December 08, 2014 at 3:00 am At 6 foot 3 inches, bright blue eyes and a mop of unruly brown hair, Muirfield Village Golf Club’s Horticulturist, Tim Hollowell, was exactly as I expected, the inquisitive and passionate scientist. As I sat down with him and Holganix inventor and scientist, Stephen T. Lange, at the 2014 […]

July 02, 2012 at 3:00 am As we head into July, outdoor summertime activities are in full swing:  Picnics, barbeques, weddings, graduation parties…the list goes on. And as summer activities heat up, our turf is often at its weakest.  High air temperatures, warm soil temperatures, moisture stress, disease and insect activity and heavy foot traffic […]

August 25, 2014 at 3:00 am Let’s face it; sales are the lifeblood of every business. Sales are the engines that drive companies, and sales directly impact how successful those companies become. Advanced Turf is no different in this regard. Over the last dozen years, we have been extremely fortunate to experience an amazing upward […]

March 18, 2013 at 3:00 am Since we were kids, we have all been subjected to doing things we don’t want to do. Eating brussel sprouts, cleaning our room, and washing behind our ears are just some of the things we were forced to do…and that was just last week, but my wife can be […]

August 05, 2013 at 2:59 am During past few weeks I have received numerous calls on straw colored “stems” in lawns, especially after mowing. The culprit is perennial ryegrass seedheads. Seedhead production requires energy from the plant so it is likely the turf will not only look stemmy due to the seed stalks, but the […]

The vibrant colors of autumn leaves are a spectacular display, but once they begin to fall the lawn needs attention more than ever in order to prepare for the winter months ahead. Neglected leaves on the lawn inhibit air and light from reaching leaf blades, therefore reducing its ability to thrive. Turf growth begins to […]

October 20, 2016 at 8:30 am Together with Golf Course Industry, EnP hosted a webinar recently to share their latest research about amino acids. The conditions on a golf course are rarely optimal for turfgrass health. Superintendents are in a constant struggle to provide faster green speeds and healthier turf, two somewhat contradictory goals. For […]

November 27, 2016 at 2:15 pm Breakthrough technology, upgraded formulations, and new products were introduced in 2016 to the growing Foliar-Pak product line. Let’s review the year before we look ahead to 2017. Earlier this year, Foliar-Pak manufacturer, EnP, introduced a new amino acid formulation designed to maximize the genetic potential of turfgrass through the […]

No one wants to find anthracnose lurking on their turf; it’s ugly and destructive. But, when turf is stressed, whether physiologically or mechanically, the probability of anthracnose developing is high. Education is your first line of defense when combating anthracnose and Rutgers University has taken a lead role with their ongoing 15+ year study. Here […]

February 25, 2016 at 2:43 pm Advanced Turf Solutions’s employees know the turf industry is full of challenges, which require adaptable people to come up with great solutions. Our two employees featured in the February Employee Spotlight blog are not strangers to taking on challenges and coming up with great solutions. From joining an industry […]

October 19, 2015 at 8:54 am Category: Around the Turf Scene There is no shortage of information in the debate about the safety of artificial turf, especially in the soccer community. Recent news reports discussing the potential health risks of crumb rubber have once again fueled the conversation of natural vs. synthetic. Regardless of where […]

April 03, 2015 at 1:17 pm In Part I: Balancing Soils – Understanding Critical Relationships, we discussed the importance of balancing carbon and nitrogen. Maintaining the mutualistic relationship between plants and biology is critical to achieving a balanced soil environment and maximizing plant health. What I would like to do now is define the basic […]

November 14, 2016 at 3:31 pm How can we sum up 2016? How about hot, rainy and LONG!? Long is an understatement. In the transition zone, when you see warm season turf being mowed in November, something is not right. Though warm season turf had a great climate this year, even with the extreme temperatures […]

July 25, 2016 at 2:18 pm After years of research and product trials, Foliar-Pak manufacturer, EnP, has discovered a new formula for engineering its proprietary amino acid package. For golf course superintendents, this could mean more peace of mind when it comes to the health and appearance of turfgrass during stressful periods. “Certain amino acids […]

March 04, 2016 at 9:34 pm Category: Around the Turf Scene According to Kissmetrics, bad customer service costs American companies $83 billion annually. In addition, according to the Houston Chronicle, companies with excellent customer service will more likely get repeat sales, thus benefiting with greater sales and profits. So, to say it simply, customer service […]

November 16, 2015 at 10:12 am Category: Around the Turf Scene  At about this time of year, when I was a golf course superintendent myself, I began looking forward to winter weather and a much-needed break from the sun and heat that makes the summer seem to drag at times. Mother Nature has granted us […]

November 15, 2012 at 12:45 pm Category: Product News We are excited to formally announce the rebrand of Foliar-Pak products. You may have seen the teaser ads containing the new Foliar-Pak logo or noticed a glimpse of the new packaging in last month’s newsletter. You will see much more of this in the coming months […]

December 11, 2011 at 12:01 am Once the ground hardens up in late November or December, get that grass seed in the ground.  There is virtually no weed competition, and you won’t have to worry about disease or insect pressures. The soil isn’t too wet to use equipment, and labor isn’t an issue because generally […]

April 27, 2015 at 7:54 pm Category: Around the Turf Scene This time of year in Louisville, Kentucky, is nothing less than exciting and a little overwhelming – building up to the fastest two minutes in sports. Like any other location, we are faced with the challenges of Mother Nature, which include a lot of […]

October 08, 2012 at 3:00 am The importance of a late fall, or winterizer application, cannot be overlooked.  It is the application that allows your turf to repair itself from the drought damage and heat damage it suffered through this past summer. Just like the leaves change color due to the shortening of daylight hours, […]

February 25, 2015 at 10:21 am Your golf course may still be under several inches of snow and your soil profile may be frozen several inches deep. It’s not time to get the sprayer out yet, but it’s a good time to make final adjustments to your spray program. It’s also a good time to […]

May 28, 2015 at 10:21 am Category: Around the Turf Scene The late spring and early summer days are upon us. The warmer days are starting to accumulate faster and faster and, as a result, this increases the population of turf and ornamental damaging insects. Bill bugs, masked shafers, sod webworms, chinch bugs, caterpillars, fleas, […]

May 14, 2012 at 3:00 am Last Monday, the Indiana Chapter of GCSAA had their annual Turf Fundraiser at The Sagamore Club in Noblesville, IN. The Turf Fundraiser is a great event raising money for turf research through the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation. Advanced Turf was proud to sponsor five of the participating teams for […]

February 25, 2013 at 3:00 am With all of the various types of oils out there, are you sure you are using the right one?  Oils were first developed to control mites and insects on fruit trees because the oil was safe to use and effective when applied as a dormant-season application.  Thus many people […]

July 30, 2013 at 9:49 am I looked at this irrigated lawn about two weeks ago. It’s a blue, rye, fine fescue mix and it had red thread, dollar spot, and summer patch along with severe drought stress. The homeowner was running the irrigation through the rain but shut it off prior to the 90-degree […]

March 10, 2014 at 3:00 am As a turf manager the slowest time of the year seems to be winter, and this winter started early and has drug out way too long. I can remember just two years ago when we were mowing grass and playing golf in March; 2014 is different story. Years like […]

September 27, 2016 at 7:45 pm Cool season athletic fields are in use this fall. With field usage divots will occur. To a certain point, a divot is a good thing as the turf will give way (divot) to displace the shear strength of the athletes lower leg/ankle. With that said, filling divots is a […]

October 25, 2016 at 6:57 pm Take full advantage of early order programs (EOP) this fall with these tips and then take a look at all the manufacturer early order programs we are offering this season. Order Early This may seem obvious, order early to take advantage of early order programs, but many programs offer […]

March 01, 2017 at 3:44 pm FRIDAY, MARCH 31 8 a.m. – Registration/Breakfast 9 a.m. − 12 p.m. – Clinic P&G Cincinnati MLB Youth Academy at Roselawn Sports Complex 2026 Seymour Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 Learn tips and techniques from professionals including infield maintenance and repairs, mound and home plate management and game day field […]

February 24, 2016 at 3:01 pm What do you really know about the nutrients in your spray tank? Sure, you know the macro and micronutrients and any information provided on the label, but do you know the source of those nutrients? Do you know the quality or grade of the raw materials? Have you ever […]

September 25, 2015 at 11:02 am Category: Around the Turf Scene  Growing companies are full of new challenges, and it’s the employees who must shoulder the changing tasks within it. Working in the Hilliard warehouse, which is the second biggest warehouse in Advanced Turf Solutions and is the hub to the eastern section of the […]

March 12, 2015 at 3:12 pm Category: Product News When soils are functionally balanced, the soil biological community is constantly working hard, not only to meet the plants short-term nutritional needs, but also enhancing the soil microenvironment to insure plant health in the long-term. As managers of turf, we are sometimes either impatient or feel […]

November 14, 2016 at 11:20 am A few months ago, the plush varsity football field at Mt. Vernon High School was more mud than grass. Continuous rain, followed by intense play on a flooded field, had taken its toll, and, with several more football games to go in the season, a plan to fix the […]

June 21, 2016 at 6:53 am Water management is a critical aspect of healthy sports turf fields. Nature doesn’t always cooperate with the needs of turf grass and often supplies either too much or not enough water, which creates challenges for sports turf managers. Precision Laboratories understands these challenges and for more than 20 years […]

March 04, 2016 at 11:48 am Calcined clay is typically a montmorillonite clay that is fired (calcined) at a temperature of 1500 degrees. At that time, the clay becomes a ceramic and is screened for processing and bagging. The answer is in the details.  There are many suppliers of calcined clay products in the country. […]

November 10, 2015 at 4:33 pm Feature Photo Credit: Paul Koch, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin – Madison You’d think golf course superintendents in my territory would get a break during winter months. After all, weather in the North Central Region can be brutal from November through March. But there’s one thing they have to prepare […]

January 26, 2012 at 11:33 am Category: Product News Now Offering Barvette HGT, Barenbrug’s Newest Kentucky Bluegrass Variety Advanced Turf Solutions is excited to offer our customers Barenbrug USA’s newest Kentucky bluegrass variety, Barvette HGT.  HGT stands for Healthy Grass Technology, a tough and disease resistant Kentucky bluegrass.  Barvette HGT was developed in harsh climatic […]

December 04, 2011 at 12:00 am In the world of ice melters, the hundreds of suppliers, brands, and performance blends being offered can confuse one.  Add to that the differences in pricing, and you can add even more confusion.  But as with many things in life, you usually get what you pay for. Let’s be […]

July 06, 2015 at 9:48 am It sure seems like there has been an invasion of white clover this last month. There may just be an abundance of clover this year; however, the clover could also be flowering more profusely than other years. I also received 10 calls in 2 days about clover, so, that […]

January 30, 2012 at 12:00 am January and February is the time to consider your golf course’s accessories needs.  Once March arrives, the volume of orders increases exponentially, as does the chance of having an item on back order.  Traditionally, this is particularly a problem with customized screen print and embroidered flags. Our primary suppliers, […]