Topdressing is the true Natural Lawn Care

Lawn Care information

2010-01-10T11:45:00.002-05:00

If you are not out plowing Snow here is a place to go:

The 19th annual Winter Lawn Care Conference, sponsored by the Lawn CareAssociation of Pennsylvania, will be held Feb. ...

After Two Long Years The Forums are Open Again!

2008-03-23T14:17:00.002-04:00

Especially with the the energy prices rising all the time, chemical fertilizer prices rising too, here is a website Topdressing.biz and a forum where you can learn how to be good to your next generation by saving their air and water quality , your lawn and recycle at the same time your various waste products from kitchen, house, yard/garden and farm into compost. Compost can become a great source of topdressing material, for the most part free and lower our municipal taxes.

Topdressing.biz News: Various Benefits of Shredding and Source of Compost Material

2006-07-03T12:23:00.001-04:00

The Important Function of Shredders -
by: Peter Emerson
Information and identity theft are two growing concerns in the world today. Paper shredders and file shredders can prevent the terrible losses that can occur when valuable information pertaining to a person or a business is stolen. Shredders destroy sensitive documents that contain private information that could cause trouble if obtained by the wrong people. Some of the sensitive information often found on paper items includes birth dates, social security numbers, bank account numbers, and business plans or other finance-related items.

Identity theft can have dire consequences. If a thief obtains someone’s social security number and birth date, he or she can then find out all kinds of financial information about the person and can use the person’s bank account. If this happens, the thief can spend all of the victim’s money, and the victim may or may not have a way of recovering the money. Identity thieves can ruin their victim’s credit by using the stolen credit cards to run up huge debts.

Corporate espionage is another serious problem involving information theft. More often than one might believe, employees steal secret business documents and sell them to competing companies. If thieves steal a business’ financial information, like credit card numbers and bank account numbers, they can spend all of the company’s money and possibly never get caught. It is vital to protect personal and professional information from would-be thieves by destroying documents and computer files that contain the information.

Paper shredders work by cutting sheets of paper into many very small pieces, making it difficult for thieves or corporate spies to reassemble the documents and gain private information. Some shredders cut the paper vertically into ribbons, while others cut the paper in a cross cutting motion, making it much harder to reassemble the page. These paper shredders have a number of features and many can provide maximum security.

File shredders permanently erase files from a computer. Most people think that emptying the computer’s recycling bin erases any files or programs that were in it, but the truth is that these files can be easily accessed using basic retrieval software. File shredding software ensures that sensitive files containing private information can’t be accessed.

Not all types of shredders are used to protect business or personal information. Chip shredders are heavy-duty tools used to break wood, leaves, and other materials down. Once the materials are shredded, they can be used to make mulch or compost.

Shredders are valuable tools in a number of situations. Paper and file shredders provide protection against information theft and chip shredders are valuable landscaping tools.

About the author:
Shredders Info provides detailed information about paper, file, and chip shredders, and more. Shredders Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

Topdressing.biz News : Ane excellent article on topdressing and aeration strategy

2006-05-07T14:06:00.000-04:00

The editorial team of www.topdressing.biz has found an excellent article on aeration and topdressing strategy written by: Jim Puhalla is president of Sportscape International of Boardman, Ohio, and Dallas. He is co-author with Mississippi State University professors Dr. Jeff Krans and Dr. Michael Goatley (who also supplied information for this article) of a forthcoming book, Sports Fields: A Manual for Design, Construction and Maintenance, to be published by Ann Arbor Press Inc., Chelsea, Michigan.
Concepts:
aeration, soil, topdressing, core, turf, compaction, materials, equipment, water, thatch, surface disruption, tines, root systems, sports fields, aerification.
Summary:
Two of the most useful turf-care practices in the field manager's toolbox are aeration and topdressing.But the increasing variety of equipment and materials requires more decisions than ever before.On one hand, you have more options for providing exactly the treatment your turf needs.On the other hand, making incorrect choices can reduce the effectiveness of your work.Compaction can be a particular problem on sports turf, because of the amount of foot traffic that results from its use as a playing surface.When the soil becomes compacted, turf root systems can't get the oxygen they need, and the soil becomes a barrier to root penetration.For warm-season fields, the best time to aerate is late spring through late summer.Aerating after that time is risky, because the turf may not have time to recover before cold weather brings the risk of winter cold injury.For cool-season fields, the grass is most active in May and September, so those are the best months for aerating.The freezing and thawing of water in the holes will fracture the soil even deeper and wider than usual, and will provide improved relief from compaction.Time your core aeration around your most important sporting events, because the holes can catch players' spikes, and the dried cores can disrupt the roll of a ball.You can coordinate nutrient applications with aeration to help get the materials directly into the soil.In the past, there were questions about the wisdom of performing core Aerification following pre-emergence herbicide applications, and particularly about whether or not the herbicide barrier is broken by Aerification.Heavily used sports fields that do not get regular core aeration usually have very little turf.Core aeration provides the longest-term improvements in air and water infiltration, percolation rates and healthier root systems.However, there are two side-effects of core aeration which must be remembered: surface disruption and core litter.For most sports field aeration, standard units do the job effectively, but more compacted or poorly percolating fields may need larger, longer tines.Solid tines are usually selected because of the limited surface disruption they cause, but they also provide other benefits.Solid-tine aeration is also commonly called "shatter core" aeration, because the solid tines cause a "quaking" action that can fracture subsurface compaction zones -- especially with a deep-tine (up to 12-inch) aerator.Spiking and slicing can also sever the lateral stems of bermudagrass, bluegrass and bentgrass to encourage lateral root growth and thicken the turf.Done correctly, this technique can level uneven surfaces, enhance the soil for better drainage and rooting, control thatch, and assist in seeding operations.To amend heavy soils (soils having a large percentage of silt and clay) use a uniform sand with most of the particle sizes in the coarse range (between 0.5 and 1.0 mm).

for more information on aeration and topdressing matters please visit the topdressing and natural lawn care education site http://www.topdressing.biz

We have excellent topdressing applicators available for all your topdressing needs:
http://www.i-cut-large-lawns.com
http://www.do-it-now-landscaping.com

Topdressing.biz News: A good source for natural lawncare information

2006-05-03T07:15:00.000-04:00

Topdressing.biz found this very interesting site:http://care-lawn.info/. The editors are painstaikingly researching natural lawn care procedures.

Concepts:
topdressing,lime, soil, lawn, healthier, nutrients, acidity, pound, fertilizer, turf, grass, report, liming, rainfall, growth, alkalinity.

Summary:
This is just one of the many informative and insightful articles that you can read here.The resources available here have been created and written by the top experts in their respective fields.Browse through the many topics available in the website and enrich your mind with some valuable knowledge.Why do lawns need lime and how do you know when you need it?Iâ¬(TM)ll try to answer some of these questions for you.The first fact you should know is why lime is used on lawns.Soil ph is a measure of the soils acidity or alkalinity.If your ph level is below 7.0 then your soil is considered acidic and if itâ¬(TM)s above that number, it is considered alkaline.A desirable ph level is between 6.0 and 7.0.Lime conditions the soil and will improve the growth of turf and make it healthier.Some of the things that can cause acidity in lawn, other than rainfall, some fertilizers also leach the nutrients from the soil.Other factors which cause acidity are irrigating with water that has a high acid content and decomposition of soil organic matter.The only way you can determine if your soil needs liming and how much to apply is to do a soil test.A soil test kit can be found at your local garden center to test your lawnâ¬(TM)s ph level but it wonâ¬(TM)t tell you how much lime to use to make your lawn healthier.The only way to determine how much lime you need is to have an actual soil test by the county extension office.If they donâ¬(TM)t have the facilities to test there, they can tell you where to send your soil for testing.You will receive a test report when the test is completed, and in that report there is a section titled Lime.If there is a zero in that section, you donâ¬(TM)t need any lime at all.You will find palletized lime or powder lime.Applications of lime are best when mixed with the soil with a roto-tiller or using a core aeration machine that pulls out soil plugs.It will help improve turf growth because grass grows better when the soil ph is improved.Homeowners mistakenly think that they need to apply lime every year to keep the necessary ph level.Once your ph level is adjusted to the proper number, you can maintain the correct level by combining one pound of lime to every pound of fertilizer used.It wonâ¬(TM)t do that; the only way it helps eliminate moss is by allowing the turf to grow stronger and healthier.Remember sturdier grass and healthier lawns are a deterrent to those nasty weeds we donâ¬(TM)t like to see cropping up in our yards.

Topdressing.biz News: Will Topdressing help in these conditions?

2006-04-01T19:30:00.000-05:00

AgWeb - Your Spot for Futures Trading, Commodities Info, Ag News, Successful Farming Tips & More
http://www.agweb.com/get_article.asp?pageid=126303&src=gennews.com/

Rain prevented any fertilizer applications or weed spraying. Many wheat fields throughout the State were short on nitrogen and topdressing is needed. ...

Texas: Rain returned to most areas of Texas.

Just how long the rain would last was the question of the week for producers.

A cold front blew through the state, resulting in rainfall amounts ranging from ½ to 2 inches on the Panhandle and South Plains.

The northern half of the state realized low temperatures down in the 20\'s and 30\'s with some thermometer readings as low as the teens on the Panhandle.

Effects of the long term drought were still prevalent across the state and a pattern of increased precipitation would have to be established before producers\' could have much optimism about the crop year.

Only limited benefit from the rain and snow on the Panhandle was expected for remaining dryland wheat.

For most fields, the probability of a decent grain crop was slim.

Wheat across the Blacklands and Northeast Texas was beginning to show some promise after a few weeks of increased moisture.

Statewide, wheat condition was rated mostly poor to very poor.

Wheat condition was rated 9 percent very poor, 20 percent poor, 45 percent fair, 24 percent good, and 2 percent excellent.

Wheat freeze damage reports indicated 82 percent of the wheat has not been damaged, 16 percent with light damage, and 2 percent with moderate damage.

Reports of wind damage indicated 75 percent of the wheat with no damage, 20 percent with light damage, 4 percent with moderate damage, and 1 percent with severe damage.

Insect reports indicated 75 percent with no infestation, 20 percent with light infestation, 4 percent with moderate infestation, and 1 percent with severe infestation.

Related News Items

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Topdressing.biz News: Please visit this site: Beacon Athletics and read their topdressing material information

2006-03-30T10:48:00.000-05:00

This site is full of good educational sports field resources. Click on the tab by the same name and see all the resources they have on field maintenance equipment and supplies.

You can also find information about topdressing materials here

http://www.beaconathletics.com/

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Topdressing.biz News: Athletic Field Turfgrass Response to Calcined Clay Topdressing

2006-03-20T18:47:00.000-05:00

prepared by David D. Minner and Jeffrey J. Salmond, 1999 Iowa Turfgrass Research Report

Concepts:

http://www.topdressing.biz, topdressing, plots, Turface, sand, calcined clay, treatments, topdressing materials, soil, practice field, turfgrass, turf, renovation schedule, plugs, cultivars, individual plot.

Summary:
1999 Iowa Turfgrass Research Report Athletic Field Turfgrass Response to Calcined Clay Topdressing David D. Minner and Jeffrey J. Salmond Inorganic amendments have been used to amend soils that are compacted by excessive traffic.Our objective was to evaluate Turface as a topdressing material and its effects on turfgrass growth.A study was initiated in August 1996 to evaluate calcined clay (Turface MVP) as a topdressing material.The study was conducted on an irrigated practice field containing native clay loam soil.Treatments consisted of two topdressing materials, Turface or sand, with six replications.Six plots were topdressed with Turface (4500 total sq.ft.) and six plots were topdressed with sand (4500 total sq.ft.).In the worn areas of the study and where soil is exposed, the Turface maintains a drier surface and improves playing conditions.

Topdressing.biz News: Topdressing Material Articles

2006-03-15T20:00:00.000-05:00

Although somewhat dated we would like for you to see these articles content which is still very applicable when it comes to choose and apply topdressing materials.

Greens Maintenance
The superintendent must develop a topdressing material with all of these ...
Even after developing a topdressing material, he must also decide when to ...

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/greens.html

Effective greens topdressing depends on approach
You should place as much emphasis on selecting topdressing material and implementing
the greens-topdressing program as you do on selecting the soil mix and ...

http://grounds-mag.com/mag/grounds_maintenance_effective_greens_topdressing/

Working the Topdressing In and Rolling Greens Revisited
topdressing material per 1000 square. feet is being applied, and a variety of
... of topdressing material into deep-tine aerification holes. ...

http://turf.lib.msu.edu/1990s/1991/910303.pdf

http://www.topdressing.biz

Topdressing.biz News: Topdressing Forums discussion about Topdressing as a business

2006-03-08T03:35:00.000-05:00

In the Topdressing Forums one of our frequent contributors just answerd an aspiring topdressing applicator. This contributor pointed out the similarities and the complementary nature of topdressing and fertilization. For more information please click here:

http://topdressing.biz/forums/index.php/topic,2.msg12.html#msg12

Concepts:

lawn, topdressing, compost, cost, spreading, aeration, skid, travel time, soil, aids, separate, fertilizer, comparing, moderator, Report.

Summary:
Whitedove You may want to quit comparing topdressing to a fertilizer program, it will never show an exact cost justification.Compost is not considered a fertilizer by the US Compost council because of all the different inputs and N P K values it would be a nightmare to regulate.It is a soil amendment that when combined with aeration can improve the soil microbiology, help level the lawn and aid in producing a turf that is more drought tolerant.When you look at the cost it will appeal more to the upper end homes who can afford it.If you are actually spreading on a 1/2 acre lawn and the cost to you for the compost is $14 if you double that it would be $420 for the lawn.

Topedressing.biz News:Turfgrass Management at South Florida Turf EXPO March 23rd

2006-03-06T19:03:00.000-05:00

If you are from Florida or from up North and you need a break www.topdressing.biz recommends for you to attend the South Florida Turf Expo, enjoy the weather and get some of your CEU's done at the same time.

Concepts:

turf, Florida, turfgrass management, golf course, education, GCSAA, South Florida, Environmental Turf, Fort Lauderdale, approval code, control, biology, sessions, pest, lunch, topdressing.

Summary:

The South Florida Turf EXPO, Thursday, March 23, 2006, is approved for 4 pesticide CEUs (not CORE) plus 0.35 GCSAA continuing education units.The program, also known as the 19th Annual SFGCSA Exposition/Field Day at the Otto Schmeisser Research Green, is from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm on March 23 at the University of Florida Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, 3205 College Ave., Davie, FL 33314.South Florida Turf EXPO is co-sponsored by Environmental Turf, Inc., Hector Turf, Kilpatrick Turf, and ShowTurf, Inc., in conjunction with the South Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association.There will be another scrumptious barbecue lunch generously provided by Environmental Turf, Inc.Following morning field tours of active research on pest management and water quality protection, there will a show of equipment and products for turfgrass managers, followed after lunch by concurrent sessions for golf course mechanics, spray techs, and irrigation technicians, and a superintendent session with Bayer's Jeff Michel, M.S., and the University of Florida's Dr. Billy Crow on biology and control of mole crickets and nematodes.For GCSAA education units, a copy of the approval code notice will be provided towards the end of the event, and GCSAA members must submit the event approval code to GCSAA headquarters within 30 days after the event.

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Topdressing.biz News: Another way of topdressing is explained in the Joplin Globe - Online Editions

2006-03-05T13:36:00.000-05:00

http://www.joplinglobe.com/story.php?story_id=231923&c=108

Concepts:

topdressing wheat, Joplin Globe, pounds, GreenSeeker, acre, corn, cost, farmers, plants, plots, planting, Oklahoma, Rendel, Editor, OSU.

Summary:

- Brent Rendel gets a lot of looks from people when he walks across one of his family's wheat fields in Northeast Oklahoma with something resembling a metal detector.He's not with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency looking for lead and zinc levels, nor is he looking for the odd chunk of metal or abandoned coins.They see him using a GreenSeeker Variable Rate Applicator meter on one of the 38 wheat fields farmed by his family.The meter feeds information to a computer program that reports on nitrogen needs for each field to get the desired level of grain production.The recommendation is based on growing conditions being ideal from the time the reading is made until grain is harvested.Data include things such as current Oklahoma weather information.The Ottawa County Extension Service office is one of 14 in the state where Oklahoma State University has provided a GreenSeeker unit at no cost.The unit would cost about $4,000 for individual farmers to buy, said Stan Fimple, Ottawa County extension agent.He attended a school last year to learn about the system and was successful in getting OSU to do GreenSeeker demonstrations on fields of wheat and corn in 2005."We will have it as long as farmers show an interest to use it," Fimple said.Using it means setting aside a small portion of each field where extra levels of nitrogen are applied in addition to the nitrogen put on over the field at planting.These plots become monitors for the GreenSeeker to measure in addition to the rest of the field.The Rendel family applies 25 pounds of nitrogen per acre at planting, and 75 pounds as topdressing about this time of year.The goal is to harvest 50 bushels of wheat per acre.The rule of thumb is two pounds of nitrogen can generate a bushel of wheat, he said.Last fall, he applied 25 pounds of nitrogen over all his wheat fields and then put on either 50, 75 or 125 pounds extra nitrogen in the test plots for each field.He finds some fields where plots with extra nitrogen can be seen with larger and greener plants, but no change in others.The field in the test matched the 40-bushel average for the farm.Roger Teal, OSU plant and soil scientist, talked about the GreenSeeker system at a meeting Feb. 16 in Afton.

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Topdressing.biz News: Topdressing with an Airplane rather than a Manure Spreader

2006-03-04T22:41:00.000-05:00

We have on our website http://www.topdressing.biz deliniated the history of topdressing with wheelbarrows, shovels, topdressers and aerators, but we should not forget the bretheren todressers in Newzealand. Here is their story:
History of aerial topdressing in New Zealand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_topdressingConcepts:
Zealand, topdressing, aircraft, edit, superphosphate, Tiger Moth, farmers, pilot, Agriculture, tons, spread, aerial-topdressing, seeds, Pritchard, air.
Summary:
Aerial topdressing is the spreading of fertilisers such as superphosphate over farm land.Aerial Topdressing was developed in New Zealand in the 1940s and was rapidly adopted elsewhere in the 1950s.For spraying of insecticides and fungicides, by air, see crop dusting, for more general information about agricultural aircraft see aerial application.The first known aerial application of agricultural materials was by John Chaytor, who in 1906 spread seed over a swamped valley floor in Wairoa, New Zealand, using a hot air balloon with mobile tethers.The first known use of a heavier than air machine occurred on 3 August 1921 when as the result of advocacy by Dr Coad, a USAAC Curtiss JN4 Jenny piloted by John MacReady was used to spread lead arsenate to kill catalpha sphinx caterpillars near Troy, Ohio in the United States.The first commercial operations were attempted in the US 1924 and use of insecticide and fungicide for crop dusting slowly spread in the Americas and to a lesser extent other nations.Crop dusting poisons enjoyed a boom in the US and Europe after World War II until the environmental impact of widespread use became clear, particularly after the publishing of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.Spreading Superphosphate by agricultural aircraft was independently suggested by two New Zealanders, John Lambert of Hunterville and Len Daniell of Wairere in 1926.There was some publicity when in 1936 Hawkes Bay farmer Harold McHardy used a de Havilland Gypsy Moth to sow clover seed on his own land.This lead the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council to decide to fund aerial sowing and topdressing trials to prevent erosion in 1937, but little progress was made, despite strong advocacy by Doug Campbell.Eventually Esmond Gibson would get that law change, but long before that news of early experiments was spread by an article was a published by a government pilot for the Ministry of Works who simply took the risk of publishing an article showing he broke the law.Alan Pritchard pilot for the New Zealand Public Works Department, recalls the idea of spreading seed occurred to him as he was flying E Madden of the Ministry of Works in a Moth, sharing grapes and throwing the seeds out of the open cockpits.A few months later, he was prevented from conducting an aerial survey in Northland when the Ministry's Miles Whitney Straight ZK AFH was grounded by bad weather.As a result in 1945 the Department of Agriculture estimated aerial topdressing would cost about Â£4 per ton of fertiliser (on a basis of 2 cwt per acre), which was economic, (in actual fact, this price turned out to be a significant overestimate).The lack of a lid for the hopper initially resulted in irritating dust spreading through the aircraft in turbulence, in cold wet conditions it was necessary to heat the hopper to prevent the fertiliser coagulating, while in dry conditions the powder tended to disperse in the wind before reaching the ground.Between the second world war and the cold war, the RNZAF was a large and competent organisation without a lot of work to do.It responded enthusiastically to Campbell's suggestion, initially proposing to use Tiger Moth and DC-3 aircraft, but concerns about corrosion lead them to use "expendable" war surplus Grumman Avengers.Trials proceeded to hill country at Te Mata near Raglan, and were extended to three other sites.The "Topdress III" trials culminated on 21 May 1949, with a demonstration drop on eleven different properties close to Masterton in front of large numbers of farmers and press.By Fieldâ¬(TM)s death in 1981, Fieldair was the largest aerial-topdressing company in New Zealand.According to legend, a hungry Fieldair pilot flying between airstrips saw a single goose which looked like dinner.A hundred feet over a gully the goose broke towards the aircraft, and hit the prop, breaking it.Wally Harding, a pioneer Waiouru farmer converted his Tiger Moth into a top dresser in 1949 to use on his own not particularly productive high country station.By 1954 the company added the first Fletcher produced to its five Tiger Moths.Ossie James was another pilot and farmer who started with a Tiger Moth salvaged from floodwaters in 1948 and progressed to owning the largest fleet of Fletchers in the country.James Aviation flew a number of DC 3s and Lodestars as well as Fletchers.James was heavily involved in the New Zealand International Field Days, Salvation Army and Waikato Aero Club.By 1956 there were 182 aerial topdressing Tigermoths but it was obvious the lightweight Tiger Moths would need to be replaced.At the beginning of the 1950s there were no specialist designs for even crop dusters, due to the proliferation of World War II surplus trainers.Bits of Harvard were used by Luigi Pellerini to make most of the bizarre twin-tailed cockpit over the engine Bennett Airtruck, flight tested at Te Kuiti in 1950, surprisingly not only had a long and successful career but was put into production (as an all new built aircraft) in Australia, becoming the Transavia Airtruck â¬" and later played a bitsa in the Mad Max movies.In Britain Auster produced the Auster Agricola and Percival the Percival EP-9 for the New Zealand market, both robust but primitive fabric covered aircraft, while in Australia the small but more advanced Yeoman Cropmaster was developed.Cable Price Corporation funded two prototypes with the New Zealand Meat Producers Board acting as financial guarantor; Gibson having brow beaten a reluctant Fletcher board into building a prototype, Airparts was formed to assemble the American kits.The first prototype was flown in America in June 1954, the second in New Zealand in September 1954 and received type approval in May 1955.The Fletcher was responsible for starting New Zealand's small aircraft building industry.Having taken over from Air Parts and AESL, Pacific Aerospace is the manufacturer of the PAC Fletcher and the similar but larger and turboprop powered PAC Cresco, as well as the PAC 750XL and PAC CT/4 Airtrainer, Pacific Aerospace of Hamilton is New Zealand's largest aircraft manufacturer.By 1958 there were 73 aerial topdressing firms in New Zealand, flying 279 aircraft - but although the amount of superphospate dropped and the acreage it fell on would continue to increase, from now on the numbers of companies aircraft and pilots dropped, as the larger more expensive Fletchers came to dominate the market and the one man companies that began in the 1940s were amalgamated.The mining of superphosphate from guano deposits on the tiny South Pacific island of Nauru temporarily made the island one of the richest nations in the world, per capita, but removed most of the soil from the island, creating a pitted moonscape.D.A. Campbell Some observations on Top dressing in New Zealand, New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology Volume X 1948 (the article which started the industry).Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Topdressing Government Press, Wellington, 1973.

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Topdressing.biz News: The Pesticide Ban according to The Orangeville Banner in trouble

2006-03-04T18:42:00.000-05:00

http://www.northpeel.com/br/orangeville/news/story/3358223p-3886938c.html

Concepts:
Topdressing and aeration are not discussed, bylaw, pesticides, education, council, residents, meeting, cost, lawn, ban, draft bylaw, homeowner, Orangeville, lawn care, restricting, treatments.

Summary:
The cost of using alternative and organic treatments on town land, instead of pesticides, is likely beyond the town's current financial capabilities.The document, authored by the mayor's environmental advisory committee (MEAC), was met with wide criticism from both residents and members of council at Monday night's public meeting.While many cited the draft bylaw as heavy-handed, others said it wasn't restrictive enough -- but most agreed the document was confusing and, in areas, incomplete.In short, it seeks a ban during July and August, spot spraying limited to 20 per cent of a landscape within a 30-day period, and requires commercial applicators to be IPM (integrated pest management) accredited.First to comment was Deputy Mayor Jim MacGregor, who said directly he wouldn't endorse the bylaw as drafted and offered specific amendments to the document.Gail Campbell noted the bylaw makes no mention of incorporating a public education campaign -- a point that was raised several times by residents during the meeting -- and also fails to address costs to the town and the terms under which complaints would be investigated."If Orangeville wants to ensure that pesticides are being used in a responsible [manner], we would recommend an education program -- education has been a huge success in agriculture," Besley said, noting that education has enabled Ontario farmers to reduce pesticide use by roughly 52 per cent.Both men, along with owners of local lawn care companies, offered to assist the town in creating and delivering an education campaign for Orangeville residents.Christina Bonhem, an employee of Orangeville's Dufferin Garden Centre, said the bylaw needs to place more emphasis on the homeowner

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Topdressing.biz News found this article: Love your lawn

2006-03-02T08:22:00.000-05:00

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/living/home/13993417.htm
Concepts:
topdressing, aeration, lawn, fertilizer, grass, weeds, Gardening, bare spots, blades, fescue, seeds, crabgrass, plant, News, label, vegetable gardens, mowing.
Summary:
NANCY BRACHEY, the Garden Editor of the Charlotte Observer, 03/01/2006 reports that:
At Renfrow's Hardware & General Merchandise in Matthews, an old-fashioned wood stove keeps the air comfortably warm on a winter day.Nearby, bags of lawn fertilizer are stacked and waiting for customers to give their grass a seasonal pick-me-up.Naturally enough, Effret Clayton of Mint Hill has stopped in for a visit, and the staff welcomes him with a good chair and a chance to chat.Invited to do so, Clayton turns happily to the topic of taking care of fescue grass, the topic of the moment as the Piedmont's non-wintry winter moves toward its close.Like many gardeners in the Piedmont, he'll be doing things that will put the fescue in top form for spring and help it through the difficult, hot and dry weeks of summer.Just watching those little grass blades spring into action after a dose of good fertilizer gives him a thrill.So does the demise of the dreaded chickweed.So do tiny seedlings rising on formerly bare spots.And then he'll go to work, mowing it correctly, savoring the green.? Some weeds, such as chickweed, prosper in cool weather.Go after them with a trowel, heavy rake or broad-leaf weed killer that states on the label it works against the problem weed and won't harm the grass.Pre-emergent crabgrass control, often sold mixed with fertilizer, will keep the crabgrass from developing.? Adding lime helps correct pH and makes the fertilizer work better.These are high-nitrogen fertilizers that encourage vigorous plant growth, along with smaller percentages of phosphorus and potassium for healthy plant growth.Save that for vegetable gardens and flower beds.? While most lawn seeding and reseeding is best done in September, small bare spots can be tended by digging, adding compost and sowing seeds.Look for grass seed that states on the label it contains "No noxious weeds."

We here at topdressing.biz recommend to consider a topdressing and aeration application at least once a year. The benefits are spelled out in the below website.

www.topdressing.biz

Topdressing.biz News: Have You Looked into this Alternative Source, it "Doesnt" Smell Either!

2006-02-27T10:08:00.000-05:00

Pork Magazine - Features ttp://www.porkmag.com/directories.asp?pgID=728&ed_id=3954 This very well written article about another source of Topdressing is delineate by:21st Century ManureBy Darcy Maulsby (Wednesday, February 01, 2006)

Concepts:
Topdressing source, manure, digesters, producers, swine, fertilizer, methane, industry, farms, Iowa, nutrient, plant, biogas, MaxYield, compost, byproduct.

Summary:
The technology behind swine manure digesters hasn't changed much in the past decade, but new applications are redefining nutrient management nationwide."With odor, air-quality and water-quality issues facing the swine industry, we need to look at 21st-century solutions," says John Norwood, a principal with Triple Bottom Consulting in West Des Moines, Iowa."That means taking a new lookat manure digesters."In northwest Iowa, pork producers, local communities and West Bend based Max Yield Cooperative are looking at converting manure into electricity and other value-added products through a centralized, anaerobic digester system.Processing manure from area swine farms to produce methane gas can generate electricity for the power grid, explains Larry Arndt, MaxYield's agronomy and technical services marketing director.The residual byproduct of anaerobic digestion also contains manure nutrients without the odor.The byproduct can be land applied or can be dried and sold as fertilizer."Anaerobic digestion provides not only odor abatement and pollution control, but also sustainable energy and nutrient-rich compost," notes Arndt."The compost is pasteurized and far more stable and transportable than liquid manure.Anaerobic digestion can convert a potential liability into a value-added product and profit center."The approach is on the right track, says Rodney Frazier, president of FBA Consulting in Memphis, Tenn."We've got to find something that the public wants.
People don't want swine manure, but they do want electricity."Europe has had centralized manure digesters in place for decades, notes Shihwu Sung, associate professor of environmental engineering at Iowa State University."Denmark and the Netherlands have government-subsidized, centralized digesters that convert livestock manure to fertilizer and methane."The fact that digesters aren't located on individual farms has been key to their success. "Most swine operations are too small to make on-farm digesters economically feasible," notes Sung."Most producers don't have the time, interest or expertise to manage one."In late 2004, MaxYield Cooperative received a USDA grant to study the use of a community-based manure collection system.Last spring the Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued a second award to investigate composting options. MaxYield started identifying producers within a 20-mile radius of Whittemore, Iowa, who are interested in participating in a manure cooperative.Equity interests in the business could come in the form of manure or cash.It also could offer returns to shareholders. "To do a value-added project, you need at least a 20 percent return on investment.Biogas is generated in the digester's tank when bacteria in the temperature-controlled, oxygen-free atmosphere break down manure.
is concentrated.

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topdressing.biz News: did you Know that Recyclying Tires cand be good for Someting?

2006-02-25T09:50:00.000-05:00

Topdresing investigative team found this interesting: Did you know that atypical artificial grass turf requires around 100 tons of rubber, which by using the new technology means this amount can be replaced with recycled rubber from about 22,000 old car

Biocycle, Journal Of Composting & Organics Recycling

Concepts:
>composting, recycling, manure, mercury, report, rubber,moisture, reductions, digester, BioCycle, technology, tons, power plants, emissions, control mercury.

Summary:
This letter from Peter Moulton of Climate Solutions illustrates the vitality underway: "Oregon is a great model for digester funding.In the area of composting, latest developments will be reported from Seattle, San Francisco, Portland and other major projects on the West Coast.NEW PROPOSALS TO CONTROL MERCURY CONTAMINATION The need to better control mercury pollution from contaminating air and water is leading to stronger alternative measures to eliminate emissions.Last March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the first federal rules to control mercury from power plants.Until that time, notes a report in The New York Times, plants had been exempt from federal standards for sources of toxic emissions.In one of the proposed options, power plants would be required to achieve reductions up to 80 percent by 2008 and up to 95 percent by 2012; the second option would require up to 95 percent reductions by 2008.Recycling rates have risen from 14 percent to over 50 percent as SWP spread its separate collection of food residuals over a large area; Earth Tech UK - its commercial scale anaerobic digester enables the Western Islesto develop its recycling and composting collection infrastructure.LATEST OMRI NEWSLETTER REVIEWS RECLASSIFYING DEHYDRATED MANURE Some organic producers have requested that the National Organic Program (NOP) reconsider classification of dehydrated manure (such as pelleted manure) as raw manure.GETTING THE "RUBBER ODOR" OUT OF RECYCLED RUBBER PRODUCTS Using a "nanomanipulation" process, a Danish company can make crumb rubber products that do not have the characteristic odor accompanying recycled rubber, reports Scrap Tire News.A typical artificial grass turf requires around 100 tons of rubber, which by using the new technology means this amount can be replaced with recycled rubber from about 22,000 old car tires.Their results showed that composting ischaracterized by different biological responses of microorganisms depending on the moisture content under which the process is conducted.
tires.

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Topdressing.biz News: Topdressing application are used in many places such as in Charlston

2006-02-25T06:57:00.000-05:00

On 02/24/06 in the Standard Democrate's(Serving Scott, New Madrid, Mississippi And Stoddard Counties) Scott Welton reports that the Commissioners areed to haul topdressing material from Mounds, Ill., for East Prairie’s baseball fields as requested by Ricky Penrod on behalf of the city’s park board.

“From a distance it looks like red clay,” DeLay said. “It’s real fine - almost looks like red sand.” http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/865/public/news699599.html

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topdressing.biz News: How to Evaluate the Best Topdressing Equipments for your Needs!

2006-02-19T08:50:00.000-05:00

The Editorial Staff of www.topdressing.biz went out and collected the following criteria so you can better evaluate the equipmnet you may need. Please go ahead and use this criteria, if you have any additonal suggestions that we possibly missed, contact us at info@topdressing.biz . To get to the specific topdressing equipment page, please click here! http://topdressing.biz/topdressing_equipment.php

Topdressing.biz News: Cos the Lawn Cafe Manager posted this entry on his forum involving topdressing.

2006-02-19T05:59:00.000-05:00

Congratulation and many thanks for all the good information you always post:
Concepts:
Topdressing,turfgrass, report, Penn State, PTC, Evaluations, website, Resource, Turfgrass Council, online, Research Trust, funds, Contributions, Pennsylvania Turfgrass, Turfgrass Science, Penn State turf.
Summary:
PTCs website also includes details on the Growing the Game campaign that the Council has initiated to fund the Research Trust.
Released just last week, the annual report includes results of PTC supported research on:
· Fungicide Evaluations
· Herbicide Evaluations
· Fertilizer Evaluations
· Topdressing
· Athletic Field Studies Penn State turf research now online at paturf.orgIn cooperation with the Center for Turfgrass Science at Penn State, the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council has created a Resource Center as part of a redesign of the PTC website.Along with contact information for turfgrass experts from Penn State, the Resource Center makes available reports on research that is supported by the Council's fundraising efforts.Penn State's 2004 Turfgrass Research Report was posted in the Resource Center on March 17.

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topdressing.biz News: Topdressing Results Using Agresoil Compost

2006-02-16T09:58:00.000-05:00

Topdressing.biz News learned from Rich Simcich our contact at Agresource's the following story. Mike Cabral, assistant public works manager at Mass Development in Devens, MA. has been topdressing 40 acres of athletic field for the past 3 years with the 1/2” minus AGRESOIL COMPOST. To prepare the field he core aerates in four directions then spreads 1,000 cubic yards at rate of 25 cubic yards per acre. When asked what are the 3 biggest benefits of topdressing every fall he responded; money, durability, and labor. In 2001 Mike spent $75,000 for fertilizers and chemicals, his water usage was 3 million gallons per year and he over seeded 3-4 times per season. In 2004 his fertilizer and chemicals expense dropped to $28,000, water to .6 million gallons and he reduced the over seeding by two thirds

Topdressing.biz News: Is Topdressing becoming an alternative?

2006-02-16T07:01:00.000-05:00

The Editors of topdressing.biz are asking themselfs is Topdressing Application an alternative to the chemical ban coming from the North of the boarder

Concepts: Topdressing an alternative, pesticides, Uxbridge, resident, weeds, News, Spiro, petition, ban, business, pesticide applications, Lemcke, lawn, bylaw, council, dangers.
Summary:
UXBRIDGE(Canada) -- An Uxbridge resident is on a mission to educate the public about pesticides, as well as convince council to pass a bylaw prohibiting them on residential properties.Rachel Spiro, who lives on the border of Uxbridge and Scugog, feels it's time to take her concerns about pesticides to town hall.Spiro will speak to council Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m., armed with information from groups outlining the dangers of lawn chemicals."The Ontario College of Family Physicians and the Canadian Cancer Society warn us against the dangers of pesticide," her petition reads.In an information pamphlet, The Canadian Cancer Society states that pesticides are "designed to destroy living organisms, so by their very nature they can also be harmful to humans...Chris Lemcke, owner of Weed Man in Uxbridge, said the business has changed the way it approaches pesticide applications over recent years.He added that the company as a whole has reduced pesticide use by 90 per cent, and that all chemicals used are regulated by the Province and Health Canada.He feels a sweeping bylaw imposed in Toronto to ban residential pesticides is ineffective."It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars for bylaw officers," he explained.Parks Director Ingrid Svelnis said the Township uses discretion when spraying municipal property, and usually considers treatment if 30 per cent of the property is overrun by weeds."I don't think having a perfect lawn is worth the health risk," she said, adding that she has been passionate about the issue for some time and "feels there is enough information (against it).By Jeff HaywardStaff Writer of http://www.durhamregion.com/dr/regions/uxbridge/story/3319931p-3842961c.html

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Do it now landscaping.com News: Topdressing will Improve Your Clay Soil

2005-08-19T07:20:00.000-04:00

Concepts:
Topdressing, aeration, lawn, grass, wiregrass, soil, core, fertilize, overseeding, fescues, bluegrasses, turf, Johnson grass, seeds, perennials, spread, lawn weed killers.
Summary:
A reader asked John Arbogast, http://www.roanoke.com/outdoors/gardening%5C29873.html and he gave him very good answers especially the topdressing procedure... clay soils become concrete-hard in hot, dry weather and thus become difficult for core aerator penetration, water the lawn two or three days prior to aeration.Q: The reader wants to know how he can improve on his soil and grass conditionI got rid of the clover and dandelions with lawn weed killers.However, one corner of the lot is solid Johnson grass, and wiregrass consumes 60 to 70 percent of the rest.I understand that you can't use lawn weed killers in new grass.A: Take soil tests now from the front and back yards, and work to bring the pH (acidity) to the range needed by turf species in this region 6.5 to 6.8.Also, right now, improve the soil quality with core aerification followed by spreading a thin layer of commercially produced topdressing product or a mixture of finely chopped peat moss and fine soil."Topdressing" is the turf term meaning to spread a thin layer of soil mix over a turf area to stimulate thatch decomposition and to smooth the surface.Since clay soils become concrete-hard in hot, dry weather and thus become difficult for core aerator penetration, water the lawn two or three days prior to aeration.1. Leave the aggressive wiregrass and Johnson grass, which are both perennials.Your goal in the next years will be to favor bluegrasses or fescues instead of those perennial invaders.In late summer, core aerate the soil and then overseed with 2 ½ pounds of bluegrass mix or 5 pounds of turf-type tall fescue per 1,000 square feet.Fertilize at the time of seeding with any high phosphorus lawn starter fertilizer, and water faithfully every few days as needed to get good establishment.Six weeks after this overseeding, fall fertilize the lawn with a high nitrogen turf-type fertilizer without week killer.Plan to core aerate and overseed every second late summer to keep bluegrasses and fescues predominant and thick so they will hopefully mask wiregrass and Johnson grass there.Convert your problem lawn and accept a brown lawn from late fall through mid spring by adding an improved common Bermda grass cultivated variety in late spring or early summer of 2006 to spread along with the existing wiregrass.Locate a seed source now becuase improved Bermuda grass is not commonly used in home lawns around here, but don't overseed your lawn until '06.Non-improved common Bermuda grass varieties produce seeds, but they make a very coarse appearing turf.

Topdressing applicator for Eastern Pennsylvania:http://www.do-it-now-landscaping.com
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Topdressing.biz News: Linear Aeration, Topdressing of Sportsfields are taking frontseat at the Georgia Parks, in Powder Springs, Georgia

2005-08-14T21:46:00.000-04:00

On August 10, 2005 John Bentley,Earth and Turf the developer of many excellent topdressing and linear aeration equipment pieces and the editor of Topdressing.biz attended the field day at Georgia Parks and Rec. in Powder Springs Georgia. John Bentley was hosting the the Linear Aeration seminar. They actually were running the Linear Aerator on a field that has been topdressed with calcined clay. Ron Sattele Jr. from Athletic Turf Management gave an excellent talk on the benefits of Linear Aeration.

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http://www.earthandturf.com
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Topdressing.biz News: Linear Aeration, Topdressing of Sportsfields are taking frontseat at the Georgia Parks, in Powder Springs, Georgia

2005-08-14T17:49:00.000-04:00

On August 10, 2005 John Bentley,Earth and Turf the developer many excellent topdressing and linear aeration equipment pieces and the editor of Topdressing.biz attended the field day at Georgia Parks and Rec. in Powder Springs Georgia. John Bentley was hosting the the Linear Aeration seminar. They actually were running the Linear Aerator on a field that has been topdressed with calcined clay. Ron Sattele Jr. from Athletic Turf Management gave an excellent talk on the benefits of Linear Aeration.

http://www.linearaeration.com
http://www.do-it-now-landscaping.com
http://www.earthandturf.com
http://www.topdressing.biz

Linear Aeration, Topdressing of Sportsfields are taking frontseat at the Georgia Parks, in Powder Springs, Georgia

2005-08-14T17:44:00.000-04:00

Topdressing.biz News: What is all that fuss about Soil Compactation? Part l

2005-08-07T16:10:00.000-04:00

Some of the things you need to observe when using the Natural Lawn Care Procedure called topdressing:
- Traffic; frequency and intensity of use
- Weather conditions
- Season
- Normal Use causes for soil particles to be compacted together, reducing pore space and increasing soil density, especially in Clay soils.
These mechanical and environmental actions can drastically decrease air, water and nutrient intake of the soil. This in turn causes turf roots to struggle to fill their basic needs. As a result, turf quality declines and sports fields provide less cushioning for players which results in increased exposure to sports injuries.
Turf shows less stress tolerance and increased susceptibility to weed, disease and insect problems. Aeration and topdressing are good bets to combat compactation.

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Topdressing.biz News: Topdressing to the Rescue - An other Proof that Topdressing can help

2005-08-07T12:43:00.000-04:00

Goldsboro News-Argus | Sports: Southern Wayne Country Club renovations near completion

http://www.newsargus.com/sports/archives/2005/07/22/southern_wayne_country_club_renovations_near_completion/index.shtml

Concepts:
topdressing, greens, Hunt, bermuda grass, renovations, Coastal Turf, Heath, competitors, golf, Tifdwarf, crew, facility, grasses, play, tearing.

Summary:
MOUNT OLIVE -- Tree-lined Bermuda grass fairways and small Bermuda greens make Southern Wayne Country Club's picturesque golf course unique.But the 6,200-yard course drew the ire of competitors during the final round of this year's Wayne County Men's Amateur.Southern Wayne golf pro Howard Hunt had heard the complaints many times.He also knew that to remain competitive with in-county courses Walnut Creek and Lane Tree, renovations were desperately needed.Hunt and course superintendent Scott Heath, a native of Mount Olive, discussed tearing up the greens and re-sprigging them with a better Bermuda grass.Coastal Turf brought in its own crew that hand-sprigged the new Champion Tifdwarf Bermuda grass onto the green."We're just trying to offer a better product through the golfing membership at Southern Wayne as well as area golfers who would like to come play," said Hunt."This renovation should allow us to have a really nice facility over the next few years.Verticutting and topdressing are needed to balance the aggressiveness of Tifdwarf, but its mat is the perfect base for overseeded winter grasses.

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Topdressing.biz News: Topdressing to the Rescue - An other Proof that Topdressing can help

2005-08-07T12:38:00.000-04:00

Topdressing.biz News:Want to Learn More about Topdressing

2005-08-06T07:22:00.000-04:00

Cybergolf National
http://www.cybergolf.com/state.asp?stateid=79&newsid=3169
Concepts:
golf, championship, golf courses, Kuhns, PGA, Baltusrol, volunteers, club, Golf Architect, game, bentgrass, ropes, Country, GCSAA, Superintendents.
Summary:
Championship venues are nothing new for the 25-year Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) member.His impressive resume includes stints at Ligonier (Pa.) Country Club, Laurel Valley Golf Club, Oakmont Country Club and now Baltusrol.How does the 2005 PGA Championship compare to the 1994 U.S. Open Championship he hosted at Oakmont?Inside the ropes, Kuhns will bring in 90 volunteers to assist his 60-person maintenance staff."The bentgrass/Poa mix (greens, tees, fairways) and the bluegrass (roughs) are cool season grasses that don't take too kindly to the heat and humidity of New Jersey in mid-August," Kuhns said.Kuhns instituted a program of aerating and topdressing greens, which combined with bentgrass overseeding, has converted the greens from a 10 percent bentgrass/90 percent Poa mix in 2000, to a 90-95 percent bentgrass today.Turf also improved due to a tree management program which allowed for better air movement and the sun exposure needed to maintain a healthy stand.Kuhns also re-established the challenge of Baltusrol's rough by sodding the areas from the edge of the fairway to the gallery ropes with a blend of thick Kentucky Bluegrass (80 percent) and ryegrass.Since 1926, GCSAA has been the leading professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide.From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 individual members in more than 72 countries.GCSAA's mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf.

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Topdressing.biz News: Another way to help our environment is to combine farm manure and landscape waste

2005-06-29T07:03:00.000-04:00

PJStar.com - Journal Star News

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/062605/REG_B6Q2B4S0.017.shtml

Concepts:
compost, Walker, farmers, Sweet Earth, landscape waste, ISU, Illinois, manure, odors, agriculture, farm, urban, Journal Star, market, Dispositions.
Summary:
As urban communities continue to meld with farmland in Illinois, people from both settings are learning to coexist.Farmers are seeing businesses and homes sprout up near their crops, while city dwellers are noticing strange new odors drifting into their back yards."We are rapidly becoming urbanized across the state," Illinois State University animal science professor Paul Walker said.During the past several years, Walker's focus has been on composting urban landscape waste with manure to make an odorless fertilizer everyone can use.Walker said the idea for creating the compost that ISU now markets as Sweet Earth came from realizing livestock operations have problems with bad odors and municipalities have trouble discarding landscape waste.Researchers combine farm manure with city landscape waste to make odorless Sweet Earth

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Topdressing.biz News: Another way to help our environment is to combine farm manure and landscape waste

2005-06-27T20:11:00.000-04:00

Topdressing.biz News: Arena footing, Soil amendment topdressing, arena, playground material, "Arial" color="#0000FF"

2005-06-27T17:44:00.000-04:00

For the poeple on the West Cost here is a good Topdressing SourceConcepts:
arena, arena footing, soil, topdressing, playground, crumb rubber, soil amendment, indoor, crumb rubber products, horse arenas, playground surface, riding arenas, equestrian arenas, playground equipment, lawn topdressing.
Summary:
We promote recycled crumb rubber products and compostable bags.Our crumb rubber products are made from waste tires and have all the metal removed.Our compostable bags are made from recycled plastics.Used on turfgrass to prevent grass wear from occuring.Mixed into the soil to reduce soil compaction and promote healthier roots.Used on jogging trails, playgrounds, climbing facilities, etc.Arena footing, Soil amendment topdressing, arena, playground material, 509-910-1430.We sell crumb rubber products for arena footing, arena footing, soil amendment and topdressing.Arena footing, horse arenas, crumb rubber, arena rubber footing, arena footing indoor sand, build dressage arena, construction of horse arena, soil amendment, topdressing soil, topdressing yard, clay soils, environmentally friendly, lawn topdressing, playground material, playground equipment, playground surface, riding arenas, equestrian arenas, indoor arena.

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http://www.earthandturf.com
http://www.i-cut-large-lawns.com

Topdressing.biz News: If you want to go the Natural way with your Lawn!

2005-06-04T08:48:00.000-04:00

The Organic Garden: Give your water-addicted landscape a fix of compost mulchhttp://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nwgardens/226835_lovejoy04.html
Concepts:
gardening, compost mulch, water, plants, lawn, soil, watering, landscape, beds, spread, Seattle, whatever, drip, bare, roots.
Summary:
Every year, a few readers explain that their particular lawn (or garden or landscape) is somehow so different that smart watering techniques won't work.Overly watered lawns nearly always have very short roots (often less than an inch long) that are not capable of supporting turf on their own.The answer is not to pamper these slacker lawns but to slowly taper them off the excess water.Spread the mulch after a rain or after you have watered, then wet down the mulch (if necessary) to keep it from wicking moisture out of the soil.Tuck at least an inch of compost mulch wherever you see bare earth, and shove a bit under the skirts of your plants as well.If the beds are largely bare, with widely spaced plants, then spread compost mulch more deeply, using 2-3 inches at the drip line of each plant and reducing the layer to a mere half-inch at the base of each plant.If you are making a new garden, plant your plants, then install drip irrigation or soaker lines in simple patterns that deliver the coverage you need.A few readers have written to say that the worst offenders in terms of wasting water are public and private institutions.In the Seattle area, most Parks and Recreation departments as well as city and county grounds crews follow very careful guidelines and procedures for watering, as do such public places as the Seattle Center.One simple and effective way you can help to change the situation is to write a polite but specific letter to the president of whatever company owns or rents the building.A series of natural care brochures is available from the Green Gardening Program, sponsored by Seattle Public Utilities.

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Topdressing.biz News: The Over-35s genaration is an injury burden

2005-05-01T09:01:00.000-04:00

The New Zealand Heraldhttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10123170Concepts:
sports, injuries, soccer, tendon, Zealanders, sports physician, injury, Ewens, Milne, straight, achilles tendon, fitness, ruptures, resilient, age.
Summary:
Latest figures show in the past 10 years, ACC has paid out more than $523 million in new and ongoing claims for sports-related injuries to people aged 35 and over.Last year alone, the figure was $66.7 million.The claims were for injuries from a wide number of sports, ranging from cricket, soccer and rugby to fishing, dancing and bowls.Last year, $1.4 million in claims was paid to over-35s for injuries from netball, $1.7 million from skiing, $1.8 million from soccer, and $2.3 million from rugby union.Sports Medicine New Zealand chairman Dr Chris Milne said New Zealand was seeing more injuries among older people as the population aged and a growing proportion of older people stayed active.Winter sports caused a large number of injuries, such as tendon ruptures, broken bones, dislocated joints and neck injuries, according to Dr Ewens.

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Topdressing.biz News: The Over-35s genaration is an injury burden

2005-05-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Topdressing.biz News: How to conserve water

2005-04-15T00:15:00.000-04:00

Slow the flowhttp://www.oregonlive.com/gardencenter/oregonian/vern_nelson/index.ssf?/base/homes_gardens/111338628388020.xmlConcepts:
plant, water, Gardener, soil, crop, weeds, planting, hoses, fruit, edibles, beds, wind, moisture, irrigation, Vern Nelson.
Summary:
Gardening smart when water is at a premium requires a multipronged attack. For example, soaker hoses and drip irrigation lines release moisture slowly, curbing runoff and drift problems common with sprinklers.Irrigate early in the morning, if possible, so water has a chance to soak into the soil and be absorbed by plants before the day warms up and steals it.I water down the composted areas first, then sow cover crop seed, rake it in and tamp it down with the flat face of a steel rake.Cut the cover crop down when it's mature but still crisp, and leave it in place on the soil to mulch against weeds and moisture loss, and to stabilize soil temperature, or you can dig it in.To boost nitrogen in the beds, plant leguminous cover crops.When you do plant annual edibles, especially vegetables, plant them near the house or where they can be easily watered, such as near hose bibs.If your garden is swept by dry winds, put up porous fencing that winnows the wind, or choose a more sheltered site for planting.It's best to pick the immature fruit off a fruit tree for the first two or three years after planting so that the tree's energy goes to developing a strong root system.It's especially important to do this under drought conditions, as producing large, sweet fruit demands water and lots of plant energy.When soil is low on water, some plants are more prone to scorching, so shelter marginal plants along shade/sun interfaces with shade cloth or other screening material.

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Topdressin.biz News: In and Around the world of Compost

2005-04-02T02:56:00.000-05:00

Pasadena Star-News - Opinionhttp://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206~11851~2792015,00.htmlConcepts:
sports, compost, Bill Bell, health, sell, drip, education, .
Summary:
GARDENERS and others who discover the joys of composting find that it can become an addiction.On foreign trips, unable to turn vegetable scraps and raked-up oak leaves into the magic of mulch, they become like the homesick American in the Lorrie Moore novel who says to her husband in a Parisian restaurant: "I miss recycling.'Adherents run from those with a single heap or backyard plastic bin in which they make their black gold to massive commercial operations that create, bag and sell compost as fertilizer in nurseries.All can tell you at least a little something about the invertebrates and microorganisms that chew things up and create a little steamy heat.About temperature curves and moisture content and calculating the proper ratio of materials.And then there's Altadenan Tim Dundon, who for over 20 years has been known as Zeke the Sheik, the rhyming king of the amateur compost world.Rather than a little pile that can be turned by a pitchfork, Dundon is the creator, the curator, the proud possessor of a mountain of the stuff and a subtropical garden atop it and in his yard."A weapon of mass creation' he calls the 40-foot-high hill that sits on land adjacent to his own, long owned by Mountain View Cemetery.Now the venerable cemetery, burial spot for many of the founding mothers and fathers of the region, has decided it needs to sell the lot it has allowed Dundon to use.That economic reality may spell the end of the line for Dundon.But his baby's been in a heap of trouble before.Fire and zoning violations caused the county to tsk-tsk.They use it to mulch and fertilize their own gardens.Because what else, to quote Zeke, so deftly "generates the power that makes a flower?'If Mountain View needs to sell, it needs to sell.Another of the excess plots the cemetery owns could be used for composting, or could be sold to allow this one to continue in its present use.Citizens could pool resources to buy the plot or a financial angel could buy it for Dundon and the good of the community.Anything is possible with Dr. Frankenvine and his Ladder of Matter.Here's hoping that one of Altadena's most beloved living landmarks doesn't bite the dust.

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Machine-Shop-Online.com News: Machine Shop Education in CT

2005-03-21T02:31:00.000-05:00

Summary:
When David Calabrese needs to hire an employee at his Naugatuck shop, he makes his first call to Mike Cooper.Cooper heads the Waterbury Adult Education Technical Training Center, a manufacturing training center that's found jobs for about 90 percent of its nearly 700 graduates.Calabrese is the current president of Manufacturing Alliance Service Corp. that oversees the center, but he's also president of Cole Screw Machine Inc., which turns out precision products for a host of industries.So far, Calabrese figures he's hired at least five employees from the program, which not only aims to give students basic manufacturing skills, but employment skills they'll need to keep their jobs."The program runs on the pretext that they're going to train people to be employees as well as give them job skills," Calabrese said."That's the advantage to me as an employer.It is an exciting time for the center's supporters, said Frank Johnson, executive director of the Waterbury-based Manufacturing Alliance of Connecticut, or MAC."I really can't stress how important it is to manufacturers to have a resource to ramp up very quickly and deliver what manufacturers need, which is trained employees," Johnson said.It's particularly crucial in Connecticut, where manufacturing accounts for a larger percentage of employment than the nation as a whole, and even more so in Greater Waterbury, where manufacturing directly accounts for about 16 percent of the jobs and indirectly for about one-third of all jobs.Now quartered in 17,000 square feet of space at 74 Mattatuck Heights, the center expects to move this summer into the renovated 22,000-square-foot Interstate Lane complex.Plans call for office, classroom and training space, plus a 40-seat video conference center available for training, "distance-learning" and other uses by area manufacturers, manufacturing groups and education-related organizations.Waterbury's Adult Education Department currently covers the center's $120,000 annual rent and funding for instructional salaries, while area manufacturers have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in monetary and in-kind donations of materials, equipment and time.Moving to the new building not only eliminates the rent payments, but allows those managing the center to stop thinking about finding a permanent home and focus on its core mission of training.Founded in 1996, the center offers classroom and hands-on training on the setup, operation and maintenance of precision manufacturing equipment such as screw machines and eyelet presses.It offers training for entry-level employees, current workers looking to upgrade skills and apprentice programs.It was the first school in the country credentialed in training standards set by the National Institute of Metalworking Skills, or NIMS, and also customizes training for an individual firms or groups of companies.Training on the 10-week entry-level program begins with classroom sessions covering blueprint reading and integrated math -- skills crucial in just about any manufacturing position -- then moves to hands-on training.That means first learning basic skills in the center's tool room, then moving onto the shop floor, for work on eyelet and screw machines, two of Greater Waterbury's core manufacturing technologies.Waterbury residents Jason Carter and Reggie Griffin graduated Friday from the program.

Businesshttp://www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=18610

www.machine-shop-online.com

Mulch-it-now.com News: What will that do to our Mulch price?

2005-03-20T14:42:00.000-05:00

Landfill changes mulching operation to avoid fines

Summary:
Department of Environmental Protection inspectors found dust on homes in Stuart West last year.PALM CITY --- A new plan to minimize dust and debris from a mulching operation at the Martin County landfill could help the county avoid punitive action by the state Department of Environmental Protection.But a resident of the nearby Stuart West community questioned whether the measures would be enough.Pat Yancey, the county's solid waste administrator, said the first step is to move the operation farther from nearby homes.The DEP warned the county it was violating its permit and issued a 'notice of violation' Nov. 23 after inspectors found dust on homes in Stuart West that was blown there from the mulching operation.Before the new measures were proposed, the county said it would keep the mulch piles wet and shut down the machinery when winds were higher than 20 mph.Inspectors who visited the facility Dec. 9 said the county was complying with its permit and doing what it must to contain the mulching operation --- but the new measures are needed to help the county avoid further DEP action.John Born, vice president of the Stuart West Homeowners Association, said the new measures might go a long way toward minimizing the problem, but there's no way to tell until they're in place.

www.mulch-it-now.com

Topdressing.biz News: Could we have too Much Organic Material on our Lawn?

2005-03-20T14:24:00.000-05:00

The short answer as my collegue out west states in her article could be .... but let's read on.

Summary:
Can you have too much organic matter in your soil?In the spring, we often add organic matter as a side dressing to established beds, incorporating it lightly around trees and shrubs.In an established bed or for top dressing an established lawn, add only one-quarter inch at a time and allow the plants to grow up through the new media.For new gardens or for areas that do not have underlying roots from shrubs and trees, consider breaking up that hardpan.Last year when I was putting in my landscape, we were able to break up the soil to a depth of 18 inches.The city of Boulder wants to help you save water while adding more beauty and interest to your yard.Take advantage of this program, Zero in on Xeriscape if you live in East Boulder, Table Mesa and Martin acres.Noxious weeds are those plants for which selling or dissemination is forbidden by law through the Colorado Department of Agriculture's plant industry division.The city and county of Boulder have written several grants, so we hope to be directly delivering information about myrtle spurge to you.Dormant oil may be petroleum-based or more eco-friendly vegetable-based, and while it's on the certified organic list of acceptable products, be sure to read and follow all label instructions.Colorado State University Cooperative Extension in Boulder County provides unbiased, research-based information about consumer and family issues, horticulture, natural resources, agriculture and 4-H youth development.

The Daily Camera: Home And Garden

http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/home_and_garden/article/0,1713,BDC_2475_3629475,00.html

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Topdressing.biz News: How to Turn your Yard Waste into Compost!

2005-03-12T07:58:00.000-05:00

Pauls Valley Daily Democrathttp://www.paulsvalleydailydemocrat.com/articles/2005/03/11/news See Summary below

This summary is brought to you by Topdressing.biz and in our opinion makes very good sense in the pursuit of natural and organic lawns and gardens.

Yard trimmings and grass clippings can make up 15 to 25 percent of a community's waste.The costs of collecting and transporting yard waste may be a considerable portion of a community's waste management budget.These costs may be reduced if communities practiced backyard yard waste composting.Yard wastes, especially grass clippings, are usually high in nutrient content.When yard waste is composted, bacteria use air and water to break down plant materials into nutrient-rich compost.These nutrients can be beneficial to soils, plants, and trees in the yard when applied as mulch or a soil amendment.Compost systems can be simple and slow as a heap or pile, which is turned occasionally during the year.A more structured and complex system requires containers, more turning, and produces finished compost in a few months.In compost piles, water is added to green and brown vegetation layers.Compost can loosen clay soils, help sandy soil retain moisture and nutrients, and retain soil moisture when used as a mulch.Compost is a natural dark brown humus-rich material formed from the decomposition or breakdown of organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, vegetation, vegetable food scraps, and twigs.Organic materials are placed in alternating green and brown layers in a container, bin, or pile.The time of completion will vary according to the type and amount of materials used, the climate, the size and type of bin or pile used, and the amount of aeration or turning of the pile.To recycle natural materials, reduce amount of chemical fertilizer used, reduce amount of material going to landfills, reduce landfill tipping fees for individuals or communities, and prolong landfill life.You may view this entire fact sheet (F-1744) by visiting the Garvin County Extension web site at http://countyext.okstate.edu/garvin and clicking on the Fact Sheet link located on our home page.

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Topdressing.biz News: How to Turn your Yard Waste into Compost!

2005-03-12T07:57:00.000-05:00

Do-it-now-landscaping.com News: Prune Flowering Trees

2005-03-08T10:40:00.000-05:00

Source: National Gardening Association and Arca Max Publishing
Remove energy-stealing root suckers from the base of crabapple, plum, and cherry trees in spring, as they appear. Cut as close to the ground as possible. Source: National Gardening Association Remove energy-stealing root suckers from the base of crabapple, plum, and cherry trees in spring, as they appear. Cut as close to the ground as possible.

Brought to you by: www.do-it-now-landscaping.com
and www.i-cut-large-lawns.com

Topdressing.biz News:Effect of Crumb Rubber Topdressing on Athletic Fields

2005-03-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

Effect of Crumb Rubber Topdressing on Athletic Fields 1999
According to:D.K. Tompkins, J.B. Ross and D. L. Moroz

"The use of crumb rubber improved turf resiliency and had no impact on turf quality, water infiltration or water content. However, there was a reduction in grass clipping yield and an increase in the tissue zinc concentration associated with the use of crumb rubber. The increase in zinc concentration, must be monitored over time, and may be a more serious problem on the repeat application treatments.

Wear tolerance will be monitored in the spring of 2000."

For the full summary please go to: http://ptrc.oldscollege.ab.ca/1999_ar/TRATH_2000m.htm
Brought to you by:Topdressing News. March 2005; www.topdressing.biz and
www.linearaeration.com

Topdressing.biz News: The Compost Story part l

2005-03-06T09:34:00.000-05:00

According to Susan J. Harlow, in COMPOST, the non availability of landfills and the ever increasing tonnage of yard waste are stimulating some of use to use compost. She points out that one can use compost for flower potting mix, and planting trees and shrubs. But more and more golf course superintendents and athletic field managers are beginning to use compost on their turf.

Harlow cautions not to go out in your yard and start to just put your compost on your lawn. Tomorrow we will investigate what expertise and the time element to produce proper mulch is needed.

This topdressing News is brought to you by: www.topdressing.biz

Topdressing News March 2005: What is Topdressing?

2005-03-03T05:41:00.000-05:00

What is topdressing?
Sandman states:"Topdressing is the application a blended soil mixture over the surface of turf grass. Mostly used on warm weather turf grasses such as bermuda, centipede and zoysia. Cool season turf grass, such as fescue, can also benefit from topdressing.

Sandman Sandman America, Inc. - 483 Bill Watkins Road - Hoschton - GA - 30548http://www.sandmantopdressing.com/TopdressingServices.htm

This News Blitz has been brought to you by www.topdressing.biz
For a well qualified Topdressing specialist please contact us:sales@topdressing.biz

For Topdressing Equipment, please check out this manufacturer:http://www.earthandturf.com

Topdressing Information For the Golf Course Professional

2005-03-03T05:03:00.000-05:00

Topdressing Golf Greens
Authors Skogley, C. R.; Rossi, Frank Journal Title URI Turfgrass Research Review Date No. 18, 1987, p. (1-3) Pub. Info Kingston, RI: Rhode Island Cooperative Extension Service, Univ. of Rhode Island. Call No. SB 433 .A1 U54
http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modtt/11447001.html
For search purposes here are the keywords:
Golf greens; Sand topdressings; agrees palest; agrees canine; Golf greens; Sand particle size; Quality evaluation; Color; Thatch accumulation; aerobic

This information is posted here by www.topdressing.biz
if you need any help with your topdressing chores please contact us for a well qualified topdressing specialist in your area:sales@topdressing.biz>

Topdressing wet material can be a problem!

2005-02-17T07:38:00.000-05:00

Topdressing wet materials can be a problem for many topdressers but because of Earth & Turf's open design and multi-directional expeller system spreading we can spread a variety of materials wet or dry.

for more information please contact the following sources:

www.topdressing.biz
www.do-it-now-landscaping.com
www.i-cut-large-lawns.com

for equipment information please contact the manufacturer:
www.earthandturf.com

Topdressing Special

2005-02-14T20:44:00.000-05:00

Practise Natural Lawn care and be good to your lawn and your waterways topdress your lawn this spring and obtain a 25%discount by signing up with one of our installers.

www.do-it-now-landscaping.com or www.i-cut-large-lawns.com

sponsored by: www.topdressing.biz

Looking for a topdresser see www.EarthandTurf.com

2005-02-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

Here is what Bob Broom, of RKB Enterprises, Inc.said:"Try Earth&Turf, 888-693-2638, or www.earthandturf.com. They manufacture a spreader which can be towed behind a small lawn tractor, the hopper's narrow design allows it to pass through narrow openings".
posted by www.topdressing.biz

Origin or History of Topdressing

2005-02-10T13:28:00.000-05:00

Jonathan S. Jennings, CGCS, Chicago Golf Club, Wheaton, Il, USA in his pdf publication: http://www.lib.msu.edu/tic/mtc2002/025.pdf; and Garry Burchfield in Ground Maintenance, June1, 2000, in his article Topdressing gaining favor with LCOshttp://bg.grounds-mag.com/ar/grounds_maintenance_topdressing_gaining_favor/ site

They both mention the venerable greens keeper, Tom Morris,of early St. Andrews days was a pioneer in the use of topdressing for golf greens.

Jennings goes on that the development of topdressing applications first took hold on golf courses by using sand and seeding South German bentgrass. His article goes through better than a century citing different publications and and successful applications of topdressing on golf courses. For the full story please download his excellent expose.

Burchfield in his article indicates that the practice of topdressing has moved into the area of residential and commercial natural, organic lawn care. He further states that many different organic substances are being added to the soil.

We agree with Burchfield about the benefit to topdress with compost. The benefits are innumerable. To get the History and Use on Topdressing please read his article.

We at www.topdressing.biz salute these two gentlemen for their diligent research and whish them all the best in the pursuit of further topdressing stories.

Topdressing and Aerating

2005-02-10T09:10:00.000-05:00

Topdressing and aeration of turf areas or lawns is environmentally the most responsible action to take in order to keep your lawn soft, lush, safe, healthy and green.

Topdressing is the ultimate in natural lawn care and helps with the grass is greener next door complex. This organic lawn care process is achieved by topdressing the turf area with organic substances such as compost, top soil, humus etc.

Topdressing will increase nutrition uptake of the plants, balance moisture content of soil, alleviate compactation, enhance root development, reduce sports injuries on playing surfaces for humans.

Topdressing will aide in reducing animal lameness in horses and racing dogs.Aeration will aide to oxygenate the soil. Topdressing can help leveling, repair turf and lawn areas.

For more information Please contact info@topdressing.biz

The Procedure and Benefits of Topdressing

2005-02-07T23:33:00.000-05:00

Improve, repair the soil and turf the natural way with:
- Aeration, Core, Linear Aeration, Vertical Aeration, Aerification
- Adding Topdressing Materials such as :
- Compost, Humus, Sand, Topsoil, Peat Moss, Mulch etc
- Topdressing will help to level small indentations and uneven ground
- Grass renovation
-Soding (laying new grass tiles)
- Seeding
- Overseeding
- Slit-seeding
-If grass seed is necessary only the best choice for your soil and local conditions is used.
-To maintain the newly topdressed area or property a full natural organic lawn service program can be added.
-The natural lawn service program must take into consideration the environmental impact of using whenever possible organic materials such as humus and compost. The compost/humus consist mostly of leaves, and other organic and garden materials.
-Topdressing will also control the thatch. If the thatch is a problem, a dethatching sessions can be scheduled during the topdressing procedure.

Home Owners: For your Natural, Organic Lawn Care needs please contact info@topdressing.biz for the nearest Topdressing Lawn Care Specialist.
opportu
If you are in the Natural Lawn Care business, please write to opportunity@topdressing.biz
For other information please visit http://www.topdressing.biz