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tendency developed within the grounds maintenance in in which a program of aeration followed by topdressing
<br /> dustry to mimic the close out, carpet -like grass of the golf with shredded municipal sludge gave excellent results in
<br /> course in all types of turf areas. It's beautiful. certainly, terms of increased turf vigor. In an article on fertilizer pro -
<br /> and necessary if you want to play golf; but even the grams in the May, 1981, issue of American City & Count
<br /> managers of most courses will tell you that the grass does magazine, reference is made to U.S. Department of Agri -
<br /> not respond well to short mowing and that much of the in- culture research with composted sludge from Washington,
<br /> tensive chemical maintenance practiced by golf courses is DC, which found the material to be "... a good low analy-
<br /> in response to problems brought about in part by the turf sis fertilizer (meaning nitrogen is not a great part of its so
<br /> being in stress from excessive mowing and unable to fend composition, mconditioner." it st be applied in bulk) and an excel -
<br /> effectively for itself.
<br /> Tie this in with the IPM /turf area classification ap- On page 74 of this same issue, an inset article discusses
<br /> proach and an obvious conclusion will be that mowing the successful sludge use program developed in Medford,
<br /> heights can and should b raised for most park turf. A Oregon, between April of 1975 and April of 1979. Much of
<br /> height of from -t-we—to hree inches, the higher the better the methodology developed in this program is still in use in
<br /> within this range, will yield an attractive turf with in- the park maintenance program in that community.
<br /> creased vigor and much greater resistance to drought stress Members of our staff in Eugene, including one who
<br /> and weed invasion. , helped develop the Medford program, have the technical
<br /> There are, of course, areas where this would not be ap- knowledge to undertake a similar program here. The cur -
<br /> propriate because of the use patterns or the variety of rent construction and transition of sewage treatment facili-
<br /> grass. In these cases we have adopted the practice of setting ties and administration preclude the production of suffi-
<br /> the mowers just as high as possible without sacrificing the cient quantities of air dried sludge, and we lack machinery
<br /> necessary result. for shredding the material. Further, present local regula-
<br /> All three of the practices discussed above; the adoption tory attitudes make such a program impractical if not im-
<br /> of IPM, classification of turf areas /appropriate mainte- possible. These obstacles may be overcome in time, how -
<br /> nance programs, and the adjustment of mowing heights ever.'
<br /> can be adopted without increasing funding, personnel or Fertilizer and Irrigation equipment devoted to turf maintenance. The next elements g
<br /> of alternative maintenance discussed are also important, No discussion of turf maintenance, alternative or tra-
<br /> but may require increases in one or more of these areas. In- ditional, would be complete without mention of fertilizer
<br /> deed, it is moving forward with this program that has pro and irrigation programs. Either subject, however, could be
<br /> ven most difficult for us because of the need to acquire ad- the subject of a lengthy article by itself, so we will limit our
<br /> ditional equipment coupled with tight budgetary times. comments and direct the interested reader, once again, to
<br /> Mechanical Assistance the sources of technical information given below.
<br /> Nitrogen, of course, is the most important element for
<br /> In the category of mechanical aids to turf vigor are three turf fertilizer programs to supply. Adequate levels of phos-
<br /> operations that are important to any good turf mainte- phorus and potassium also are required as well as trace
<br /> nance program and vital to a comprehensive program of elements. Exactly how one goes about doing this can vary
<br /> alternative turf maintenance. These are aeration, topdress- widely with different soil types, equipment, weather gat-
<br /> ing and overseeding. All three have been around for years, terns, even grass varieties. In our local soils excess chemi-
<br /> largely used in the maintenance of golf greens and athletic cal nitrogen is likely to leach out and be wasted unless ex-
<br /> fields. Tools for these operations are readily available in pensive slow - release forms are used. Spacing a series of
<br /> the marketplace but cost from $2,000 to $6,000 per unit, lighter applications (about 40 lbs. of actual N per acre) is a
<br /> depending on size and which type is purchased. In addi- more economical way of addressing this. Phosphorus and
<br /> tion, since most intensive programs have been confined to potassium will accumulate in our local soils and while this
<br /> fairly small areas in the past, much of this equipment has makes application easier, care must be taken to avoid
<br /> an effective working swath of three feet or less. Building a letting too much build up as this cart actually encourage
<br /> cost -effective program of mechanical assistance on the undesirable vegetation to grow.
<br /> scale faced by most park or public grounds maintenance With irrigation, close monitoring, correct timing and the
<br /> agencies is, therefore, a considerable challenge. maintenance of adequate moisture levels are important.
<br /> Rather than try to discuss or explain these operations in The most frequent operating errors may be waiting too late
<br /> detail here, I would encourage the interested reader to con- to start irrigation and either over - watering or under -
<br /> tact O.S.U., the County Extension Service, or to obtain watering once the program has begun. An improperly de-
<br /> one of the commonly used texts on turf maintenance and signed irrigation system can result in perpetual wet or dry
<br /> management. Golf course managers are another excellent spots, and either of these is bad for grass.
<br /> source of information as they will most likely have expert- It takes experience to visually detect the early symptoms
<br /> ence in all three procedures. of drought stress, and experience, even site - specific experi-
<br /> ence, is often the best teacher of proper timing and irriga -.
<br /> Organic Enrichment of the Soil tion rates. Where on -site staff is not affordable or justified,
<br /> One possibility using this equipment deserves more dis- modern automatic irrigation systems can be valuable if
<br /> cussion in this article. This is the combining of an aeration they are monitored and adjusted regularly by know -
<br /> and topdressing with the utilization of organic fertilizer ledgeablc field staff. Skilled staff and modern equipment
<br /> materials. in our correspondence with Dr. Olkowski, he are imperative if alternative maintenance is to work cffec-
<br /> made reference to wore, done by the National Park Service tively.
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<br /> NCAP NEWS / FALL - WEN'It-R 1431 -62
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