Purdue Turf Students Place 3rd at the Sports Turf Managers Association Annual Student Challenge

Two teams of Purdue students traveled to San Antonio, TX to participate in the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Annual Collegiate Challenge sponsored by Hunter Industries on 24 January, 2014. During the two-hour competition, teams were divided into students pursuing either a 4-year or 2-year degree. All competitors were required to properly identify turfgrasses, weeds, insects, diseases and turf soils. In addition, they were tested for their knowledge of general sports turf management, the mathematics related to turf management and supplemental irrigation. The two Purdue teams placed 3rd and 13th out of 32 teams competing. The 4-year competition was won by the University of Maryland and Virginia Tech took 2nd place. Those students competing were; Matt Dudley, Zach Ferguson, Andrew Marking, Andrew Wilhelm, Matt Shaffer, Cam Rice and Matt Hession. In addition to the competition, the students were able to take advantage of many educational activities specifically geared for students, the industry trade-show and also attended the annual STMA awards banquet. The teams are greatly appreciative for the support in defraying travel expenses that they received from the Mid-West Regional Turf Foundation and the Indiana STMA chapter.

Imprelis Herbicide Injury: 2011 PPDL ‘Host’ List

We have received questions pertaining to susceptibility of plants to Imprelis. We do not have a list of "susceptible vs. not susceptible" plants because we do not know exactly which plants might be affected under certain growing conditions. However, based on our experience in the PPDL this past summer the list below contains the names of plants on which we saw symptoms of herbicide injury when Imprelis was reported to have been applied on the property. There is no certainty that all of the damage observed on these plants listed below was actually caused by Imprelis. Confirmation of Imprelis injury will depend on the residue analysis and final reports provided by the Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC). An asterisk (*) next to the plants listed below indicates that Imprelis residue was confirmed in host tissue by the OISC. In a few cases we also saw herbicide injury symptoms on annuals (tomato) and perennials but those have been omitted from this list.

Conifers
Arborvitae*
Bird’s nest Spruce*
Bald cypress*
Colorado blue spruce*
Concolor fir
Dawn redwood
Douglas fir
Eastern white pine*
Fraser fir
Juniper
Norway spruce*
Yew

Deciduous trees or shrubs
Alder
Amelanchier
Boxwood
Callery Pear
Cottonwood
Euonymus
Ginkgo*
Hibiscus*
Honeylocust*
Lilacs
Maple*
Mulberry
Paulownia*
Paw Paw
Privet*
Redbud
River birch
Rose of Sharon
Sycamore
Tulip Poplar
Viburnum
Willow

Gail Ruhl, Sr. Plant Disease Diagnostician, Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN 47907-2054

Check out the original post of this article including many other images at: http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/weeklypics/1-17-12.html

Status: The Office of Indiana State Chemist & Seed Commissioner

Following recent flooding in their office due to a water line break, "the Office of Indiana State Chemist & Seed Commissioner has restored operational status for most of its internal activities of licensing, registering, and responding to telephone calls.  As of Tuesday, January 21, all staff reported to their regularly assigned duties. The laboratories continue to be  repaired and restored to operational status. The offices will remain closed to the public until reconstruction activities allow for  visitation. We thank you for your patience.”

Dr. Bob Waltz

Purdue Students Place 1st at the Eighth Annual Sports Turf Competition

For the second year in a row the Purdue Turf Program has placed 1st in the Student Challenge Exam during the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Meetings held January 10-14, 2012. Eight students traveled out to Long Beach, CA for the eighth annual Student Challenge Exam at the STMA Meetings. The four person team of Zak Peterson, John Thackery, Ben Baumer, and Joey Gerking placed 1st and Purdue’s second team, Steve Vonderheide, Cameron Cox, Zachary Ferguson, and Tyler Macali placed 17th out of 24 teams. Teams from various colleges and universities participated in a written exam on sports turf and sports field topics. The two hour competition included the identification of insects, grasses, and weeds and covered mathematics, soil physical properties, plant physiology, and plant growth and development in addition to questions on athletic field construction, design and maintenance. At the conference, students were able to take advantage of many activities including the student challenge exam, workshops and a student network luncheon.

The STMA is rich with Purdue University tradition as the late Dr. Bill Daniel, long-time Purdue professor and a pioneer in the turf industry, was one of the four founding members. Dr. Daniel is honored each year by an award in his name that honors individuals who have significantly contributed to the sports turf industry through research, teaching and extension.

The teams would like to acknowledge the support they received this year from the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation (MRTF), Agronomy Department, their advisor Dr. Cale Bigelow and graduate teaching assistant, Tracy Tudor. Without Dr. Bigelow, Tracy Tudor, MRTF and the help of the Agronomy Department the students would not be able to compete in the STMA competition.

Purdue Turf Scholarship Winners

The Purdue Turf Program granted over $15,000 in scholarship funds to nineteen students. These students have shown high academic achievement, outstanding character and a desire to be in the Turfgrass Industry. Congratulations to all of the Purdue Turf students that received scholarships.

Chad Melton, Don Fassnacht Scholarship

C.J. Coy, Jean and Lee Schmidt Scholarship

Cameron Cox, Max Slack Scholarship

John Daniels, W.H. Daniel Graduate Scholarship

Zach Ferguson, W.H. Daniel Undergraduate Scholarship

Tony Feitz, Michiana Golf Course Superintendents Association

TJ Mueller, Hoosier Golf Course Superintendents Association

John Thackery, MRTF Golf Day Scholarship (presented by Syngenta)

Dane Alexander, MRTF Scholarship

Ben Baumer, MRTF Scholarship

Lucas Braun, MRTF Scholarship

Tony Feitz, MRTF Scholarship

Dan Kiermaier, MRTF Scholarship

Aaron Kreider, MRTF Scholarship

Brock Miller, MRTF Scholarship

Zac Peterson, MRTF Scholarship

Quin Stilwell, MRTF Scholarship

Clayton Walters, MRTF Scholarship

Peter Westfall, MRTF Scholarship

Successful Indiana Green Expo

Last week (January 11-13, 2012) the Purdue Turf Program and the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation hosted the Indiana Green Expo (IGE) in cooperation with the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association. The IGE is Indiana's most comprehensive green industry educational conference and trade show. It is a time of education, new products and networking with industry members. The IGE featured 90 exhibiting companies from around the country. The 1,700 attendees from Indiana and the surrounding states come from a variety of backgrounds including business owners, managers and staff of wholesale and retail nurseries, landscape management firms, greenhouse growers, golf course superintendents and staff, grounds maintenance departments, landscape design and installation firms, garden centers, consulting firms, educational institutions, suppliers and more! This year’s conference provided education with eight concurrent sessions featuring 60 different speakers including Purdue faculty/staff from Agriculture Economics, Agronomy, Botany and Plant Pathology, Entomology, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, and Forestry and Natural Resources. The conference was a success again this year and continues to provide information and education among the Midwest turf professionals and the green industry. Mark your calendars for next year’s IGE, January 9-11, 2013.

Purdue Ackerman-Allen Hills Course Renovation Update

As this year's golf season came to a close, the highly anticipated renovation of Purdue's 80 year-old Ackerman Hills golf course began. In addition to upgrading the course for collegiate-level play, the refurbishment also offers a unique opportunity for students in Purdue's Horticulture and Landscape Architecture program to gain valuable, hands-on, turf management experience.

Source: Boiler Bytes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpTOyCC-o3g

Indiana Green Expo Coming to Town

January 21-23, 2015 • Indiana Convention Center
100 S. Capitol Avenue,  Indianapolis, IN 46225
Here are directions (map/directions) and parking information (parking). We look forward to seeing you this week at the Indiana Green Expo (IGE). To help you get the most out of the IGE, we want to share some highlights and the digital version of the Show Program.
 


Indiana Green Expo 2015 Show Program
click to open

Safe travels to the Expo and see you soon!
EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS    13 Workshops – Over 75 Education Seminars! 
>  Opening Session:  Thursday, Jan. 22, 8:00– 10:15 am 
    With Keynote Speaker David Mellor of the Boston Red
    Sox and Fenway Park speaking at 9:35 am. 
>  FREE Spanish Workshop: Thursday, Jan. 22, 8:00– 10:00 am
    Workshop presented in Spanish by Eduardo Medina,
    Davey Tree Expert Co.
>  Free Consulting Opportunities: Thursday, Jan. 22
    Two speakers have offered free consultations —
    career consultant, Carol Rau and marketing consultant,
    Jeff Korhan. See page 8 in the show program for details.
>  MRTF Awards Reception: Thursday, 5:00-7:00pm, Room 134 >  INLA Annual Meeting and Award Reception:
    Thursday, 5:00-7:00pm, Room 140

TRADE SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
>  New Product Showcase:
    First year to offer this unique showcase! Check it out!
>  INEF Scholarship Silent Auction: One day only!  
    Thursday, January 22, 8:00 am–3:30 pm, Trade Show Floor
    Check out the HOT silent auction items! Preview list
>  Annual Landscape Challenge:
   Thursday, January 22, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm, Trade Show Floor
    Landscape teams compete to build a 300 sq. ft.
    landscape/garden project in 4 hours! Attendees and
    judging committee vote on the winner.
>  Lunch available both Thursday and Friday at the show.
    Tickets available onsite for $15.
IGE 2015 Corporate Sponsors  >  Blue Grass Farms & Brehob Nursery
The Indiana Green Expo is presented in partnership by the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association and Midwest Regional Turf Foundation. 

www.indianagreenexpo.com

What is Driving Recent Increases in Fertilizer Prices?

by Bruce Erickson, Purdue Agricultural Economics

Fertilizer prices are on the upswing again, buoyed by the high prices of agricultural products that have stimulated increased demand. While the general U.S. economy struggles to recover from the financial crisis of 2008, the demand for agricultural products continues in a strong position due to favorable exchange rates, grain usage for biofuels, production concerns related to recent unfavorable weather in key crop growing regions, and a host of other factors. Higher fertilizer prices have put heavy users such as farmers, lawn care companies, and golf course superintendents on the defensive trying to best manage the input costs of their businesses. The following explains some factors that influence fertilizer prices and possible strategies in dealing with high and fluctuating prices.

Figure 1. Ten-year summary of prices charged by retailers to farmers for urea.
2000 to 2010 information is U.S. average for April each year. 2011 is based
on a January survey of Illinois retailers. Source: USDA.

Prices Influenced by World Markets and Energy Fertilizer prices reached record levels in 2008 just prior to the financial crisis, with the prices of some key fertilizer materials such as anhydrous ammonia and diammonium phosphate exceeding $1000 per ton. Prices retreated in 2009 and 2010, but began increasing again last fall. The price of urea is approximately twice what it was a decade ago (see figure). In the 1980s the United States was a significant nitrogen exporter--now more than 57 percent of nitrogen used in the U.S. is imported (2008 data). Most commercial nitrogen fertilizers originate from a process that uses natural gas to convert the nitrogen gas in the air into a form usable by crops. Natural gas prices in other parts of the world are a fraction of what they are in the United States, so it is often more economical to produce there even considering transportation costs. Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Russia, and the Middle East are major suppliers to the U.S.

Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) fertilizer sources such as DAP (Diammonium phosphate, 18-46-0) and muriate of potash (0-0-60) originate mostly from open or underground mines, with the bulk of production controlled by a handful of companies. The U.S. is the world’s leading supplier/exporter of phosphorus fertilizers, but imports most of its potassium from Canada. Investments in fertilizer mining and manufacturing are often long-term commitments and companies often lack the ability to adjust quickly to short-term market conditions.

Fertilizer Pricing is Complex Fertilizer is not traded on a common exchange like stocks, currencies, or grains, so it can be much more difficult to get a read on prices. In addition, fertilizers are heavy, bulky commodities and their transport involves expense, time, and logistical constraints. Many customers also depend on their suppliers for fertilizer storage and specialized application equipment. So the market is not as fluid as many other inputs—users aren’t as likely to shop around and then just go pick up what they need as they might for chemicals or seeds.

Dealing With High Fertilizer Prices Using the correct form and amount of fertilizer to achieve the desired plant response maximizes efficient input use and keeping costs in check. Fertilizer suppliers may be willing to enter into contractual arrangements with their larger customers that specify a future quantity and price, to help them manage their own price risk as well as that of their customers. In addition, some larger fertilizer users have also built their own bulk storage facilities that allow them to capitalize on seasonal price advantages or other price trends.

For More Information
Illinois Production Costs Report, Illinois Department of Agriculture: http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/gx_gr210.txt

Agricultural Prices, United States Department of Agriculture: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1002

Factors Shaping Price and Availability of This Year’s Fertilizer Market, 2008, Purdue Agricultural Economics: http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/news/financial/Fertilizer_Market.pdf

Top Ten Turf Tips of 2010

1. Part II: Summer diseases in Residential Turf
2. Part III: Summer weeds: Common summer weeds and their control
3. Part I: Too hot: Why some turfgrass species look poor in summer
4. Color Variation in Residential and Commercial Lawns
5. Crabgrass Control
6. Now is the time to seed lawns and other turf areas
7. Choosing a Preemergence Herbicide
8. Late Fall Fertilization
9. Spring Mowing Tips
10. Dandelion Control

Weather Looks Good For Indiana Green Expo, Don't Miss It!

The weather looks great this week for a winter conference. Since it doesn't look like there will be any snow to push or shovel, we invite you to come to the Indiana Green Expo. Don't miss Indiana’s most comprehensive green industry conference and trade show!

January 9-11, 2013 • Indiana Convention Center
*** Registration available at door. ***

• Special workshops on Wednesday, January 9 and diverse educational tracks throughout Thursday, January 10 and Friday, January 11.
• Earn Continuing Education Units (CEU & CCH) available for Indiana, surrounding states, and nationally.
• Connect with over 1,900 green industry professionals from Indiana and surrounding states.
• Trade Show on January 10 & 11 features green industry businesses throughout the country displaying the newest products.
• Keynote Speaker:  Charlie Hall, Ph.D., Professor of Horticulture, Texas A&M University
  Managing Inputs Effectively in Uncertain Times,
  Thursday, January 10, Opening Session, 8:00 – 10:15 am
• Awards Programs for INLA & MRTF:
  Thursday,  January 10, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Convention Center
• Landscape Challenge: Landscape teams compete to build a 200 sq. foot landscape/garden project in 4 hours!
  Thursday, January 10, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Trade Show Floor

For more information visit www.IndianaGreenExpo.com
To view a digital version of the 2013 IGE Show Program click here.

The Indiana Green Expo is presented in partnership by the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association and Midwest Regional Turf Foundation.
 

2013 Turf Weed Control for Professionals, Now Available

The revised edition of Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals is now available. The 96 page publication includes content on:

• Turfgrass Culture
• Weed Types
• Weed Life Cycles
• Developing a Weed Control Program
• Indicator Weeds              
• Herbicide Information (use, nomenclature, classification, mode of action, movement, resistance, etc.)
• Control of Tough Weeds
• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Weed Control with Herbicides
• Nonselective Herbicides/Fumigants for Turfgrass Renovation
• Nonselective Herbicides for Turfgrass Border Maintenance (Edging)
• Preemergence Herbicides (weed control ratings for preemergence herbicides, turf tolerance information, and more instructions for each product)
• Postemergence Herbicides (weed control ratings for postemergence broadleaf herbicides and turf tolerance, and more instructions for each product)
• Commonly Used Broadleaf Herbicide Combinations for Turfgrass
• Active Ingredients in Commonly Used Herbicide Combinations
• Sedge Control Herbicides (sedge control and turfgrass tolerance ratings, turf tolerance information, and more instructions for each product)
• Plant Growth Regulators for General Turf Use
• Preemergence, Postemergence and PGR Options for Putting Greens
• Postemergence Weed Control in Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens
• Common and Trade Names of Registered Herbicides and Plant Growth Regulators (264 different products and 98 unique herbicide ingredient combination are discussing in this publication)
• Herbicide/PGR Common Names, Chemical Families, and Modes of Action
• Herbicide Math

This is truly a comprehensive guide for those using herbicides in turf regardless of whether you manage athletic fields, a golf course, lawns, cemeteries, sod farms, parks, or other turf areas.

Added in 2013 are

• New Herbicides
• Color Photos of Crabgrass Growth Stages
• Color Photos of Herbicide Mode of Action
• Answers to 9 New Frequently Asked Questions

Also new in 2013 is the availability of a .pdf version for those that want an electronic copy.

The publication is available at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=AY-336

It is sold for $12 as a hard copy (paperback) and $10 as an electronic (.pdf) copy. For companies with many employees interested in this information, a 25% discounted bulk order of 25 copies is available for $225.

Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals, 2013

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist

Tree Problems? We Have an App for That!

After two years of development, we have released a new smart phone app that will help you diagnose and find recommendations to manage over 175 tree problems on over 60 kinds of trees. We call it the Purdue Tree Doctor. It will be like having our entire library of photos and recommendations in your pocket when trying to make a diagnosis.  More importantly, you will be able to use these high resolution photos to help convince your clients of the accuracy of your diagnosis and of the need to make important management decisions.

If you know which type of tree you have (maple, oak, pine etc.) the app will help you match damaged plant parts with over 1,000 high-resolution photos, based upon the location of the problem: leaves, branches, stems, roots, etc. Once you have a tentative diagnosis you can double check it by following links on each photo to detailed descriptions of damage and stages of problem development. From there you can get advice for management. Alternatively, if you know the problem, you can use the aps to find management tips by searching through our problem list. This app is useful for most problems you will encounter in the Midwestern and Eastern United States.

For those of you with spotty internet connections, you will be pleased to know that we designed the Purdue Tree Doctor to have all of its critical information and photos on the phone in a modest package size (250 mb) with a modest price.

The Purdue Tree Doctor costs only $1.99 and is available now for the I-Phone, and the I-Pod touch at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/purdue-tree-doctor/id561944017?mt=8

If you download it from the I-tunes store via a web browser you can put it on your I-pad and enjoy the larger pictures and format.  For those of you without phone or data plans, you can buy an I-phone touch and gain access to this information. Currently we are developing the application for Android phones and expect it to be out in January of 2013.

Cliff Sadof and Janna Beckerman, Purdue University

Remembering 2012: Top Posts on the Blog

As we remember back on 2012, the drought and the early spring warm-up were two of the biggest topics of the year and drew the most visits to our blog. Here were the top 6 posts of 2012.

1	My Lawn is Brown and Crunchy… Is it Dead? What do ... Jun 26, 2012
2	New Lawn Recovery Guide Aug 17, 2012
3	Get your motor running: Crabgrass control adjustme... Mar 9, 2012
4	Time to Water? May 24, 2012
5	When Will Crabgrass Germinate? Mar 16, 2012
6	Crabgrass is Now Germinating at Most Indiana Locat... Mar 23, 2012

 

Newly added Forestry and Natural Resources/Extension Publications

I thought I would share these new publications from our colleagues on campus in Forestry and Natural Resources.

FNR-FAQ-11
Why Is My Tree Dying?
https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=FNR-FAQ-11-W
This publication explains how trees can be injured and die from damage suffered during construction projects.

FNR-473-W
Tree Appraisal
https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=FNR-473-W
This publication provides an explanation of the tree appraisal process, and the methods and considerations appraisers use when they assign a value to trees. Species, location and condition rating tables are included to assist in the valuation process for landscape trees.

Weather warms up at week's end for the Indiana Green Expo (January 8-10, 2014)

January 8-10, 2014
Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN

While the weather outside is frightful today (Monday, January 6 2014) and tomorrow (Tuesday, January 7 2014) it does look to improve considerably by week's end with highs near 40 degrees for the Indiana Green Expo (January 8-10, 2014).

Don't miss out on Indiana's largest turf and landscape education event.

Education schedule (different education tracks), workshop descriptions, speaker highlights, exhibitors and trade show events found at www.indianagreenexpo.com or click here for IGE 2014 Brochure.

Highlighted Turf Speakers

We are excited to bring in a great group of speakers in the turf sessions this year. Highlighted speakers include:

Eric Baumeister, The Toro Company

Joe Becovitz, Office of the Indiana State Chemist

Cale Bigelow, Purdue University

Bill Brown, CGCS, Turf Republic

Mark Esoda, CGCS, Atlanta Country Club

Kevin Frank, Michigan State University

Keith Happ, United States Golf Association

Rick Latin, Purdue University

Bruce Martin, Clemson University

Aaron Patton, Purdue University 

Doug Richmond, Purdue University

James Rutledge, Bayer

Pamela Sherratt, Ohio State University

David Shetlar, Ohio State University 

John Sorochan, University of Tennessee

Fred Whitford, Purdue University

Many other great speakers will be here for the plant materials, installation/maintenance, production, business, and hardscape education tracks as well.

Don't forget Wednesday's workshops including golf and lawn specific options. Check out the workshop listings.

2014 Turf Weed Control for Professionals, Now Available

The revised edition of Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals is now available. The 96 page publication includes content on:

• Turfgrass Culture
• Weed Types
• Weed Life Cycles
• Developing a Weed Control Program
• Indicator Weeds              
• Herbicide Information (use, nomenclature, classification, mode of action, movement, resistance, etc.)
• Control of Tough Weeds
• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Weed Control with Herbicides
• Nonselective Herbicides/Fumigants for Turfgrass Renovation
• Nonselective Herbicides for Turfgrass Border Maintenance (Edging)
• Preemergence Herbicides (weed control ratings for preemergence herbicides, turf tolerance information, and more instructions for each product)
• Postemergence Herbicides (weed control ratings for postemergence broadleaf herbicides and turf tolerance, and more instructions for each product)
• Commonly Used Broadleaf Herbicide Combinations for Turfgrass
• Active Ingredients in Commonly Used Herbicide Combinations
• Sedge Control Herbicides (sedge control and turfgrass tolerance ratings, turf tolerance information, and more instructions for each product)
• Plant Growth Regulators for General Turf Use
• Preemergence, Postemergence and PGR Options for Putting Greens
• Postemergence Weed Control in Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens
• Common and Trade Names of Registered Herbicides and Plant Growth Regulators (278 different products and 103 unique herbicide ingredient combination are discussing in this publication)
• Herbicide/PGR Common Names, Chemical Families, and Modes of Action
• Herbicide Math

This is truly a comprehensive guide for those using herbicides in turf regardless of whether you manage athletic fields, a golf course, lawns, cemeteries, sod farms, parks, or other turf areas.

Added in 2014 are

• New Herbicides (6 new products)
• Updated weed control recommendations based on label changes and new research
• Revised and udpated answers Frequently Asked Questions

A .pdf version is for sale for $10 for those that want an electronic copy. Use this electronic copy on all your devices.

The publication is available at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=AY-336

It is sold for $12 as a hard copy (paperback) and $10 as an electronic (.pdf) copy. For companies with many employees interested in this information, a 25% discounted bulk order of 25 copies is available for $225.

Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals, 2014

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist

Weed of the month for January 2015 is Common Mallow

Common Mallow  

Biology: Common mallow (Malva neglecta), also known as cheese mallow, cheese weed, and dwarf mallow, is a winter annual broadleaf weed, though it can also act as a biennial if environmental conditions that favor growth persist. It is generally found in low-maintenance turfgrass lawns, nursery crops, and landscapes. The ability of common mallow to survive in multiple environmental and soil conditions, such as frigid temperatures and dry, compacted soils, as well as its ability to survive lower mowing heights, make common mallow a common turfgrass weed throughout the state of Indiana.

Identification: Common mallow is a broadleaf winter annual weed that has the ability to persist into a biennial or perennial life cycle if environmental conditions are favorable. Common mallow can be found in lawns throughout the United States as a low-growing, spreading/prostrate broadleaf weed that will grow more erect in the absence of mowing. It reproduces by seed, which typically germinates from spring to early autumn; however, it is anchored to the ground by a short-to-deep, straight taproot which allows to plant to persist for an extended amount of time. Though it spreads primarily though seed, fragmented stems can also produce adventitious roots when nodes come into contact with the soil and conditions are moist enough. Plants initially develop as a basal rosette, and stems branch-out and elongate along the soil surface as the plant matures. The base of each thickened, hairy stem lies close to the soil surface while the tip (apex) is turned upward. The leaves can range from 0.5 to 1.5 inches in diameter and are located at the apex of thinner stems (petioles) branched alternatively from the main stems. Leaves are palmately veined (similar to fingers branching from the center of your palm), circular- to kidney-shaped, dark green with a ‘crinkled’ appearance, slightly hairy on both the upper and lower surfaces, and sharply toothed in the margins. Flowers are produced in May and can be present throughout the summer and into October. Flowers appear as 5 white, or whitish-lavender colored petals that are often tinged with purple or have purple veins. Flowers then produce a small fruit that can be described as the shape of a button or a wheel of cheese, hence its multiple common names. Each fruit contains 10-12 wedge-shaped seeds that break apart at maturity. Though common mallow seeds have a relatively low germination rate, they can remain viable in the soil for many years (decades). Often the stems will remain green and viable throughout the winter months, allowing the plant regenerate and sprout from the surviving crown the following spring. Common mallow can often be mistaken for ground ivy; however, ground ivy leaves are located opposite each other on the main stem and have rounded edges. Ground ivy also emits a strong mint-like odor when cut or damaged and has square stems commonly found within the mint family but not on common mallow (rounded stems). 

Common mallow (left) and ground ivy (right)

Common mallow growing in a sidewalk crack.

Cultural control: None known specifically for common mallow. Hand pulling or hoeing can be an effective method of physically removing the plant when it is young and the taproot is shorter. Its ability to survive in low maintenance conditions helps common mallow out-compete desirable plants; however, it is not as competitive with dense vigorous turf that is maintained at adequate mowing heights, fertilization rates, and irrigation practices.

Biological control: Some research has been focused on developing a fungus to help control other weedy mallows with a small amount of success; however, there are no commercially available products for the biological control of common mallow.

Chemical control: Since it reproduces from seed (generally), it is possible to manage common mallow through the use of preemergence herbicides. Postemergence herbicides can also be used to control common mallow. Two- or three-way mixtures of 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP, or MCPA should provide adequate control. These products are available at local garden retailers and professional turf suppliers. Additionally, products that contain triclopyr, fluroxypyr, and quinclorac as one of the ingredients in a two- or three-combination herbicide will also work. In warm-season turf, metsulfuron (Manor) can control common mallow when applied in combination with a non-ionic surfactant (0.25%).

For more information on weed control, search this blog and check out our Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals Publication.

For archives of past weed of the month postings, visit our Weed of the Month Archive.

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist

Leslie Beck, Postdoctoral Research Associate

Weed of the month for December 2014 is Pineapple Weed

Pineapple Weed  

Biology: Pineapple weed (Matricaria matricariodies), behaves as either a summer or winter annual and it is commonly found throughout the United States. It is a weed of both high- and low-maintenance turfgrass lawns, landscapes, and nursery crops. Its ability to tolerate low mowing heights and highly compacted soils allow pineapple weed to compete with in weak turf.

Identification: Pineapple weed can behave as either a summer or winter annual broadleaf in both high- or low-maintenance turf throughout the Midwestern United States. It has a very low-growing, bushy, and branching growth habit and it reproduces by seed, which have the ability to emerge year-round if environmental conditions are favorable. Typically, the seedlings germinate in late summer to early fall and again from early spring to early summer. Young plants form a small, but dense rosette of fragrant, hairless, shiny bright green leaves that are also thick and succulent. Rosettes form from a very shallow taproot with a secondary fibrous root system. As the plant matures, the smooth, hairless stems continue to elongate in either an erect or a low-branching/spreading growth habit. The leaves are also hairless, fleshy and are pinnately divided with deep, finger-like lobes and short linear segments. All pineapple weed foliage (stems and leaves) have a very sweet odor similar to that of pineapple when damaged or crushed; thus, giving the plant its common name. From May through September, the plant produces flowers that are yellow, egg-shaped, and are composed of densely-packed, tiny, yellowish-green flowers. Flowers also emit a very sweet, pineapple like odor when crushed. Pineapple foliage can sometimes be confused with that of wild chamomile; however, the foliage of plants in the chamomile family can range from highly bitter to absent, not sweet and pineapple-like.  

Cultural control: None known specifically for pineapple weed. Though it tolerates low mowing heights and compacted soils, a combination of frequent mowing, adequate fertilization, and irrigation to keep turf dense will help the desired turf compete and gradually eradicate pineapple weed. Reducing traffic will also help increase turf density and reduce pineapple weed invasion. Additionally, hand pulling small populations may help to physically remove pineapple weed due to its shallow tap root.

Biological control: None known specifically for pineapple weed.

Chemical control: Since it reproduces from seed, it is possible to manage pineapple weed through the use of preemergence herbicides. However, control with preemergence herbicides may be difficult since the seeds have the ability to germinate year-round under favorable environmental conditions. Postemergence applications of two- or three-way mixtures of 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP, or MCPA will likely provide adequate control in established turf. Though dicamba does the majority of the work in controlling pineapple weed, the addition of MCPP often helps to increase the effectiveness of the overall application. These products are available in multiple formulations at local retailers.

For more information on weed control, search this blog and check out our Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals Publication.

For archives of past weed of the month postings, visit our Weed of the Month Archive.

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist

Leslie Beck, Postdoctoral Research Associate