~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~
September 23, 2011 Scouting Report
Sunshine Course Hosts iTurf Expo: We String and Sign Turf Research Plots, Dollar Spot Ebbs, and Tim tells of a Multi-State Evaluation
Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle
As I write, today is Friday, but it's not just any Friday. At 4 am it quietly became fall when most of us were still alseep and it was dark out. It means our summer season is offically over and our golf courses now have a look that is not just green. For example, I've begun to notice yellows, oranges and even occasional hints of red quietly arriving on deciduous tree branches (as fall begins I like to watch maples and honeylocusts). It means the landscape is about to wrap up this growing season. On Sunshine Course we wrapped up our year of turfgrass research by hosting an event called the iTurf Expo for the Illinios Turfgrass Foundation. Thanks to Chris Painter and Niki Munroe, Sunshine Course had become a green gem of paradise and it sparkled as guest speakers arrived from Wisconsin (Dr. Jim Kerns), Indiana (Dr. Aaron Patton) and Missouri (Dr. Lee Miller). They would complement speakers from across Illinois. Let me tell you that story...
Illinois is a state with a shape different than where I grew up - Kansas. North to south, Illinois is longer than wide and that has significance as we enjoy more than one zone of plant adaptation. That is why we feel a turfgrass research field day in Lemont is strengthened by representation of turf scientists from each distinct region. It allows us to discuss and learn of our similarities and differences of turf research efforts from southern (Dr. Ken Diesburg), central (Dr. Bruce Branham) and northern (CDGA) Illinois. To everyone who has helped the CDGA Turf Program this year with the necessary encouragement to keep doing what we do, we say THANK YOU!
Click here to view the September 23, 2011 Scouting Report.
Enjoy your first weekend of fall. I am.
Derek Settle, PhD
Director of Turfgrass Program
