The Turf Zone Podcast

Mississippi Turfgrass – Brad Jakubowski, Instructor in Agronomy, Center for Turfgrass Science

Keeping an eye on the weather is something professional turfgrass managers have ingrained into our systems. Can I mow today? We check our phones for the most recent forecast. Should I spray today? We monitor dewpoints, humidity and temperatures. Will I pull the tarp prior to today’s game? We study the weather radar. There is a tremendous amount of weather information out there and nearly all of us have some form of a weather app on our phones or a link to our favorite weather website to help us make day-to-day management decisions. Let’s take a journey, to see what is out there and what information will help us make the best weather-based decisions possible.

Which app is the best?

Honestly, there is no one best app so it is important to find an app or a number of apps that provide you the most reliable and quickly available information.

Basic Information that is important to have available with the least number of clicks would be:

* High and Low Temperatures (including overnight lows)

* Dewpoint

* Relative Humidity

* Short-Term Weather Forecasts

Intermediate Information includes:

* Radar (Base and Composite Reflectivity)

* Satellite Imagery

* Severe Weather (especially lightning).

Advanced Information would be:

* Echo Tops

* Vertically Integrated Liquid

* Digital Storm Accumulation

* Forecast Discussion

 

Basic Information

When looking for basic information, it is best to have most or all important data on the first screen or within one or two clicks from the first screen. That is often a good way to judge how well your app will benefit you over time. As an example, The National Weather Service includes much of the basic data (Figure 1). At a glance, you can get a good idea of what is happening now and what will happen in the immediate future. High and low temperatures provide a quick mental image of how the day (and night) may influence your maintenance plans, while winds, dewpoint and relative humidity provide a quick insight on irrigation requirements, disease potential, and infield skin management requirements.

It is beneficial to see both relative humidity and dewpoint together. Viewing only either limits your view of the big picture. For example, a relative humidity of 65% with dewpoints over 70 degrees indicate that less time may be spent watering the infield skin and instead used to scout for diseases. The same relative humidity with dewpoints under 40 may indicate a majority of the day should be dedicated to watering the skin and irrigating.

 

Intermediate Information

When making game-time decisions such as tarp pulls or field evacuations due to severe weather, radar becomes an important tool. There are numerous good weather radar apps available. Many are free, some require an annual fee of $US 10 to 50. Many of the fee-based apps offer expanded functionality, precision and overall quality of information. Regardless of cost, radar app selection should prioritize the type of reflectivity the radar images are based upon. There are two types, Base Reflectivity and Composite Reflectivity. Each time a radar transmitter spins, it sends out a microwave ‘sweep’ at different elevations to get a complete picture of all atmosphere elevations. A Base Reflectivity image represents only a single sweep of the radar transmitter. This means that near the transmitter the radar ‘sees’ low in the storms and as distance increases the beam rises and can overshoot the core of heavie...

Arkansas Turfgrass – Julie Holt, Content Director, TheTurfZone.com

The Turf Zone: Welcome to The Turf Zone. Today we’re talking to Chuck Cross, Turf Management and P.E. teacher at Ashdown High School in Ashdown, Arkansas. Chuck, thanks for joining me.

Chuck Cross: Thank you for having me.

TTZ: Alright, Chuck, we want to talk today and let Arkansas turfgrass managers, members of Arkansas Turfgrass Association know about your turf management program, so let’s start at the beginning of that and tell me a little bit about how the program was started.

CC: With quarantine, it’s been a crazy year in education, so it started… I guess everybody’s phone time has went up since everybody’s been quarantined. It started with just me looking at turfgrass program through Twitter, social media, because I’ve been kind of doing it on my own, with the help of the baseball team and assistant coaches in the last seven years, and I ran upon South Forsythe, Georgia’s Twitter page and just screenshot it and sent it to our superintendent, and I was like, we should think about doing this here at Ashdown, because I know their baseball coach runs it, and it was just an idea. I wanted to start it in the fall of this year, 2021, when we come back to school, and that was in October of last year. And we had a meeting and he was like, “Let’s just start it right now.” And the superintendent, the athletic director, the curriculum director, the principals have been great, the counselors, because they had to change schedules. We just started it on a whim and in November, started it, I kind of just drew from kids that were blended, and then we actually started the class as soon as we came back from Christmas break, in 2021.

TTZ: So did you have a lot of student interest? Is that something maybe that came from sports, were there kids that already knew about turfgrass management as a skill or a job path?

CC: We had some interest over the years. I think probably two or three of my baseball players have gone on to do small lawn businesses. And then we have BWI, which is in Texarkana, it’s a big corporation that provides people with pesticides… anything you want for lawncare and we have a couple guys that work over there. And then we have a bunch of golf courses around. And we’re probably the only grass field around, but kids have been interested for a while, and when I just started telling P.E. kids and started telling baseball and football players, and then some girls too that I was going to have a class, I had a lot of interest and I could only make it… I had to downsize it for the first year. I think next year it’s going to be fairly big.

TTZ: That’s awesome that you’ve gotten a lot of interest. I think a big struggle in the industry is just having people understand that this can be a really great career, and there are levels of it that, like you mentioned, kids can come out of high school and they can have their smaller lawn

businesses, or there are higher education paths to turfgrass management careers, so getting a little bit of exposure this early on and understanding it as the career path is huge in building the next generation, I guess, of turfgrass management. So thinking about that career path and that build up to that job, tell me a little bit about your background. Have you been in turfgrass management or have you always been in education?

CC: I’ve always been in education, I feel like in my second life I’m going to be a golf course superintendent. But I love golf,

ATA Turf Times – Dave Han, Ph.D. Auburn University and Alabama Extension

Anyone who has ever managed turfgrass, whether in their own lawn or professionally, will have lots of questions. In my experience, the word that pops up most frequently in questions about turf management is “when.” We’ve all asked or been asked: When should I fertilize? When do I put out my preemergence herbicide? When is the right time to sprig / seed / sod? When should I take a soil test? When should I irrigate? The list goes on.

With so many questions related to timing, calendars are a very popular product to remind people when to do certain things. Calendars can be very useful, but they are not foolproof. Mother Nature does not always provide weather that fits the calendar date, and since so many decisions about turf management are driven by temperature, rainfall and humidity (or should be), there is no substitute for looking at actual thermometers and rain gauges before making decisions. But what I think can be more valuable is a general seasonal guideline of what to expect, what to look out for, and how to plan so when a particular season comes around, turf managers are making good decisions on a monthly or weekly time scale.

Since the Alabama turfscape is dominated by warm-season grasses, this article will focus on those.

 

SPRING

Spring is usually the hardest season to deal with because it brings unpredictable weather. Wild temperature swings, severe weather outbreaks, and a human tendency to want to rush things can all lead to making some bad calls when it comes to spring turf management. Spring is the season when warm season grasses begin their growth after dormancy or semi-dormancy in the winter, when summer annual weeds begin to germinate, and when winter annual weeds are their most noticeable and troublesome. It is also when plans should be made to plant sprigs or seed of warm season grasses.

The main factors to consider in the spring are:

* When to apply postemergence herbicides to control winter annual weeds

* When to apply preemergence herbicides for summer annual weed control

* When to begin fertilizing the turfgrass

All of these decisions will be influenced heavily by air and, especially, soil temperatures. Table 1 provides an overview of some important soil temperatures that affect management decisions. Timing becomes tricky, as soil temperatures will vary wildly from year to year, and even swing up and down within weeks during any given spring. What happened last year may not have much to do with the appropriate timings for this year’s management decisions, especially when it comes to herbicide treatments.

Table 1. Key 4-inch soil temperatures for turfgrass management decisions

Event

Soil Temperature (F)

Crabgrass seed germination

55° – 65°

Warm season grass spring greenup

55° – 65°

Goosegrass seed germination

65° – 75°

Bermudagrass and centipedegrass seed germination

70° and up

Significant root and rhizome growth for warm season grasses

70° and up

Summer annual broadleaf weed germination

70° and up

Ryegrass seed germination

60° – 70°

Poa annua seed germination

50° – 80°

Sources: Turgeon & Kaminski (2019), McCarty (2011), Turgeon (2004)

Tennessee Turfgrass – Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM

Almost every organization is facing unprecedented difficulty in recruiting and hiring employees today. Whether the hesitancy to return to work is due to elevated unemployment benefits, lack of vaccination adoption, inconsistent childcare, or family health concerns, the labor problem remains. Quite simply the standard job offering isn’t sufficient to move the needle anymore. Here’s how to change the outcome and do good in the process.

In an effort to find workers, many entry-level jobs have prominently advertised wages starting at $15/hour. Others have created giant signs touting signing bonuses of $250. Some have proclaimed retirement matching. But none of these are compelling anymore.

What is compelling is creating an opportunity for people to find the skills they need to literally change their lives for the better. People will sign up for an established program of mentorship that will help them achieve their potential and realize their dreams. Jobs that enable people to thrive will always find willing applicants, and it’s possible to implement in any organization.

The clothing retailer Old Navy has made a commitment to hire 20,000 underprivileged youth by 2025, representing a full 5% of all new hires. Their program, called This Way ONward, has been in existence since 2007 and is active in 576 cities across the US. Through the program, Old Navy works with community partners like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to provide youth with job mentoring opportunities. Managers interview youth and are directed to “hire for potential, not credential.” What’s more, youth receive post-hire support through coaching from managers, a job coach, and experienced peers.

The results? 10-year alumni of the program have found stable employment 72% of the time compared with 55% of their peers. 68% report a significant increase in self-confidence, enabling success in life. And Old Navy hired more than 2,500 youth last year for jobs that may have otherwise been unfilled. Clearly, doing good for the community is good business.

But can small teams adopt the same approach without huge budgets and years of experience? Absolutely. The first step is to make a commitment to coaching others. Investing an hour per week of time with each person is a prerequisite to successfully mentoring staff. When time and space is given towards coaching conversations without daily work pressures, a real human connection can be established, and people can start to thrive.

What do coaching conversations sound like? I prefer to start with hopes and dreams. What’s your dream job? What do you want your life to look like? What do you want to provide for your family? What do these look like in six months and one year and five years and ten years? People usually don’t have all the answers upfront and they often change over months and years, but these are the motivations we’ll use to fuel growth.

Next, I try to collaboratively build individualized action steps which consider the person’s unique talents, benefit on-the-job outcomes, and lead toward realization of their goals. For this step I use specialized assessments to provide self-awareness and idea generation. As a result, the coaching is always relevant, well-received, and applicable.

Finally, we shift to driving accountability by setting short-term commitments and ensuring that success is realized. When obstacles arise, I guide mentees through self-reflection to overcome them in the future. This is where skill training tends to enter, either directly or through third-party resources. When priorities change, we rework the process.

It can be an awkward process to start, but as one of my direct reports recently told me, “Our coaching conversations are by far my favorite part of the job.” Every week I’m helping her develop skills and experience.

New England Blade – Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM

Almost every organization is facing unprecedented difficulty in recruiting and hiring employees today. Whether the hesitancy to return to work is due to elevated unemployment benefits, lack of vaccination adoption, inconsistent childcare, or family health concerns, the labor problem remains. Quite simply the standard job offering isn’t sufficient to move the needle anymore. Here’s how to change the outcome and do good in the process.

In an effort to find workers, many entry-level jobs have prominently advertised wages starting at $15/hour. Others have created giant signs touting signing bonuses of $250. Some have proclaimed retirement matching. But none of these are compelling anymore.

What is compelling is creating an opportunity for people to find the skills they need to literally change their lives for the better. People will sign up for an established program of mentorship that will help them achieve their potential and realize their dreams. Jobs that enable people to thrive will always find willing applicants, and it’s possible to implement in any organization.

The clothing retailer Old Navy has made a commitment to hire 20,000 underprivileged youth by 2025, representing a full 5% of all new hires. Their program, called This Way ONward, has been in existence since 2007 and is active in 576 cities across the US. Through the program, Old Navy works with community partners like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to provide youth with job mentoring opportunities. Managers interview youth and are directed to “hire for potential, not credential.” What’s more, youth receive post-hire support through coaching from managers, a job coach, and experienced peers.

The results? 10-year alumni of the program have found stable employment 72% of the time compared with 55% of their peers. 68% report a significant increase in self-confidence, enabling success in life. And Old Navy hired more than 2,500 youth last year for jobs that may have otherwise been unfilled. Clearly, doing good for the community is good business.

But can small teams adopt the same approach without huge budgets and years of experience? Absolutely. The first step is to make a commitment to coaching others. Investing an hour per week of time with each person is a prerequisite to successfully mentoring staff. When time and space is given towards coaching conversations without daily work pressures, a real human connection can be established, and people can start to thrive.

What do coaching conversations sound like? I prefer to start with hopes and dreams. What’s your dream job? What do you want your life to look like? What do you want to provide for your family? What do these look like in six months and one year and five years and ten years? People usually don’t have all the answers upfront and they often change over months and years, but these are the motivations we’ll use to fuel growth.

Next, I try to collaboratively build individualized action steps which consider the person’s unique talents, benefit on-the-job outcomes, and lead toward realization of their goals. For this step I use specialized assessments to provide self-awareness and idea generation. As a result, the coaching is always relevant, well-received, and applicable.

Finally, we shift to driving accountability by setting short-term commitments and ensuring that success is realized. When obstacles arise, I guide mentees through self-reflection to overcome them in the future. This is where skill training tends to enter, either directly or through third-party resources. When priorities change, we rework the process.

It can be an awkward process to start, but as one of my direct reports recently told me, “Our coaching conversations are by far my favorite part of the job.” Every week I’m helping her develop skills and experience.

Virginia Turfgrass Journal – Julie Holt, Content Director, TheTurfZone.com

The Urban Nutrient Management Coordinator at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is part of a team that:

* Provides technical assistance to landowners, state agencies, local governments, and certified planners in managing their strategies for fertilizer and other nutrient source application to achieve healthy landscapes while protecting state waters.

* Develops and presents outreach programs and materials for turfgrass and landscape professionals in diverse sectors ranging from golf courses, athletic fields, as well as other public and private green spaces.

* Prepares training tools and helps coduct classes for individuals seeking to become certified nutrient management planners.

* Reviews and approves nutrient management plans.

Anita’s educational background is in horticulture at Virginia Tech. She has worked at production nurseries, in public gardens, as a hort specialist for intellectually and physically challenged adults, and as an adjunct instructor at Germanna Community College.

“I was first employed by DCR as a part-time interpreter at Caledon State Park in King George County and later loved my time as the Chief Ranger there,” Anita says. “Among other things, I was involved with invasive species management and establishing native garden areas.”

From that position, she moved to the Division of Soil and Water Conservation where she helped develop the nutrient management program for state lands in response to 2007 legislation from the General Assembly. This was the beginning of the urban nutrient management program. Anita has spent the last 12 years at the Department of Environmental Quality as a biosolids permit writer. Now, Anita says, “I’m delighted to rejoin the nutrient management team at DCR!” Anita’s unusual claim to Virginia Fame comes courtesy of holding a rather surprising role early in her career. “While working as an electronics technician at Dominion’s Bath County Pump Storage Station, I lived in Goshen, Va. Through a series of unlikely events, I was appointed as the Town’s mayor, the first woman to hold the position, in 1985 when I was 28 years old.”

The 1935 municipal water system had been cited often by the Virginia Department of Health. The Town and its people came together in applying for a federal Community Development Block Grant with huge assistance from the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission. In order to qualify for the grant, Goshen needed to bring its entire water system within Town boundaries. The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors was most helpful in the process of allowing Goshen to expand the boundaries. This quadrupled Goshen’s land area and tripled the population. The grant was awarded on Anita’s first application, and Goshen’s water system was brought into compliance.

“I won the next election, but was unable to fulfill the entire term due to my course workload at Virginia Tech,” Anita shared. “That was my only foray into politics!” A term well-served, indeed!

VTC welcomes Anita and looks forward to her continued contribution to the industry and the environment.

Mississippi Turfgrass – Jay McCurdy and Isadora de Souza

There are an estimated 40 to 50 million acres of turfgrass in the United States, approximately 40% of which is maintained lawn around homes, places of business, and institutions. These living systems play an important role in society by providing places of gathering, recreation, and community cohesion.

Turfgrass also provides important ecological services, such as carbon sequestration, noise abatement, and temperature moderation. Unfortunately, because the modern “American lawn” is often maintained as a monoculture, it lacks species richness and habitat for pollinating insects.

Mississippi State University, Auburn University, and the University of Georgia are partnering to enrich lawns through best management practices (BMPs) and inclusion of amenity plant species that will attract and sustain pollinating insects.

In April 2020, we proposed a project to create BMPs and stakeholder training that will result in more sustainably managed turfgrass systems for the improvement of pollinator habitat. The USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture funded our $493,000 project in the beginning of 2021. The project will employ at least three graduate students (one at each institution) for the project. At Mississippi State, coauthor Isadora de Souza will manage much of our state’s research responsibilities.

As part of the project, we will identify pollinator friendly turfgrass alternatives and amenity forb species that meet the societal and cultural demands of traditionally maintained southeastern United States urban greenspace while also increasing pollinator habitat resources. The project will disseminate findings through a comprehensive Extension outreach program designed to be delivered by specialists and county agents.

This program will include field days, small-group trainings and webinars, publications, and other outreach activities (e.g., master gardeners, regional and national stakeholder meetings). A website (RefugeLawn.com) will be created for stakeholder interaction, and we are also assembling a stakeholder advisory board. Follow our progress on Twitter: @RefugeLawn.

Our research will address the following:

* Pollinator habitat and pollinator visits on common turfgrass weeds and other amenity turfgrass forbs of the southeastern United States.

* Effects of turfgrass species selection and cultural practices on forb establishment and persistence as well as effects upon pollinator visits.

* Stakeholder preference for pollinator habitat within maintained turfgrass systems.

Current BMPs for pollinator habitat inclusion:

* Add flowering plants. Increasing the floral resources in lawns and public greenspace can be achieved by mowing less frequently, planting flowers, converting grass to flowers, and enhancing grass with flowers.

* Let spring “ephemerals” flourish. Spring emerging plants (sometimes considered “weeds”) provide rich rewards for pollinators that are active early in the spring, and they are especially beneficial for native and less common pollinator species, which are less likely to be adapted to monoculture environments.

* Delay and reduce mowing frequency. Decreased disturbance is associated with greater abundance and richness of pollinators and floral resources. Since many domestic gardens and public greenspaces are comprised of large lawns, reducing and delaying mowing intensity can have a great effect.

Arkansas Turfgrass – Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM

Almost every organization is facing unprecedented difficulty in recruiting and hiring employees today. Whether the hesitancy to return to work is due to elevated unemployment benefits, lack of vaccination adoption, inconsistent childcare, or family health concerns, the labor problem remains. Quite simply the standard job offering isn’t sufficient to move the needle anymore. Here’s how to change the outcome and do good in the process.

In an effort to find workers, many entry-level jobs have prominently advertised wages starting at $15/hour. Others have created giant signs touting signing bonuses of $250. Some have proclaimed retirement matching. But none of these are compelling anymore.

What is compelling is creating an opportunity for people to find the skills they need to literally change their lives for the better. People will sign up for an established program of mentorship that will help them achieve their potential and realize their dreams. Jobs that enable people to thrive will always find willing applicants, and it’s possible to implement in any organization.

The clothing retailer Old Navy has made a commitment to hire 20,000 underprivileged youth by 2025, representing a full 5% of all new hires. Their program, called This Way ONward, has been in existence since 2007 and is active in 576 cities across the US. Through the program, Old Navy works with community partners like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to provide youth with job mentoring opportunities. Managers interview youth and are directed to “hire for potential, not credential.” What’s more, youth receive post-hire support through coaching from managers, a job coach, and experienced peers.

The results? 10-year alumni of the program have found stable employment 72% of the time compared with 55% of their peers. 68% report a significant increase in self-confidence, enabling success in life. And Old Navy hired more than 2,500 youth last year for jobs that may have otherwise been unfilled. Clearly, doing good for the community is good business.

But can small teams adopt the same approach without huge budgets and years of experience? Absolutely. The first step is to make a commitment to coaching others. Investing an hour per week of time with each person is a prerequisite to successfully mentoring staff. When time and space is given towards coaching conversations without daily work pressures, a real human connection can be established, and people can start to thrive.

What do coaching conversations sound like? I prefer to start with hopes and dreams. What’s your dream job? What do you want your life to look like? What do you want to provide for your family? What do these look like in six months and one year and five years and ten years? People usually don’t have all the answers upfront and they often change over months and years, but these are the motivations we’ll use to fuel growth.

Next, I try to collaboratively build individualized action steps which consider the person’s unique talents, benefit on-the-job outcomes, and lead toward realization of their goals. For this step I use specialized assessments to provide self-awareness and idea generation. As a result, the coaching is always relevant, well-received, and applicable.

Finally, we shift to driving accountability by setting short-term commitments and ensuring that success is realized. When obstacles arise, I guide mentees through self-reflection to overcome them in the future. This is where skill training tends to enter, either directly or through third-party resources. When priorities change, we rework the process.

It can be an awkward process to start, but as one of my direct reports recently told me, “Our coaching conversations are by far my favorite part of the job.” Every week I’m helping her develop skills and experience.

MTC Turf News – Vernon Cooper, Maryland Turfgrass Council Executive Director

We thought 2020 was tough, well it looks like we have another monster in 2021. However, this attack won’t kill us, but instead will attack our young trees, shrubs and turf. The monster of which I speak is referred to as the “17-year locusts” even though they really are not locusts, they are CICADAS!!

There are two types of Cicadas found in the Eastern United States:

* The “dog-day” or “annual cicadas” actually are on a 2- to 3-year cycle with some appearing each summer.

* The other is the “periodical cicada” or the “17-year locust.” The periodical cicadas have various clans or “Broods” which mature at different times. In Maryland we have “Brood X” and “Brood II.” Brood X will emerge in 2021, while Brood II was here in 2013 and will return in 2030.

The epicenter of the Brood X emergence is to be Central MD. You can expect not to see thousands or even millions, prepare to see GAZILLIONS per acre with each one ranging from between 1 to 2 inches. Several weeks before emergence some nymphs construct “mud chimneys” 2–3 inches high and 1–2 inches wide over a ½ inch hole. The resulting soil or turf will closely resemble an area heavily core aerated. This usually does not kill the turf but will result in an unsightly mess, especially on low mowed turf such as golf greens or lawn bowling or other athletic fields. The brood will begin emerging early May with the largest concentration being the last two weeks of May and the first two weeks of June.

Cicadas will NOT bite or sting adults, children or pets. In fact, pets may try to eat them. A few is not a problem, but there are so many they will quickly overfill their stomachs and get sick. The biggest nuisance to humans if the intense noise. Basically, the cycle is:

* Nymphs come out of the soil, leaving holes and tunnels.

* They start climbing vertically and molt the hard exterior skeleton.

* Once they have their wings, the males go to the top of trees and start singing to attract females.

* Once they mate, the males die and the females use an ovipositor to slice into the very young bark of young trees and shrubs to lay her eggs.

* The young branches with multiple slits for eggs may break or die back from the damage. On mature trees and shrubs this looks like a bunch of dead tips and usually does not permanently affect the tree or shrub.

* However, eggs being laid into young trees or shrubs may actually kill the plant as the eggs hatch and the process starts again as they fall to the ground and dig in for the next 17 years.

 

What does this mean for us as a Turf & Landscape Industry?

* We have to be prepared to correct or manage a rougher playing surface.

* If at all possible, we need to postpone planting of young trees and shrubs until fall. Cicadas will lay eggs on over 200 different species of trees, and insecticides are not effective to control these monsters. Instead, utilize annual flowers and plants to get through the spring and summer.

* If planting MUST occur (or planting of young trees and shrubs took place last fall), totally encase the tree or shrub in fine, 1-cm mesh available at the Garden Supply Center or even from Fabric and Sewing Centers. For further information contact the University of Maryland Home & Garden Center or your local Maryland Extension Service.

Virginia Turfgrass Journal – David McCall, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech Turfgrass Pathology

Those keeping watch from afar of the transformation at Independence Golf Club’s (IGC) short course into a hustling and bustling living research lab have likely been impressed with progress made in just a few years. For those of us watching from “inside the ropes”, it has been nothing short of amazing. What started as an interesting concept and loads of sprigs from around the country in May 2017 has turned into a robust outpost for the VT Turf Team. While many have played vitally important roles in the successes of the facility, none come close to matching the efforts of Jordan Booth.

It is bittersweet to say that Jordan has accepted a position with the United States Golf Association (USGA) as a Southeastern Regional Agronomist, which has long been a career aspiration of his. His last official day as a member of the VT Turf Team was May 9, 2021. However, Jordan will continue to work toward completing his dissertation research with support from the USGA, while juggling his new responsibilities. Jordan has accomplished a lot with the VT Turf Team in a relatively short amount of time.

Jordan has maintained a dual role as Research Associate and Ph.D. student since 2018, where he has been directly involved with approximately 75 field research trials, played a vital Extension role to many of you, and built a national reputation for his work with ultradwarf bermudagrass winter management. In fact, Jordan was recently named a Dr. James Watson Fellow, one of the nation’s top awards among Turfgrass Science graduate students and presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

Jordan has also made the most of his time during pandemic related travel restriction by building an impromptu growth chamber in his garage, in place of weekly trips to campus, to assist with his cold-acclimation studies. Jordan has spent much of the last three years evaluating ways to reduce cold-related injury on both ultradwarf bermudagrass and on hybrid bermudagrasses used on golf course fairways and athletic fields. We have learned a lot from these efforts but the scope is much wider than this. Here is a sampling of the projects that Jordan has assisted with (with primary collaborator in parenthesis):

* numerous fungicide efficacy studies on both warm-season and cool-season grasses at IGC and several other locations in Central VA (McCall)

* spring dead spot epidemiology and management (Hutchens and McCall)

* NTEP putting green performance evaluations (Goatley)

* “bluemuda” establishment and management (Goatley)

* annual bluegrass weevil monitoring and management (Kuhar, McCall, and Del-Pozo)

* annual bluegrass and goosegrass management (Askew, Brewer, and Peppers)

* semi-dormant zoysiagrass herbicide sensitivity (Askew and Craft),

* PGR effects on plant physiology (Zhang)

Jordan is not leaving us “high and dry” by any stretch. He will aid with the transition to his successor, Travis Roberson, who officially began on May 10. With so many projects underway, there are sure to be some bumps along the way. However, we feel that Travis is uniquely qualified to step into this role and hit the ground running. Travis completed his Masters degree in the McCall lab in 2018, where he conducted an intensive research project focused on early detection of drought stress of creeping bentgrass. In addition to his graduate research, he has been involved with testing a variety of disease management solutions. Travis understands the inner workings of our program and has since spent time working at a golf course and wi...