Join Us For One Of The Best Events Of The Year! The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is excited to announce the date for one of our favorite events of the year, the LaFontaine Golf Outing.  Join us on Wednesday, June 23rd at Coyote Preserve Golf Club in Fenton, Michigan for a great day of golf while helping us raise funds for the Graduate Student Assistantship Fund. Scramble Format with Skins 8:00 a.m. Registration & Continental Breakfast 9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start Box Lunches provided 3:00 - 4:00 (approx.) Social Hour comments by Mr. Gordon LaFontaine and members of the MSU Turf Team Corporate, Tee, Breakfast, Lunch, cocktail hour and prize sponsorships available. $125 per golfer (includes continental breakfast, box lunch and awards/cocktail hour after golf)

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Join the MTF Board

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is currently seeking candidates for the Board of Directors to represent Sports or Institutional Turf. Interested candidates should contact Dan Lucas, head of the Nominating Committee.

We would also like to thank Kelly Rensel (Great Lakes Loons) for the tireless work, dedication and the knowledge he shared during his time as a Board Member with the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation.

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is a non-profit organization which arose from the need for better turfgrasses and better methods of turfgrass maintenance. Since its incorporation in 1957, the MTF has achieved success in fulfilling these needs through research and education. Located at the Robert W. Hancock Turfgrass Research Center on the Michigan State University campus, the MTF continues its success in these areas by working closely with the University.

MTF members are representative of homeowners, golf courses, seed, sod and stolon growers, municipalities, parks and recreational areas, school boards, landscape contractors, lawn maintenance contractors, custom lawn applicators, athletic associations, cemetery associations and other facets of the industry.

The business affairs and the activities of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation are governed by a Board of Directors composed of twelve (12) members plus the Executive Director. The Board of Directors is composed of representatives from each of the following organizations or groups:

Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (4)

A Commercial Turfgrass Supplier's Representative

A Cemetery, Park, Sod or Sports Turf Representative

A Lawn Care Representative

A Lawn Maintenance Representative

A Lawn Applicator Representative

At Large Representatives (3)

Register today for our online golf auction benefiting turfgrass research. Some of the best Midwest and Michigan golf courses are up for grabs starting April 25th!

The MTF would like to thank our newly registered TeeTimes4Turf golf courses, superintendents and others for their support of the MSU Turf Program.  Course donations can be accepted all the way through the end of the auction on May 9th.

The Foundation appreciates all courses participating in this years event and thank those who are part of the process.  Registering your course can be done quickly online or with a printable form mailed back to the Foundation.  Click a link below and join the list of supporters!  

ONLINE FORM

PRINTABLE FORM

Register today for our online golf auction benefiting turfgrass research. Some of the best  Midwest and Michigan golf courses are up for grabs starting April 25th!

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation extends congratulations to our recent 

2021 MSU Student Scholarship Awardees:

Ms. Payton Perkinson – The Norman Kramer Scholar Award

Mr. Colin King – The Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student Award

Mr. Keith Koch – Sports and Commercial Turf Award

The MTF is also pleased to congratulate the following students for their exemplary efforts during the interview process and recipients of scholarship funding.

Mr. Spencer Cole

Mr. Clayton Hoekwater

On behalf of the MTF the Scholarship Committee Congratulates all awardees.

Mr. Dan Lucas

MTF Scholarship Chairperson

MTF 2020 Annual Meeting Minutes 

2020 LaFontaine Golf Outing

Membership Report 

By-Laws Committee Report

Research Committee Report

TT4T Committee Report

2021 Annual Meeting Agenda

Executive Director Report

MSU Turf Team Update, Weather Update with Dr. Jeff Andresen, October 13th, 2020

Dr. Jeff Andresen joins Dr. Kevin Frank to update current weather conditions across the state of Michigan. (Click the image for video)

The MSU Turfgrass Virtual Field Day was presented by the turfgrass science team on September 23rd.  The recordings from both sessions are now available to view online.

Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

 Lawn Care and Athletic Fields Virtual Field Day

1. The long term evaluation and comparison of naturally enhanced sand textured athletic field root zones. Dr. Thomas Green and Dr. Trey Rogers
2. Identification and management of summer diseases on home lawns. Dr. Joe Vargas and Nancy Dykema
3. Best management practices weed control research. Dr. Thom Nikolai.
4. Long term fate of fertilizer applications. Dr. Kevin Frank
5. Turfgrass species evaluation under minimal maintenance practices. Dr. Kevin Frank

Golf Turf Virtual Field Day

1. Latest management strategies for brown patch and crown rot anthracnose, including fungicide resistance issues. Dr. Joe Vargas and Nancy Dykema
2. Evaluation of the long-term soil physical and chemical properties of a variable depth putting green. Dr. Thomas Green and Dr. Jim Crum
3. Best management practices weed control research. Dr. Thom Nikolai
4. Effects of different soil testing interpretation philosophies on creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass putting greens. Jackie Guevara and Dr. Kevin Frank

Dear MTF , Turfgrass Virtual Field Day -  Tomorrow September 23, 2020 Lawn and Atheltic Turf at 9 a.m. and Golf Turf at 11 a.m.

MSU Turfgrass Virtual Field Days The MSU Turfgrass Virtual Field Days will present the latest research information from the turfgrass science team. Attendees will gain insight into the latest management recommendations for controlling pests and optimizing turfgrass performance.  Lawn Care and Athletic Fields Virtual Field Day The long term evaluation and comparison of naturally enhanced sand textured athletic field root zones. Dr. Thomas Green and Dr. Trey Rogers Identification and management of summer diseases on home lawns. Dr. Joe Vargas and Nancy Dykema Best management practices weed control research. Dr. Thom Nikolai. Long term fate of fertilizer applications. Dr. Kevin Frank Turfgrass species evaluation under minimal maintenance practices. Dr. Kevin Frank Golf Turf Virtual Field Day Latest management strategies for brown patch and crown rot anthracnose, including fungicide resistance issues. Dr. Joe Vargas and Nancy Dykema Evaluation of the long-term soil physical and chemical properties of a variable depth putting green. Dr. Thomas Green and Dr. Trey Rogers Best management practices weed control research. Dr. Thom Nikolai Effects of different soil testing interpretation philosophies on creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass putting greens. Jackie Guevara and Dr. Kevin Frank

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For Immediate Release: May 28, 2020 Program Contact: Brian Verhougstraete, 517-582-4573 Media Contact: Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724 MDARD Offering Tips for Mosquito Control LANSING – With warmer summer weather finally here, Michiganders are urged to remember to take precautions against mosquitos, ticks and the diseases they carry. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is providing guidance for safely choosing and using insect repellants and insecticides. Insect repellents applied to the skin are one of the most popular and effective products used to avoid insect bites. Other commonly used repellants include torches, table-top diffusers, candles and coils. When used as directed, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the active ingredients below are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women: DEET Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the US) IR3535 Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) Para-menthane-diol (PMD) 2-undecanone Larvicides and adulticides can also provide temporary control of mosquitos. Larvicides are products designed to be applied directly to water to control mosquito larvae. Adulticides are used in fogging and spraying to control adult mosquitoes. Both options can temporarily reduce the mosquito population in your area, but do not provide long-term solutions against mosquitos. Whether you use an insect repellent or insecticide, always remember to read and follow all label directions. A safe alternative to applying insecticides yourself is hiring a mosquito control business. Mosquito control businesses are required to be licensed to apply pesticides in Michigan and must meet certain financial and experience requirements including proof of insurance, meet certain experience requirements, and employ certified pesticide applicators who have passed MDARD proficiency examinations. A list of Michigan firms licensed to apply pesticides is available online. Other steps to take to safely reduce mosquito populations include: Removing any puddles of water or standing water around your home to reduce breeding sites. Keeping grass and shrubs trimmed short, reducing places for flying (adult) mosquitoes to rest. Using permethrin to treat clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents) or buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear. More information is available online at Michigan.gov/MDARD.

A months worth of rain in 48 hours across some areas of Michigan. Weekly weather update with Dr. Jeff Andresen, May 19, 2020 https://youtu.be/JXJj7LCOH2k via

@YouTube

Dr. Joe Vargas, along with a special guest, talks about disease activity in Michigan: June 19, 2020 https://youtu.be/XFh7B9qAFcU via

@YouTube