Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Rain late last week combined with rising soil temperatures has initiated green-up of some cool-season grasses in central New Jersey. Soil temperatures have been slowing increasing over the last few weeks. Currently, the 24-hour and 5-day rolling averages for soil temperature are 47 degrees F at Hort Farm 2 in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Keep […]
Typically, turf management isn’t on top of the to-do list in mid-February. But winter in New Jersey isn’t typical typical this year. The statewide average temperature in January 2023 was 41.0°, which was 9.3° above the 1991–2020 normal and ties with 1932 as the mildest January since records commenced in 1895. For more details on […]
The passing of tropical storm, Fay brought some needed precipitation to the region, albeit too much at once in many places. Relatively dry soils (assumes not being over-irrigated) and the long, warm days of summer should allow turfs to dry out reasonably fast. But what about gray leaf spot? Spores of the pathogen are thought […]
Soil temperatures have been warming and reached the mid-40s °F last week at Rutgers Hort Farm No. 2 in North Brunswick NJ and are creeping into the upper-40s °F early this week. Dr. Clarke recommends that treatment of turf with a history of take-all patch be initiated when soil temperature averages 40 to 60 °F. […]
Aeration during the summer can be a helpful practice but does need some caution. Many turf managers performing mid-season aeration on putting greens will be using needle tines, which are less disruptive. But the key words are “less disruptive”; as reminder, needle time aeration (venting) will cause some damage to the roots. How extensive the […]
Recent news about glyphosate has many thinking about alternatives. Joe Neal (Professor of Weed Science, Extension Specialist & Department Extension Leader Horticultural Science) and Andrew Senesac (Extension Weed Scientist Cornell Cooperative Extension, Suffolk Co., NY) have published a thorough summary of alternatives and the associated pros and cons through NC State Extension at https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/are-there-alternatives-to-glyphosate-for-weed-control-in-landscapes
