Choosing the right turfgrass species will ensure that sports fields are aesthetically pleasing, playable, and easy to maintain for years to come. There are so many to choose from, which is why we’ve assembled a list of four common (and well-liked) turfgrass species used for sports fields. Some of the best and most common sports […]

As you wrap up the year and budget for 2023, don’t forget about the golf course accessories you’ll need to replace for next season. While these products may not be as exciting as other items in your budget, they are essential for the playability of your course.

Ant mounds can cause problems on golf courses. Find out how to keep putting greens and tee boxes clear of ant mounds with insecticides and more.

As a lawn care operator, keeping the properties you service weed-free is a top priority. Finding a powerful yet versatile herbicide is key in the battle against crabgrass, goosegrass, and other troublesome weeds. Enter Dimension® specialty herbicide – a trusted solution that goes beyond standard pre-emergence control by delivering early post-emergence control as well.

The season is winding down and coming to an end, and with good employees being harder to obtain, many lawn care companies are keeping employees through the winter for fear of losing them to another company or another industry altogether. So now you need to keep them busy—and hopefully making money. Equipment can be repaired […]

Winter is nearly here, which means it’s time to stock up on ice melt to keep sidewalks and pavement safe for pedestrians and motorists. But have you ever wondered what makes some ice melt products more effective than others? The answer lies in the science.

As the seasons change, your methods for caring for turf do, too, and Advanced Turf Solutions stocks the products you need to keep your turfgrass strong and healthy all year round. With 2024 on the horizon, we wanted to take a moment to compile all the new products we introduced to our lineup in 2023 […]

Discover how to protect turf and ornamental plants from salt this winter and how to keep them green for years to come.

Turf managers are the most well-rounded and professionally prepared managers on a property. Agronomic talents, financial forecasting, human relations, and personnel management, to name a few, are areas of expertise for a turf manager, regardless of business or facility. Tied into this level of expertise is the important and valued application of plant protectants, herbicides, and insecticides through spray solutions.

Laying down the groundwork now for healthy and vibrant trees and shrubs in the spring is key. What’s the secret to unlocking their full potential? Look no further than deep root feeding, facilitated by Foliar-Pak’s Ultimate Ornamental Package (UOP). When deep root feeding for spring success, we want to accomplish a few goals to provide […]

As November rolls around, most, if not all, baseball and softball games have concluded for the year. No doubt it’s been a long season beginning in March, possibly sooner. But before your much-deserved break, there are a few things to do to put your skins to bed. Now is the time to act. November generally has drier, warmer weather than February, so do yourself a favor and do the work now.

Many coaches are finishing up their baseball and softball fall field renovations. Some may be asking if they should condition their field for winter. The answer depends on your expectations of play for next spring.

Soon after the summer stress periods end, most turfgrass managers stop soil surfactant applications on fine turfgrass areas. However, there are many reasons to make a soil surfactant application in the late fall before the ground freezes. Here are 7 of the top reasons.

The golf season is winding down and now fall is here. This time of year presents many busy days of course preparation for the upcoming winter season. Besides the usual tasks and projects at this time of year, controlling broadleaf weeds should be at the top of the list.

If you were not able to get all your seed jobs completed, we now need to weigh the option of dormant seeding. Keep in mind that the seeds won't germinate until the soil warms in the coming spring. Generally, you want soil temps 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Assuming snow is not on the ground, one could continue through the winter.

Cold weather can be challenging for your lawn, with frost, snow, and ice taking a toll on its health and appearance. But fear not, because I'll dive into the essential tips and tricks for prepping your lawn for winter. From protective measures to boost your lawn's resilience to strategies for ensuring a lush, green return when spring arrives, we've got you covered.

Winter annual broadleaf weeds like hairy bittercress, black medic, and speedwell are already here and taking hold in the newly formed thin areas and bare spots left behind after a challenging summer. Water testing, increasing spray coverage, and using adjuvants, especially when making low-volume applications out of ride-on spreader-sprayer units, will achieve this.

Advanced Turf Solutions added seven products in the third quarter of 2023. Keep reading to find out what’s new.

Currently, in a good portion of our ATS regions, the leaves are changing colors and falling. Cooler temperatures have arrived, and the days are getting shorter. A sure sign old man winter will be arriving soon. With this comes the closing of the 2023 golf season, and golf course superintendents will soon be strategizing and executing winter preparation plans for their golf courses. As these plans commence, the focus will be on fall fertilization, leaf cleanup, irrigation winterization, and making final snow mold applications, to name a few.

Winter greens health in the transition zone has become a hot-button topic over the last few years. We’re finding that our approach can make all the difference.

As of October 1, there are at least 13 different manufacturer early order programs. That doesn’t include separate programs offered by distributors like Advanced Turf Solutions. Is your head starting to hurt and your stomach getting twisted in a knot trying to keep track of it all? It is a lot to process and digest, so I thought we’d take a few moments to discuss ways to make the process more manageable and profitable.

Late fall fertilization has been promoted as a way to extend the color and health of cool-season grasses into early winter. This practice yields several benefits in the following growing season, including earlier spring green-up, improved turf density, increased tolerance to spring diseases, and fewer weeds.

Fall ends most baseball and softball seasons, but not infield maintenance. One maintenance practice that should be taken care of in the fall (and regularly throughout the season) is infield edging.

Colorants, pigments, and dyes are being used more than ever before as research comes out yearly. Each category has a specific use around the course, but all of them can be tank-mixed with fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and wetting agents to resist the fading effects of UV sunlight on the products you use.

Fall is in the air and it is the best time for aeration and overseeding. Whether you have already done a total kill and are planning on renovating, or you will be doing an aeration and overseed, there are several key points to remember.

Depending on conditions, dollar spot can be an issue all season long for Superintendents. One of the most critical times to watch out for dollar spot is the fall. If dollar spot issues linger in the fall and are not addressed, problems will most certainly pop up in the spring. 

Turf managers across most of the country have fought the battle with Poa annua long and hard for many years. Poa easily infests all areas of the golf course. This blog will discuss control measures used in zoysiagrass, particularly strategies we use in the fall and winter for Poa control on zoysia. For years, many […]

It seems odd to start talking about snow mold now, but in the northern regions of the Midwest, it’s a topic that needs to be discussed sooner rather than later.

Preparation is vital to a successful lawn seeding project, but remember that less can often be more when it comes to soil work.

As a lawn care operator dealing with clients who have heavy clay lawns, it's crucial to provide expert advice and services to help them achieve a healthy and thriving lawn. Here are some things to discuss with your customers for handling clay-heavy properties.

Proxy applications are essential to Poa Annua seedhead suppression. With the fall Proxy application timeframe nearing, here is what you need to know to make it as successful as possible.

Fall fertility is one step in putting the field to bed properly. Hopefully, a soil test is part of your routine. You want to ensure that your soil’s P, K, and pH levels are sufficient. Ensuring that your soil and plant have adequate potash (K) before it enters dormancy is particularly beneficial. Potassium has been […]

Strategizing for your fall broadleaf herbicide applications can minimize or even prevent next year’s weed problems.

Late summer and early fall can be a difficult time of year to properly dial in fertilization applications.

Fall cleaning on the golf course includes fungicide applications to control diseases before the end of the season. With the proper treatments, you can set yourself up for a clean slate come spring. Here are five diseases to pay attention to this fall.

As lawn care professionals, we know the importance of maintaining a healthy and beautiful lawn. Unfortunately, one of the most common and persistent weeds we encounter is Virginia buttonweed.

This year has been the tale of two golf seasons here in Michigan. We started out hot with extreme droughty conditions. Around the Fourth of July, the faucet turned on, and we have dealt with saturated soil conditions and high humidity.

Justin Hudson may have never expected a career in the turfgrass industry, but now he can’t imagine anything else. “I just went to turf school because a buddy of mine was going and ended up liking it and kind of stuck with it,” he said. “I've been doing it about 20 years.”

A fall broadleaf weed control strategy is an important piece in a sports turf playing surface maintenance program.

Every year I get asked by customers for recommendations on how to get grass to grow in the shade in residential lawns. My first and foremost recommendation is a chainsaw. Grass and trees are enemies, and some areas are so shady that it will be almost impossible to maintain a grass stand, especially under evergreen […]