Mowing is one of the most important cultural practices for the maintenance of a healthy lawn. Proper mowing height and intervals increase turfgrass density, which leads to overall healthier turfgrass that is more competitive against weeds
It is estimated that 25% of turf is managed under some form of shade, spanning most sectors of the industry including parks, residential lawns, golf courses, and sports fields ( Beard 1973 ). Fundamentally, shade stress is the reduction in light
, yards, and lawns; furthermore, numerous kinds of tools and equipment have become necessities for people who choose DIY landscaping and gardening. Other homeowners take advantage of landscaping service companies that design, install, and maintain yards
tees, and in higher mown areas such as home lawns. This is especially true of thin and high-trafficked areas. Typically, smooth crabgrass encroachment can be prevented, or greatly diminished, by application of a preemergent herbicide such as dithiopyr
Abstract
Our urban surroundings have become increasingly artificial because of concrete and asphalt in the construction of buildings and transportation systems, so we have begun to plan for the humanizing of these locations through a more creative use of plants. Some environmentalists see the proximity of plants to people as a psychological imperative. As early as 1968, a USD A Task Force published a “National Program of Research for Plants to Enhance Man's Environment”. The critical importance of nonfood and fiber agriculture in the United States has become well documented.
Managers and employees of landscape maintenance and lawn care industry (LM/LC) applying pesticides can prevent pollution. Adequate information about application of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nematicides is a prerequisite for proper application. A survey, prepared by an interdisciplinary research team “Ornamentals Working Group,” was implemented in 1994 to Atlanta metro area firms. The gross return rate was 25.4%. The majority of respondents had 10 or fewer years of experience in providing landscape services; had at least 13 years of schooling; and were in their thirties or forties. The categorical nature of dependent variables suggested ordered probit procedure as the statistical estimation method. Independent variables included characteristics of the respondent, firm characteristics, and information sources about the application of a specific pesticide. Extension and research personnel and commercial representatives were important information sources about insecticide and fungicide application. The use of all three sources of information by the LM/LC industry seems to depend on pesticide type, with commercial representatives, and extension and research personnel often acting as complementary information sources.
A bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy `Tifgreen'] lawn in the transition zone (about lat. 35°N) was treated in late March for 3 years with a high and a low level each of benefin, bensulide, DCPA, oxadiazon, and siduron. Objectives were to determine if relationships exist between field environment and dates of preemergence herbicide applications for large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis L. Scop.) control, the spring root decline (SRD) phenomenon, and herbicide phytotoxicity to the bermudagrass. Herbicide treatments in late March generally controlled large crabgrass, reduced total weed competition, and appeared to aid bermudagrass spring growth following winter dormancy. Herbicide injury to `Tifgreen' bermudagrass roots during SRD does occur under practical field conditions and was more severe when bermudagrass spring green-up occurred closer to the herbicide treatment date, as in 1982. Bermudagrass stand density was significantly reduced with the high level of siduron in 1980 and 1981, and with both levels of oxadiazon and siduron in 1982. Bensulide and oxadiazon, at both levels, gave 92% to 100% crabgrass control during all three treatment years. The high levels of benefin and DCPA in 1980, both levels of benefin and the high level of DCPA in 1981, and both levels of DCPA and the high level of benefin in 1982 gave crabgrass control in excess of 95%. Chemical names used: N-butyl-N-ethyl-2,6-dinitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-benzenamine (benefin), O,O-bis(1-methylethyl)-S-[2-[(phenylsulfony l)-amino]ethyl] phosphorodithioate (bensulide), dimethyl 2,3,5,6-tetra-chloro-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (DCPA), 3-[2,4-dichloro-5-(1-methylethoxy)phenyl]-5-(l,l-dimethylethyl)-l,3,4-oxadiazol-2 -(3H)-one (oxadiazon), N-(2-methylcyclohexyl)-N'-phenylurea (siduron).
Optimizing growing conditions and, thereby, plant growth reduces the susceptibility of plants to many disease and insect pest problems. Educating lawn or landscape management professionals and homeowners about plant health management reduces the need for chemical intervention. Pesticides combined with N and P fertilizers contribute to water pollution problems in urban areas; thus, it is important to manage the amount, timing, and placement of chemicals and fertilizers. To educate consumers applying pesticides and fertilizers in residential gardens, we must educate the sales representatives and others who interact most closely with consumers. Evidence suggests that knowledge about the effects of chemicals is limited and that warning labels are not read or are ignored. Integrated pest management (IPM) offers alternatives to conventional chemical treatments, but such methods are not used commonly because of their relatively high cost and their uncertain impact on pests. Pest detection methods and using pest-resistant plants in landscapes are simple and, in many cases, readily available approaches to reducing the dependence on chemical use. Research on effective, low-cost IPM methods is essential if chemical use in landscape management is to decrease. Current impediments to reducing the pollution potential of chemicals used in the landscape include the limited number of easily implemented, reliable, and cost-effective alternative pest control methods; underfunding of research on development of alternative pest control measures; limited knowledge of commercial operators, chemical and nursery sales representatives, landscape architects, and the general public concerning available alternatives; reluctance of the nursery industry to produce, and of the landscape architects to specify the use of, pest-resistant plant materials; lack of economic or regulatory incentive for professionals to implement alternatives; inadequate funding for education on the benefits of decreased chemical use; and the necessity of changing consumer definition of unacceptable plant damage. We need to teach homeowners and professionals how to manage irrigation to optimize plant growth; use sound IPM practices for reducing disease, weed, and insect problems; and minimize pollution hazards from fertilizers and pesticides.
Abstract
Various insecticides and their application schedules were tested for control of lawn caterpillars on ‘Sunturf’ bermudagrass (Cynodon magennisii Hurcombe) in Hawaii. Chlorpyrifos was the outstanding material tested. Evidence was obtained to show that, if insecticide applications are timed to coincide with insect population peaks, the number of applications for adequate control can be greatly reduced.
Abstract
The injection of chloropicrin at the rate of 3 ml/929 cm2 controlled the fairy ring fungus (Marasmius sp.) in a sandy loam soil. Attempts to control the fungus on clay and clay loam soils were not successful.