Welcome to the “Turf Hotline” sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. This message is being recorded for the week of April 28 – May 5,2000. There is still time to subscribe to the “Turf Hotline”. You will receive a copy of this message by e-mail or fax for $25 for the season. If you are interested, please give my office a call at (519) 824-4120 x 2597.
We have had nice sunny weather all week with high’s in the mid teens. The rain on the Easter weekend has caused an outbreak of Fusarium of Microdochium patch. It will be more active on turf that has been fertilized recently. We have lots of new rust coloured spots all over the bentgrass greens here at GTI.
Now is the time to repair grub damaged areas. By the time either the seed or sod gets established the grubs will be pupating, so don’t worry about grubs killing newly seeded areas. Whether seeding or sodding the key to success is keeping the areas moist.
As I predicted in the message last week, the black turfgrass ataenius are returning to the turf. They can usually be seen flying onto greens in the early to late afternoon on warm spring days. Egg laying usually begins a couple of weeks after they first appear. Peak egg laying of ataenius coincides with full bloom of vanhoutte spirea (also known as bridal wreath spirea) or horse chestnut. In Guelph neither of those trees or shrubs are blooming. For those of you who are looking to treat preventatively for ataenius, the time to do that is before egg laying or anytime now. For curative treatments, look for small grubs when the roses are in full bloom.
Another insect which will be feeding on turf is the leatherjacket or cranefly larva. These insects seem to be restricted to certain areas in the Niagara region, Hamilton mountain, Ancaster areas. Sevin, diazinon and chlorpyrifos are all labeled for control of leatherjackets.
Forsythia flowers are developing quickly now with the warmer weather. Pre-emergence crabgrass control can go down any time now. With Dimension you can apply until the crabgrass is in the 1-4 leaf stage. Do not apply Dimension to newly seeded areas.
A pesticide company is looking for sites to test a product for both European chafer control as well as hairy chinch bug control. If anyone knows of sites that are infested with both these pests could you please give my office a call at (519) 824-4120 x 2597.
The 2000 edition of Turfgrass Management Recommendations put out by the Ministry is now available for only $10. It has all the new pesticide recommendations in it as well as information on turfgrass fertilization, turf species, seed companies, etc.. To order your 2000 edition of Publication 384 you can telephone the OMAFRA head office at 1-888-466-2372 or call the GTI at (519) 767-5009.
Again, thanks for phoning the hotline for this week. The next hotline message will be recorded on Fri. May 5, 2000. – See more at: https://lawnsavers.com/turf-hotline-2000/turf-agrifax-week-5-2000-april-28-2000.html#sthash.rzuFxKiY.dpuf
