Buy Photo

The new Ouachita parish school board building in West Monroe, La. is set to be fully functional by the end of January as staff settles in to the new space. (Photo: Nicolas Galindo/The News-Star)

Just before the winter break, the lobby of 1600 N. Seventh St., West Monroe, was stacked high with boxes the kind for moving, not gifts.

The Ouachita Parish Schools administrative offices are moving under a single roof, and the transition is set to be complete by mid-January.The first meeting in the updated building will be a special meeting at noon Jan. 6.

Superintendent Don Coker is proud of the new space. He can point to the purpose almost every closet, nook and cranny will serve.

"The space is great, and I like to see this as not just a central office but a training facility for all of our people," he said.

The formerOuachita Parish Alternative Center and West Monroe Junior High School campus has been renovated into state-of-the-art office space with classrooms and computer labs for staff training dotted through the complex.

Everything was designed to work together and make things easier.

"A lot of thought was put into how this was when you take a school and you gut the entire thing and then you build it back one step at a time trying to figure out how you coordinate all of this stuff. It's huge," Coker said.

The new board room at the remodeled Ouachita Parish School Board building in West Monroe, La.(Photo: Nicolas Galindo/The News-Star)

Once people are buzzed in the front door, a hallway to the left leads to Coker's office and personal conference rooms and the cafeteria.

Going straight, visitors will find the elevators, then the board room. Behind the board room, members have a smaller conference room specifically for executive sessions.

Taking a right from the lobby will lead straight to the most visited offices: retirement, leave, insurance and payroll.

Then the business offices are laid out in ways that keep departments together while sharing work rooms and printers. Every department has its own break room.

The DARE and truancy officers with the Ouachita Parish Sheriffs Office will have their own space with an external exit at the end of a wing. (The facility is secure and requires digital fobs to swipe in each door.)

Upstairs, there are other departments andtraining space, computer labs and additional storage. They've included a media room with a green wall for photos and digital video training for students too.

Media center workers and IT will be in another building in the same complex.

The new Ouachita Parish School Board building in West Monroe, La. will feature tables designed and made by the district's high schools. This table was built at West Ouachita High School.(Photo: Nicolas Galindo/The News-Star)

All the furniture from the old offices has been brought to the new building, and students at parish high schoolsare building tables for conference rooms around the complex.

Coker said they also plan to hang students' art around the buildings.

The best bargain in the whole development, he joked was the sod out front. Landscaping wasn't in the budget, but West Monroe High School had borrowed money from the board to put down a new turf practice field. They moved the grass to the new office.

The only place everything was not accounted for was the mail room. Each school has a letter box, as does each department in the new building.

"We haven't figured out what we're doing with thoseyet," Coker said, grinning andpointing to a bank of cubbies against one wall.

It's a new look, but history hasn't been abandoned. The West Monroe Junior High School wall plaque is hanging near the secondary entrance on the front of thebuilding.

Parts of the building keep vintage elements of the building in sight, like painting original brickwork to blend with new drywall. The look merges both elements.

"I'm thinking that down the road, this is going to be a cost saving measure for the entire district," Coker said.

They'll be maintaining fewer buildings, as a star, and there are built-in energy efficiencies in the redesigned offices, such as overhead lights that adjust based on the amount of daylight in the room.

The rooms are spacious and most of have lots of natural light. (In 30 years of administration, this is the first time Coker has had a window in his office.)

Ouachita Parish School Board Superintendent Don Coker sits at his desk in the new school board building in West Monroe, La. on Dec. 19.(Photo: Nicolas Galindo/The News-Star)

The new facility gives the district multiple spaces for events they'd previously held at churches. Coker said they can accommodate 700 teachers at one time in the entire central office.Being able to speak to 100 employees in one room like this is something they've never been able to do.

There are plans to start serving meals out of the cafeteria to employees who aren't based ata school. The goal is to make it self-sustaining without adding extra cost to the district.

Coker assumed his role in 2015. He said he'd been thinking of this project for several years and timing was everything. OPAS, now call Ouachita Parish Academy for Learning, students had to be moved, and some employees had to be relocated around the district to make room while the buildings were being renovated.

Now they're all coming home.

"What I'm having to do is to take four families and blend them into one, and that's going to be my Iwouldn't say challenge but that's going to be something that we're going to be working toward," Coker said.

He feels humble and proud that he pulled it together.

"I'm tired, but I'm happy."

Read or Share this story: https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/education/2019/12/31/ouachita-parish-school-board-starting-new-year-new-offices/2667983001/

Read the rest here:
First peek: OPSB starting new year with new offices - The News Star

Central Navy JROTC excels in the Air Rifle Competitions

Article and Photography by Alice Mary Herden

Brooksville, Fla. -- Since the beginning of the 2019 school year at Central High, students from the Navy JROTC program have been competing in air rifle competitions.

Our main job is to instill skills and citizenship values to our young cadets through a tough curriculum and extra-curricular activities, Navy Veteran Commander Christian Cruz said. Its about discipline and giving them the skills that they need so they can be ready for what happens after high school.

On Dec. 14, 2019 Central Navy JROTC won the Civilian Marksmanship Program State of Florida Championship in Jacksonville at the Gateway Rifle Pistol Club, and this is their third year in a row to take home the first-place trophy.

At these competitions, all the students have to be prepared and mentally focused without any outside personal distractions.

When I first joined JROTC I saw they had a rifle team, I really wanted to do that, said Team Commander Lieutenant LeeAnn Wallace. I like that we do this as a team. Its really helped me with my self-discipline because practicing it takes a lot of work and a lot of time to improve.

All of the Navy JROTC students at Central High School have been solid in their performance at each competition. They continue to showcase higher standards of sportsmanship, as well as their commitment to the sport.

That feeling of accomplishment when you break a goal that you didnt think youd be able to break but also all your team members are able to do it too, Brent Howard said. Its a great feeling.

They are absolutely doing amazing, said air rifle coach Master Gunnery Sergeant Arnett. I am so very proud of them foremost. As teachers, we always talk about how to be successful and be resilient in the face of situations that come against you. These kids are all that.

These kids, they challenge me as a coach, and I have to come up with ways to help them be better than they are. When you give your time and effort into the kids, and they grow and learn from what you are trying to teach them and excel at it, as a coach you cant ask for anything better than that, Master Gunnery Sergeant Arnett added.

Previous Shoulder to Shoulder Competitions (A shoulder to shoulder is when the competitors stand side by side during competitions.)

October 12, 2019

Shoulder to Shoulder Competition at Oviedo High School

-Central High School JROTC Navy team placed first out of 23 schools

-Individual First Place, Bailey Birchler out of 93 competitors

November 23, 2019

U.S. Army Junior Air Rifle Championship Sectionals at Sarasota Military Academy

-Central High School Navy JROTC placed first in the State of Florida out of 17 schools

-Individual First Place, Brent Howard out of 77 competitors

-Central High School Navy JROTC came in fourth in the Nation for Army out of 180 schools

-Individual 6th Place, Brent Howard out of 811 competitors

Top forty, Leann Wallace, Bailey Birchler, and Kyle Chilson

December 7, 2019

Area 7 Championship at Oviedo High School

-Central High School Navy JROTC Navy team placed first out of 30 schools

-Individual First Place, Brent Howard out of 112 competitors

December 14, 2019

Civilian Marksmanship Program State Championship at Gateway Pistol Club in Jacksonville, FL

-Central High School Navy JROTC placed first out of 20 schools for the past three years.

-Individual First Place, Bailey Birchler out of 67 competitors. Leann Wallace took first place in 2017.

Up ahead for the team:

The Navy JROTC Nationals in Chandler, Arizona, in February. If in the top twelve Central High School Navy JROTC will move on to the All Services at Camp Perry, Ohio in March to represent the Navy.

Go here to read the rest:
Commitment and Dedication - Hernando Sun

Key Players | Schneider Electric, General Electric, Siemens, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Engie

The research study provides market introduction, AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER market definition, regional market scope, sales and revenue by region, manufacturing cost analysis, Industrial Chain, market effect factors analysis, AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER market size forecast, 100+ market data, Tables, Pie Chart, Graphs and Figures, and many more for business intelligence.

The global automated turf harvesters market size is expected to reach $155,947.8 thousand in 2026, from $62,151.5 thousand in 2018, growing at a CAGR of 12.6% from 2019 to 2026.

Access Report: http://www.reportocean.com/industr_id=AMR152

In the AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market, some of the major companies are:

- FireFly Automatix, Inc.- Kesmac Inc.- KWMI Equipment- MAGNUM ENP- Trebro Manufacturing, Inc.- Turf Tick Products B.V.

The report consists of various chapters and company profiling is a major among them. Company profiling garners business intelligence and track key elements of a business, such as:

AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market: Insights

Automated turf harvesters are used to harvest turf in the form of rolls and slabs from turf cultivation farms. It is an upgrade to the manually operated turf harvesters and provide one-man operation for cutting, rolling, and stacking of turf.

The automated turf harvesters have features such as product quality monitoring, which rejects the defective roll or slab by sensing its weight and thickness.

Moreover, the automated turf harvesters are provided with remote monitoring and diagnostics features, cellular or wireless communication systems, bilingual interface and many other features. This propels the automated turf harvesters market growth significantly.

Furthermore, the implementation of automated turf harvesters on turf cultivation farms increase harvesting speed by 20% and reduce fuel consumption as well. The customers, majorly sod farmers, are switching towards automated equipment in order to increase the overall quality of the harvested turf.

In addition, the labor costs are mainly reduced by the implementation of automated turf harvesters on sod farms. Furthermore, the major consumers of automated turf harvesters are from the developed nations like European and North American regions, mainly owing to the better living standards, resulting in improved housing with bigger lawns, participation in luxury sports like golf.

The shift of consumer preferences toward automated agricultural equipment is a major driver for the automated turf harvesters market. The introduction of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in farming has helped the cultivators to obtain better quality and more yield in less time.

Thus, the farmers are inclining toward autonomy for various agricultural processes. Moreover, the lack of labor and high cost associated with labor intensive farming promotes the use of automated equipment for turf farming applications.

The stacking of turf pallets is the most tedious task as each pallet weighs around 1,500 to 3,000 pounds, which requires maximum effort which can be eased with the use of automated turf harvesters, which provide automatic stacking. Automation enables high quality turf harvesting and reduces the time required for turf harvesting process.

Furthermore, various sports federations are choosing natural turf over artificial turf to conduct various sports such as football, soccer, cricket, and others. The artificial turf use has led to many negative results such as increased field temperature and is expected to contribute to on field injuries including fatigue, shortened career of the players, and negative effect on life after retirement of the players, hence the sports organizations are choosing natural turf over the artificial turf which increase the requirement of turf cultivation and in turn, bolsters the automated turf harvesters market growth.

On the contrary, high costs of automated turf harvesters is a major restrain for the growth of automated turf harvesters market. Also, the versatility of artificial grass is increasing its popularity over natural grass in the residential sector.

However, the growth in construction of golf courses in countries such as China, creates a demand for turf cultivation and thereby, creates lucrative opportunities for the growth of automated turf harvesters market during the forecast period.

The global automated turf harvesters market is segmented on the basis of product type, application, and region. By product type, it is divided into roll turf harvesters and slab turf harvesters.

The slab turf harvesters segment is anticipated to dominate the global automated turf harvesters market in the future, owing to the growth of residential construction activities mainly in the U.S. and the UK. By application, it is classified into residential, commercial, golf courses, and sports/ athletics.

The commercial segment is projected to dominate the global automated turf harvesters market during the forecast period. Also, the residential segment holds the highest share in the automated turf harvesters market.

Get a Sample Report for more Expert and Official insights: @www.reportocean.com/industr_id=AMR152

The Global AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market is segmented into various sub-groups to understand the market scenario in detail, the market segmentation are as follows:

By Product Type- Roll Turf Harvesters- Slab Turf Harvesters

By Application- Residential- Commercial- Golf Courses- Sports/Athletics

Other Report Highlights Competitive Landscape - Sales, Market Share, Geographical Presence, Business Segments Product Benchmarking. Market Dynamics Drivers and Restraints. Market Trends. Porter Five Forces Analysis. SWOT Analysis.

Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows:

Historical year 2013-2017

Base year 2018

Forecast period** 2019 to 2025 [** unless otherwise stated]

Regional split of the Global AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market research report is as follows:

The market research study offers in-depth regional analysis along with the current market scenarios. The major regions analyzed in the study are:

Get Free PDF Brochure of this Report: http://www.reportocean.com/industr_id=AMR152

Questions answered in the AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER market research report:

Key highlights and important features of the Report:

Overview and highlights of product and application segments of the global AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market are provided. Highlights of the segmentation study include price, revenue, sales, sales growth rate, and market share by product.

Explore about Sales data of key players of the global AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market as well as some useful information on their business. It talks about the gross margin, price, revenue, products, and their specifications, type, applications, competitors, manufacturing base, and the main business of key players operating in the AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market.

Explore about gross margin, sales, revenue, production, market share, CAGR, and market size by region.

Describe AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;

Research Methodology:

We identify the major drivers and restraints for every region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, & Middle East) of any particular market with a weightage value of how it is impacting the market. For each driver and restraint, we provide weightage in short term, medium term, and long term.

Here the driver acts as a pull factor and restraint as a push factor.

Primary ResearchKey players in the market are identified through review of secondary sources such as industry whitepapers, annual reports, published reports by credible agencies, financial reports and published interviews of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) from leading companies. During the primary interviews, KOLs also suggested some producers that are included under the initial scope of the study.

We further refined company profile section by adding suggested producers by KOLs. KOLs include Chief Executive Officer (CEO), general managers, vice presidents, sales directors, market executives, R&D directors, product managers, procurement managers, export managers.

During the research process, all the major stakeholders across the value chain are contacted for conducting primary interviews.

Browse Premium Research Report with Tables and Figures at @ http://www.reportocean.com/industrode=RO-013

There are 15 Chapters to display the Global AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Market:

Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER, Applications of, Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of , Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, Export & Import, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia, Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to explore the Market Analysis by Application Major Manufacturers Analysis;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type, Market Trend by Application;Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER by region, type and application;Chapter 12, to describe AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe AUTOMATED TURF HARVESTER sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Read the original post:
CAGR of 12.6%, Automated Turf Harvester Market forecast by 2026 made possible by top research firm - WhaTech - WhaTech

The study on Global Lawn Grass & Turf Grass Market Status and Forecast 2019-2026 revealed by Market Research Place is the clear picture of fundamental data identified with the market globally based on the aspects influencing the growth of the market. The report presents the up to date and useful market insights revealing the product definition, product type, and variety of applications. The report looks at the present status of the industry combined with outlook aspects to provide interested parties avenues to growth and take advantage of conditions. It aims to help users in achieving ecological growth in their particular areas.

The report broadcasts study with an in-depth overview, describes the product/industry scope, presents market outlook and status to 2026. Then the opportunities, key growth drivers, analysis of top competitors, threats & risks to the market growth are also highlighted in this report. The research has given the international market value of US$XX million for the current year and the potentials to reach US$XX million by 2026.

DOWNLOAD FREE SAMPLE REPORT: https://www.marketresearchplace.com/report-detail/134746/request-sample

Global Lawn Grass & Turf Grass Market: Competitive Landscape and Segmentation:

The section covers competitive outline which includes SWOT, company profile related to the market players as well as product pictures, financial details, industry policies, import, and export scenario, production capacity, and chain. It also adds the evaluation of the market size. Major players in the report included are: Ten Cate, FieldTurf, CoCreation Grass, Polytan GmbH, Domo Sports Grass, Mondo S.p.A., ACT Global Sports, SIS Pitches, Beaulieu International Group, Saltex Oy, Edel Grass B.V., Condor Grass, Nurteks, Victoria PLC, Garden Grass, Taishan, LIMONTA SPORT S.p.A., ForestGrass, Wonderlawn,

Synopsis of The Market Segmentation:

Additionally, the report has added discussion on the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, the challenges and the risks faced by key players. Furthermore, the report also caters the comprehensive information about the crucial aspects such as major drivers & restraining factorswhich will define the future growth of the market.

ACCESS FULL REPORT: https://www.marketresearchplace.com/report/global-lawn-grass-turf-grass-market-status-134746.html

Geographically, this report is subdivided into several key regions,with data concerned to the production and consumption patterns, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Lawn Grass & Turf Grass market in these regions, for period from 2019 to 2026 (forecast), covering and its share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2019 to 2026. Regional segment analysis of the market is provided for: Asia-Pacific (China, Southeast Asia, India, Japan, Korea, Western Asia), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland), North America (United States, Canada, Mexico), Middle East & Africa (GCC, North Africa, South Africa), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Peru).

The growing demand for the market in well-established and developing regions, the increasing penetration of the end-user industries, and the latest technological developments are all together driving the growth of the market. The market dynamics and distinctive factors that could affect the entire forecast period for the industry are offered in the study.

Customization of the Report:This report can be customized to meet the clients requirements. Please connect with our sales team ([emailprotected]), who will ensure that you get a report that suits your needs.

This post was originally published on Market Research Sheets

View post:
Lawn Grass & Turf Grass Market 2019 Key Factors and Emerging Opportunities with Current Trends Analysis 2026 - Market Research Sheets

Photo: AdShooter/Stock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

An inaccurately forecast hurricane saved a lot of superintendents some trouble (but not the unnecessary prep work), while floods and drought were common themes in this years report. The labor challenge? We had to laugh when Daniel Francis, president of the Cincinnati GCSA, said, Im not going to talk about labor. Everyone knows labor is a problem.

For our 2019 State of the Industry report, sponsored by Nufarm, we once again embarked on a journey to learn what the golf season was like across the country. We talked to GCSAA chapter presidents and representatives to learn about regional weather, disease pressures, challenges and successes. This report, surveying 13 different states, covers a lot of ground.

Were happy to see that many of these reports are positive. It seems that despite some challenging weather conditions and the omnipresent labor issue superintendents had a lot to be proud of in 2019. But that doesnt mean they are celebrating just yet. Like TPC Louisiana Superintendent Brandon L. Reese reminds us, Our business never stops. Its a little bit of a slowdown, but not much. The grass has slowed down, but things dont slow down a ton.

We talk with 19 superintendents around the country in this report. To jump to a specific interview, click on their name below.

President, Long Island GCSASuperintendent, Seawane Golf & Country Club, Hewlett Harbor, N.Y.

Generally speaking, how was the golf season in your region?

It was pretty normal. Rounds were slow in the beginning because it was a little wet, but then it picked up. April, May were a little light, and then the weather turned for the better. I would say we were down in the beginning of the year and then picked up to normal.

How was the weather for your area this year?

It was kind of a wet early spring, and then it basically stopped raining.

What was the disease pressure like in your area in 2019?

Not bad, maybe two weeks all summer were kind of sketchy. We dealt with Pythium and brown patch during those hot spells. During the heat and humidity, those are typical.

What was the biggest challenge faced by your area this year?

Labor, by far. Finding either qualified assistants or even qualified crew members, which is getting to be more and more difficult every year. I started using a lot more part-time summer help. We began employing more women this year. Right now, I have a couple women this fall who will get their kids off to school, then work 8:30 to 1:30 every day. That seems to be the possibility moving forward, is having more females whore looking for part-time work during the day.

Were there any notable success stories from your area/chapter this year?

We had a great turnout for membership and our local chapter at the PGA Championship at Bethpage since the PGA was on Long Island.

What are your expectations for 2020?

Its supposed to be a cold winter, so superintendents in our area, the No. 1 thing on their minds is, Are we going to make it through without any winterkill or damage? We certainly dont want to go into spring with any turf loss, but like the old saying goes, If Mother Nature wants it, shes going to take it. Hopefully, member participation and member rounds will go up. Hopefully, well be able to grow the game a little more than we are right now, trying to come up with ways to get people more involved in the game.

As interviewed by Sarah Webb

Back to top.

Rick Lewis, president of the Maine GCSA, is superintendent at Willowdale Golf Club. His chapter experienced a wet spring and cooler-than-normal temperatures. (Photo: Willowdale Golf Club)

President, Rio Grande GCSADirector of golf course maintenance, Towa Golf Club, Santa Fe, N.M.

Generally speaking, how was the golf season in your region?

It was much improved overall. The courses in the state generally all received good moisture in the winter, meaning we had more snow than we had seen in the previous three to four years. Course conditions were a lot better going into the spring.

How was the weather for your area this year?

Moisture was a little more than what we (normally) see. For us, moisture is very precious, unlike in some parts of the country. I think the weather pressure played a good and bad factor. Because of the moisture, we did lose some rounds because it rained. Were very much like Colorado, where we can boast 300 days of sunshine, but when the rain comes, sometimes it comes all at once when the monsoons hit. The moisture overall for the year was continuously good. We didnt have big stretches where there was no moisture at all, like wed had in previous years.

What was the disease pressure like in your area in 2019?

Disease pressure is fairly low for us in the state in general due to the dryness. Most of the diseases are fungal diseases. Not that guys dont spray, we do, but were not battling things like the East Coast often has to do.

What was the biggest challenge faced by your area this year?

Generating consistent rounds overall is always an issue. Were in a situation where rounds arent increasing really anywhere in the country, and in our area, when you have a downturn, its hard to fight back.

Were there any notable success stories from your area/chapter this year?

In the area, Black Mesa had some issues with enough water and better-quality water. In the last two years, they got their water issues worked out, and their conditions greatly improved. It was a course that was in the Top 100 courses in Golf Digest. During those years when they were going through those issues, it affected a lot of us in this area. Were very grateful that theyre doing better and helping everyone at the same time with their reputation as a Golf Digest Top 100 club. As for the chapter, we are very close to having our Best Management Practices (BMP) project done. Im guessing well have that published within the next six months.

What are your expectations for 2020?

Going into this winter now, it doesnt look like its going to be as good of a moisture winter for the entire state. I think some pockets of the state will get normal moisture, but others will get less than normal. The winter is the big trigger on how next year will start out for us.

As Interviewed by Sarah Webb

Immediate past president, Colorado GCSASuperintendent, Pole Creek Golf Club, Tabernash, Colo.

Generally speaking, how was the golf season in your region?

From what I heard, numbers were up, definitely here in my specific region in the mountains. We pretty much lost all of June to weather; we also had snow, but we rebounded in July, August and September. We had a really strong last three months.

How was the weather for your area this year?

We had rain in most of May and then a little snow in June, so it was pretty cold. We werent turning on much irrigation in that time. And then it really dried out for us in July, August and September. It was too dry. October was unusually snowy, and now in November, we are back in a dry spell. In Colorado statewide, it was the coldest October in quite some time.

What was the disease pressure like in your area in 2019?

Our biggest one was coming out of the winter. We had a lot of snow mold because a lot of our courses were under snow for over 200 days. The only one we really deal with otherwise is anthracnose. We dont get much pressure up here (in the mountains). I think we all kind of spray similar fungicides for anthracnose, and I think its pretty common around here.

What was the biggest challenge faced by your area this year?

I would say the labor. Our biggest challenge up here where Im located is housing for all of our laborers. Being in a resort town, the housing market is terrible. Its tough on those who arent making as much money.

Were there any notable success stories from your area/chapter this year?

Our biggest one is our BMPs just came out. That and we just had our third annual conference, and the numbers every year are growing, so that has been a real success.

What are your expectations for 2020?

Hopefully, to have another successful season on all the golf courses, and hopefully, weather cooperates. Thats the big one, getting weather to cooperate and continuing to have strong numbers.

As interviewed by Clara McHugh

Back to top.

Immediate past president, Idaho GCSASuperintendent, Oquirrh Hills Golf Club, Tooele, Utah

Generally speaking, how was the golf season in your region?

I think the season was generally pretty good. Most years, the weather plays a significant part in the success of the season, and that was true for this year. We had a wet spring but pretty good weather the rest of the way. We had a couple weeks of significant cold in October, but it has warmed back up, and we are getting some extra play now in November, which is a bonus.

How was the weather for your area this year?

Overall, we had a pretty good weather year. The spring was wet. We had quite a bit of rain March, April and into May. At my course, we had a years worth of precipitation in that three-month period. After that, it dried out for most of the rest of the summer. Many areas went 60-plus days with no rain, but we didnt get very hot. There is quite a wide variety of climate/temperature/precipitation in our area, from desert to mountain/desert to high-elevation mountain courses.

What was the disease pressure like in your area in 2019?

This is one area in which we usually do not have too much trouble. Other than snow mold in the winter, not too many problems, other than maybe some localized microclimate issues. Low humidity levels and pretty good air movement seem to keep most diseases at bay.

What was the biggest challenge faced by your area this year?

I am not aware of anything specific, challengewise. Usually water and water availability are significant concerns, but with our winter snowpack and wet spring, that wasnt any issue this year. My best guess would be related to revenue, growth of the game and having the funding available for equipment and capital improvement projects.

Were there any notable success stories from your area/chapter this year?

We have been spending time working on our BMPs and are looking forward to completing that next year. There were some courses that I know had some success with junior golf programs and introducing young players to the game.

What are your expectations for 2020?

The general feeling that I get from other superintendents and course managers is a quiet optimism. Most courses saw a slight improvement by years end with revenue/play, and hopefully, that trend will continue. Several courses are looking at updating some equipment and capital improvements on the golf course.

As interviewed by Clara McHugh

President, Carolinas GCSASuperintendent, Carolina Golf Club, Charlotte, N.C.

Generally speaking, how was the golf season in your region?

Overall, it was another good year for golf in the Carolinas. There were four USGA Championships contested in our region in 2019 (U.S. Womens Open, U.S. Senior Womens Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Senior Amateur), and I think they definitely raised the level of excitement for golf in North and South Carolina this year.

How was the weather for your area this year?

The weather was definitely a major talking point again. The year started off wet, on the heels of a record-breaking fall the year prior. Summer was excessively hot and dry for some but still wet for others, me included. September saw a flash drought that lasted nearly 50 days, and we still had record-high temperatures in early October. We set an all-time record high of 99 degrees F on Oct. 2 in Charlotte.

What was the disease pressure like in your area in 2019?

We had some spring dead spot (SDS) like always on our bermudagrass fairways. Were assisting NC State University with some fungicide trials for SDS this year. I still manage bentgrass putting greens, and the hot and wet combination this summer kept me on my toes treating for Pythium root rot.

What was the biggest challenge faced by your area this year?

Labor! Finding folks who want to work is a major hurdle.

Were there any notable success stories from your area/chapter this year?

There were four USGA Championships conducted in our area this year. Also, our chapter raised a new record amount ($61,000) in the Rounds 4 Research auction.

Im hopeful after a challenging year like 2019 that there is only one direction golf can go up! Heres to a prosperous and weather-friendly 2020, fingers crossed.

As interviewed by Christina Herrick

Back to top.

President, Virginia GCSA Superintendent, Blacksburg Country Club, Blacksburg, Va.

Generally speaking, how was the golf season in your region?

The season for playing golf in our region was pretty good. There were very few rainy days and not too many periods of extended heat. Our rounds are up 18 percent over last year, we sold out our large-member tournaments and league play participation was up. I hope this is a trend that others around the state observed as well.

How was the weather for your area this year?

The weather this year was interesting. We started off the year like we ended last year, wet. Then in June, someone turned off the spigot. We received 4 inches of rain for the entire summer, half of which fell in a one-week period. Thats about 8 inches below average for that time period. During this time, much of the state was in some level of drought. Fortunately, some timely rains have fallen over the past couple of weeks, but there are still some areas that would benefit from a good rain.

What was the disease pressure like in your area in 2019?

Disease pressure was low. With a lack of rainfall, extended leaf moisture was not an issue.

What was the biggest challenge faced by your area this year?

Labor! Finding, hiring and retaining all levels of our team was/is a challenge. As the labor pool shrinks, it has become increasingly difficult. And we are not alone. I have several members who are business owners that specialize in a trade, and they are experiencing the same issues.

Were there any notable success stories from your area/chapter this year?

Our chapter has been very active with state government recently. There have been several pieces of legislation introduced during the last couple of sessions that were detrimental to our industry. We have been able to meet with the delegates and present our point of view. Now we are recognized by members of both the House and Senate in the Statehouse.

What are your expectations for 2020?

In 2020, I expect more of the unexpected. Weather is always a crapshoot, and Mother Nature is undefeated. We are going to have to be even more creative to attract and retain labor. Policymakers are going to continue to introduce legislation that is related to our industry. It will be important to stay vigilant and keep an eye on bills coming out of the Capitol.

As interviewed by Christina Herrick

Georgia GCSA board member Superintendent, Big Canoe Golf Club, Jasper, Ga.

Generally speaking, how was the golf season in your region?The peak golf season of April through October was terrific. We beat rounds numbers from last year in every peak month.

How was the weather for your area this year?

After a wetter-than-normal start, the weather was incredible. Average or below-average rainfall in every month after April meant golfers had no excuses to not be out playing. The drought of late August to early October tested our irrigation system, but rains returned in mid-October, and everything is looking good again.

What was the disease pressure like for your area in 2019?

Average. No severe outbreaks that were unexpected. Prolonged heat into September meant we extended our preventive treatments for a month longer than normal.

What was the biggest challenge faced by your area in 2019?

Staff recruitment and retention continue to be a major challenge. Unemployment rates continue to be historically low, which is a good thing overall, but has meant fewer job seekers at the entry level. Also, the H-2B visas were tough to get, and that labor group was late to arrive and came in fewer numbers.

Read the rest here:
Golfdom's 2019 State of the Industry report - Golfdom magazine

A study by SAP Concur shows bleisure trips are on the rise. Here are some ways to make them count

The following are some convenient golf and spa packages to consider going into the new year.

PGA National Resort & Spa South Floridas popular vacation, meetings, wellness and golf destination is offering its value-packed Gold Golf Package for a South Florida stay-and-play winter getaway to treasure.

PGA National offers 90 holes of high-caliber golf on five courses, including the famed Champion Course that is home to the popular PGA TOUR Honda Classic and past host of the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship and several Senior PGA Championships.

PGA National also offers the David Leadbetter Golf Academy and David Pelz Scoring Game School for individual instruction and group clinics; Every Ball Counts a science-based, statistics-driven training system for golf improvement -- is offered at its off-site Estates Course; as is a state-of-the-art club fitting at Cool Club.

From Jan. 1 April 14, 2020 the Gold Golf Package starts at $339 (per person, per night, double occupancy) and offers deluxe accommodations with private balcony or terrace, full daily breakfast in the Palm Terrace restaurant, and one round per day (with cart) on the resorts five superb layouts.

Both The Palmer and The Champion courses require a $50 and $135 surcharge, respectively. The offer additionally features unlimited range balls and complimentary bag storage. Resort fees and taxes are included.

Through the Gold Golf Package, guests can combine a golf vacation while enjoying the areas Major League Baseball spring training as the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals share The Ballpark at Palm Beaches. The nearby Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins.

They can also enjoy the high-tech 33,000-square-foot Sports & Racquet Club featuring a wide array of fitness activities and classes.

The property is 15 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) and one hour from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).

Season of the Witch at Myrtle Beach

Mystical Golf is showcasing "Myrtle Beachs finest 54 holes of golf on its acclaimed Witch, Man-O-War and Wizard courses with stay-and-play packages to start the 2020 golf season in style.

From January through May, guests will discover wall to wall emerald green fairways rather than dormant brown conditions found on most courses during winter and spring months. The lush conditions are the result of Mystical Golfs substantial investment in overseeding with Ryegrass, emulating the agronomic practices of top courses like Augusta National.

From Jan. 1, the three-day Gold Package begins at $96 (per person, per day, taxes included). It includes three rounds with cart on each of the celebrated layouts (plus one additional complimentary afternoon round), three nights lodging in a three-bedroom villa, free IHOP breakfast daily (available 24 hours per day), and a gratis steak dinner at Logans Roadhouse (includes non-alcoholic beverages, taxes).

Added package highlights include two free beers and lunch at the course each day, complimentary daily range balls, instant replay round for cart fee only, and $15 gift card toward a golf shirt in any of the three well-stocked pro shops. Extra night stays are available at a moderate cost per person.

The resorts three layouts are highlighted by fun elements such as the only back-to-back island greens in the game (Man-O-War), a front nine of dramatic holes weaving through secluded swampland teeming with wildlife (The Witch), and a splendid layout reminiscent of Scotland and Irelands classic courses complete with authentic sod-faced bunkering and castle-style clubhouse (The Wizard).

Man-O-Wars 15th hole ranks among GOLF Magazines Five Most Memorable Island Greens alongside No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass, the Alcatraz hole at PGA Wests Stadium Course and Coeur dAlene Resorts movable, floating putting surface. The course is known for its back-to-back island greens and water features touching every hole. With a commanding 141 slope rating, the par-72, 6,967-yard layout is offset by straight-forward shots and excellent, bent-grass greens.

The Witch sits on 500 acres of tranquil cypress groves and wetlands teeming with flora and fauna. Tactical play is rewarded on the par-71, 6,702-yard layout. With 4,000 feet of bridges wending through swamps (front nine) and rolling hills (back nine), golfers may spy cranes, bald eagles, alligators and black bears.

The Wizard presents deep bunkers, mound-framed fairways and dramatic elevation changes. Trademark stone bridges and an Old-World, castle-style clubhouse add character to the par-72, 6,721-yard shot-makers course.

The Witch, Man-O-War and The Wizard are in the heart of Myrtle Beach and within 15 minutes of Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR).

Worth the Wellness in Los Cabos

The AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Los Cabos is hosting a Wellnessing Getaway in 2020 from February 19 21. Hosted by experts in health, nutrition, and wellness, the 3-day lineup of wellness-focused activities includes a number of yoga and fitness classes, healthy cooking and nutrition workshops, session on skin care, sonotherapy, ancestral cuisine, traditional Mexican rituals, and other considerations. All Wellnessing Getaway activities are included in the nightly rate.

A Mexican spiritual guide will kick off the retreat with an opening ritual calling on the elements. Then, it's onto some high impact with a workout from wellness influencer and certified personal trainer Rachel DeVaux, whose GOOD SWEAT program combines HIIT and circuit training with strength and compound movement.

Additional activities the first day include a masterclass in skin care from Adriana Azuara, founder of All4Spas; vigorous vinyasa complemented with guided yogic sleep and glowing body paint, led by international yoga teacher Danica Johnson; and an ancestral dinner on the beach.

Day 2 is another day of all-encompassing wellness complete with active stretching, a plant-based culinary class, and sound therapy.

The final day of the getaway offers a mindful yoga practice with pranayama, where guests can learn about breathing practices that help calm and balance both the mind and body; an interactive healthy cooking class; and a closing ritual on life in harmony.

Travelers seeking an all-encompassing wellness retreat can opt to stay in one of the resort's duplex wellness suites that offer a variety of fitness and wellness amenities.

Rates start at $695 in an Ambassador Suite and $787 in a Wellness Suite per person per night based on double occupancy.

See the rest here:
Golf and Spa: Packages that Guarantee Time Off Well Spent - Business Traveler USA

A north wind, skeins of greenheads riding it south, breaking from on high at the cut of your call, and falling into the decoys. Buddies jump up with shotguns pointed at fluttering mallardsthose are mornings every duck hunter lives forMigration Day.

Now reverse that. Mallards headed north on a south wind, racing back to the breeding grounds (so they think), but first they have to make stops along the way to feed, water, and rest. They are incredibly susceptible to being killed during this small window. Hungry and anxious to get home, tough late-season mallards turn into fresh birds.

When to Expect the Reverse Migration

How can you get on a hunt like this? Reverse migrations of mallards and geese can occur just about anywhere you get a hard freeze followed by a quick warm up. If you live in a state where that kind of weather occurs regularly during the season, then you are likely going to see greenheads and geese funnel back from the south. Ive seen it happen from October in South Dakota to January in Kansas. Hell, one of the best Canada goose flights Ive ever witnessed took place during a sunny morning on Long Island, New York, two days after the temperature dipped below freezing and a foot of snow fell.

How to Prepare Your Hunt

The biggest factor in taking advantage of reverse migration days is being ready. Birds are going to be looking for the first open water they see with a pile of ducks sitting on it. Federal and state refuges and cooling ponds (discharge lakes used by power companies) are some places that will be holding birds, but you likely cant hunt, so make sure your set up is south of those areas or the birds will short stop you.

Our biggest reverse migration almost always happens in January, says Kansas hunter Brad Harris. It will get bitter cold and freeze everything up, so most of our birds will go south. Then it thaws and they come back on a south wind and sunshine.

Mallards, lesser Canada geese, snow geese, and specklebellies (well get to the geese later) are the four most common waterfowl species that reverse migrate while fall and winter seasons are still open. Big honkers will too, just not with as much regularity because in most cases it takes more than a quick weather front to get them to move south en masse. And white geese are huntable during the spring conservation season as they chase the snow line back to the tundra, of course. Other species do reverse migrate before the spring rush back north, its just these five seem to do it with more regularity, making them increasingly vulnerable.

Just this last week (in early December), we saw thousands of specks and snows coming out of the south, flying over Champaign, said Illinois biologist and photographer, Ryan Askren, who still had more than six weeks of season left. All waterfowl have an innate drive to want to be as close to the breeding grounds as possible. Specks, in particular, are an early-migrating bird.

Set Big Decoy Spreads for Greenheads

Sometime in early- to mid-January, it will get cold enough to freeze a majority of the open water in central and southeast Kansas. Theres some deeper sand pits and rivers that wont completely lock up, but it forces a majority of the greenheads to move south. It only lasts a few days and when the mallards return, Harris is waiting with open water, dozens of decoys and aggressive calling.

Two days before the thaw, Ill get my ice eaters in and we will open up water, so that when birds are coming back from the south, its the first thing they see, he said.

You can hunt in flooded ag or in dry fields, but Harris best results have come on oxbows and smaller pondstheres more open water thus better visibility for birds returning. He has had some stellar hunts in flooded corn during these times, but on average bigger water is better because it allows for a larger decoy footprint. And when it comes to decoys, you will need to go big. Set goose sleeper shells and mallard and goose full-body field decoys on the ice with mallard floaters on the water.

The key is making the rig look like the refuge, where every duck coming from the south wants to be. And have plenty of good callers wailing away at sky-high migrators. You need to get their attention first, but also, an acre full of fake ducks needs to sound like an acre full of live ones.

We run about 10- to 20-dozen floaters on the water and anywhere from two to four (spinning-wing decoys) as long as the sun is out, which it usually is on a warm up, Harris said. You have about a two- to four-day window to really get after them before its over.

Where to Hunt the Reverse Migration

This phenomenon is not specific to Kansas. Its also common in Oklahoma too, but fair warning, that state is overrun with hunters and wannabee guides posing as legit outfitters. Thats not to say you cant find a good guide in January, just be cautious. I wouldnt advise freelancing down there either. There is some public land, but most of the good duck holes are private and door-knocking is only going to leave you sorely disappointed.

Fact is, the reverse migration will happen just about anywhere there are drastic swings in weather patterns. Here in central Illinois, we see it happening more frequently, mostly in November and early December. You can just about bank on mallards, specks and/or snows showing up after a short cold snap followed by a warm up. Its a tough place to hunt because we dont get the bird numbers we once did, so on the first and second days of the warm up, its game on.

Its hard to get access to private lakes and ponds, and the public ground is very restricted here in terms of when you can go, so leases and handshakes with a landowner are paramount. A lot of the water is deep; old rock quarries that filled over the years. Since it can be tough to throw out a huge spread with decoy lines that might have to be as long as 100 feet, we sometimes set goose and duck decoy rigswith remote spinning-wing decoys (so they can be turned off when geese are around)on a high point in a field close to the quarries. So, if you cant hunt water, get as close to it as possible. Your hope is the birds see the decoys and come in for a look.

If you live in a state where the weather swings arent as wild, reverse migrations are likely not going to happen as often, or at all. For example, if you live in Minnesota or the Dakotas, or Canada, and winter has set in for good, mallards arent likely to funnel back if there is a freak snow melt. They are probably too far south already.

But in states that have more fluctuation in weather patterns, the reverse migration can happen, and it doesnt take much change in tactics from when birds are coming off the refuge as they would on a typical morning.

Id say recently our biggest cold fronts have been in November and then December turns pretty mild, said Tony Vandemore, who co-owns Habitat Flats in north-central Missouri, and has seen an uptick in reverse migration days in recent years. Location wise, we get south of the refuge, and were not going to leave a decoy at home. The birds are up there in the stratosphere and they just drop out of the ozone.

Target Lessers, Snows, and Specks

The Central Flyway is where you will find these three species most commonly bouncing north to south and back again, from north Texas into Oklahoma and Kansas (I highly suggest taking a week to 10 days and completing a three-state goose swing in late January and into February). Just like the mallards, they will go on lockdown, sitting on ice, or bugging out for warmer weather during a deep freeze.

When it warms back up, the birds go insane that first afternoon, flying in every direction imaginable. There is no way to tell what field they will hit, and its also tough to scout them for the next day because they will act completely different in the morning following a calm night on the roost. Your best bet is to just get under them in a traffic field with a high point so they can see the spread.

They can be unpredictable, said Drew Palmer of Mile North Outdoors, who has guided and filmed extensively throughout North America. But then they will go back into a pattern, and thats when you can have a damn good day.

Massive spreads of full-bodies, silhouettes and socks (we are talking a spring snow-goose size rig) with multiple callersthe more the betterlaying in the decoys are key. If its sunny and the wind is blowing 15 miles per hour, it can be downright filthy with massive wads of lessers and specks (sometimes with white geese mixed in) literally landing at your feet.

And when February hits, forget spring snows unless you have a slam-dunk juvie shoot lined up in Arkansas, because thats when you REALLY want to be targeting dark geese. They are in a hurry to get back north, feeding hard and flying hard, and it makes them way more susceptible to being shot.

Some guys only want to come here to kill five greenheads, but if I can get them on one of these goose shoots, theyre hooked, Palmer said.

Chase Big Honkers If You Dare

Even big late-season Canada geese, which are notoriously difficult to hunt throughout the Midwest and East, can fall victim to calls and decoys, particularly over water and half-frozen ponds in early February. One of the most ideal setups is to fill the icy edge with honker sleeper shells and set floaters on open water.

Winter wheat, sod farms or just plain grass (I know a hunter who has permission and targets reverse migrators in the outfield of a baseball diamond just past city limits) are also ideal spots to shoot big geese.

Calling is subjective. Big geese in different locales like to be called at differently. Its also weather dependent. Calm days, typically mean ease off the call. Windy days, go ahead and get aggressive. Good callers have a better handle on how to control honkers and give them notes they want to hear to get and keep their attention. Theres no universal way to land big geese. Youre going to have to tryand failto see what works best. One tip Scott Threinen, a Minnesota honker killer and owner of Molt Gear, has always championed is to get loud when geese are cupped and on approach. He says a lot of hunters will go silent and reach for the guns, which is a mistake. Honkers on the ground or water will get very vocal when other birds are coming in. Its basically to tell them to stay the hell away, that this is my area and you are not welcome.

But its definitely one of the times during the season Canadas are most reckless. Typically, they are an anti-social bird that shortstop decoys and generally frustrate field hunters (at least in the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways). But those habits go out the window this late in the year. Thats not to say they arent still difficult, but now will be the best time to hunt them.

My favorite goose hunting is the reverse migration in late January and into February, Vandemore said. The birds do not have to move far, maybe 40 or 50 miles, and it resets them. It makes a bird that was stale a few days ago as dumb as when it first got here (earlier in the fall).

Continued here:
5 Keys to Killing Reverse Migration Mallards and Geese - Outdoor Life

When choosing the best lawn variety, first select grasses that will thrive in your local environment and specific site conditions (sun, shade, etc.) From these choices, pick one that will best suit the needs of your whole family, including children, adults and pets. The most important factor to consider in selecting a lawn grass is its ability to survive the intended use of the yard. The first consideration is sunlight. Is there adequate sunlight in the garden space to support shade-intolerant varieties? The second big consideration is whether the local climate favors cool-season or warm-season turf varieties. You'll also have to consider whether you want to plant grass seed or have sod installed for an instant lawn.

Tall fescue*

Sun

Good

Year-round

Fast

Poor

For better fill-in properties, add 15% Kentucky Bluegrass.

Dwarf tall fescue*

Sun

Good

Year-round

Moderate

Poor

Tolerates a short mowing height.

Double-dwarf fescue

Sun; tolerates light shade

Good

Year-round

Slow

Poor

Not recommended for active play or large pets.

Hybrid Bermuda

Sun

Good

Warm season

Fast

Excellent

Not suitable for shaded areas.

St. Augustine

Tolerates shade

Good

Warm season

Moderate

Moderate

Very sensitive to chemical weed controls.

Kentucky Bluegrass*

Sun to semi-shade

Poor

Cool season

Moderate

Good

Avoid hot full-sun exposure.

Perennial ryegrass*

Sun

Fast

Good

Does not self-repair; plan to spot seed.

Zoysia grass

Sun

Good

Warm season

Excellent

Requires annual dethatching.

Seashore paspalum

Sun

Moderate; highly salt tolerant

Warm season

Fast

Good

Trails aggressively; weekly edging required.

Creeping red fescue

Sun to semi-shade

Good

Cool season

Slow

Moderate

No mowing required.

*The performance of these grasses can be enhanced by mixing with other grass varieties.

As an example, let's say you want to use a "tough" grass to accommodate an active sports playing family. The "toughest" grasses (considering only that characteristic) are the sports-turf grasses like common Bermuda, hybrid Bermuda or zoysia. These grasses have a trailing growth habit and handle heavy foot traffic better than cool-season grasses (like fescues). They also tend to fill in bare areas caused from heavy foot traffic or dog urine spots more quickly, and they have a higher salt tolerance (urine). Good choice right? Not so fast. These grasses grow very poorly in the shade. No matter how inherently tough these grasses are, they are simply unsuitable in shady areas. This is true whether the shade is due to trees, the sun's angle as seasons change, or compass location (north and east facing locations are cooler and more shaded than areas facing west or south ). Furthermore, these varieties are only "tough" during their growing seasons: spring, summer, and fall. They go dormant (turn brown and do not grow) during cooler winter months. When grasses are in a dormant state, foot traffic can quickly wear a muddy path through the turf thatch.

For sunny areas where winter dormancy is acceptable, the best lawns are warm-season turf varieties like Bermuda, hybrid Bermuda, kikuyu and zoysias. These trailing grasses are excellent at filling in bare spots and recover quickly from foot traffic. They also are very salt tolerant and do not burn easily from pet urine (high in salts and nitrogen). Warm-season grasses are also deep rooting and drought-tolerant. These types of lawns that go dormant are also best for cold climate areas and can typically handle being snowbound. On the downside, because these grasses trail, plan on a little extra work every couple of years to "de-thatch" and keep your lawn well groomed.

For sunny areas where year-round green is a must, consider hardy grasses like tall fescues and dwarf tall fescues. These types of grasses are referred to as "cool-season" grasses and stay green year-round in temperate climates. They will die or go severely dormant in snowbound communities. Fescue grass varieties are primarily "clump" grasses and while they do "tiller" (spread wider), they do not actually trail. As such, they are appropriate for low to medium foot traffic. Fescues' nontrailing growth habit can often make maintenance easier because these lawns stay in the space for which they were intended and do not invade adjacent planters. Fescues are deep rooting and drought tolerant, but not salt tolerant, so dog urine can burn spots. This is an important consideration if you share your yard with a pet. Fortunately, these unsightly spots are easy to seed and repair.

For shady areas, bluegrass (often called Kentucky Bluegrass) is a cool-season variety that has a higher shade tolerance than fescue. Bluegrass blends (over 100 cultivars are available) have a softer, finer blade and grow easily from seed or sod. This grass can actually fill in bare spots more quickly because it spreads by rhizomes (a horizontal underground stem that sends out its own roots and shoots) and tillers to create a dense sod lawn. A warm-season grass with a high shade tolerance is St. Augustine. This runner-type grass does well in both sunny and shaded areas.

Why are turf varieties sold under different names?

Dwarf fescue turf varieties are grown from seed by many sod farms. To differentiate their sod, these farms use different names in their marketing materials. For instance, Marathon 2, Medallion, Centurion, Elite, Bonsai and Legacy are all brand names for similar dwarf fescue turf varieties. All this name calling can be confusing. Focus on the quality and reputation of the sod farm you are buying from and forget about the brand names.

Lawns made up of mixed varieties can improve hardiness. Most sites are a mix of conditions, so a suitable grass would logically be a mix of grass varieties. Unfortunately, sod growers produce only the most popular varieties which, except for a few, are mono-cultures. For sites with mixed conditions, planting your lawn with seed instead of sod may be your best bet. Even overseeding an existing sod lawn can help it resist foot traffic and adapt better to site conditions.

For instance, if you add 15% Kentucky Bluegrass to a fescue lawn, the bluegrass, with its spreading growth behavior and improved shade tolerance, will help fill in foot traffic and urine spots. Bluegrass and fescue blends help each other adapt to site conditions. Fescues are much more drought tolerant and deeper rooting than bluegrass, but as the roots intertwine and grow together, the deeper fescue roots actually bring water up to the bluegrass through osmosis and improve its drought tolerance, resulting in a hardier turf blend.

Seed blends of different grasses naturally adapt to a changing environment, whether it be changes from sun to shade, hot to cool, wet to dry, or season to season. A good example of a high-traffic blend is a "sports field" seed mixture containing a Bermuda grass and turf-type perennial rye grass (which tolerates shorter mowing heights).

View post:
Top 10 Lawn Grass Types - Landscaping Network

Laying sod is such a fast way to start a new lawn that it is almost no exaggeration to say it gives you an "instant lawn." We must say "almost" because there may be a lot of prep work involved, depending on your situation. But once you have prepared the ground properly, the job is an easy one and goes quickly.

Starting a lawn by laying sod is a very similar project to that of growing grass from seed. It is just the final part of it that is different when you are actually laying the sod. But how you prepare the soil, when you should begin the project, and what supplies you will need are about the same. For that reason, just an outline will be given below for what steps you need to take to prepare the soil before laying the sod:

If you do not want totest your soil, yourself,using a kit, then have your county extension office do the test for you. Contact them first, and they will send you instructions, a soil testing bag, and an information sheet.To collect the sample, make sure you scoop up soil from a number of different spots in your lawn area. The soil in spot A can be different from the soil in spot B (even if it is only a few feet away), and the reading that you are seeking is theaveragenumber for the whole area.

Once you have collectedthe soil, mix it and place it into a soil testing bag. Fill out the information sheet. Then mailthe bag and information sheet back to the extension office. If the resulting reading is not between 6.0 and 7.5, the extension office can help you decide what steps to take next. But, generally speaking, to lower soil pH, you addsulfur or ammoniumsulfate, and, to raise it, you add garden lime.

Why were you told above to lay the sod on the edges first? The reason is that the sod on the edges is the most likely to dry out. By starting on the edges, you ensure that the edges will at least have sod strips of the full width, making them less likely to dry out. When you get to the center, sod widths may have to be trimmed (use a sharp knife) in order to fit in. This is not ideal, but it is better there than on the edges, for the reason just stated. In a nutshell: You may have to trim somewhere, so make sure it is not on the edges.

There are some well-known debates people enjoy having, such as boxers versus briefs orpaper versus plastic. How to start a new lawn has a debate of its own: Sod versus seed.Beginners may wonder, "What are the pros and cons of laying sod versus growing grass from seed?" Here is a brief comparison of benefits and drawbacks:

To keep the birds from eating your grass seed, you can apply a light layer of straw on top of the seed. Some people prefer netting designed for just this purpose, but it is expensive. Either way, the point is that one of the benefits of starting a new lawn from sod, as compared to doing so from seed, is that it requires less work on your part.

Read the original:
How to Lay Sod to Start a New Lawn - The Spruce

Home > Home Improvement > Landscaping > Cost of Sod

Sod, also known as turf grass, is fully mature lawn (grass, soil, and roots) that's professionally grown and sold in squares or rolls. This "instant lawn" is ready to install and transforms bare dirt into lush, green lawn in a matter of hours. Laying sod is a feasible do-it-yourself project but professional installation ensures better and faster results.

Keep the following points in mind if you're thinking about installing a sod lawn:

Laying sod has a number of advantages compared to growing grass from seed, including:

It works out cheaper if you install sod yourself, but there's quite a bit of work involved. The need for equipment rental will also offset somewhat DIY savings. Moreover, it can be tricky to make it come out looking seamless.

Before laying sod the lawn must be cleared of grass and weeds, stones, leaves, branches, and other debris. After that the soil should be prepared to receive the sod. Depending on soil conditions a number of measures, such as addressing drainage, improving the soil, and adding topsoil, may be required. The final step before sod installation is to grade the soil. For a complete explanation of installing a sod lawn, read this fact sheet from the University of Rhode Island Landscape

Improper preparation could result in sod that doesn't take well. The major advantage of hiring a professional is that such mistakes are avoided. A landscape company or garden center will also ensure that seams between sod rolls or squares are minimal. And last but not least, professional sod installation means faster results.

Read this article:
How Much Does Sod Cost?