On this episode of the Around the Turf Scene Podcast, Beth Berry interviews Chip Houmes from Precision Laboratories. The two talk all things aquatics, from algae control to dye usage. Tune in to learn best practices for pond maintenance on golf courses, commercial properties, and residential lawns. This podcast was originally recorded for Turf’s Up Radio and repurposed for the Around the Turf Scene Podcast.

Managing putting greens through summer heat, drought, and stress requires a number of inputs. Fungicides, insecticides, foliar fertilizers, plant growth regulators, soil surfactants, and cultural practices are all keys to success on greens. Recent research at North Carolina State University has given us a new tool to include in summer spray programs.  SOLAROUS Chromatic Plant […]

A clean, straight, and safe edge requires no additional money, just a bit of planning and work. Here are some tips to make the most of in-season edging:

Fungicide applications depend on various factors, including the type of turfgrass you manage. Here are some recommendations you can follow for summer fungicide applications on bermudagrass.

Preventing and managing fairy rings on putting greens can be vexing. For example, 60+ species of fungi create fairy rings in turfgrass, and these species vary in their sensitivity to fungicides. 

Preventative disease treatment is ideal because it reduces headaches down the road. Here are our guidelines for preventative applications to treat dollar spot, Pythium root rot, summer patch, and brown patch.

With summer nearing, it’s a good time to plan how you’ll protect the turfgrass on your golf course in the heat. High temperatures and humidity are challenges superintendents navigate every year. Here are some solutions to help.

Many coaches and sports field managers have been challenged by Mother Nature this spring and continue to look for solutions to keep games scheduled. Here are a few recommendations to help prepare your infield before it rains.

Whether you're spraying fungicides, insecticides, or herbicides, there are three additive products you should have in your tank. They provide health benefits, long-lasting color, and keep poor water quality from tying up products in your spray tank.  

Home plate is literally the cornerstone of any baseball or softball field, with the other rest of the layout based on it.

There are two main active ingredients you can still use for pre-emergent applications: prodiamine and dithiopyr (Dimension). We have in-stock products with both active ingredients, and we’ll help you determine which is right for you.

Tank mixing multiple products into a spray solution is an especially valuable tool to utilize due to labor shortages.  

Budget is top of mind for most field managers. With limited resources and time, is it even possible to renovate the mound on your field?

On this episode of the Around the Turf Scene Podcast, Rusty Stachlewitz is in the hot seat for a change. Beth Berry picks his brain on all things grass seed, including production, supply, and coated seed technology.

Like turfgrass, trees need nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. They also need other nutrients, including iron, manganese, and zinc. What happens when they’re lacking these, and how can you correct a deficiency? 

One of your customers calls with an ambiguous description of a problem in their lawn, expecting you to immediately know what it is and how to solve it. What should you do?

If your grass has turned a color other than green, it’s probably trying to tell you something.

Cultural and disease management programs are essential for maintaining high-quality turf all season long. Prevent both leaf spot and dollar spot activity by using a broad-spectrum fungicide like ArmorTech TMI 2020 XL.

We’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with Precision Laboratories to private label five popular wetting agents under the Hydro-Pak brand.

Budget is top of mind for most field managers. With limited resources and time, is it even possible to renovate the home plate area?

Jeff Keifer wears many hats: high school social studies teacher by day, baseball coach by night, dad 24/7.  As the head coach of the Westerville Central High School baseball team, Keifer had the opportunity to coach both of his sons when they were in high school. In fact, his sons were the ones who persuaded […]

The pitching rubber is an important part of any baseball or softball field. Because it receives so much wear, the rubber will eventually need to be replaced. How often you replace it will depend on the quality of the rubber and the amount and level of play it sees. The process is similar regardless, and […]

It’s never too early to prepare for the onslaught of turf stress.

High-silt infields have maintenance issues throughout the year because they lack the appropriate proportions of silt and clay.

If you’re interested in adding a pH correction service to your lawn care offerings, don’t underestimate the power of soil testing. 

At some point, all infield surfaces will require the addition of new mix. The process is time-consuming (8+ hours), but adding new mix to the existing infield surface is worth it. Adding new mix maintains smooth transitions, creates a consistent ball roll, and eliminates the possibility of standing water collecting at the back arc after […]

Although fall is the ideal time to seed, you may choose to seed in the spring for one reason or another. An issue you’ll run into with spring seeding is summer annual grassy weeds.

Find out how to rejuvenate a neglected lawn and landscape plus seven tips for instant curb appeal.

A healthy lawn not only creates curb appeal but also contributes to the health of the environment. Here are some of the many environmental benefits of a healthy lawn . . .

Advanced Turf Solutions added several product offerings over the past few months. Take a look at what’s new.

On this special episode of the Around the Turf Scene Podcast, Justin Stewart and Dave Hillger join Beth Berry to discuss crabgrass prevention.

Golfers are constantly searching for a compatible playing partner. Once they find that well-matched partner, it can lead to many entertaining rounds of golf over many years. Likewise, Foliar-Pak has constructed two products that would be considered highly compatible partners for golf course superintendents to use through the season. 

Yes, there is such a thing as applying pre-emergents too early. But how soon is too soon?

It’s a known fact that poor surface drainage puts the sports field as well as the players at a disadvantage. To achieve proper infield drainage, it’s really about maintaining the quality of three key factors- the infield mix, the grade of the infield, and the conditioner.

When it comes to managing rainwater on your infield, the approach you take can have long-term effects.

We’re now introducing Foliar-Pak Pond Additive, a safe, effective, and unique approach to algae control in ponds.

Whether you’re planting cool- or warm-season grass this spring, it’s important to understand the factors that affect germination and growth.

If you manage bentgrass putting greens, weed control is probably creeping its way onto your radar right about now. It’s a good time to prevent weeds before they become a visible problem. In addition to cultural practices, what pre-emergent herbicide options are there?

On the North Carolina coast, warm-season turf aeration is still a couple of months away. But it’s never too early to game-plan for your specific needs.

Typically, wetting agent applications are applied only after dry conditions become evident. However, in order to minimize localized dry spots and improve moisture management, you should condition your soil prior to dry conditions.