Read the Label! A Hard Lesson Learned

I was recently forwarded a video from one of our Extension educators in Vanderburgh County, Larry Caplan, that I thought I would share with you. The video chronicles the “misadventures” of a homeowner who simply wanted to control the weeds in his lawn. It should be a reminder to all of us to read the full label before applying a pesticide.




Always follow label directions when using herbicides, and obey all federal, state, and local pesticide laws and regulations. Labels provide specific safety suggestions and requirements for handling products. Labels also provide valuable insight on how to use the products safely (for you, the turf, and the environment) for maximum effectiveness.

The following are general guidelines to reduce the risks from herbicides.

1. Apply a product only to the turfgrass species listed on the label.
2. Clean spray tanks thoroughly when changing from one herbicide to another. Many herbicides contain instructions on how to properly clean and rinse the sprayer following an application.
3. Calibrate sprayers correctly and often.
4. Use the recommended herbicide application rates provided on the label. The label may also specify a specific rate for specific weed species. Rates listed on the manufacturer label are based on research at multiple locations across multiple years. Applying too much herbicide is costly and could result in turf damage or lack of control due to spray runoff. Applying too little herbicide can result in poor weed control and unsatisfied customers.
5. Apply herbicides as specified on the label (timing, site, interval between applications, interval before and after seeding, and so on).
6. Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) specified on the label.
7. Use caution when spraying around ornamental plants and sensitive crops to avoid injury. Follow wind restrictions on the label.
8. Apply herbicides when temperatures are in the range provided on the labels.
9. Do not apply herbicides when children or students are in the application area. This is known as the “School Rule.” More information about the School Rule is available on the OISC website, www.isco.purdue.edu.
10. Check the label for instructions and options on how to remove pesticide residues from containers prior to their disposal.
11. Store pesticides in their original containers and keep unused pesticides in a safe, secure location. Keep storage areas on trucks or within buildings locked, and keep pesticide containers away from children.

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist

Cicada killers are Wimps

Spread the word – Cicada killers are wimps! Unfortunately, because of their size and the fact that they often live in lawns and landscapes close to where people live, cicada killers evoke a great deal of anxiety.  These wasps are huge and look very much like oversized yellow jackets but they have some very important differences. First, cicada killers are not social wasps that build colonies and protect their queens.  Because they have no colony or queen to protect, they are not aggressive and have no reason to sting people.

Cicada killers are one of the largest wasps that burrow into the ground in this area.  At first glance, they are a very large, ominous looking wasp resembling a hornet or yellow jacket and evoke a good deal of fear. However, most of the wasps encountered are males, patrolling the nesting area. They may fly about, dive bomb, or even hover in front of, but they cannot sting people. They do not possess a stinger.
Females do not defend their burrows, and will sting only if handled. Female cicada killers dig burrows in well drained, light textured soil, typically in an area with full sunlight. The 1½ inch diameter opening leads into an oblique tunnel that runs for 12-18 inches and reaches a depth of 6-10 inches. The female completes and stocks up to four cells, each containing from one to three paralyzed cicadas on which eggs are laid. When eggs hatch the larvae bore into and feed on the cicada. Secondary tunnels are often built off the primary tunnel; thus each female may rear up to 16 larvae in a burrow.

Cicada killer wasps are beneficial and do not pose danger in most cases.  When possible they should be left alone. 

The larvae pass the winter in their burrows and emerge the next July as adults. Between late July and mid August, these new adults emerge, mate and the female digs new soil burrows, stocks them with cicadas, and the cycle is repeated. Adults usually die by mid September.
On occasion a large nesting aggregation can result in many holes and unsightly mounds of soil in a small area of a yard or garden. Control of cicada killers is safely and most effectively done by placing a small amount of 5% carbaryl (Sevin) dust down into the soil tunnel. For a large nesting aggregation, the area can be sprayed. In both cases, the tunnel entrances should be left open.
In most cases, Cicada killer wasps are beneficial and do not pose danger.  When possible they should be left alone.  Education is the single best strategy to help people deal with cicada killers.  Teach people that they may look dangerous but in reality – they are wimps.

Timothy Gibb, Department of Entomology, Purdue University

Rust Disease – 2013

The 2013 rust disease outbreak seems to have arrived a little earlier than usual.  My thoughts about the current rust epidemic are intended for lawn care professionals, who must address reasonable questions from their clients.  Most professionals are very familiar with the basics of rust disease.  To briefly review from the 2013 perspective--the ample precipitation favors dispersal of rust spores and subsequent infection of susceptible turf.  The disease is largely cosmetic, but the orange spores that are easily dislodged from leaf surfaces can be more than a nuisance, covering shoes, pets, and lawn mowers with a rusty residue.  New spring-seeded lawns that lose vigor during heat and drought conditions of summer may be severely damaged by rust.

One question about rust is asked more than any other—Will it harm my dog?  The answer is no…and no further explanation is necessary.

Another question frequently asked is – If I collect my clippings after mowing, will the disease disappear?  The answer here is “no” also.  There are tens of millions of rust spores in the air--inoculating your lawn every day.  Also, because the rust pathogen must complete every stage of its life cycle on a LIVING host, spores on your clipped grass blades will soon die, and no longer be a threat to the yard.

A final question regards control—both long and short term. 

If the lawn is in need of any kind of renovation, now is the time to consider Kentucky bluegrass cultivars with rust resistance.  Many of the newest cultivars are only slightly affected by the rust pathogen.  Local lawn care professionals or garden stores will have access to information about rust-resistant grass.

Keeping the grass healthy with water, fertilizer, and regular mowing normally will keep rust at bay.  This year seems to be a little different, maybe because of all the rain, and the fact that nutrition is a little low at this time of year.  Suggest trying the fertilizer route first.  Applying the equivalent of 0.2 lb N per acre may do the trick.  Be prepared to resume mowing if the rain continues, and do not apply if the 3-4 day forecast includes daily high temperatures in the 90’s.

The final approach is chemical.  There are excellent fungicides available that will shut down a rust outbreak in less than a week.  The DMI and QoI  (strobilurin) fungicides are very effective against rust but, on well-established turf, should be considered only as a remedial treatment.  On newly seeded stands, fungicides should be applied at the first sign of disease.  In most cases, outbreaks will be quelled with a single application of an effective fungicide combined with efforts to encourage turf growth.

For more about rust disease, access the Purdue Turf Program website and click on “publications”.  In that list, you will find BP-110W  “Rust Disease”. 

Dr. Rick Latin, Professor of Plant Pathology

DuPont launches www.imprelis-facts.com Website

This week DuPont launched a new website designed to help answer questions from those who have used Imprelis® and are seeing injury to trees.



The website, www.imprelis-facts.com, states the following: "As a precaution until we are able to more fully understand the circumstances surrounding reports of tree damage related to Imprelis®, do not apply Imprelis® where Norway Spruce or White Pine are present on, or in close proximity to, the property to be treated. Be careful that no spray treatment, drift or runoff occurs that could make contact with trees, shrubs and other desirable plants, and stay well away from exposed roots and the root zone of trees and shrubs."



Starting August 1, 2011, DuPont is establishing a toll free hotline to take all reports of problems from lawn care professionals, property managers and owners, and golf courses, and to handle any homeowner questions and concerns.

For more information visit www.imprelis-facts.com

Read a letter (click here) dated July 27, 2011 from Michael McDermott, Global Business Leader, DuPont Professional Products, which provides and update from DuPont on the issue in addition to the facts on their new website linked above.

Water Restrictions and Managing Turf During Drought

For those in the Indianapolis area, customers of the Department of Waterworks – City of Indianapolis are “asking residential and business customers to not water lawns through Friday, July 29 in the wake of continued lack of rain, high heat, and high water consumption”.

The request is voluntary – initially requested on Wednesday, July 20 – and is targeting lawn irrigation in addition to other summer uses such as water for swimming pools, outdoor recreation, etc.

The water restrictions are not due to a shortage of water in this case but due to infrastructure challenges (water main breaks).

A main reason for the request to stop watering lawns is to reduce the stress on the system and a concern on being able to maintain adequate pressure (for hydrants) in order to assist in the event of a major fire."

We published a few tips last week on how to deal with the high temperatures and drought. Two key points for managing lawns during this period are:

1. Stay off the turf when it is drought stress. Do not mow or drive across drought stressed turf (see photos below).
2. Your lawn may be brown from drought, but it is not likely to die unless it goes 4 weeks or more without irrigation/rainfall. Therefore, water once every 2-4 weeks with ½ inch of water to keep turf plant crowns hydrated during drought. This amount of water will not green up the turf, but it will increase its long-term survival during long dry spells. This type of irrigation strategy will help keep your turf alive (although not green) and help comply with the request from the Department of Waterworks.

Vehicle traffic to turf that is drought stress will damage and kill turf in many cases.

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist

Turf Field Day: Another Hot Day in the Sun

Thanks to all the 459 attendees and 32 exhibitors who attended the Midwest Regional Turfgrass Field Day Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at the W.H. Daniel Turfgrass Research Center in W. Lafayette, IN. We had golf and lawn research tours in the morning, two different afternoon tours, and two afternoon workshops and addressed many current topics including new products, drought, fertilizer burn, diseases, and more. We heard many good comments regarding the field day and the education provided. The only bad comments were about the 99° F temperature outside. We hope to have a cooler day in 2013.
On behalf of the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation, thank you to all of those who attended!

If you didn’t get a chance to attend this year, we encourage you to pencil in Tuesday, July 9, 2013 on your calendar and attend next year. We will be meeting one week earlier than normal in 2013 to avoid a conflict with an International Turfgrass Research meeting that many in the Purdue Turf Team will be attending. Numerous research tours and workshops in addition to an outstanding trade show will be available again in 2013.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for 2013 let us know: biehlj@purdue.edu or ajpatton@purdue.edu

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist and Executive Director of the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation

Drought Outlook and Water Restriction Updates

An updated drought map of Indiana was released on July 26, 2012. Drought is rated as D0=abnormally dry, D1=moderate drought, D2=severe drought, D3=extreme drought, and D4=exceptional drought. Eighty-seven percent of the state is D2 or worse with 18.7% of the state in exception drought, with another 40% rated as extreme drought.

Water Restrictions/Bans
Because of the drought and lack of water in some areas, Marion county instituted a “water ban” on July 13, 2012 and many other communities have issued “water use restrictions” or “water conservation ordinances”.  The state issued a water shortage warning last week and asked those who use more than 100,000 gallons of water a day to cut back 10 to 15 percent on their water usage. Many other communities are asking for a voluntary reduction in water use. If you live in an area with a watering ban, there is little that you can do at this point other than to keep traffic off your lawn and to pray for rain. In you still can water, the below links will provide some helpful guidance.

•    Irrigation Practices for Homelawns discusses how much (and how) lawns should be watered
•    My Lawn is Brown and Crunchy… Is it Dead? What do I do now? explains how "brown and crunchy" grass might not be dead
•    Specialist: Controlling lawn weeds in drought carries risks explores whether herbicides are safe to use on lawns during drought
•    Your Lawn in Times of Drought (video)

What’s Next?
We are working on creating some information for homeowners and turf professionals to answer some of their frequently asked questions regarding how to recover turf following drought.

How long will the drought last?
If crystal balls actually worked or if we had a lifeline to Joseph of the old testament we might be able to predict when this drought might end and how to respond to it best. Even our best experts don’t know for sure when rains might return. A drought forecast map from NOAA released July 19, 2012 does not look promising and forecasts drought to persist in Indiana until October 31, 2012. IF this holds true, drought will continue to impact our fall management (fertilization, seeding, and weed control) programs.

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist