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Big trees can be a great asset to campus grounds or a sports field facility. Their provision of shade and stateliness is hard to beat. However, big trees with extensive [...]

As a general rule, most trees and shrubs are green. Yes, there are a few select species of desirable ornamentals with non-green leaves such as golden birch, golden euonymus, sunburst [...]

Chances are good that taking care of tulips, periwinkle and crabapples isn't the highest priority on the sports field manager's to-do list on any given day. However, in addition to [...]

Hardwood and coniferous trees provide many benefits to campus and sports field properties, including shade, wildlife enhancement, songbird habitat, color in summer and fall, framing, texture, a sense of place, [...]

Wide fluctuations in moisture, temperature and wind patterns make small problems into big ones. A few manifestations of these include anthracnose, pythium blight and take all patch, billbug and white [...]

On campuses, sports fields and other recreational facility grounds, turfgrass can sometimes be the default groundcover. However, in certain instances, it's not the best choice. Locations for non-turf plants include [...]

Infortunately, trees and shrubs on the golf course can't take care of themselves. Like the turf on the tees, greens and fairways, there are all sorts of abiotic maladies caused [...]

Critters that feed on the all-important root system of turf plants deserve a close look. Sure, leaves do the hard work of photosynthesis, creating sugars and carbohydrates, but half of [...]

When trees near a sports field, in a park or on a campus grounds become problematic, removal is a good option. However, knowing when a tree is really problematic or [...]

Regardless of the geographic location of the field(s) being managed, as winter approaches there are some important activities to tend to. These include actual on-the-field procedures, as well as 'on [...]

If there's one thing that all sports field managers utilize on a regular basis, it's aeration. Of course, there are a lot of considerations, techniques and timing issues to contemplate [...]

Insects that cause damage to turfgrass are generally categorized as surface active (leafzone) or subsurface active (rootzone). If you have to deal with one group or the other, the surface [...]

We all know that fertilizer is needed to establish and maintain high-quality sports fields. What may be in question are some of the specifics, such as which nutrients are needed, [...]

Trees and shrubs have been placed at your sports field for several reasons. They bring a lot of value in terms of amenity and shade to a sports facility, but [...]

Auditing. Whether it is a bank audit, a tax audit or a sprinkler system audit, the premise is the same: something is not exactly the way it should be. As [...]

When a fairway or green turns off-color or loses density, what do you do? You usually get down on your hands and knees with a hand lens and inspect the [...]

When boiled down to its essence, a map is a tool for finding something, a group of things or the way to a destination. Maps are pretty important; the old [...]

What's the definition of a weed? The most common one is 'a plant growing out of place in the landscape.' The most familiar weed in a landscape is a dandelion [...]

Ornamentals serve an important function on the golf course, providing fairway definition, creating a backdrop for greens, preventing errant golf shots from striking golfers, producing shade in appropriate locations, screening [...]

The article offers information on extreme weather influences on sports fields and facilities. Topics discussed include the impact of weather fluctuations on turf and ornamentals; strategies to mitigate weather-related problems such as diseases and irrigation issues; and the importance of monitoring weather trends and implementing best management practices for turf and ornamentals.

The article focuses on diagnosing and treating tree problems on golf courses. It discusses various factors that can cause tree decline, including soil compaction, slope, basal trunk damage, planting errors, temperature extremes, herbicide injury, and intolerance to wet soils. It emphasizes the importance of accurate diagnosis and taking preventive measures to maintain the health and value of trees on golf courses.

Good soil is as important to the health of the golf course as a good foundation is to a home. The grass plants must have a fertile, porous growing medium [...]

There are many ways to perceive or view winter damage to trees. One is to deny it, to say to yourself or others 'Oh, it's not really that bad,' and [...]

One of the most common and destructive pests on the golf course is the white grub. Several species can be involved, each with the potential to cause extensive damage to [...]

There are a multitude of pros and cons of using mulch. The best approach is to be fully aware of all the options and make an informed decision in terms [...]

Finely manicured, pristine and regal, hedges can add a sense of dignity and flair to a golf course landscape. Unfortunately, in most cases, hedges and high maintenance go hand in [...]

Everything runs smooth all the time on a golf course, right? Of course not. One of the problem areas is the landscape or, more accurately, the golfscape. When it comes [...]

Pruning is a fundamental practice in the tree care industry. When a customer calls for help with a tree, the two most likely concerns are: something is wrong with my [...]

The common catchphrase, 'Follow the money,' is appropriate for many applications, including the care of ornamentals on the golf course. Of course, following the money must be balanced with another [...]

Junipers may not be the most attractive plants on the planet, but when it comes to pest control, there aren't that many critters to deal with. Junipers are unusually tough [...]

Scale insects can be serious pests of conifers and deciduous trees alike. They get their name from the protective waxy shell covering their bodies. Scale insects are subdivided into two [...]

If arborists and tree care workers had their own reality television show, it might be called something like 'Bug Wars.' Each week the producers would highlight the banter around selecting [...]

There are no perfect trees. Trees develop defects such as decay, cracks and root plate injuries, that can become troublesome in urban environments. There are seven areas of defects that [...]

The tee box can be the source of great triumph, a gut-wrenching agony or both. This is true for golfers as well as golf course superintendents. For golfers, the tee [...]

There are tough weeds, and then there are ultra-tough weeds. Annual bluegrass (Poa annua), otherwise simply known as 'Poa' is in the upper five in terms of persistence, resiliency and [...]

All weeds are tough to control, but some are tougher than others. Categorizing them is subjective, based on your budget, region of the country, experience and the tolerance of the [...]

Tree fertilization can be a major revenue stream for tree service providers, but in order to be held in high respect in the local community, as well as arboricultural communities, [...]

Of the many maladies that a field manager has to stay on top of, nutrient deficiencies are difficult to deal with for many reasons. First, you don't see them every [...]

Which is better: to raise or lower the cost of maintaining the ornamentals on the golf course? Is that a trick question? After all, I've been known to do that [...]

Fighting Fungus ... a daunting magazine article title and overall endeavor indeed. However, it's a battle worth waging, regardless of the difficulty factor. Though a bit on the trite side, [...]

If you've ever overheard an interior designer discuss options with a client, phrases such as 'It just doesn't go there' or 'I'm not seeing it in that spot' may have [...]

As humans, we seem to struggle with things that we have no control over. Bullies at your kids' school, the driver of the car in front of you on the [...]

Well-sited turf and ornamentals usually perform quite well. The sun, shade, soil and other essential input factors seem to come together in the right combination to allow for healthy growth [...]

New products and techniques for controlling pests on woody plants are always being introduced into the marketplace. As an arborist or tree service provider, it's your job to stay abreast [...]

The consequences of tree failure are a heavy-duty occurrence to deal with. With all that is at stake, every reasonable action should be taken to prevent it. In many cases, [...]

When things go wrong with a client's turf the typical response is to make an educated guess as to the cause and to recommend a quick inexpensive solution. Usually, the [...]

One of the most destructive pests of our time is the emerald ash borer (EAB). Many entomologists, foresters and arborists put it in the same category as gypsy moths and [...]

Quality turf, both durable and attractive, is the goal of every sports turf manager. In order to create and maintain highly functional and aesthetically pleasing sports turf, pest control agents [...]

There are many critical issues in the tree care industry, from invasive pests to the implementation of pest monitoring, from training new workers to marketing to new customers, and from [...]

Goosegrass, silver crabgrass, flat grass ... all names for one tough unwanted pest. In addition to these common names, the Latin name, Eleusine indica, is quite apt, as most golf [...]