| |
LONDON, Ohio -- This season’s moderate drought has impacted more than just Ohio’s field and vegetable crops. The hot, dry conditions have turned lawns brown, stressed turfgrass on golf courses and sports fields, and favored the spread of weeds and diseases.
Ohio State University Extension turfgrass specialists will be at Farm Science Review with tips on how to best manage lawns and turfgrass during a drought.
“This has been a bad year for lawns. Everything has just been exacerbated because of the drought,” said Pam Sherratt, an OSU Extension sports turf specialist and agronomist. Sherratt, along with OSU Extension turfgrass pathologists Todd Hicks and Joe Rimelspach, will be answering questions and helping visitors diagnose lawn care problems and diseases based on samples brought to Farm Science Review. The event will be held Sept. 18-20 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio. The turfgrass area is located on Friday Avenue.
Some issues homeowners and sports field operators are facing this year include dollar spot, a turfgrass disease spread by warm, moist conditions; brown patch , a disease that leaves unsightly patches of blighted turf; and grub feeding damage.
In addition, cool-season grasses, which are prevalent throughout Ohio, are entering dormancy due to the stresses from the drought.
Sherratt said the following tips for turfgrass and lawn care will be offered during Farm Science Review:
• The proper way to water lawns -- when to water and how much water to apply.
• The dos and don’ts of fertilizer applications.
• How to choose drought-tolerant grass species.
• Best management practices for effective weed control.
• Basic lawncare practices that include such things as proper mowing height.
Farm Science Review is sponsored by Ohio State University Extension, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Tickets are $8 at the gate or $5 in advance when purchased from county offices of OSU Extension or participating agribusinesses. Children 5 and younger are admitted free. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept 18-19 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 20. For more information, log on to http://fsr.osu.edu.
|
|
