Peter McCormick

Frank catches up with Ken Benoit twice in this extended episode of the Turfgrass Hotline highlighting the Connect to Protect tour. Ken’s logged over 1800 miles and another 6 miles straight up and he is still in the great plains! Before he heads across the Continental Divide he has tells us about a few Golf Course Supts. in the Great State of Nebraska! There are some heartwarming moments and gut-wrenching frustration on the road. Ken faces a lot of adversity and continues to see that the diversity across the US can be a strength not a weakness. Keep abreast of the journey at ecoturfconsulting.com.

The Connect to Protect Tour pedals on with Ken Benoit on ride day 13 (total day 15) and closing in on 1300 miles as he puts his leg up for a few days in IA with Tim Gravert. BMPs of water use reduction and pollinators are highlighted on these course visits and just as much learning going on internally for Ken as a “niggle” turned to a “bark” from his Achilles tendon. Adjustments to the pedaling stroke are being made, new and old friendships made and renewed, and a positive journey hopes to continue into Nebraska. In fact, Ken’s looking for a course visit in the Cornhusker State! Join Ken as he enters the great grasslands of the US at ecoturfconsulting.com.

This week the Hotline is in heart of the transition zone with Professor Lee Miller at the University of Missouri. Root diseases are dominating the pest scene and extremes of moisture (wet and dry) that expose weaknesses in rootzones as saturated black layer or persistent localized dryspot. Lee suggests seeding to help recover from summer stress woes and discusses the value of selecting good varieties for the transition zone and for him why Perennial Ryegrass is considered the “quick and the dead” of turfgrasses! As usual a lot of above- and below-ground information gets covered in 15 minutes! Even a shout out to the Carolina Show, expected to promote nationwide education this Fall.

We are on the road again this week with Ken Benoit and the Connect to Protect Tour. We caught up with Ken In OH with some aches and pains, some bumps in the road, and more Best Golf Course Management Practices focused on Environmental Stewardship. Ken’s is 1000 miles into the journey across the country and has already visited iconic venues in OH, IL and soon IA. Superintendents are intentionally reducing water use, fertilizer use and pesticide use, not because they have to but because it’s the right thing to do. And some of the car drivers in OH might learn about the “right thing to do” when it comes to bikes on the road! “I’m just a guy on a bike, trying to get to Oregon,” says Ken. Listen to learn more!

This week the Turfgrass Hotline is tracking the Connect to Protect Tour, a 3000 mile coast-to-coast bike journey by my friend, Ken Benoit, CGCS. Ken is the President and Founder of EcoTurf Consulting and a long time golf course superintendent, conditioning golf courses for 25 years. Ken, an avid and experienced cyclist, is riding 3000 miles in 30 days with 40 lbs of gear on the Connect to Protect Tour, highlighting best management practices for water quality protection across the US. His goal is "to raise awareness within the golf industry of the importance for golf course facilities to adopt BMPs and to demonstrate, to people outside the golf community, golf’s dedication to preserving and protecting water quality, pollinators and wildlife habitat." For Ken this is as much a personal journey as a professional one. We recorded this interview on Monday August 17, right before Ken headed from State College to Westerville, OH, a 112 mile ride. Follow Ken's travels on his YouTube channel (Eco Turf Consulting) and his Twitter feed (@ecoturfconsult).

The August Editions of the Turfgrass Hotline start with Rich Buckley of Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Lab, and the “Ugly” situation many in the northeast are facing with the “cumulative effects” of summer stress, ideal fungal conditions and already weakened turf. Recognizing the tools available for control and the data used to predict pests, golf course superintendents have good short term options. But for the widespread turf loss, it might be time for more resistant varieties. As usual, a quick 15 min trip through the troubles of growing grass in the Northeast! Recorded August 12, 2020. Presented by DryJect, Civitas and Plant Food Company.

Frank Rossi takes the hotline on the road to Nebraska to chat with Professor Bill Kreuser about his growth management work with mowing heights, nitrogen rate and PGR program impacts on performance. Just in time for the virtual field day this week. Be sure to take look and listen. Recorded August 7, 2020.

Frank Rossi chats again with UW-Madison Badger Turfgrass Pathologist Paul Koch about the onslaught of disease issues facing midwestern superintendents, an alarming outbreak of annual bluegrass weevil, and what lies ahead for those sustaining annual bluegrass in the face of summer patch and anthracnose issues! This is this is the best 18 minutes you will spend learning this week!

Annual bluegrass remains a blessing and curse to the golf turf industry. Professor Shawn Askew, Weed Scientist Extraordinaire from The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, has been studying the impact of annual bluegrass on trueness of a putting surface, as well as being expert on the use of PoaCure (Methiolzolin) for annual bluegrass control in creeping bentgrass. As an extra treat, Shawn is an accomplished “grass rapper” so be sure to listen all the way to the end. You don’t want to miss it!