Intelligro, a subsidiary of Suncor Energy, has introduced a hybrid selective herbicide for lawn-care and landscape professionals called Civitas WeedFree.

While the product should not be applied to Bentgrass or Floratam, a variety of St. Augustine grass, its patent-pending formula kills more than 60 broadleaf weeds, has no offensive odor and boasts a fast response rate.

Civitas WeedFree Brand Concentrate is “a direct result of Intelligro’s commitment to investing in sustainable solutions that create smarter growth for a better world,” a company spokesperson said.

The brand will be formally introduced next month at GIE+EXPO in Louisville, Kentucky.

Council President George Leventhal is hopeful that Bill 52-14 will help improve the lives of Montgomery County’s citizens and its environment.
Photo: mymcmedia.org

In an action thought to be the first of its kind, Montgomery County, Maryland, has effectively banned the nonessential use of pesticides on both commercial and private property. The measure was approved in a 6-3 vote.

The county’s new regulation makes concessions for the use of pesticides to control invasive or noxious species and it also does not apply to gardens. County officials say the purpose of the rule is to reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides to lessen their impact on the environment and human health.

“Countless studies have linked pesticides to a wide range of health conditions in children and adults, and since the bill was introduced one year ago, I have received hundreds of reports from constituents of children and pets experiencing adverse effects from the application of pesticides,” said Council President George Leventhal.

Advocates of the ban also have pointed to a report published in 2012 by the American Academy of Pediatrics about the correlation between exposure to pesticides and cancer.

In a county of more than 1 million residents, 85 percent of all letters and petitions received supported the proposal, officials say.

According to Safe Grow Montgomery, the bill will prevent the use of toxic pesticides on county-owned property as of July 1, 2016, while their use on private property will cease Jan. 1, 2018. Golf courses, playing fields, trees/shrubs and agriculture are all exempt from the ban.

The pesticides that are allowed to be used must be EPA registered and their active ingredients approved by the National Organics Standards Board. Other pesticides can be used if its ingredients do not require EPA registration.

Safe Grow Montgomery insists the new regulation won’t harm landscaping companies; in fact, the group says the rule will actually grow the industry based on evidence seen in Canadian jurisdictions where pesticide restrictions are already in place.

“I respect the rights of property owners to maintain their own property, but they do not have a right to inflict harm on their neighbors,” Leventhal said. “Residents will still be free to hire any lawn-care professional to treat their law or manage their own lawn care, but they can do so now with the confidence that their family will be better protected.”

While the Montgomery County Council is convinced it’s helping its community, both environmentally and physically, the National Association of Landscape Professionals isn’t so sure.

“There is no evidence that the pesticide ban passed today by the Montgomery County Council will yield tangible benefits for the community,” NALP said in a statement on the new regulation.

The Environmental Science division of Bayer CropScience will have plenty of experts on hand during GIE+EXPO, whether you’re interested in turf, plants or even the bees that help plants thrive.

The annual tradeshow begins with “Dealer Day” on Wednesday, then opens to all on Thursday and Friday. It will be held at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

“Lawn and landscape professionals are under tremendous pressure each year to adapt alongside changing customers, emerging technologies and growing environmental challenges,” said Peter Farno, lawn and landscape business manager for the Bayer turf and ornamentals (T&O) business. “Bayer has a rich history of developing technologies and chemistries to help industry professionals face those concerns. We are thrilled to take part in GIE each year and look forward to a fantastic event.”

The Bayer Turf Solutions Guide, which provides information on the identification, biology and key cultural and chemical controls for the most common diseases, weeds and insects affecting turfgrass, will be available. Visitors to the Bayer booth, No. 6024, can order printed copies of the guide specifically tailored to their region.

Also on hand at the booth this year will be Jim Dempster, manager of the Bayer CropScience Research Apiary – also known as Beesboro – and a research apiarist at the Bayer Eastern Bee Care Technology Station, both located in Clayton, North Carolina.

An expert beekeeper, Dempster will be facilitating ongoing bee demonstrations with live bees during the event and discussing “Smart Hives,” a bee health initiative by Bayer that monitors seven beehives located throughout the United States for changes in humidity, temperature, noise and rainfall.

Booth attendees will also have opportunities for one-on-one conversations with Bayer turfgrass specialists and access to turf management materials outlining Bayer herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

As a senior executive of the Weed Man USA franchisor, Jennifer Lemcke has a predictably crowded schedule during GIE+EXPO. The landscaping industry tradeshow began today with a preview for dealers and formally kicks off Thursday for all industry participants. Co-located with Hardscape North America at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, the show lasts through Friday.

Jennifer Lemcke

For Lemcke, chief operating officer of Turf Holdings, which owns the expansion rights for Weed Man USA, “GIE week” isn’t just about winning new franchisees. Because owners of numerous Weed Man territories attend the show, much of her time in Louisville will be devoted to nurturing existing relationships.

That became obvious during a chat with Lemcke on Wednesday near the coffee bar of a Louisville hotel. Every minute or two, again and again, people walking by called out to greet her or stopped to say hello.

“I’ve been very involved with this industry for a long time,” she said, “and I really do love it.”

Weed Man USA sold 89 franchise territories in the United States last year, pushing the company’s revenue to nearly $73 million, or more than twice the company’s total revenue five years earlier. Weed Man USA franchises provide fertilization, weed control and integrated pest management services.

“While there is an uptick in lawn care and maintenance spending across the country, our growth has primarily been driven by our franchisees, who are continuously increasing sales through superior customer satisfaction and retention,” Lemcke said. “Beyond increased revenue, we expect our strong interest from independent landscape and pest control business owners will promote significant expansion of our brand.”

Along with her other appointments, Lemcke will be making time to participate in Weed Man USA’s exhibit at this week’s tradeshow. The company is in Booth 5019. She’s also scheduled to participate in a “town hall” discussion with other industry executives beginning at 9:45 a.m. at the Expo Center.

Depending on what type of grass your clients have will determine the fertilize you need to apply.
Photo: toreuse.com

With Halloween behind us, most people have mentally skipped ahead to Christmas and lawn care is the least of their concerns. Nonetheless, now is the time to remind your clients about winterization.

There are lots of myths about winterizing and what type of fertilizer is actually the best for grass. There are actually two different sets of rules, depending on what type of grass your client has.

Cool season grasses

Cool season grasses are the ones that should receive the traditional lawn winterization fertilizer in the late fall. Fescues, bluegrasses, ryegrasses and bentgrasses fall into this category. They take in the majority of their nutrients in the fall to recover from summer and prepare for winter.

It’s important to ensure the fertilizer has a high percentage of nitrogen, as this is what encourages growth and green color in turf.

“Nitrogen applied in the fall is the most important lawn fertilization of the year,” says Robert Cox, Colorado Sate University Cooperative Extension Agent. “Use a high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as 25-5-5, or something with a similar formula.”

When applying the winterization fertilizer, one pound of nitrogen should be applied per 1,000 square feet. It is better to use slow-release nitrogen because that variety will help promote uniform growth and grass color over an extended period.

The only cool season grass that needs less nutrients is fine fescue, which needs about a third of the normal amount.

Warm season grasses

Warm season grasses such as bermudagrass, St. Augustine grass, and zoysiagrass should not receive high levels of nitrogen at this time of year. It can cause unnecessary growth during a time when the grass should be storing nutrients to prepare for dormancy.

For bermudagrass, it is particularly bad to apply a high amount of nitrogen at this time of year because it worsens the condition known as “spring dead spot” disease, which forms in the fall.

The nutrient of choice for warm season grasses as winter approaches is potassium. According to LSU’s College of Agriculture, high levels of potassium enhance a plant’s tolerance to environmental stresses, including cold weather.

Before applying it, however, run a soil check to see if the potassium levels are low. If so, apply up to one pound of potassium.

Be sure to apply as a granular material to dry grass and then water thoroughly to help lessen the chances of salt burn.

Too much potassium can lead to magnesium uptake by the plant, leading to a light-green lawn color. Also avoid adding to phosphorus levels in the fall. Phosphorus promotes the seed germination of winter weeds.

These simple fertilization steps will help your clients’ lawns stay safe over the winter and provide a head start for a healthy lawn in the spring.

Dr. Bob Kennedy

Vestaron’s bioinsecticide technology won a top award at a recent international biopesticide industry conference in Basel, Switzerland, the company announced, noting that its product entry was chosen unanimously by the judges over 12 other companies’ submissions.

Presented at the ABIM Congress, the inaugural Bernard Blum Award for Novel Biocontrol Solutions, was created to recognize innovations that have a high impact in management of pests or diseases while having a low impact on human health and the environment.

Vestaron received the award for its Spear product line, a series of bioinsecticides derived from spider peptides with activity on Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, and several other classes of insects. The Spear product line also uses Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, to improve performance as a part of an integrated pest management system.

Spear products function “primarily as a central nervous inhibitor of target pests,” according to the product label.

Dr. John Sorenson

Bob Kennedy, chief science officer of Vestaron, accepted the award.

The Kalamazoo, Michigan-based company’s director and CEO, John Sorenson, praised the company’s scientists in a news release on the award: “Bob’s leadership of the R&D team is evident and the execution of the science behind this groundbreaking new product has been exceptional. This award further verifies the importance of Vestaron’s discovery platform for new bioinsecticides with the efficacy and safety that these products bring to the industry.”

Vestaron says its products exploit “natural insecticidal properties of a class of peptides which have potent insect killing potential but which are safe to humans, birds, fish and the environment.”

Vestaron is supported by venture capital and reported recently it had closed a round of financing totaling $14 million.

The new partnership between the producer and consultant targets customers who manage natural grass sports fields.

Floratine Products Group, which makes foliar and soil-based turf nutritional products, has entered a partnership with Growing Innovations, a consulting firm specializing in natural grass management, to develop new products and services specifically for the sports turf industry.

Floratine Products said the collaboration will capitalize on its product development and manufacturing capabilities and Growing Innovations’ expertise in grass maintenance to create improved sports turf management programs for clients.

Based in Collierville, Tennessee, Floratine Products Group says the partnership already has produced the Ana-Lync Soil Analysis System for sports turf, which combines the standard acid extraction test with a water extraction/nutrient availability test, as well as “Fight’s On,” a recently launched soil-based product for improved cellular strength and stress and wear tolerance.

“We’re extremely excited to be working with Growing Innovations,” said Floratine CEO Kevin Cavanaugh. “This partnership will give Floratine additional expertise in the unique challenges and maintenance requirements of sports turf and will help us provide better service to turf managers around the world.”

Growing Innovations executive Jerad Minnick will provide consulting and technical support to Floratine Products Group under the new agreement.

“As someone who uses and stands by Floratine’s products,” Minnick said, “we look forward to combining talents and delivering better sports turf management products and programs than ever before.”

Phytophthora infestans is the species of fungi that caused the potato blight in Ireland and is still the most destructive of solanaceous crops.
Photo: Wikipedia

A study conducted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has revealed that the plant pathogen phytophthora is resistant to the fungicide mefenoxam.

The water mold known as phytophthora infects almost any ornamental plant, from landscape trees to small indoor plants, and causes millions of dollars in damage yearly. The same genus of fungi is also known for causing the Irish potato famine in the 1840s.

Scientists set out to answer several questions about the fungi, including: How diverse are the genes of phytophthora and how many fungicide-resistant types of phytophthora are there?

“We found that some phytophthora strains were resistant to a specific kind of fungicide,” said Gul Shad Ali, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of plant pathology. “Luckily, they were controlled by at least another kind of fungicide.”

According to the report, it was found in several cases that mefenoxam resistance had developed, apparently due to repeated use of mefenoxam. Nurseries that practiced fungicide rotation and tank mixes were less likely to encounter mefenoxam-resistant phytophthora.

“This information is hugely important in letting growers and pesticide applicators know not to use the same kind of fungicides always, but to rotate different kinds of fungicides,” Ali said.

It was also discovered that there is a wide variety of genetic diversity among the phytophthora. Scientists believe that diversity may play a part in the fungi’s aggressiveness.

The researchers are now trying to produce phytophthora-resistant plants and develop other ways to stop the pathogen from spreading.

BioSafe Systems says it’s committed to “reduced-risk chemistries” that have no adverse impact on people or the environment.

BioSafe Systems, a maker of biodegradable disease and pest control products for landscapers and other horticultural markets, announced recently that it has confirmed its bactericide, ZeroTol 2.0, is not contributing to the collapse of honey bee colonies.

Colony collapse among honey bees has become a major concern in recent years. Exposure to pesticides has been suspected of contributing to the decline of bee populations. BioSafe Systems, which promotes its commitment to “sustainable solutions,” says it took steps earlier this year to ensure its products were not harming bees.

In a news release this week, the company said it began a laboratory study of ZeroTol 2.0’s effect on bees this past May. The research focused on assessing the contact toxicity of the product’s active ingredients.

In the study, honey bees were exposed to the chemical “through direct topical application of ZeroTol 2.0” to the insect. The exposed bees were then observed four hours after initial dosing and again at 24-hour intervals until 96 hours after exposure.

BioSafe Systems says its lab testers looked for any deaths among bees exposed to the bactericide and also for signs of intoxication such as ataxia, lethargy and hypersensitivity.

The company says its research demonstrated that ZeroTol 2.0 is “non-toxic and safe” for honey bees when sprayed according to label directions in areas where bees are active.

Vestaron Corp., a developer of peptide-based insecticides, has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove the bee toxicity warning statement from the company’s Spear Biopesticide label following a review.

Now that Vestaron has assured federal regulators of Spear’s safety for bees, the company will begin testing the insecticide’s effects on other beneficial insects found in greenhouses.

Vestaron says removal of the toxicity statement was supported by third-party topical and feeding evaluations that show Spear neither increases mortality nor has any detrimental effects on honeybees.

Earlier this month, the results of the studies were presented at the AgChem Summit 2015: Pollinators and Pesticides in Arlington, Virginia, according to a Vestaron news release on the research.

“It’s exciting to unveil our more environmentally compatible biopesticides, which for the first time perform comparably to synthetic insecticides,” said Robert Kennedy, chief scientific officer at Vestaron.

The Kalamazoo, Michigan-based company’s CEO, John Sorenson, said Vestaron is now a world leader in the development of insecticidal peptides with “the commercialization of Spear for control of thrips in greenhouses.”

Early in 2016, Sorenson adds, the company will be submitting additional data to EPA on Spear’s effects on other beneficial insects used in greenhouses.

Vestaron says its family of biopesticides is based on natural peptides that degrade to useful nutrients in the environment.

A few weeks ago, the company’s bioinsecticide technology received the inaugural Bernard Blum Award for Novel Biocontrol Solutions. Vestaron is a venture-backed company that recently closed a new round of financing totaling $14 million.

Landscape contractors know Graham Spray Equipment as a provider of custom spray rigs, which are used in lawn and tree care as well as pest control and agricultural applications, but the company also sells tools – and that lesser-known side of the business is expanding in 2016.

Graham Spray Equipment is adding a professional tiller, aerator and a deep-root fertilizer gun to its online catalog this year. The Douglasville, Georgia-based company also says it has revamped the catalog itself, expanding the information available on its products.

Tiger Tiller

Among the new offerings, the GSE Tiger Tiller is designed to rough up the ground for reseeding bare spots in established lawns and seeding new areas.

The tool features all-steel construction, three 12-pronged rotating heads and a foam-covered handle.

With a total length of 65 inches, the tiller has a digging width of 11.5 inches. The tool weighs 10.5 pounds.

Trident

The GSE Trident, meanwhile, is a coring-type aerator. It’s designed for tight spots that cannot accommodate a full-size aerator.

Graham says the tool’s three steel prongs penetrate dense, compacted soil, removing 3- to 4-inch plugs to let air, water and nutrients travel to the root system of turf. Like the Tiger Tiller, it features all-steel construction and a foam handle.

The entire tool is 58.5 inches long and weighs 13.8 pounds. The three-prong aerator head is 0.875 inches by 7.75 inches.

The Tiger Tiller and Trident come with a lifetime warranty.

Deep Root Fertilizer Gun

The other addition to Graham Spray Equipment’s tool line is the Deep Root Fertilizer Gun, which is designed for surface spraying or root feeding trees and shrubs to a depth of 6 inches.

A spring-loaded splash guard prevents liquid fertilizer from spraying back up as it is injected into the ground. Graham says the fertilizer gun is compatible with pressure systems up to 600 psi and can deliver up to four gallons of fertilizer per minute.

Profile Products has introduced an all-natural, porous ceramic conditioner that it says will permanently modify soil structure and improve growing conditions. Called Profile Lawn & Landscape, the product is recommended for yards, beds and containers.

Profile says the soil amendment can help landscape architects ensure new projects have the best chance of becoming established while contributing permanently contributing to long-term sustainability.

A single application of Profile Lawn & Landscape lasts years, according to the manufacturer. Profile Products says the formulation has been shown in a variety of university studies across the country to improve the root zone by adding air- and water-holding capacity in all types of soils.

In addition, adding Profile Lawn & Landscape to soil creates better drainage when conditions are wet and better water-holding capacity during dry conditions, the company says. Consequently, roots grow deeper, resulting in stronger, larger plants.

“Soil plays a critical role in the success or failure of a design project, but most soil around existing sites lacks balanced structure and pore space,” said Jeff Langner, Profile Products brand manager. “Profile Lawn & Landscape improves soil at the granular level by increasing nutrient- and water-retention and improving drainage – all in a single application.”

Unlike organic materials such as peat, compost or topsoil, Profile Lawn & Landscape is made of ceramic particles that will not decompose or break down over time. That means improvements to soil structure and pore space are permanent, the company says.

Profile Products cites research studies from university and independent labs, including the University of Missouri and Tifton Physical Soil Labs, that confirm Profile Lawn & Landscape outperforms other soil amendments in a variety of applications, from reducing drought stress to improving turf quality.

“The same results you have on day one will remain for the life of the project,” Langner said.

For more information on the soil conditioner, visit the company’s website here.

Black spot is one of the common plant diseases that is spread by rain splashes.
Photo: Wikipedia

Abundant rain sounds like a great thing, especially in drought-stricken California, but El Nino can bring too much of a good thing.

Heavy rains that don’t stop often mean floods; they also mean increased risks of plants’ contracting a disease. Waterlogged roots are never a good thing and for certain species they spell death by root rot if proper precautions are not taken.

Azaleas, rhododendrons, dogwood and mountain laurel are just a few of the plant species that are susceptible to phytophthora root rot. It commonly appears in areas where rain water collects around plant roots. To avoid this, these plants should be placed in a raised bed or mound and out of harm’s way.

Both bacterial and fungal diseases can appear during wet weather. Here’s a list of common plant problems that can result and some steps for preventing them:

Anthracnose

Anthracnose is a fungal infection that affects a wide variety of trees and plants. It causes leaf spots, twig cankers and dieback. It overwinters on the bark of the tree or on fallen leaves and is spread in the spring by rain and wind.

While it will not cause permanent damage to established trees, continual years of defoliation will weaken the tree to other diseases. In order to guard against this fungus, dispose of fallen leaves to lessen the amount of areas it can survive the winter. Prune the plant of infected twigs to improve both light penetration and air circulation.

Powdery mildew

One of the most common fungi to plague plants, powdery mildew covers leaves in a grey-white growth. Although it does not need free water to spread, high humidity encourages spore formation of powdery mildew while low humidity aids in spore dispersal.

Sunlight and heat can kill this fungus so try to place plants in sites that receive at least six hours of light a day. Do not crowd plants, as you want to ensure air can circulate adequately. Fungicides can only be used for prevention and control. There is no product that can eliminate the problem completely.

Black spot

Black spot is caused by a fungus called Diplocarpon rosae and it creates spots on foliage of ¼ inch to 1 inch in diameter. As the disease worsens, it will yellow the tissue around the black spots and cause premature leaf drop.

The fungal spores are spread by rain splashing on new leaves and the fungus can develop if the area has been wet for six to nine hours. Bright sunlight and good air circulation are needed to get rid of black spot. If the plant is already infected, remove the infected material and spray with a fungicidal soap.

For those looking for an organic option, the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program suggests combining four teaspoons of baking soda per gallon of water with 1 percent of narrow-range oil.

Fire blight

Unlike the other diseases listed, fire blight is caused by the bacteria Erwinia amylovora. It is extremely common and affects fruit trees like apple, pear and quince. Fire blight appears as a reddish, watery ooze coming out of a branch or trunk cankers as soon as the infected plant begins active growth.

Infected flowers and stems turn brown or black and wither. The bacteria spreads through rain and pollinators. There is no cure for fire blight so the best way to control it is by pruning the cankered limbs during the dormant season. Copper products can be sprayed to reduced the bacteria’s ability to survive and reproduce.

Apple Scab

Another common fungal disease, apple scab can cause serious damage to ornamental trees and shrubs. It may be found initially as fuzzy, round lesions that appear on leaves and cause them to curl. The spores are released by rainfall and can land to infect flowers, fruit or leaves.

Severely infected leaves turn yellow and drop. Some cases can lead to total defoliation for trees. As with anthracnose, these leaves should be disposed of as soon as possible.

If it is likely the tree’s leaves will remain wet for nine hours or more, a fungicide should be applied to prevent early infection. There is no point in spraying a heavily infected tree, as the fungicides cannot do much good by then.

Pollinators help out the environment a lot, but one Canadian startup has found a new way that bees can aid in plant health.

Bee Vectoring Technologies’ goal is to target the market for pesticides and fertilizers with a biopesticide that is spread by, you guessed it, bees.

BVT uses a hive of bumblebees that is designed so that the bees have only one exit, causing them to pass by a tray of organic pesticide and fertilizer powder.

The specialized powder sticks to the bees’ hairy legs and is then spread from flower to flower. This form of transmission is efficient, as bees are only visiting the individual flowers while foliar sprays must be diffused throughout the general area of the targeted plants.

The concept of bee-vectoring plays off the fact that bees already play a part in spreading some plant diseases, such as fire blight, and now they can contribute to spreading a biological control that protects plants from pathogens instead.

As an added and obvious bonus, the technology requires the use of pest- and disease-control agents that are safe for bees.

“The way I see it is that what’s harmful to the bees, in all likelihood, isn’t very good for us either, so why are we using it?” BVT’s chief executive, Mark Collinson, told Modern Farmer.

According to BVT’s website, there are multiple reasons why bumblebees in particular were chosen as the perfect pollinator. Along with being less aggressive and having stronger bodies, bumblebees can make a 1,000 trips a day while carrying 10 times more pollen and inoculant.

Although the company is still developing, it has been researching this concept for 20 years and has had eight years of successful field trials. BVT says it has seen increased crop yields in the field tests, along with greater pesticide effectiveness.

BVT’s tray dispenser and unique inoculant are still patent-pending, but Collinson is confident BVT eventually will become a major part of integrated pest management systems.

Exmark says the sprayer spreader’s design incorporates feedback from its professional turf-care customers.
Photo: Exmark

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has named the Exmark Stand-On Spreader Sprayer winner of a 2016 AE50 award. The award will be presented to Exmark representatives in a ceremony this week at the ASABE Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference (AETC) in Louisville, Kentucky.

AE50 awards honor the year’s most innovative designs in engineering products or systems for the food and agriculture industries. The Stand-On Spreader Sprayer is featured in the January/February 2016 special AE50 issue of ASABE’s magazine Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World.

Exmark’s director of marketing, Daryn Walters, said winning the AE50 award is validation of the features the company incorporated into its Stand-On Spreader Sprayer based, in part, on landscape professionals’ feedback.

“We designed the Stand-On Spreader Sprayer to raise the bar over existing machines in a number of important areas,” Walter said. “From ergonomics to the control system and layout, to spray and spread system innovations, we listened to the feedback of our customers and evolved our product to better suit their needs.”

Companies from around the world submit entries to the annual AE50 competition. A panel of international engineering experts judges the entries based on which products will best advance engineering for the food and agriculture industries.

For the past couple of months, Exmark has been reaching out to professional landscape contractors about the product through a seven-video series on its YouTube channel. Exmark says the videos are intended to give landscape maintenance professionals a better understanding of the machine and help current owners calibrate and operate their machines more effectively.

Incorporated in 1982, Exmark manufactures a variety of professional turf-care equipment.

In addition to stainless steel boxes, wide turf tires are standard on the company’s drop spreaders.
Photo: Conestoga Manufacturing

At this time of year, the maker of Conestoga spreaders is eager to remind landscape contractors its products aren’t just for fertilizer. Conestoga Manufacturing’s drop spreaders are ideal for distributing salt and sand, the company says, as well as lime, fertilizer and similar material.

Conestoga offers stainless steel drop spreaders in three models. The DSC-4800 has a box width of 48 inches and a capacity of 500 pounds of lime. The DSC-6000 box width is 60 inches, with 850 pounds of lime capacity. And the largest of the three models, the DSC-7200, has a 72-inch box width and lime capacity of 1,150 pounds.

Each model of drop spreader is equipped with a manual applicator, which is an easily adjusted gauge to control the rate of dispersion of spread material. An optional, rugged agitator inside the box minimizes any material bridging that might occur.

Conestoga says its drop spreaders also have an extendable and adjustable hitch to accommodate a wide variety of towing vehicles. Box lids reduce spillage while preventing moisture from entering the box.

The spreaders’ wide turf tires are standard and minimize tracks, ruts and compression on turf, according to Conestoga Manufacturing. Stainless steel box construction is also standard.

For more details on the company’s drop spreader, visit the Conestoga website here.

BioSafe Systems, a producer of pest and disease control products for the landscaping and horticultural industries, among others, has entered a strategic partnership with Leader Logistics Group.

Before year’s end, Coldwater, Michigan-based Leader Logistics will begin manufacturing, warehousing and shipping products for BioSafe Systems throughout the Midwest. BioSafe Systems is headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut.

“This partnership with Leader Logistics allows BioSafe Systems to produce products closer to our customer base within the Midwest region and take advantage of Leader Logistics’ location and logistical capabilities within the Midwest market …,” said Rob Larose, chief executive of BioSafe Systems.

Leader Logistics will be manufacturing, packaging, warehousing and providing fulfillment services for the complete line of BioSafe Systems products, including its flagship product for the horticultural industry, ZeroTol. BioSafe says its disease control solutions use “reduced-risk chemistries” that pose no threat to humans or the environment.

Leader Logistics will also serve as a just-in-time provider of all of BioSafe Systems’ crop protection products for both pre-harvest and post-harvest applications, as well as its other insecticides, herbicides and plant improvement products.

AmericanHort wasted no time in praising Thursday’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it was allocating $58 million from the 2014 farm bill to fight plant pests and diseases. The money will go to a variety of projects across the country.

“For many years, the farm bill has been about row crops and livestock, but a decade ago, Congress began to acknowledge the importance of specialty crops and horticulture in America,” said Craig Regelbrugge, AmericanHort senior vice president for advocacy and research. “Specialty crops represent half the value of all U.S. crop production, and our industry represents one-third of the total value of specialty crops.

“This program represents a wise investment in solutions to enable future success,” Regelbrugge said.

The farm bill actually called for $62.5 million to be allocated for these programs in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, but the funding was reduced by sequestration.

All told, 434 projects will be funded in 50 states and several U.S. territories. In a news release on the budget allocation, AmericanHort and its research affiliate, the Horticultural Research Institute, pointed to these highlights:

• The Horticultural Research Institute will receive $149,500 to support the continued development of the Systems Approach to Nursery Certification (SANC) project, in partnership with the National Plant Board and USDA. Eight nursery and greenhouse operations across the country are currently piloting this new approach to plant production and certification.

• Continued funding for the National Ornamentals Research Site at Dominican University of California (NORS-DUC), $509,283, as well as several specific research projects that will deliver needed tools and information to deal with threats such as Phytophthora ramorum and other challenges confronting the nursery sector.

• Numerous projects around the country in support of clean stock and harmonized certification programs for pome and stone fruit, citrus, grapes, berries, and roses; supporting the safe importation of new varieties; and orderly trade in planting stock for these high value crops.

• Several coordinated projects to address ongoing regulatory and production challenges associated with boxwood blight and downy mildew.

• Granular insecticide treatment efficacy work for Japanese beetle and imported fire ant in compost-amended substrates.

• Best management practices for control of bacterial gall, an emerging threat to Loropetalum, $39,600.

AmericanHort’s Regelbrugge said USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is “a strategic partner in protecting our industry and facilitating trade, and (Thursday’s) announcement is chock full of good news for our industry.”

Regelbrugge concluded.  “We appreciate all the hard work on the part of USDA and the APHIS Farm Bill management team toward ensuring these funds are invested wisely on behalf of American agriculture and horticulture.”

AmericanHort was formed in 2014 by the consolidation of the American Nursery & Landscape Association and OFA-The Association of Horticulture Professionals. The organization says the horticulture industry’s production, wholesale, retail and landscape service components have annual sales of $163 billion and sustain over 1.15 million full- and part-time jobs.

The company’s injection system helps ensure the insecticide will be distributed throughout the tree’s vascular system.
Photo: ArborSystems

Pesticide producers have been working for years to come up with new and better ways to eliminate the exotic beetle known as the emerald ash borer. And no wonder: the insect has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America since it was found in Michigan 14 years ago. Scientists believe it traveled to the United States via cargo ships from its native Asia.

Among the latest products to join the fight is an insecticide-miticide known as Emamectin Benzoate, which ArborSystems has added to the line of chemicals used in its Wedgle Direct-Inject Tree Injection System. ArborSystems has branded the new offering as Boxer Insecticide-Miticide.

ArborSystems stresses that its system is the only trunk injection application that doesn’t require a drilled hole, making it possible to treat almost any tree in five minutes or less, the company says.

Chip Doolittle, president of Omaha, Nebraska-based ArborSystems, says the technology significantly increases the number of trees a worker can treat in a day.

Boxer Insecticide-Miticide is available in 120 milliliter and 1,000 milliliter “Quick-Connect Chemical Packs” from ArborSystems. The company says it is formulated to control mature and immature insect and mite pests of deciduous and coniferous trees, as well as palm trees.

While the adult emerald ash borer can cause some harm by nibbling foliage after emerging from an ash tree, it’s the insect’s larvae that threaten a tree’s survival. The larvae feed on an ash tree’s inner bark, compromising its vascular system’s ability to circulate water and nutrients throughout the tree.

ArborSystems says Boxer Insecticide-Miticide is formulated to translocate in the tree’s vascular system when injected. It must be placed into active sapwood, the company says, and will actively control pests for up to two years.

Trunk injections are “people friendly,” Doolittle said.

“Children and pets are not exposed to chemical spray or open chemical containers,” he said, “and there is no need to cover outdoor toys, play equipment, pools, furniture or vehicles.”

For details on all pests against which Boxer Insecticide-Miticide is effective, visit ArborSystems’ website here.

For lush, weed-free lawns like this, landscapers have to be proactive and apply pre-emergent herbicides.
Photo: Dow AgroSciences

Being proactive is always preferred over responding after a problem appears, and this is why applying pre-emergent herbicides is such an important feature of any lawn-care provider’s business.

No one wants weeds in their yard, and the best way to go about eliminating them is to prevent them from growing in the first place. This is where pre-emergent herbicides come into play.

“Basically what they do is inhibit root growth, so the roots cannot expand once they come in contact with the herbicide,” said Dan Loughner, a field scientist for Dow AgroSciences Turf and Ornamental. “It stops the roots from growing essentially.”

Because pre-emergent herbicides aren’t killing the weeds but simply shutting down cell division so they can no longer grow, there is a limited window of time to apply these chemicals so they can take effect before the weed germinates.

The general rule of thumb about when to spray or spread a pre-emergent is to apply the chemical two or three weeks prior to the emergence of the targeted weed. Crabgrass is the most common weed targeted and it tends to germinate when the soil temperature has been above 50 degrees for several days.

So, now that you know when, how do you decide what product to use and in what form to apply it?

In the end, it comes down to personal preference, but here’s a look at some of the well-known labels out there and what the experts have to say about them.

Dow AgroSciences products

Dow AgroSciences has five different pre-emergent products that landscapers can choose from depending on their needs.

For landscapers looking for flexibility in both application method and when they can apply, Dimension (dithiophyr) boasts of post-emergence control as well as typical pre-emergent properties.

Dan Loughner

“If they miss that opportunity or if they get a real warm spring and the crabgrass starts to germinate, Dimension gives them the opportunity to continue to make applications in the middle of May, late May, when the crabgrass is just germinating up to about what we call tiller stage – about five leaves on the crabgrass plant – and it will control it,” Loughner said.

Dimension comes in both liquid and granular form. While it was originally designed to take out crabgrass, which is still Dimension’s major market, it’s also effective against 45 other broadleaf and grassy weeds.

“You know, you get some early germination along the driveways, along sidewalks, and those areas are always prone to have more crabgrass, so that’s an advantage of having a product like Dimension,” said Jamie Breuninger, technical leader for Dow AgroSciences Turf & Ornamental.

The company’s Team herbicide (benefin and trifluralin) comes only in granular form. It can be applied along with fertilizer, but it does not have the post-emergent properties of Dimension. Team can be used to control crabgrass, barnyard grass and spurge, to name a few, in both established cool-season and warm-season grasses.

For those looking for long-lasting broadleaf weed control that can be used in ornamental beds, Breuninger suggests using Gallery (isoxaben), which can be sprayed.

And Loughner adds: “Gallery also has the widest label for safety to ornamental plants. It’s over 500 plants listed it can be used around. That’s a really strong benefit because you don’t know what a homeowner is going to have in their beds.”

Smaller landscaping companies that don’t have spraying equipment and are only treating a few homeowners’ beds can opt for the granular version known as Snapshot (trifluralin and isoxaben).

Jamie Breuninger

“The advantage of a granule is that it’s ready to use,” Breuninger said. “There’s no mixing required and a lot of people use Snapshot when they’re putting their mulch out. You can spread the Snapshot and put the mulch right on top of it and that’s the incorporation you need.”

The important thing to remember when using Snapshot or Gallery in beds is that they are pre-emergent herbicides and will have no effect on a bed that is already full of weeds.

The last and newest product is Defendor (florasulam) and it has the ability to control winter annuals such as dandelion, clover and chickweed while the temperatures are still cold. It comes as a liquid and can be mixed with Dimension. In fact, this is the first year it has been sold by itself; previously, it was available only in a value pack with Dimension.

“Customer feedback has been very, very positive,” Breuninger said. “It’s new technology to them; they’ve never seen anything like it, and quite frankly, we have been thrilled with the performance.”

Syngenta products

The most well-known pre-emergent that Syngenta offers is Barricade (prodiamine). Barricade is offered both as a flowable formulation, 4FL, and a dry granule formulation that is dissolved in water, 65WG.

According to Dean Mosdell, technical manager at Syngenta, the 4FL formulation was added after a customer requested a liquid variation, as it requires less agitation. Syngenta says landscapers that opt to use Barricade will see long-lasting pre-emergent control after one application.

“Barricade herbicide offers long residual control throughout the season,” Mosdell said, “whereas other herbicides may lose their efficacy as we move into a hot spring and early summer.”

If you’re looking for the effect of Barricade, but don’t want to pay for the brand name, Syngenta also offers Resolute (prodiamine), which is known as a fighting brand.

Those who do choose Barricade over Resolute have access to technical support and can participate in some of the programs, such as rebates, that Syngenta offers involving the brand.

It is common knowledge that pre-emergent herbicides should not be applied on seeded or newly reseeded turf, but Syngenta’s latest product, Tenacity (mesotrione), changes all that. This herbicide offers both pre- and post-emergence control by inhibiting photosynthesis in targeted plant species.

“It handles both grasses and broadleaf weeds,” Mosdell said. “The distinct advantage of Tenacity is that it can be used at seeding of grass types like Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, tall fescue. You can control weeds at seeding so those seedlings have a chance of getting established before weed competition.” 

Bayer Turf & Ornamental products

Bayer has two major pre-emergent herbicide names that come in several different formulations. The first is Specticle (indaziflam) and its formulations are FLO, Total, and G.

“Specticle offers up to eight months’ residual control at the lowest use rates on the market – up to 40 times less active ingredient than current standards,” said Jeff Michel, herbicide product manager for Bayer Turf & Ornamental. “Furthermore, its non-staining, low-odor formulation offers enhanced convenience for lawn-care operators and landscapers.”

Specticle comes in a variety of formulations to take on weeds like crabgrass.
Photo: Bayer Turf & Ornamental

The FLO formulation comes as a liquid and can be used to control troublesome weeds such as goosegrass, Poa annua and crabgrass. It can be used around ornamentals, mulched areas, hardscapes and warm-season grasses. As an added bonus Specticle FLO does not require a signal word (or special caution labeling). Specticle G comes as a granule and also does not need a signal word.

“Specticle G is labeled for use on turf, landscapes and hardscapes, but works best when applied as a broadcast treatment on bare ground or mulched areas around labeled ornamental plants and grasses,” Michel said.

The last variation is Specticle Total (indaziflam, glyphosate and diquat). This is a residual, non-selective herbicide that can provide up to six months of control. Released in 2014, it’s the newest variation of Specticle.

Specticle Total can be sprayed on both landscapes and hardscapes, killing existing weeds and preventing new ones from appearing as well.

“A successful two-step program for landscape bed weed control is starting with Specticle G to create a weed control barrier,” Michel said. “Step two is treating any existing weeds or escapes with Specticle Total to quickly control the weeds non-selectively and re-create the weed barrier. This program provides the residual control and quick knockdown to control landscape weeds with confidence.”

Bayer’s other pre-emergent herbicide brand is known as Ronstar (oxadiazon) and it works differently than most other products, targeting a weed’s shoots rather than its roots. The reason most pre-emergents cannot be used on newly seeded turf is that the chemical does not distinguish between the roots of weeds and the roots of other plants. Ronstar can be used around sensitive grasses without harming them.

Ronstar FLO is a flowable formulation and can be used on warm-season grasses, while Ronstar G is a granular that can be used on warm- and cool-season grasses as well as landscape ornamentals.