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is applied to foliage, it is a matter of onlyhalf an hour or so before the turf looksdarker and greener. Iron sulfate is gen-erally used, although other forms of sol-uble iron are available. If you desire adarker green turf, adding iron is a muchsafer way to get it than applying nitro-gen. Adding excessive amounts of nitro-gen will only encourage developmentof certain diseases, and you may beleft with brown turf or bare groundinstead of the lovely dark-green grassyou envisioned.

Iron sulfate may be used to maskthe symptoms of yellow tuft disease.While this won't control the problem, itwill make turf infected with yellow tuftlook better.Soil pH

Most of the literature tells you that thesoil pH should be maintained at theoptimum level for turfgrass growth(between 6 and 7). This is really part offolklore and is based on research done onwheat and corn. Having a pH between6 and 7 is important so the wheat and complants can have the phosphorus in the

soil available at heading time because itis difficult to run a fertilizer down the fieldwhen the corn is 6 feet high. On theother hand, you can run a fertilizerspreader over your turf every day ifneed be. It is much safer to add the fer-tilizer as needed than to try to lower thepH with sulfur and wind up with ablack layer. In most instances it is alsoimpossible to lower the pH of soils above7.5 with sulfur because of the highbuffering capacity of the soil.

Although some diseases do respond tochanges in soil pH, it is not practical tocombat turfgrass diseases by adjustingpH. For example, it is impossible tochange the soil pH from 5 to 7 to fight onedisease and then change it back againwhen a different disease comes along.Since the effect of pH on turf grass dis-eases is usually related to the levels ofnitrogen, phosphorus and potassium,it is much simpler to live with the pH youhave, adjust the levels of phosphorus andpotassium in the soil, and add nitro-gen as needed.

IrrigationProper irrigation can help minimize

turf grass diseases. The best time to irri-gate is in the afternoon, lightly anddaily. It not only supplies the plant withwater but helps cool it off, so it can bet-ter make it through the stress of midday.The worst time to irrigate turf is earlyto late evening. This wets the turf grassplant and debris (mat and thatch) andallows foliar pathogens to germinate, growand infect all night, since normally verylittle drying takes place before sunrise.Watering early in the evening also coolsoff the plants and promotes the forma-tion of guttation water, which is rich innutrients and encourages even moredisease development.

If irrigating during the day is imprac-tical, the second-best time to irrigate isjust before sunrise. The water dilutes thenutrient-rich guttation water and,by breaking up the droplets, allowsquicker drying after the sun rises.

continued on page 22

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consequently contribute to the devel-opment of thatch.

Many people say that thatch causesdisease, but there is little evidence thatit actually does so. It is suggested thatthatch harbors the pathogens that causeturf diseases. However, many diseasesare airborne, like the rusts and powderymildew, and the rest do just as well ina soil environment as in a thatchenvironment. The one problem withturfs that are maintained in thatch is thatthey are more susceptible to droughtthan turfs that are maintained in soils.Consequently, diseases like necroticring spot, summer patch and stripesmut, which develop symptoms under con-ditions of drought stress, will be moresevere. However, this is quite differentfrom the theory that thatch is the placethat harbors all these nasty pathogens,as proposed by many turfgrass experts.The suggestion that if we somehow elim-inate the thatch all our disease problemswould go away just isn't true. Believe me,that's not going to happen.

Removal of the clippings for a crownor root-rot disease, like necrotic ringspot and summer patch, has little effecton inoculum levels. There are enough air-

borne spores of the fungi that causemelting-out, rusts, powdery mildew andsmuts to negate what little could bedone by removing clippings. The perfectexample again is golf course greens,where clippings are always removed,yet there are as many disease problemson golf course greens as there areanywhere else.

Should you dethatch your lawn? Theanswer to that question depends onhow much weight you have gained dur-ing the winter. If you gained a lot ofweight, the exercise of running thepower rake might be good for you. On theother hand, if you are too far out ofshape, it might kill you! But it will donothing for your thatch problem. You willremove the winter-killed grass, whichwould break down anyway, but you willnot remove that thatch or correct athatch problem. Where severe thatchexists, the lawn should be cored(aerated) and the soil in the coresreturned to help facilitate thatch break-down. It may be necessary to repeatthis operation several times where severethatch problems exist.

Rust, red thread, melting-out andleaf spot can be managed by mowing.

Recommendations for managing thesediseases call for increasing the nitrogenlevel. However, if you add nitrogen anddo not mow, you will actually make thedisease worse, not better. This has beendemonstrated many times in thelaboratory. In the field, where mowingoccurs at least once a week, infectedfoliage is mowed off before the above-mentioned fungus has a chance tocomplete the disease cycle. Since thesepathogens have a 10- to 14-day cycle frominfection to sporulation, mowing once aweek keeps it from becoming aserious problem. •

Dr. J.M. Vargas Jr. is a professor ofbotany and plant pathology at MichiganState University. This article is reprint-ed with permission from Advances inTurfgrass Science: Management ofTurfgrass Diseases, Second Edition byJ.M. Vargas Jr. Copyright: LewisPublishers, an imprint ofCRC Press, BocaRaton, FL. For information on how toobtain a copy of the book, contact CRCPress, Inc., 2000 Corporate Blvd., NW,Boca Raton, FL 33431.

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June 1995 23

S/ffi/ftJM

Turf of the Month,

Zoysiagrass

VV, ' Si

s' : >>v

Zoysiagrass from Bladerunner Farmsof Austin, TX, was used to establishthe turf at Retama Park, a new horse-racing track in San Antonio. Photocourtesy: Bladerunner Farms.

- , " ' V . : 2.'

With proper management techniqueszoysiagrass can stay green even inhot, dry conditions while using lesswater than other grasses.

By Mike Augsdorfer

As a sports turf, zoysiagrass is bestdescribed as a first-round draftchoice with tons of potential but not

quite ready for major-league play.Zoysiagrass brims with potential: It isheat- and drought-tolerant, wears well,requires less water and fertilizer thanbermudagrass and other popular athleticturfs, and rarely has problems withweeds or disease. However, zoysiagrassis very expensive to establish due to itsslow germination and spreading rate."Sticker shock" has limited the applicationof zoysiagrass mostly to a few golfcourses, which use zoysia on tee boxesand fairways.

Zoysiagrass is a popular turf for homelawns in warm climates and in the tran-sition zone. Propagation is ordinarily

24 sportsTURF

by sprigs, sod or plugs. For many yearsestablishment of zoysia by seed wasconsidered impractical because seedgermination was very poor. However,extensive research produced a treat-ment for zoysiagrass seed that drasticallyimproves seed germination rates. Nowmost zoysiagrass seed is treated, usuallyby chemical scarification, a process thatinvolves soaking the seed in a 30-percentsolution of potassium or sodium hydrox-ide. Treatment improves germinationrates from as low as two percent to as highas 90 percent.

Zoysia is native to eastern Asia, andmuch of the commercial zoysia seed onthe market is harvested from natural out-croppings of zoysia in China. Zoysia isadaptable to many different soils anddemonstrates good shade, salt anddrought tolerance. Recommended mow-

ing height is 1/2 to 1 inch. Zoysia is sodense that weeds are not likely to be aproblem; in fact, overseeding is almostimpossible. "It's a broadly established,tenacious grass," says Art Wick, head ofresearch and development at LESCO, Inc.,in Rocky River, OH. "It's such a densegrass that once it's established, it chokesout weeds."

While zoysiagrass is generally resis-tant to most turfgrass diseases, pests canbe a problem. "The problem with it herein the Southeast is mole crickets," saysRay Jensen, president of Tifton SeedFarms in Georgia. "The sandier soilscatch more damage. The insecticideswe have at this time are not effective."Nematodes also can present a seriousthreat to the turf.

When water is scarce, zoysia willenter a dormancy period, allowing the

iR PRODUCT INFO FAXED TO YOU NOW! DIAL: 1(800) 817-1889

grass to survive through drought con-ditions. When the grass receives rainagain, it will green up and begin togrow again. With proper managementtechniques zoysiagrass can stay greeneven in hot, dry conditions while usingless water than cool-season turfgrassesor hybrid bermudagrasses.

Kevin Morris, program coordinator forthe National Turfgrass EvaluationProgram, is among those who thinkzoysia has tremendous potential. "Seededzoysias will have a place in the marketover time," says Morris. "It's the best grassfor making it through the summer."

Dr. Milt Engelke of Texas A&MUniversity at Dallas has been involvedwith much of the research on zoysiagrassin the U.S. "From a sports-turf standpoint,zoysia will provide density and resilienceat a reduced maintenance level," hesays. "I believe zoysia will start workingits way into sports fields very soon."

"Living Astroturf'Frank Whitbeck of Windrock Grass

Farms in Little Rock, AR, says he's seenzoysiagrass used from Bel Air, CA, to LongIsland, NY, primarily in home lawn andgolf course applications. "I think MeyerZ-52 zoysiagrass will be the premiersports turf within the next five years inthe U.S.," says Whitbeck. "It survives andthrives in virtually all weather conditions,needs less management than virtuallyall other turfgrasses and is more wear-resistant. It has been called 'The LivingAstroturf' But very few people in the U.S.have tried it as a sports turf."

Whitbeck cites establishment timeas the primary reason why the sports-turf industry resists the use of zoysiagrass."After they build a sand base on a sports-turf facility, they want to put down a grassthat grows very quickly, so they putdown bermuda," he notes. Researchers,however, are developing methods toproduce zoysiagrass just as quickly asbermuda. "I think a lot of the effort to finda faster-growing zoysiagrass is not goingin the right direction," says Whitbeck."People are trying to find a faster-growing zoysiagrass. We need to finda way to establish a slow-growingzoysia faster."

Whitbeck notes that zoysia has beenused with great success on fairways

and golf tees throughout the U.S., andhe believes zoysia would be equallyeffective as an athletic turf. "A zoysia root

system would automatically firm up afootball field and create less damage,"he notes.

Mike Richardson, research agronomistfor Turf Merchants in Oregon, agrees. "Forless damaging-type sports such as base-ball, zoysia is as good as bermudagrass."

Zoysia shares a number of charac-teristics with bermudagrass. "It'ssimilar to bermuda in a lot of applica-tions," says John Foster of West Coast

Turf in Palm Desert, CA. "It's very toughand takes a lot of wear." Foster cau-tions that establishment of zoysiagrassin a sports turf application can take upto a year and a half. "Most varieties ofzoysia are slow growers," notes Foster."We are now in research on severalnew varieties."

Tim Bowyer, Ph.D., of Southern TurfNurseries in Georgia, admits that estab-

continued on page 26

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Zoysiagrasscontinued from page 25

lishment time contributes to the high costof using zoysiagrass. "It's two to threetimes the cost of bermudagrass," notesBowyer. "It is generally installed bysod, which increases cost. It also tendsto be very slow to recover from injury andtraffic damage."

Researchers are continuing to pursuemethods of making zoysiagrass moreeconomical to install. "We are tryingabout seven different treatment pro-grams," says Dennis Combs, vice pres-ident of Fine Lawn Research in LakeOswego, OR. The goal is to find a treat-ment process that will allow faster ger-mination of zoysiagrass seed. "Themajority of zoysia will continue to besodded until the cost comes down,"admits Combs.

Dr. Charles Murdoch, turf specialistat the University of Hawaii, says zoysia-grass is used extensively for home lawnson the islands but not as a sports turf."The problem is it doesn't recover fromwear quick enough," says Murdoch.

While zoysiagrassis generally

resistant to mostturfgrass diseases,

pests can be aproblem.

Although zoysia is ideally suited to thetropical climate and can sustain theheavy traffic that sports fields in Hawaiimust tolerate, the extremely slow recov-ery rate of zoysiagrass restricts it tohome lawn use.

Zoysia is one of the most environ-mentally sensitive turfgrasses avail-able, according to Nat Emmons of JacklinSeed. "Zoysiagrass is incredibly tough,and it's also very slow growing, which

means less clippings and lower main-tenance," he explains. "It is one of the mostefficient water and fertilizer users,and it gives a good surface at ahigh cut level."

Milt Engelke notes that careful turfmanagement is the key to workingwith zoysiagrass. "Zoysiagrass doesnot like high bulk-density soils, andsports fields tend to get compacted," herelates. "Aerification is going to beextremely important."

Dick Stuntz, superintendent atAlvamar Country Club in Lawrence,KS, has used zoysiagrass extensivelyon the golf course. "We use it on fairwaysand tees predominantly," he says. "Ijust think it's an excellent grass fortransition zone." Stuntz thinks thatsince zoysia performs so well as a turf-grass for golf, other athletic applica-tions are natural. "For an athletic field,zoysia grass is very wear-tolerant, per-haps better than any other sports turf,"he explains. Zoysia is so tough, saysStuntz, that only about one out of fivegolfers can take a divot that won't grow

,_ SportsTurfj

Manager's Association Get Serious With STMAApplication for Membership

The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) is an organization of professionals representing all segments of the sports turfindustry. Our members work to combine the science of growing grass and the art of maintaining sports turf to produce playing fieldsthat are both safe and aesthetically pleasing.

STMA provides members with a variety of benefits, including: Education through regional institutes and conferences; support forsports turf research; facilities tours; a national awards program; access to the STMA National Conference and Exhibition; complimen-tary subscriptions to Sports Turf Manager and sportsTURF Magazine; and much more.

If you're serious about the sports turf industry, then it's time to become a member of STMA. Join today!

~l

Member InformationNameTideEmployerType of BusinessAddressCityPhoneSignatureReferred by

State .ZipFax

Membership Category (please check one)• Professional sports turf facility manager• Two & four-year colleges and universitiesLJ Other schools, research, exL agents, teachingLJ Park, recreation and municipal facilities• StudentLJ Commercial affiliate (U.S. or International)

• Additional members from same company• International other than commercial affiliate

(must be in U.S. dollars)

Total amount enclosed

$75$75$75$75$20$175$45$75

Please enclose payment (check or money order) and send to:Sports Turf Managers Association

PO Box 809119Chicago, IL 60680-9119

For more information, contact STMA Headquarters at 3121644-6610

"Promoting Better and Safer Sports Turf Areas'* I

FOR PRODUCT INFO FAXED TO YOU NOW! DIAL: 1(800) 817-1889

back from the base of the plant — andthose are John Daly-type swings. Zoysia'sonly drawback, according to Stuntz, is thatif the grass is seriously injured, it isvery slow to recover.

Paul Thomas, head groundskeeper atTowson State University in Maryland,has experimented with zoysia on intra-mural fields at the school. "We seeded anintramural field with zoysia last summer,"he relates. "It germinated over a periodof 10 days to three weeks." Thomas hada goosegrass problem in some areas of thefield, but the zoysia was able to competewith the goosegrass and establish itselfin those areas as well.

Thomas expects to do less maintenanceon the field with zoysiagrass than hewould with another turfgrass. "I haven'tdone any irrigation on it," he notes. "It'smore drought-tolerant than other turf-grasses." Thomas plans to install zoysiaon another intramural field this summerbut has no plans to use it on his var-sity athletic fields. He explains that thewear and tear on the intramural fieldsis not as great as on a varsity field,which keeps the zoysiagrass from beingexposed to serious injury.

Racing on ZoysiaBladerunner Farms of Austin, TX,

recently started distribution of apatented strain of zoysiagrass calledZoyBoy™. The new strain was used toestablish the turf track at Retama Park,a new horse-racing track in San Antonio."It's never been used before for race-tracks in the U.S.," explains DavidDoguet of Bladerunner Farms. "It has areal dense turf and a good rhizome sys-tem. We felt that it would hold up wellunder the stress of racing."

Doguet says zoysia has not beenwidely accepted as a sports turf becauseits slow establishment rate made the grassvery expensive to produce. "Zoysia wasvery expensive to grow and sell," notesDoguet, "and the recuperative abilityof the older varieties was very slow; butthe new varieties (of which ZoyBoy is thefirst) are faster growing." Doguet says thatZoyBoy spreads much faster than othervarieties of zoysiagrass. He admitsthat he was "a little worried" about thegrass early in the season because theweather was cool, but the turf has per-formed well despite the cool weather.

The Retama Park racetrack was thevery first application of ZoyBoy, andDoguet hopes to use the grass on some

athletic fields and golf courses verysoon. Doguet thinks zoysia will be usedmore often for racetracks and othersports turf applications in the future. "Ithink as it proves itself at Retama, we'llsee more activity," he says.

If the initial cost of establishingzoysia grass can be put in perspective asan investment, zoysia can be a soundchoice economically because mainte-nance costs for zoysiagrass can be sub-stantially lower than maintenance costs

for other turf types. Engelke believes theadvantages of zoysiagrass outweighsome of the problems associated with thegrass. "Biologically, the zoysiagrasses havethe characteristics needed for environ-mentally sensitive turf," he notes. "Ithink it's a grass that will start to showits worth." As environmental aware-ness increases throughout the sportsturf industry, zoysiagrass should estab-lish a position among the top turfgrassesfor athletic applications. •

YOU COUID BE

Why not enter your baseball field in theBeam Clay® Baseball Diamond of the YearAwards contest? You need not be a cus-tomer, member, or subscriber; and there isno entry fee. You could be featured insportsTURF magazine and receive anofficial awards plaque.

The Awards are sponsored by BeamClay,® sportsTURF magazine, andthe Sports Turf Managers Assoc,in recognition of excellence andprofessionalism in maintainingoutstanding, safe, professionalquality baseball diamonds.Entries will be judged in threecategories: professional diamonds; collegediamonds; and school, municipal or park diamonds.

Send the information below to enter:1. Age of baseball diamond (year of installation).2. Geographic location (city and state).3. Description of maintenance program.4. Operating budget for baseball diamond.5. Irrigation: None Manual Automatic6. Total number of maintenance staff for field.7. Does baseball field have lighting for night games?8. Number of events on baseball diamond per year.9. Types and number of events on diamond other than baseball?

10. How many months during the year is the field used?11. Why you think this field is one of the best?12. IMPORTANT: Send two sets of color slides or prints.

Deadline for entries: Entries must be postmarked no later thanNovember 30. Selection of winners will be made by theAwards Committee of Four Major League Head Groundskeepers.

Mail entries to:Beam Clay AwardsKelsey ParkGreat Meadows, NJ07838

SnortNtTUrfjl

Manager's Association magazine

June 1995 27

sportsJUIff

Guidelinesfor

SummerMowing

By Joe McDonald

Like the changing of the seasons,the transition from spring to sum-mer mowing can be gradual. In

northern regions, cool-season grassesease back on the frantic growth trig-gered by warm days, cool nights andplentiful rainfall. In southern areas,warm-season grasses assert their dom-inance as temperatures rise.

On highly maintained and well-irrigated professional sports fields, sea-sonal changes may require only minoradjustments in mowing frequency andheight of cut; but summer mowing canbe very difficult on the practice andgame fields of municipal sports com-plexes, schools and park systems.

Whatever the summer weather con-ditions — hot, humid, wet or dry — onething is certain: Sports turf fields face aconstant barrage of activity in summer,often with multiple practice sessionsand games six or seven days a week. Turfis subjected to heavy wear, frequently dur-ing less-than-ideal conditions.

As the summer workload accel-erates, extensive activity brings morepeople, both players and spectators, tothe facilities. Mowing schedules must beadjusted around this activity yet stillkeep turf in top condition and allowmaximum field use. In addition, summerstaffing often includes less experiencedseasonal and part-time operators.

28 sportsTURF

Highly maintained and well-irrigated professional sports fields, such as YankeeStadium in New York, may require only minor adjustments in mowingfrequency and height of cut during the summer.

Safety FactorsAn employee-training program can

cover the basics of machine operation andsafety procedures. To reinforce properprocedures, arrange for returningseasonal employees and long-timepersonnel to help with these sessions.Emphasize how to operate equipmentproperly to ensure safety, includingdirectional mowing that channels dis-charge away from vehicles and how totravel around public gathering spots.

Make sure all safety systems areworking properly. Pay special attentionto the operator presence systems. Withthe added debris summer use brings tofacilities, operators will be on and offmachines more frequently. Make sure allshields are in place. Discharge chuteshields are especially important with thecombination of debris and people. Cautionall workers to check these safety detailsbefore operating mowers.

Safety and efficiency are increased byassigning operators to specific units forthe season. Operators can hear or "feel"operational changes in machines they useday after day.

As employees move up to morecomplex equipment, instruct them onoperational and safety procedures for thatunit. Arrange for the operator to workwith the machine initially in flat, openareas so that a comfort level is achievedbefore moving to difficult terrain ortricky trimming.

Less experienced operators may betempted to push ride-on units to topspeed, posing a safety hazard as well asaffecting the quality of cut. Faster speedsmake spotting debris and other ground-level obstacles more difficult. Travelingtoo fast over uneven terrain or onhillsides can affect the stability ofthe machine. Supervisors may needto set speed limits for certain units orspecific areas.

Heat and humidity can be hard oncrew members. Remind employees towear proper clothing, including hats.Suggest sunscreen. Remind employees,especially those operating walk-behindunits, to watch their personal body-fluid levels and drink plenty of liquids.During extremely dry conditions, machineoperators may need dust masks.

Quality of CutThe basics of mowing remain the

same throughout the year. Adjust heightof cut and mowing frequency to removeno more than one third of the grassblade with any mowing. Match height ofcut to the natural growth patterns of thegrasses, weather conditions and turfuse. Alter directional patterns with eachmowing to maintain upright growth.Avoid mowing overly wet grass. Useequipment suitable to the size of thearea to be mowed that delivers therequired quality of cut for the desiredaesthetic appeal.

Some things change with the sea-gons. As general conditions graduallychange from wet to dry and the lustinessof the grass declines, the ground speedof mowing equipment will increase.With walk-behind mowers, the groundspeed is limited to the walking speed ofthe operator and generally remains at anacceptable level. With riding units,ground speed is limited only by thecapabilities of the machine.

Mowing too fast for turf conditions canreduce the quality of cut. With thickgrasses, the equipment engine maysignal excessive stress by engine lug orheavy grass may plug the mowing unit.With slower-growing summer grasses,the mowed area may appear unevenor ragged.

Turning corners too fast isdetrimental to wet or dry turf. Slowdown on turns so that the inside tiredoesn't spin or tear up turf. Wheels slipand spin on wet grasses, which in turnooze more slippery juices. The grasswill be flattened, compaction will beincreased and skidding may damagethe crowns of the grass plants. Duringdry conditions, the turf is more fragileand rooting less secure. Fast turns maybreak, rather than cut, the grass bladesor uproot the entire plant.

Spotting deficiencies in the qualityof cut is fairly easy when grass is lush.Dry conditions, however, make qualityharder to judge. Operators must payclose attention to the results of mowing,especially with wider mowers and mul-tiple-deck systems. Problems can devel-op along a section of the cut swath of awide mower. Multiple-deck units canoperate unevenly. Big bumps or hillshock load may even stop operation of oneof the decks. Checking the swath just cutcan prevent a poor-quality cut across anentire field or section of a park.

Because smaller mower decks tra-ditionally deliver a higher quality ofcut, mow high profile areas with thesmallest practical deck size. Use largerdecks for a faster cut in less heavilyused areas where aesthetics are notquite as critical. Schedule mowing ofdifficult and high-profile areas early inthe day when operators are fresher andefficiency is highest.

Keeping mower blades sharp is asi mportant in hot weather as it is in thei apid-growing spring season. Raggedblade tips are unsightly to even thecasual observer and may provide anentry for disease organisms.

Clean rotary mower decks fre-quently to ensure proper movement anddispersal of clippings. Check rotary deckheight adjustment from side to side andfront to rear. Improper adjustment willaffect cut quality and produce extra"drag" on the machine.

Traction aids such as additionalweights used in wet conditions probablywill not be needed during dry periods.

Equipment CareIn dry, hot weather, airborne dust and

grass clippings can pose a hazard toliquid-cooled machines. Other poten-tial air intake blockers are the "fluff' pro-duced by such plants as dandelion, milk-weed and cottonwood trees. Clean intakescreens frequently to allow proper air cir-culation and prevent the engine fromoverheating. Make sure machines arewell-lubricated.

Remind employees that improperoperating procedures can damage valu-able equipment. Toward the end of a long,hot day, operators may be tempted to pushor lift that picnic table or bench with themower deck rather than get off themachine to move it properly. Some maysuccumb to the tendency to mow closerto obstacles and trees or underneathshrubbery rather than take the timefor proper trimming. Unnecessary down-time for the machines costs everyone.

Establish a post-use equipment main-tenance routine. Set up a system foroperators to inform the maintenancestaff of any operational problems withtheir machines. Allow equipment to coolbefore cleanup. Washing down hot equip-ment with cold water can cause damage.If possible, avoid high-pressure washersthat force water into the machine. Alwaysfollow the washdown with greasing toforce water out and reestablish greaselevels. As always, follow the guidelinesin the operator's manual for routinemaintenance. If necessary, shorten main-tenance intervals to compensate forheavy use.

Summer mowing sets the stage forboth athletes and spectators. The com-petency and efficiency of your staff willbe judged by how well this supposedlysimple task is performed. Proper plan-ning and attention to detail will ensurepositive results. •

Joe McDonald is the product managerof market development for commercialmowing for John Deere. He is based inHoricon, WI.

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June 1995 29

ROOKIESWater Feature Fashion Statement Encapsulant Polymers

The Fractional Series incorporatesmany features of other aeration sys-tems but at a fraction of the cost. Threeinterchangeable patterns make thesefountains ideal for small ponds on golfcourses or parks. Patterns can be changedfrom "starburst" to "phoenix" to "rocket"by adjusting the diffuser ring. The1/2-hp units are manufactured entirelyfrom stainless steel and thermoplas-tics. Each comes with 100 feet of powercable and a mini power center. Since themotor is cooled by water rather than oil,no maintenance is needed!OTTERBINE BAREBO INC.Circle 117 on Postage Free Card

Trash Vacuum

The Vigilante trash vacuum cleaneris designed to safely and effectively col-lect garbage. The diesel- or propane-powered vacuum uses accelerated air flowto clear all kinds of litter such as glass,plastic, cans, paper cups, leaves, etc.Litter is compacted from 70-percenttotal air content of refuse to 20 percentand is extruded into a polyethylene bag.The Vigilante offers the following features:solo operation, trash compaction that fin-ishes in hygienically sealed bags to elim-inate handling and portability — the1,430-pound unit can be mounted on atrailer or a pickup. The five-meter-longhose can clean a 32-foot-radius area.RAILQUIP INC.Circle 118 on Postage Free Card

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A free 65-page catalog available fromDirect Safety Co. offers the latestsafety accoutrements. In addition tohard hats and safety gloves, the catalogincludes back-supporting belts, eye andear protection, rehydration drinks, lock-outs, training videos, respirators, signs(including custom orders), traffic controland safety products for the office. All itemsmeet current OSHA standards.DIRECT SAFETY CO.Circle 119 on Postage Free Card

CommunicationCompliance

Hazard Label Advisories Inc. offers aturnkey, do-it-yourself package for haz-ard labeling of secondary containersthat also includes tools needed for com-plying with the OSHA HazardCommunication Standard. In additionto an IBM PC-compatible DOS softwareprogram for printing hazard labels on adot-matrix printer, the kit contains 300four-color right-to-know label blanks infour sizes and employer's implementa-tion manual. The kit also contains train-ing aids such as employee guides, wallcharts, an instructional video and per-sonnel-file quiz documentation.HAZARD LABELADVISORIES INC.Circle 121 on Postage Free Card

Environmentally safe H-100 homopoly-mer encapsulates and permanentlybonds petroleum products and otherhydrocarbons such as kerosene, gasoline,diesel fuel, crude oil, jet fuel and alltypes of hydraulic oils. The polymer isinsoluble in water and can safely absorbhydrocarbon spills on waterways. Itabsorbs and fixates more than 82 percentof its capacity in the first five minutesof use and will absorb more than 15times its weight on most hydrocarbons.JRM CHEMICAL INC.Circle 120 on Postage Free Card

Top-Entry EnclosureTwo models of an easy-access

controller enclosure enable irrigationcontrollers to be mounted at a convenientviewing angle. When the lid is open,the irrigation schedule can be reviewedwithout bending over. Dual pistonsprovide smooth, safe lid operation.

The 100-percent stainless steelweather- and vandal-resistant enclo-sure ensures long-term rust-proofdurability. Safety is maximized with athree-point locking system and recessed-access handle. Louvers at the top andbottom provide cross-flow ventilation, andfilter screens protect the componentsfrom moisture, dirt and insects.V.I.T. PRODUCTS INC.Circle 122 on Postage Free Card