COLLEGE STATION – A statewide Turf and Landscape Field Day will be Oct. 4-5 at F&B Road, the site of the new turf research area of the Urban Ecology Field Laboratory at Texas A&M University in College Station.
Dr. Richard White, standing at right, and other workers with Texas A&M University’s soil and crops department are laying turf in the new research area of the Urban Ecology Field Lab. (Photo by Li Zhang)
The event will highlight existing Texas AgriLife Research and Texas AgriLife Extension Service programs and the first year of the collaborative relationship between the Texas A&M University System and Scotts Miracle-Gro.
On Oct. 4, a new feature to the Turf and Landscape Field Day activities will be a symposium from 7- 8:45 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center, 801 University Drive East.
“The goal is to bring together faculty working on turf and landscape issues with industry representatives and practitioners attending field day for a moderated question and answer forum,” said Dr. David Chalmers, AgriLife Extension state turfgrass specialist. “So, we invite those who can to arrive Oct. 4 to attend what will certainly be a lively and interactive session.”
The field day portion on Oct. 5 will be at the new turf lab site, which provides five acres of new turf research area, Chalmers said.
Tour stops include: turfgrass development – Bermuda grass, paspalum, St. Augustine grass and zoysia grass; irrigation management – deficit irrigation, drip technology, smart controllers, influence of drought on tree health and auditing irrigation systems; nutrient runoff research; pest management – weeds, diseases and insects; fire ant management; new technologies and educational demonstrations.
Full program details will be posted on the registration website at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu by Sept. 20. Enter the key words “turf.”
This event will be held rain or shine so come prepared, Chalmers said. The cost will be $35 before Sept. 20 with lunch included, $45 between Sept. 20-29 with lunch included; and on-site registration will be $45 but will not include lunch.
Participants will be asked to park in lot 100e of Reed Arena between 7-8:30 a.m. A parking lot attendant will provide a parking sticker which will permit you to park in the designated lot during the day of the event. Buses will take participants the 10-minute ride to the new Turfgrass Field Laboratory.
The Texas Department of Agriculture has approved 2.5 general continuing education units for licensed pesticide applicators. Continuing education units are being sought for licensed irrigators. Categories and hours accepted for re-certification will be posted on the website when approved.
For more information, contact Chalmers at dchalmers@tamu.edu or Toni Edwardson at 979-845-0884, TEdwardson@ag.tamu.edu or visit the field day website.
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