates. An analysis of the turf area coverdata revealed that the cultivars were notsignificantly different from each other(Table 5).


quality factors was calculated for each of

Table 2. Kentucky bluegrass turf colour, Calgary 2005.

Cultivar Early Spring

ShowcaseTsunamiSR228Moon ShadowAwardTouchdownArgyleLangaraAmericaTotal EclipseRambo

RATING PERIOD (1-9 SCALE)Spring Summer Seasonal AverageFall

4.3a4.5a4.0a4.3a4.0a4.5a4.0a4.3a4.0a4.0a3.5a

5.3ab5.0ab5.5a5.0ab5.3ab5.0ab4.8bc5.0ab4.8bc4.8bc4.3c

6.5a6.5a6.5a6.0ab6.0ab6.0ab6.0ab5.8bc5.8bc5.5bc5.3c

6.5a6.0ab5.3bc5.8abc5.5bc5.5bc5.3bc5.5bc5.3bc5.0c5.0c

6.15.85.85.65.65.55.45.45.35.14.9

LSD0.05 = n/s 0.6 0.5 0.8

Table 8. Comparison of species for turf colour, Calgary 2005.


Perennial ryegrassSports field mixKen. bluegrassesTall fescuePoa supina mixPoa supina


4.3a4.0a4.3a3.8a3.0a3.0a

5.0a5.3a5.0a5.3a4.8a4.3a

6.0ab6.5a6.0ab6.0ab5.5bc5.3c

6.3a5.5b5.5b5.0bc5.0bc4.8c

5.85.85.55.45.14.8

LSD0.05 = 0.6 n/s 0.5 0.5

Table 6. Tall fescue turf colour, Calgary 2005.


SR8600GrandeMustang IIPixieWatchdogArid 3


3.8a3.8a3.5a3.0a3.8a3.5a

5.5a5.5a5.3a5.0ab4.3b4.8ab

6.5a6.0a5.8a5.5a6.0a5.5a

5.5a5.5a5.0a5.0a5.3a5.0a

5.85.75.45.25.25.1

LSD0.05 = n/s 0.7 n/s n/s

Table 4. Perennial ryegrass turf colour, Calgary 2005.


Fiesta 3PR A-97Pick RC2Pennfine


4.3a3.5a4.0a4.0a

5.0a5.0a4.8a4.8a

6.0a6.3a6.0a6.0a

6.3a6.0a6.3a5.8a

5.85.85.75.5

LSD0.05 = n/s n/s n/s n/s

* Values that have the same letter as a suffix are not significant from each other.


the cultivars. The cultivars were rankedfrom highest to lowest based on overallturf quality (Table 5).

Tall Fescue RatingsSpring Greenup

An analysis of the turf colour data forspring greenup revealed no significant col-our difference between the cultivars. Bythe second sampling date there was a sta-tistical difference in spring greenup be-tween the cultivars. Grande and SR8600scored the highest for spring greenup whileWatchdog scored the lowest (Table 6).

Summer ColourSR8600 scored the highest for turf col-

our at the summer rating period. An analy-sis of the summer turf colour data revealedthat the cultivars were not statistically dif-ferent from each other (Table 6).

Fall ColourThe tall fescues cultivars also showed

good colour retention under the coolerconditions of the fall. Once again the

analysis of the fall turf colour data re-vealed that the cultivars were not statisti-cally different from each other (Table 6).

Turf DensityThe density of the tall fescues was very

similar to each other. An analysis of theturf density data revealed that the cultivarswere not significantly different from eachother (Table 7).

Area CoverThe tall fescue plots exhibited more

physical uprooting than the other grassesand the bare patches created in the fall of2004 required most of the season to fill-in.An analysis of the turf area cover data re-vealed that the cultivars were not signifi-cantly different from each other (Table 7).


quality factors was calculated for each ofthe cultivars. The cultivars were rankedfrom highest to lowest based on overallturf quality (Table 7).

Comparing the Grass SpeciesWhen it comes to evaluating turf solely

based on turf quality the general rule is thatcomparing ratings within species is rela-tive, while comparing ratings between spe-cies and blends is not. Hopefully, thestrengths of each of the species and theblended mixes will become more apparentafter a head to head comparison is madefor each of the three turf quality factors.

While the cultivars within each grassspecies tended to be very similar to eachother during the 2005 season, some inter-esting trends were seen when the speciesand turf mixes were compared with eachother.

Spring GreenupThe initial spring greenup of the Poa

supina and the Poa supina mix scored sig-nificantly lower than the Sports Field Mixand the other turf species (Table 8). Ananalysis of spring turf colour data for thesecond sampling date revealed no signifi-cant difference in spring colour betweenthe turf treatments.


Summer ColourThe summer colour data indicates that

there was a significant difference in turfcolour between the species. The geneti-cally lighter green displayed by the Poasupina was significantly lower when com-pared with the darker green colour of theother grasses (Table 8).

Fall ColourAll the turf species showed good col-

our retention under the fall conditions. Theperennial ryegrasses scored the highestand were statistically better for fall col-our than the other grasses (Table 8).

Turf DensityAn analysis of the spring turf density

data revealed no significant difference inturf density between the treatments (Ta-ble 9).

After recovering from a slow start inthe spring, the Poa supina mix with 90%Kentucky bluegrass (cultivar Touchdown)produced the best density for the summerrating (Table 9).

The summer turf density score of thePoa supina mix was significantly betterthan the scores received by the SportsField Mix, the monoculture stand of tallfescue and the monoculture stand of Poasupina. (Table 9)

By the fall rating date the turf densityof Poa supina mix scored significantlyhigher than the Sports Field Mix, themonoculture stand of Kentucky bluegrass,the monoculture stand of tall fescue andthe monoculture stand of Poa supina (Ta-ble 9).

Area CoverThe spring area cover ratings in 2005

were not statistically different between thegrass species (Table 9). The turf damage,sustained in the fall of 2004, was still veryevident within the plot area. The impactof the play was more evident on the tallfescue than any other species. Large barepatches in the fescue turf cover werepresent throughout the trial.

By the summer rating date, area coverof the Poa supina mix significantly im-proved (Table 9). The fall rating found thearea cover of the Poa supina mix to besignificantly better than the remainingtreatments (Table 9).

Table 3. Kentucky bluegrass turf density (D) and area cover (AC), Calgary 2005.

Cultivar Spring D

ShowcaseMoon ShadowTsunamiTouchdownLangaraAwardArgyleTotal EclipseAmericaSR228Rambo

RATING PERIOD (1-9 SCALE)Spring AC Summer D Fall D

4.5a4.3a3.8a4.5a4.3a4.8a3.8a3.8a4.0a3.5a4.0a

4.0a4.5a3.8a4.3a4.0a4.3a3.5a4.0a4.0a3.5a4.0a

6.0a6.0a6.3a6.0a6.3a5.3a5.5a5.5a5.8a5.5a5.8a

5.5a6.0a5.3a5.0a5.5a5.3a5.3a4.8a5.0a4.5a4.8a

5.8a5.8a5.8a5.3a5.8a5.3a5.0a5.3a5.5a4.8a5.3a


TURF**QUALITYSummer AC Fall AC

5.5a5.3a5.5a5.5a5.8a5.8a5.5a5.0a4.8a5.0a5.0a

5.35.25.25.15.14.94.94.84.84.74.7

n/s n/s

* Values that have the same letter as a suffix are not significant from each other. ** Mean of the 3 factorsfor the season. *** SA = seasonal average.

Cultivar Spring D

Fiesta 3PennfinePick RC2PR a-97


4.5a3.5a4.0a4.0a

4.3a3.8a3.8a4.0a

6.0a5.8a5.8a5.8a

5.0a5.8a5.0a5.3a

6.0a5.5a5.8a5.3a



5.0a5.8a5.0a5.3a

5.45.25.25.2

n/s n/s

Table 5. Perennial ryegrass turf density (D) and area cover (AC), Calgary 2005.

Cultivar Spring D

SR8600GrandeWatchdogArid 3PixieMustang II


3.5a3.8a3.5a3.5a3.0a3.3a

3.5a3.8a3.5a3.0a2.5a3.5a

5.8a5.3a5.5a5.3a5.5a5.0a

5.0a4.8a5.0a4.8a5.0a4.5a

5.0a5.0a5.3a4.5a4.8a4.5a


5.0a5.0a4.8a4.8a5.3a4.5a

5.15.04.84.64.64.6

Table 7. Tall fescue turf density (D) and area cover (AC), Calgary 2005.

LSD0.05 = n/s n/s n/s n/sn/s n/s

Cultivar Spring D

P. supina mixPer. ryegrassKen. blue.Sport field mixPoa supineTall fescue


3.5a4.0a4.3a4.3a3.8a3.5a

3.5a4.3a4.0a3.8a3.8a3.3a

6.5a6.0ab6.0ab5.8b5.5b5.5b

6.3a5.3a5.0a5.3a4.8a5.0a

6.3a5.8ab5.3bc5.5bc5.3bc5.0c

Summer AC Fall AC

7.0a5.5b5.5b5.3b5.2b5.0b

5.45.35.25.24.94.7

Table 9. Comparison of species for turf density (D) and area cover (AC), Cal. 05.

LSD0.05 = n/s 0.6 n/s 0.6n/s 0.8

***SA-D

SA-AC

5.65.04.84.84.64.4


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Turf QualityA mean for the three quality factors for

each of the turf treatments was calculatedfor each rating period. The treatmentswere ranked from highest to lowest basedon overall turf quality.

Despite the damage generated by thetraffic over the turf surface in fall, all thegrasses in trial successfully made the tran-sition from winter dormancy to live ac-tive growing stands of turf in the spring.The spring turf quality rating between thespecies was not significantly different (Ta-ble 10).

All the turf plots showed signs of im-provement over the course of the season.But it was the aggressive area cover rat-ings that were produced by the Poa supinamix over the summer and fall which wasmost impressive. The blend of Poa supinawith the Kentucky bluegrass cultivarTouchdown overcame the low scores re-ceived for turf colour of the Poa supina toproduced a turf stand which scored thehighest in overall turf quality (Table 10).

Table 10. Comparison of species for overall turf quality, Calgary 2005.

Cultivar SpringRATING PERIOD

SummerOverall Turf

QualityFall

DiscussionTurf injury was visible throughout the

site. Damage ranged from moderate shear-ing of the verdure to the more severephysical up rooting of the turf plants.While all the plots showed some effectsfrom the traffic, the tall fescue plots ex-hibited more physical uprooting than theother grasses.

Despite overwintering in a stressed and

worn condition, it appeared that the turfstands were not significantly affected bycold winter temperatures as all of thegrasses showed good transition from win-ter dormancy to active spring growth. ♦— The Turf Line News, Vol. 196, Oct/Nov 2006

Financial support and maintenance of the trial site wasprovided by the City of Calgary and the City of Edmon-ton parks departments.

Poa supina mixPerennial ryegrassSports field mixKen. bluegrassesTall fescuePoa supina

4.0a4.3a4.4a4.4a3.9a3.9a

6.1a5.7ab5.8ab5.7ab5.4bc5.1c

6.1a5.7ab5.4bc5.4bc5.0c5.2c

5.45.25.25.24.84.7

LSD0.05 = n/s 0.6 0.4

Mean of 3 Quality Factors

* Values that have the same letter as a suffix are not significant from each other.

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