Growing and maintaining turf in West Texas will be in the spotlight Monday (July 13) at a Turfgrass Field Day at the Texas Tech University's Quaker Research Farm. Registration for the half-day program at 200 N. Quaker Ave. begins at 7 a.m., and the program will begin about an hour later.

"We have a great line-up of speakers to talk about an array of turf management principles," said Joey Young, an assistant professor with Tech's Department of Plant and Soil Science. "Although we received a lot of rainfall in May, we don't want to become complacent and waste water with poor management decisions. We can help you learn how to save water and money in your landscape."

The Turfgrass Field Day typically draws green industry professionals such as landscapers, athletic field managers, and golf course superintendents, Young said. However, homeowners who are interested in learning how to maintain a healthy lawn are encouraged to attend. Attendance for the event is free, and lunch will be provided for participants.

The event is developed and provided by Texas Tech's Department of Plant and Soil Science and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. The professional turfgrass managers track will consist of presentations about plant growth regulators, fraze mowing demonstrations, VitAg Fertilizer, herbicide resistance, understanding pesticide labels, and a turf research update.

Separately, there will be presentations on targeted to our homeowner group on residential water conservation products, horticulture plant selections, insect pests and management, weed id and management, spreader calibrations, and general discussion session with the experts. One new aspect to this year's field day will be the offering of two general Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits for those who need CEU points.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Joey Young, assistant professor, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-8457 or joey.young@ttu.edu

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