Cornell Turfgrass ShortCUTT podcast

Dr. Sara Stricker, Guelph University Turfgrass Institute, discusses ALL the nuances of ‘No Mow May’. Is it really better for pollinators compared to a traditional lawn? Are their risks involved with allowing your lawn grow, unabated, for the month of May? Are there better alternatives for your landscape to promote pollinator habitat? This, and more, on the fastest 30 minutes(ish) in turf!

Dr. Chase Straw, Texas A&M, joins the turf guys to talk about an ambitious project that seeks to understand all aspects of community sports fields and provide foundational data to decision-makers in the future. The turf guys also rant about proper footwear selection for athletes.

Purdue University professor Cale Bigelow joins the show to share his observations on the evolution of tall fescues, interseeding fescue into existing stands, brown patch resistance, and some potential new uses for fescue as a sports surface. The turf guys also chat about the challenges of dealing with early season traffic.

The turf guys go off the deep end in today’s episode, where they discuss meadow area establishment and salt injury of turf. Dan Schied, Director of Grounds for Cornell, joins to discuss his experience with meadow management at Cornell, and the use of treated salt to limit quantities applied and subsequent turf injury.

The turf guys chat about the decline of snow mold pressure in NY, recent research on fungicide resistance, and pre-emergent strategies to account for the uncertainty in early season weather.

The turf guys chat with Art DeGaetano, professor in Cornell's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and director of the federally-supported Northeast Regional Climate Center, about the temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover trends we saw across the U.S. this winter. They also discuss the 2023 season retrospective and ask “how much was needed?” with respect to mowing, fertilizer, pesticides, and water.

The Turf guys chat about the current dry weather and climate trends that will drive precipitation patterns moving forward. Matteo Serena, USGA, joins the show to discuss irrigation conservation strategies like drought emergency plans, using new turfgrass varieties, and emerging technologies like sub-surface drip irrigation.

Bill Kreuser of Greenkeeper joins the show to talk about his research on plant growth regulators and use of remote sensing technologies to optimize resource use.

John Sorochan, University of Tennessee, talks FIFA field management considerations with the turf guys. Different climates and grasses across North America will require site-specific management to maintain consistent playing conditions across venues for the 2026 World Cup.

Dr. Ben McGraw, Penn State, joins the turf guys to discuss his ABW scouting and research this Spring, and also discusses the difficulties in reducing earthworm castings.

The Turf guys explore the concept of benchmarking and how golf course superintendents can use key metrics to compare their operation to a standard. They put a focus on standard measurements for mower set-up and how this can drastically affect cut quality and plant stress.

Matt Elmore, Rutgers University, joins the show to discuss crabgrass emergence and non-chemical controls of crabgrass. Frank Rossi also takes a hard look at the idea of No Mow May and outlines alternatives that can still service pollinators without sacrificing the quality of the lawn.

Evan Mascitti, Penn State University, joins the turf guys to talk about his research on infield clay mixes. Evan outlines how different clay types respond differently to moisture, and best practices for early season infield maintenance.

Rich Buckley, Director of the Rutgers Diagnostic Lab, chats with the turf guys about ideal control strategies for root pathogens including timing of product application and the “war of attrition” when it comes to roots.

Dr. Michael Fidanza, Penn State Berks, joins the turf guys to discuss his new textbook “Achieving sustainable turfgrass management” which summarizes the latest science of sustainability in turfgrass. The show also discusses one of his favorite topics, fairy ring.

Shawn Kister, Associate Vice President of Horticulture Operations for Longwood Gardens, joins the show to talk about the sustainability initiatives at Longwood including recycling water for the landscape, meadow areas and electrification.

Dr. Aaron Patton, Purdue University, joins the show to discuss weed control in athletic fields. The turf guys discuss the priority of seeding before developing a weed control strategy, site specific management on athletic fields, and how rolling might have some weed control benefits.

The turf guys unveil their newest resource for golf course BMPs. Shawn Askew joins the show to discuss his research on reducing poa populations on putting surfaces, seedhead suppression, and some novel weed control strategies like drones, parabolic mirrors, and cryogenics.

The turf guys walk through the history of research on Poa annua seedhead suppression to look at ideal control and effects on plant health. They also take aim at unnecessary bunkers and discuss minimum levels of acceptable maintenance.

Dr. Cale Bigelow, Purdue University, joins to chat about his research introducing microclover into lawns and utility of tall fescue on compromised soils. The turf guys discuss the concept of ecosystem services and how lawns can provide value.