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DEPARTMENTS
06 | In the news Edmonton bans pruning of elm trees until winter.
25 | Health & Safety ‘Toolbox talks’ promote safety among workers.
MIKE JIGGENS
BY MIKE JIGGENS
By Mike Jiggens
The science behind golf divot repairs
The image gracing the cover of this issue of Turf & Rec is rather dramatic.
It captures a golfer making a good-sized divot after (presumably) hitting a properly struck approach shot into a green.
The photographer captured the precise moment the divot was made after the ball had already left the frame. To the uninitiated, it might appear the golfer has done a tremendous injustice to the playing surface with such violent contact with the ground that he’s recklessly vandalized the golf course.
That’s nonsense, of course, as anyone who knows anything about the game of golf will understand that making a divot with an iron in hand is a normal part of the game. It means he’s correctly pinched the ball on his downswing in such a manner as to take a piece of turf along for the ride during his routine follow-through.
We’re not here to explain how the game should be played. If so, I’d yield to a much lower handicapper than myself. Rather, the image ties in with an agronomic look at golf divots –how they should be repaired and what materials should be used to fill in the cavities.
This is a previously unexplored topic in the pages of our publication. Dr. Aaron Patton of Purdue University took an agronomic look at this aspect of the game during February’s Canadian Golf
Course Management Conference in Quebec City. Divot repair is one of the few facets of turfgrass maintenance that is largely left in the hands of the golfer as opposed to the grounds crew.
If the golfer is diligent and takes pride in the course he is playing, he will do his part to fix his own damage and not further burden the grounds staff beyond the more pressing matters they’re to tackle that day. Fixing ball marks on greens is the other bit of maintenance normally reserved for the golfer.
Sometimes ball marks and divots are completely ignored by the golfer
Sometimes (sadly, many times) ball marks and divots are completely ignored by the golfer. A conscientious golfer from a group or two behind will often tend to these matters that the offending golfer chose to disregard.
Still, there is a right way and a wrong way to make these simple repairs. When they’re done correctly, the golf superintendent appreciates those few seconds the golfer took to lend a hand toward the betterment of the golf course. Frequently, however, these repairs are not performed properly, and this is where stepped up communications must take place between the superintendent and golfers.
Patton presented scientific
data based on research that looked into pouring divot mix into a cavity versus replacing the displaced patch of turf.
He also looked at what worked best as a divot mix.
Much of what Patton had to say offered food for thought, especially when comparing the healing power of divot mix versus the replacement of the unearthed piece of turf. I won’t spoil the results of the study, but start reading on page 8.
Admittedly, there was a time during the early stages of my golf life when I believed making a divot was a golfer’s mistake. During my early years as a beginner at the game, I’d watch someone else strike his ball and be appalled that a huge beaver tail of a turf patch would go flying along with the ball. “Gee, I hope no one working here saw that or else he’s going to be in big trouble,” I thought to myself, rather naively. I figured it was the opposite of a topped ball, with the club digging too deeply into the ground and not making flush contact with the ball.
Of course the perpetrator of the divot would nicely land his ball on the green. Meanwhile I concentrated on sweeping the ball from the turf, upsetting the grass blades as little as possible, but watched as I sprayed it every which way. I eventually clued into the fact that making a divot was part of the game and was actually the proper way to hit a shot, as long as the divot occurred after the ball was struck.
Golf courses in the habit of frequently moving their tee markers around are doing themselves a huge favour.
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Superintendent Jeff Hacior of the Fort McMurray Golf Club will be the lone Canadian member of the North American turf maintenance team this September for the 2018 Ryder Cup tournament in France.
He was one of 10 North American superintendents chosen from among 374 eligible members of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
His involvement is expected to provide him with a unique educational experience.
Edmonton tries iron chelate to fight dandelions
An iron chelate herbicide will be applied to 60 per cent of Edmonton’s sports fields this year to combat dandelions.
No longer able to use 2,4-D, the city will apply the iron-based herbicide up to four times this summer.
Edmonton tested the efficiency of iron chelate in 2017 and has issued a tender to purchase about 48,000 litres of the product annually.
Lawsuit possible over Ottawa soccer field
Plans to build a new artificial turf soccer field at an Ottawa high school, complete with lights, fencing and a new track, have upset neighbouring residents to the point they are threatening to take legal action to stop the project.
Residents are perturbed they were not properly consulted about the project and its implications, and oppose the idea of a business taking over the field.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board argues the new field at Immaculata High School will benefit thousands of students for years to come.
The cost of the project is about $2 million.
1 in 374
Alberta-wide ban
enacted against pruning elm trees
To help fight dandelions
48,000 litres is the amount of herbicide needed.
Alberta has enacted a province-wide ban on pruning elm trees, effective through the end of September. The ban, aimed at preventing the spread of Dutch elm disease, was launched April 1.
Pruning trees during this period of the year is apt to attract the elm bark beetle which spreads the fatal fungus that can kill a tree in as little as three weeks. Alberta residents are urged to wait until the winter months before doing any pruning.
Dutch elm disease was first introduced in Europe in 1930 and has since destroyed millions of elm trees throughout North America after making its way across the Atlantic. Although Alberta has the largest stand of disease-free elm trees in the world, the fungus is present in neighbouring Saskatchewan and Montana as well as in Manitoba.
Close to 300,000 elm trees grow in Alberta, representing the major
species of the urban forest in 17 cities. The value attached to these trees is almost $1 billion.
In 1998, an elm tree in Wainwright was diagnosed with Dutch elm disease. It was believed infected firewood had been brought into the province. The affected tree was immediately removed and burned, restoring Alberta’s Dutch elm disease-free status.
Symptoms of Dutch elm disease appear from the latter half of June until mid-July when leaves begin to wilt, droop and curl. They will turn brown in colour but usually will not fall from their branches. Infections that occur later in the summer will produce droopy, yellow leaves that prematurely fall to the ground. When infection occurs in the fall, it can easily be confused with normal seasonal changes in leaf colour.
In Winnipeg, 5,000 to 6,000 elms are lost annually.
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DEALING WITH DIVOTS
How they can heal fastest, turf types that are more golf friendly.
By Mike Jiggens
Divots are a natural occurrence in the game of golf. They are particularly abundant on par three tees, especially when a hole is short enough to warrant a wedge or nine-iron shot to the green. They are also commonly found in the fairways of par four and five holes, especially from approach distances that are reachable for most recreational golfers.
Mending divots and allowing the cavities to heal is a task shared by both golfers – who created the wounds in the first place – and maintenance staff charged with their repair and ongoing recovery.
Speaking in February at the Canadian Golf Course Management Conference in Quebec City, Dr. Aaron Patton of Purdue University shared some of the divot research he’s done in recent years and offered advice about how to speed up the healing process and to minimize the amount of damage.
Part of his research included determining how often golfers use each club in their bag during a typical round and how many divots they would ordinarily make. A survey among golfers indicated a golfer made a divot each time he hit a shot about two-thirds of the time. Usually, both soil and grass were removed during the stroke. If the club head simply swept through the turf without taking any soil, it wasn’t considered a divot. On average, golfers took 13 divots per round, according to the survey.
Not taken into account, however, was the number of additional divots made from pre-shot practice swings.
The average size of a divot was five centimetres by 10 centimetres. Patton said there wasn’t a consistent relationship between golfer handicap and divot size. Divot volume measured by golfer handicap revealed some golfers with low handicaps might take a smaller-than-average divot while those with significantly
higher handicaps were apt to take the same sized divots.
“There’s no real clear relationship between divot volume and golfer handicap,” he said.
The survey was based on divots taken from Bermuda grass, but many of the findings were applicable to cool season grasses.
On an average 18-hole golf course, about half an acre of turf is removed each season from divots made.
“This was a conservative estimate because we were doing this research with Bermuda grass, and generally Bermuda grass compared to creeping bentgrass would have a much smaller divot than creeping bentgrass.”
When taking into account the differences in divot volume from one turf species to another as well as factoring in the number of practice swings made, closer to 5,000 feet of turf might be displaced in a season, Patton said.
A series of divots on a par 3 tee are in need of repair.
Higher-lofted irons will make larger divots than long irons. This was measured by the results of eight golfers who took five shots apiece with each club in their bag. The size of the divot was examined in relation to the loft of the club.
Patton said this becomes a bigger problem with divots on golf courses with shorter yardages. When several holes are only 300 to 350 yards long, more wedges will be used to hit approach shots. This results in larger, more numerous divots.
The average volume of a divot is 43 cubic centimetres. Extrapolating the number with the number of divots a golf course anticipates each season, it amounts to about 18 cubic metres of sand needed to fill the cavities. The data is based on the Bermuda grass model. Divots are more easily made on creeping bentgrass tees than on Bermuda grass, Patton said.
“The bottom line is you’re going to need a lot of sand to fill those divots.”
Creeping bentgrass has stolons to promote divot recovery but offers poor divot resistance. Its ability to hold up to an iron making contact with the turf is deficient, and some of the biggest divots are made on creeping bentgrass tees.
“It’s nice for divots to fill in and grow back quickly after we take them, but if a grass species can resist that golf club going through it, we can make a smaller divot, and that’s good for us as well because that’s a smaller area we have to repair.”
Kentucky bluegrass has rhizomes that are beneficial for divot recovery and is a little more resistant to divoting than creeping bentgrass. Perennial ryegrass is a bunch type grass that prevents it from filling in from divots, but has medium divot resistance. Fine fescues have rhizomes yet are slow to grow, making recovery less than ideal. The fescues tend to resist divoting fairly well, however.
No perfect grass for divots
Patton said there is no perfect grass type that can lessen the amount of divot repairs that are needed. Some resist divoting better than others and some recover more efficiently than others, but all have their strengths and weaknesses.
Based on a show of hands from among the superintendents in his audience, Patton estimated about 40 per cent grow their tees to creeping bentgrass while Kentucky bluegrass and poa annua account for most of the remainder. Many superintendents also grow one species on some tees and a different species on others.
“I think that’s important because we know that microclimates may have shaded tee boxes where maybe one species will do a bit better than another. I think it’s important to take advantage of the characteristics of those different species.”
If a shallow divot is taken from creeping bentgrass, it will be mostly turf that has been removed and little soil, leaving sufficient stolons remaining to allow the grass to recover. The club has essentially just skimmed off the turf.
If all of the turf has been removed along with a small amount of soil and the divot is filled in with just sand, there will be a reliance on the stolons of the creeping bentgrass to fill in from the edges of the cavity. Eventually, the creeping bentgrass will continue to grow and fill in the divot on its own.
“That’s one of the nice things about creeping bentgrass. It does have that recovery mechanism from its stolon growth.”
Kentucky bluegrass resists divoting more than creeping bentgrass. Even if the golfer’s intent is to purposely take a large divot during his shot, the turf will resist
divoting. If a divot is made, yet some of the rhizomes that can regrow the wound are left behind, recovery will occur.
Not much research has been done in the area of variety selection for tees, Patton admitted.
“Is it helpful to pick certain varieties over others when it comes to recovery?”
In general, most creeping bentgrass varieties recover from divots at about the same pace and rate. Based on the limited research that has been conducted, once bentgrass has been established, there is no discernable difference among the varieties that would suggest one is better for divot recovery.
Studies have been done among different varieties of perennial ryegrass, including bunch-type grasses and those with some spreading ability. Patton said improvements are being made on some varieties of ryegrass to spread through “pseudo stolons” to fill in divot areas.
“Certainly if you have a ryegrass tee box, you wouldn’t rely solely on the grass itself to fill in the divots. You need some seed in that mixture to get your tees recovered in an adequate time.”
Although no one in the audience admitted to growing tees to fine fescues, they don’t have to be mowed or fertilized as often, Patton said. Some fine fescues have rhizomes while others are bunch types. He said the belief that planting spreading types of fine fescues might lead to divots filling in quicker isn’t true. Research shows they fill in, but it’s not from rhizomes. Rather, the wounds fill in from their edges. Because it’s a slow growing grass, the process takes longer. Research shows that even after 12 months of regrowth, no divot was completely filled in.
“If you’re considering using fine fescues, that would be something you need to take into consideration.”
Patton said most of the divot research that has been done involves cool season grasses, but the studies have been tailored more to soccer and football fields and not as much to golf.
A divot made in a grass species that easily wounds and has poor resistance to divoting takes more work to grow back in than a species that is more resistant. Rough
bluegrass fares a little better than creeping bentgrass, Patton said, but both, as well as poa annua, will result in a large divot. Typically, poa annua divots disintegrate while creeping bentgrass divots can be replaced as its stolons help to keep them in place.
Golfers are encouraged to replace their divots while playing, and it’s a philosophy that should be promoted, he said.
“When we replace that divot, it may eventually die because there aren’t much roots attached to it, but it can still be helpful in filling that low space so that the next golfer will maybe have a better lie.”
Patton added that if a creeping bentgrass divot is peeled back, most likely it is helping to keep the stolons underneath and along the edges moist to promote better recovery.
“When we replace that divot, it may eventually die because there aren’t much roots attached to it”
Replacing divots versus filling them in
Data from a study conducted by a superintendent compared replacing divots versus filling in the cavities using a mixture of sand and seed. Twenty divots were replaced while another 20 were filled with sand and seed. In the case of the replaced divots, some dried out a little or were scalped a bit during mowing. Timed photographs showed that after one week, there was no difference between the two sets of divots. But after two weeks, the divots that had been replaced were starting to root and recover while the filled in cavities showed no apparent
An explosion of turfgrass and soil are taken as a golfer makes a divot during his shot.
progress.
“I think it’s good for us to train our golfers to repair the divot by putting it back in its place if it’s possible versus just always wanting to put sand in it.”
Several golf courses have divot mix dispensers available on carts or next to tees for golfers to use when divots are created. Patton said that when divots can’t be replaced, golfers should be taught the proper way to fill in cavities with divot mix. Often a golfer overfills the cavity, not understanding the idea is to keep the repaired area level with the tee box. Frequently, however, the task of filling in divots is left to the grounds maintenance staff.
“In that case, they’re typically going out with their utility carts filled with sand and shovels and doing their best to fill in.”
About 20 per cent of Patton’s audience indicated they filled their divots with just sand. The majority used a mixture of soil, sand and/or compost. Most of the courses that allow golfers the tools to fill in their own divots don’t provide seed in the mixture, allowing only the maintenance staff to work with seed.
Patton alluded to two studies aimed at filling divots in the best possible way. One was conducted in Illinois with the other in Ontario. Both studies looked at 100 per cent sand treatment, 100 per cent compost treatment, 100 per cent soil treatment and different ratios.
In the Illinois study, trials included an 80-20 sand-compost mix, an 80-20 sandsoil mix and an 80-10-10 sand-compostsoil mix. The Ontario study factored in peat with a 50-40-10 sand-peat-clay mix trial, an 80-20 sand-compost and an 8020 sand-peat or sand-soil mix trial. Seed was eventually added in different volume amounts in the Illinois study at one-half per cent (one scoop of seed with 199 scoops of mix), one per cent, 2.5 per cent, five per cent, 10 per cent and 15 per cent. Patton said he didn’t recall the ratio used in the Ontario study, simply noting separate studies were conducted with and without seed.
A five per cent seed volume was found to be the ideal amount among a 95 per
cent sand-soil mix in the Illinois study.
“Basically, the fall was the only time of year that had a huge benefit from adding seed, but most of the time there was a benefit.”
In trials using 100 per cent sand, it was
found more seed was required because there wasn’t sufficient moisture-holding capacity. An 8-1-1 sand-soil-compost mix offered the best divot recovery. Patton cautioned that if compost is to be considered in the mix that it be screened first,
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depending on the quality of its source. Results were the same for both Kentucky bluegrass and creeping bentgrass using the 8-1-1 mix.
The Ontario study suggested that adding seed was the most important factor for increasing recovery and was a more important consideration than the type of soil mix that was deemed best. It was found that adding compost to the mix was the second most important factor due to not only the enhanced moisture-holding capacity, but that the darker-coloured mixture might help to trap heat and encourage germination.
Patton questioned whether brown or green sand was better at promoting quicker divot recovery, adding no formal studies have been done to produce an answer. He speculated, however, that a darker colour would be advantageous in the spring and fall to warm the soil and help the turf grow faster. Depending on summer temperatures, the darker colour might prove detrimental by placing excessive heat stress onto the seedlings in the mix.
Tees boxes should be fertilized with about 25 per cent more nitrogen than fairways, he said, noting they are subject to more traffic and have more divots taken out, especially when practice swings are taken into account.
“So I think we need a little more fertility on our tee boxes than our fairways.”
An exception, he said, are tees that are subject to lengthy periods of shade because fertilizer will hinder their performance. Not as much photosynthesis takes place in shade, and the plant doesn’t require the same nutrition it does in full sun.
“Should we keep the area dry so the divots are smaller? Or should we keep them wet so that the grass recovers quicker from divots?”
Patton said trials have shown divots recover about the same whether a tee is wet or dry. Preserving water might therefore be the direction to lean toward and will keep divot sizes down.
He added research suggests plant growth regulators don’t affect divot recovery, neither slowing it down nor speeding it up.
Rectangular or square-shaped tees are more conducive to reducing compaction as compared to round or oval-shaped tees because a cleanup lap on the latter while mowing promotes compaction.
“The bigger the tee, the fewer issues we’re going to have, although sometimes it’s hard to train your crew on how to mow square tee boxes without messing things up.”
Patton said there is a tendency to mow tees too short, suggesting they are cut somewhere between the height of fairways and greens or at least the same height as fairways.
“If we mow a little taller, that plant is going to have more leaf area, will do more photosynthesis, and will have more energy to grow and fill those divots back in.”
He cautioned to keep weeds in mind when fixing divots. If using herbicides, products that inhibit the growth of seed should be considered. He suggested labels be read carefully to learn how herbicides might inhibit the establishment of grasses.
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Keep blades sharp for healthier turf
Dull blades open turfgrass to disease and poor performance.
By Mike Jiggens
Sharp mower blades promote healthier turf. When they’re dull, it makes turf more prone to disease, and golfers will see first-hand how substandard a course looks and how poorly it performs.
Doug Veine, territory manager for Bernhard Grinders, told an audience of golf course technicians attending the Canadian Golf Course Management Conference in February that they have an important role to play in the turf quality at their respective golf courses.
“We want our golf courses to look really good,” he said at the Quebec City conference. “We know what it’s like when mowers cut well. It’s a good feeling to see how well those mowers cut.”
When a golf course fails to achieve a clean cut, it leaves a negative impression among golfers. Veine said the idea is to entice golfers to recommend the course to others.
The healthier the turf, the healthier a club’s bottom line is apt
to be. He said there is nothing attractive about scalped or damaged turf, and it’s usually because the cutting units haven’t been properly set up.
“We know what it looks like when it cuts well. Unfortunately, we also know what it’s like when it’s not.”
Reels must be kept clean and sharp, Veine said, adding, “Sharpening a cutting unit needs to really have a thought process along the lines of preventative maintenance.”
A mower is saying something when it can’t cut a piece of paper during setup, he said. It may just be the bedknife, or the bedknife and the reel, or it may simply need an adjustment. But it’s crucial that mowers are checked each time before they go out.
“ To maintain that adjustment and keep it proper is going to affect the way it cuts.”
The bedknife is the place of most wear in a cutting unit and is the cheapest piece to replace. It is the point where everything is measured – where the cut is set or the bedknife to reel adjusted. In some situations, it’s the reel to bedknife adjustment, but in most cases the bedknife adjusts up to the reel.
Veine looked at the history of mower evolution, noting that historically the scythe preceded the mower. It, too, had to have a sharp blade to work effectively. He said mower science still holds true
through the years, adding the cutting unit dynamics are one thing that hasn’t changed. Blades have been added, numbering anywhere from five to 15, but they still have to spin and go across the bedknife to make a cut.
“Consistent proper cutting units have the single greatest impact on how your golf course looks and plays.”
It is important that each cutting unit on a triplex mower is set up exactly the same. If one unit has a groomer and another doesn’t, the turf’s appearance may be off, he said, admitting that it can be difficult sometimes to tell if one groomer is on and another is off.
If two walk-behind units are being used to mow the same green, double cutting in two different directions, it is important they are set up similarly.
“Are they using the same number of blades? Is one mower different from the other?”
DULL BLADES CAN LEAD TO DISEASE
Veine likened sharpening mower blades to changing the oil in a fairway mower. An oil change can’t be done only once per year, and neither should blade sharpening be done only once annually. When blades are rendered dull, they will simply tear the grass blades, leaving them susceptible to disease.
“The more damage there is to the
leaf tissue, the greater the disease pressure.”
Cutting units should be sharp day in and day out, especially going into the winter, Veine said. Some courses may figure they can get away with dull blades for their final few late fall cuttings before making their snow mould applications. When one of the more expensive fungicides is being applied, it’s advantageous to make the final cuts with sharp blades that leave a clean cut than having dull blades that will only tear the leaf blades as they enter dormancy.
“How much more effective will
that chemical be?”
If even one chemical application can be avoided, a notable cost savings will result, not only in the cost of the product itself but with the labour involved.
“If you can get away with half a pound less nitrogen per year because your grass is healthier and it’s not stressed out and you’re not trying to pump that through the plant tissue, it’s something to think about.”
Sharp blades produce sharp-looking turf that makes both the technician and golfers feel good. It makes a positive contribution to
not only the maintenance department, but the entire golf operation.
“Mowers that have just been sharpened produce the fastest speed and the most accurate ball roll and the smoothest surface. It’s all about the consistency.”
Although it’s important to have sharp blades when cutting fairways, tees and approaches, they are especially crucial on greens. When leaf blades are torn, the ball is apt to roll less true and will lead to golfer frustration.
Agronomic practices such as aerating and topdressing stress the plant in the short term, making it
Torn leaf blades are the result of dull mower blades. The damage makes the plant more prone to disease.
The value of keeping blades sharp
HEALTHIER TURF
Dull blades that leave turfgrass blades shredded opens the turf to disease and insect invastion.
SMOOTH GREENS Shredded or unevenly cut leaf blades lead to bumpier putting surfaces, negatively affecting playability and upsetting golfers.
FUEL EFFICIENCY
Sharper blades cut through turf easier, lessening the amount of fuel needed.
more imperative to mow afterwards with sharp blades, Veine said. He added that topdressing dulls the reels and bedknife. Sharpening should therefore be done following topdressing.
The proper setup of cutting units is a vital first step to achieving consistency.
“You’re not going to take a 14-blade reel out that’s designed to mow grass between 100,000th and 200,000th of an inch and go mow your rough with it. It’s not going
to look very good.”
Veine said the right cutting apparatus must be available for the specific mowing job. Operators need to know their cutting heights, that adjustments are made from the rear, and that groomer heights are both set the same. If one groomer is a quarter-inch off from the other, the cut appearance is apt to be compromised.
Veine reminded the technicians in his audience to always consider the bedknife
“Consistent proper cutting units have the single greatest impact on how your golf course looks and play”
attitude, noting it will change with bedknife wear.
“Properly adjusted mowers stay sharper for longer and do less damage to the turf.”
A healthy final cut in the fall should be the goal before turfgrass is put to sleep for the winter, he said.
“See if it makes a difference in your fungicide application. It definitely can’t hurt. If anything, it’s going to improve.”
Double cutting with dull mower blades versus single cutting with sharp blades may achieve the same ball speed on a green, but cutting with a sharp blade reduces fuel consumption by half and saves on labour.
“Don’t stress your grass out. Sharpen your mowers regularly. Consistency matters. It matters to the turf. It matters to your customers. It matters to the overall appearance.”
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Canada ’ s top young guns in the industry
Turf & Rec presents its list of the ‘top 10 under 40’
The future of Canada’s professional turf and grounds maintenance industry is in good hands. From coast to coast, several bright, young superstars have been making a difference in the industry, paving the way for the next wave of up-and-coming professionals
Turf & Rec is pleased to recognize Canada’s top 10 movers and shakers in the professional turfgrass industry, whether they are employed in the golf, landscaping, sports turf or other sector of the industry. These individuals under the age of 40 have made significant contributions to their profession over the years and are setting an example for their peers.
Earlier this year, Turf & Rec launched its inaugural search for the “Top 10 Under 40.” The online call for nominations produced several responses from which we have chosen the cream of the crop.
The following individuals are our “top 10,” listed in alphabetical order.
Borthwick made an immediate impact at Uplands upon his arrival four years ago. Equipment failures were happening less often, repair costs were down, and the quality of cut on mowers had vastly improved. His knowledge of equipment is shared with students at a Victoria community college where he teaches equipment maintenance part-time.
Additionally, he helps organize and host an equipment technician program in Victoria in conjunction with the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, and regular contributes articles to the CGSA’s GreenMaster publication. Borthwick is a frequent speaker at CGSA, Alberta Property Managers and Washington State Superintendent Association conferences, and holds numerous round-table meetings in Victoria to improve networking
opportunities for equipment technicians. Borthwick stepped in to help a neighbouring golf course that was without a mechanic for three months, even though he was employed at Uplands, and has helped other clubs without the right resources to sharpen and maintain their equipment.
He stays current with his education through the University of Minnesota and has developed his own software program
Wade Borthwick
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that keeps track of maintenance costs and scheduling. In 2016, he was recognized by the CGSA as its equipment technician of the year.
A husband and father, Borthwick regularly helps with school field trips with his two young children.
T-JAY CREAMER, 37, assistant superintendent, Victoria Golf Club, Victoria, B.C.
For the past 12 years, Creamer has been employed at the Victoria Golf Club, which is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 25 golf courses. A knowledgeable assistant, he is known for taking things to the next level, including consulting for smaller ninehole courses in the area. The course conditioning at these courses has improved significantly since he became involved.
Creamer has served on the Vancouver Island Golf Course Superintendents Association board of directors for several years and continues to give back to the industry. He has been instrumental with cutting edge technology, including the use of robotic greens mowers, which is a first in Canada. He also engages the daily use of a drone to collect data for agronomic planning usage.
Well-versed in computer knowledge, Creamer makes his own management documents with Google Docs for agronomic planning and record keeping, human resources management, equipment management and more. He has spoken several times at conferences in Western Canada on the use of Google Docs and the use of computer-generated documents.
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In February, Creamer was recognized by the CGSA at its conference in Quebec City as the 2017 assistant superintendent of the year.
He is considered a role model for the next generation of superintendent with his creative knowledge and expertise.
BRETT FINLAYSON, 37, director of grounds maintenance, Golf BC, Victoria, B.C.
Finlayson has been with Golf BC for seven years and currently serves as president of the Vancouver Island Golf Superintendents Association. He has been around the game of golf his entire life, being introduced to the profession by his father who worked on the crew at Pinebrook and Willow Park golf courses in Calgary.
As a 14-year-old, Finlayson began working for his father who had gone on to managing his own landscaping company. His first golf course job, however, was at Point Grey Golf & Country Club, where he realized a career in golf was for him. Among his early career highlights was the role he played in grooming Point Grey for the 2003 LPGA Canadian Women’s Open.
In 2004, he moved to Capilano Golf & Country Club, becoming the course’s first “environmental manager” before becoming its second assistant in 2007. A move in 2008 to Quilchena Golf Club sharpened his management and leadership skills, leading to his first superintendent’s position in 2011 at Golf BC’s Arbutus Ridge Golf Club on Vancouver Island. He later transferred to
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another Golf BC property, Olympic View Golf Club, and has since become director of grounds maintenance within the organization.
Finlayson finds time to give back to the industry and spent a couple of two-year terms on the Western Canada Turfgrass Association’s board of directors, including its vice-presidency.
SAM GELEYNSE, 30, general manager, Prestige Landscape Service Ltd., Kelowna, B.C.
Geleynse joined Prestige Landscape Service in the middle of 2014, arriving at the company through a friend’s referral. He joined the company having just gone through a difficult period in his life that spent him both physically and emotionally. He proved, however, to be a hard worker and eager learner.
By 2016, he became a crew foreman and a year later was promoted to division manager. This year he became general manager.
Over the course of his four years with the company, Geleynse has consistently built on his skill level in landscape maintenance and his leadership qualities. In 2017, he identified and spearheaded a necessary financial turnaround for the entire company.
“Unbilled time” in 2016 had gone unchecked, resulting in a year-end company financial loss for the first time in 16 years. As a result of his investigation and subsequent identification and correction of one detail, 2017 became one of Prestige Landscape Service’s best financial years.
Geleynse has been told that without his passion, drive and leadership, the company would not be where it is today.
MARK JULL, 39, western Canadian manager, Target Specialty Products; technical support/ development, Turf Fuel, Calgary.
Jull has been in sales since 2007 after leaving the golf profession as an assistant superintendent. In 2014, he and a business partner started their own company.
For more than 10 years, Jull has become a wellknown resource in the Western Canadian turfgrass industry. In 2014, he founded Plant Health Division, a company that began with two employees and has grown to become a leading supplier in Western Canada of fertilizer, chemicals and seed. He is a supporter of turfgrass managers and a mentor to superintendents and assistants.
Jull is currently responsible for managing the Turf Fuel business unit across North America, which puts great demands on his time, but he makes himself available for advice and discussions when needed. Another initiative that he has focused on is providing
educational opportunities for customers. One such example is the Target winter workshops throughout Western Canada that began in February.
A free seminar, in which Jull is one of four speakers, is being provided, allowing pesticide applicators in attendance to obtain re-certification credits.
In spite of the tireless work Jull does, he finds plenty of time for his wife Patrice and two sons, Findley and Theo.
Community is also important to Jull. During the winter months, he can be found at the local outdoor rink maintaining the ice surface with a group of volunteers or on the mountain volunteering as an official at his son’s downhill racing events.
Jull has taken a number of big risks in his career. In four years, Plant Health Division has gone from being a small local supplier to being a leading division of being one of the world’s largest turf industry suppliers – Target Specialty Products. Through perseverance, hard work and a desire to help others, he has always found success.
JORDAN KITCHEN, 27, associate superintendent, Hamilton Golf & Country Club; president, TarpDevil, Puslinsch, Ont.
Kitchen has come a long way since graduating from the University of Guelph five years ago. He sought a career in the golf industry because of his love of the outdoors, beginning as a high school student at Century Pines Golf Club in Troy, Ont. and continuing summer work there while studying political science in Ottawa. Upon his graduation from the University of Guelph’s diploma course, he was hired at the Hamilton Golf & Country Club where, as assistant superintendent (and more recently a promotion to associate superintendent), he has integrated a number of new protocols aimed at sustainability and the member experience.
Two seasons ago, he and superintendent Rhod Trainor hosted a new technology field day at the club, which Kitchen organized.
Perhaps his most noteworthy accomplishment, however, was his invention of the TarpDevil, a tractor attachment that simplifies the deployment and collection of turf covers on golf courses and sports fields. He realized there had to be a better way of putting covers down, collecting them and storing them that would be less labour intensive and add shelf life to the covers.
Along with an engineer friend, the TarpDevil was born. It has been showcased at such events as the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association conference and trade show and has generated plenty of
T-Jay Creamer
Brett Finlayson
Sam Geleynse
Mark Jull
Jordan Kitchen
viewership on YouTube. Since its introduction in 2017, TarpDevil has established exclusive Canadian distribution partnerships with BrettYoung and Turf Care Products Canada. More recently, TarpDevil entered into a partnership with GreenJacket, a U.S.based manufacturer of turf covers. The unit has now entered the global market.
In his quest to achieve greater sustainability, Kitchen said the TarpDevil fits the bill, making people’s lives easier and promoting enhanced efficiency. He gives much credit to the Chimera Group’s John Bladon for planting the seed of TarpDevil in his head. Hamilton is a customer of Bladon’s, and Bladon has since become a partner in TarpDevil.
Kitchen is in the final stages of obtaining his master’s degree at the University of Guelph with a specialization in food and agri-business.
TRAVIS OLSON, 31, superintendent, Kamloops Golf & Country Club, Kamloops, B.C. Olson has been with the Kamloops Golf & Country Club for 15 years. The story of his love of turf is similar to that of others in the industry. As a teenager, he began at the Kamloops club, spending his summers in the pro shop cleaning clubs and carts. In 2005, he joined the club’s maintenance staff – the “dark side” as he puts it – while completing his bachelor of business administration and arts degrees at Thompson River University in 2009. He furthered his education at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, graduating in 2011 after studying turf management.
As impressive as two university degrees and a turf management diploma are, his story began a new chapter in 2011 when he joined a select list of individuals who received the Toro/CGSA Canadian Future Superintendent of the Year Award. By winning the award, he spent six weeks in the United Kingdom working at more than a dozen golf courses.
Olson took over the reigns of superintendent at Kamloops in 2013, becoming the host superintendent for the 2014 B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship.
As a relatively young superintendent in a demanding position, he ran for a position on the WCTA board of directors in hopes of having a positive impact on the turf management industry, stating in his director candidate profile that he is a strong supporter of continuing education and mentorship. In a few short years, Olson became the WCTA’s first director of finance – a position created in 2016 – for which he has been actively involved with all aspects of the association, including teaming up with Cameron Watt to manage the association’s social media program.
LEASHA SCHWAB, 29, superintendent, Pheasant Run Golf Club, Sharon, Ont.
After getting her start at the Cedarhurst Golf Club and moving on to Foxbridge Golf Club, Schwab has become an industry leader with her current post as superintendent of Pheasant Run Golf Club. During her three seasons at Pheasant Run, she has made significant improvements to the golf course’s conditioning and has built a team and a culture that is getting noticed by the industry and golfers alike.
Schwab has embraced putting Pheasant Run on a sustainable path. Specifically, she has collected annual and seasonal data on the course for planning and decision-making purposes, which are the hallmarks of sustainability.
She initiated the club’s “Pheasant Run Honey” program, collecting honey from an on-site apiary, which has since become a staple in the pro shop and within the local community.
Lastly, Schwab has used her current position and leadership skills to become a voice for women in the industry and more importantly create an all-inclusive atmosphere, having organized a successful inaugural women’s networking event in San Antonio, Texas during February’s Golf Industry Show.
CAMERON SHAW, 36, communications and outreach coordinator, University of Guelph, Ont.
An OAC gold medal recipient and multiple award winner at the University of Guelph, where he studied turfgrass management in the associate diploma program, Shaw held positions as turf club co-president and turfgrass representative to the student federation of the Ontario Agricultural College. Since his graduation in 2012, he has matured into a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the turf management industry.
Shaw volunteers with multiple industry associations and has had more than a dozen articles published in various trade magazines, including the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association’s On Course and the CGSA’s GreenMaster. He currently sits on the OSGA’s On Course editorial committee, helping generate ideas and content for the quarterly publication.
In 2012, he had the honour of winning the Toro/ CGSA Future Superintendent of the Year Award. It allowed him to spend six weeks in Scotland and Ireland where he gained experience working with and learning from a number of elite greenkeepers and turf managers from across the United Kingdom. In 2017, he was one of three recipients of the OGSA’s Hugh Kirkpatrick Award that is presented to promising assistant super-
Travis Olson
Leasha Schwab
Cameron Shaw
Cam Watt
intendents who display strong leadership, commitment and career accomplishments.
Shaw has been working in the golf course maintenance industry for 17 years. Highlights include serving as supervisor at Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club, interning at TPC Boston, working as second assistant superintendent at Burlington Golf & Country Club and serving as assistant superintendent at Piper’s Heath Golf Club near Milton. In October of 2017, he made a career change to work at the University of Guelph as the communications and outreach coordinator for the Guelph Turfgrass Institute. He has also taken on the challenge of providing instruction in the turf program from which he graduated.
Watt has been involved in the turf industry since 2000 and has been assistant superintendent at Redwoods for the past five years. He received his diploma in turfgrass management from Kwantlen University in 2004 and cut his teeth in the Okanagan region where he grew up, working at three different golf courses.
An opportunity to become an assistant superintendent at
Kananaskis Country Golf Club presented itself in 2012 but was short lived when the 36-hole facility was devastated by flooding, forcing the resort to close. He shortly afterward landed the assistant’s position at Redwoods where he has been since.
In 2014, he was one of 50 selected candidates from North America to attend the ninth annual Green Start Academy in North Carolina. He has volunteered at two PGA Tour events –the 2008 Telus Skins Game at Predator Ridge and the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay – and has written two published articles for Inside Golf magazine and GreenMaster , regarding the Kananaskis flood and the Green Start Academy, respectively.
Closer to home, he helped host Canada’s second ever First Green event at Redwoods. The interactive program for school students uses golf courses and sports fields to teach STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning. Watt has also planned and executed a mentorship seminar at the past two WCTA conferences that are designed for assistant superintendents, foremen and others looking to advance their careers. Along with Travis Olson, he heads up the WCTA’s social media program. He is starting his second term on the WCTA’s board of directors.
Health & Safety
By the CCOHS
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) promotes the total well being of workers in Canada by providing information, training, education, systems and solutions that support health and safety programs and injury and illness prevention. www.ccohs.ca
‘Toolbox talks’ promote safety among turf industry workers
You may know them as morning check-ins, tailgate meetings, safety briefings, or toolbox talks. You may have had one this morning. Though the names may be different, they are all brief, safety-focused discussions among managers or supervisors and workers.
Toolbox talks can be an effective means for promoting a strong safety culture by keeping workers and supervisors up-to-date and informed about safety concerns, relevant procedures and topics.
Why do we call them toolbox talks?
The name toolbox talks likely comes from the original location of many workplace safety talks, which was around the toolbox to talk about workplace hazards and safety. Though these discussions can go by a variety of names, they share the goal of identifying hazards in the workplace and communicating to workers what is done to mitigate those hazards.
Who should lead the toolbox talk?
Supervisors commonly lead toolbox talks, but any subject matter experts available at the worksite can lead such a discussion. Any qualified management representative can give direction to employees (site supervisors, foremen, general manager, etc.). Other workers at the site can share their knowledge, skills and experience.
You may wish to look to experts in your group, i.e. a safety officer or safety adviser. These individuals may have interesting and relevant examples from their daily inspections or routines to share. Involving all workers helps to ensure that all hazards are identified so that workers can perform their tasks safely.
How often should they be held?
Holding a daily talk is a good idea. High-risk industries tend to have a safety meeting
every morning before the shift starts on a different topic or piece of safety information. Industries and workplaces with a high employee turnover or changing work environments should schedule more frequent meetings to account for this change.
How long should these talks be?
A toolbox talk needs to be long enough to clearly identify the hazards, the risks, and how you’re going to control those hazards. There should be an opportunity for some discussion, questions from workers and responses from the employer representatives. Remember, a toolbox talk is not a substitute for training. Employers must ensure that workers receive training for the jobs they’re performing to work safely.
Where and when should these discussions take place?
Meetings are best held in a comfortable location at the beginning of a shift, after lunch or a break, or incorporated into another operational meeting. Be aware that noise levels or other factors nearby don’t create distractions for the participants.
Tips for effective talks:
• Prepare in advance
• Allocate a sufficient amount of time –remember to allow for time to answer questions!
• Ensure all workers are involved in the talk
• The topic must be relevant to workplace safety
• Focus on identifying hazards and risks
• Include controls that can be put into place to mitigate hazards and risks
• Use subject matter experts
• Lead by example
• Keep the participants focused on safety – be careful not to become distracted by other unrelated topics/issues/ complaints
Does everyone need to attend?
Yes, everyone should be required to attend the talk. That way, everybody involved knows what the risks and hazards are in the work that is about to be done and they have the ability to do the job safely. Tracking attendance at the talk ensures that you know that the person you’re sending off to do the task has the information they need to work safely.
Continued to page 52
A landscaping firm’s employees gather around for a morning ‘toolbox talk.’
Nematode shows promise against grubs
Aggressive species of nematode is raised on a live host. By Mike Jiggens
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Ontario’s cosmetic pesticide ban, and some lawn care professionals are still lamenting that they can no longer use some of the pest control products they once took for granted.
Most, however, have adapted to the rules and regulations enacted in 2009 that outlawed several effective weed and insect controls. They have since come to terms with the legal means available to them to keep weeds and insects in check, including the use of organic and natural products.
A natural control method that has helped lawn care professionals succeed in their battle against grubs is beneficial nematodes. Prior to the ban, lawn professionals could apply Bayer’s Merit to keep grubs in check, but it’s a product that has long been removed from their toolboxes.
Lawn care professionals attending the Ontario Turfgrass Symposium in February at the University of Guelph were given a refresher on pest insects, their egg-laying habits, when they are most problematic and the means to control them naturally, including rates, application methods and timing.
Sharing their insights were Ken Pavely and Richard Reed of Lawn Life Natural Turf Products.
They outlined the effectiveness of the Steinernema scarabaei nematode that was new to the North American market last year. Commercially produced, it is highly pathogenic to several species of white grubs. Discovered about 15 years ago at Rutgers University, the nematode offers 75 to 95 per cent control on the grubs of third instar Japanese beetle, Oriental beetle and European chafer. Lawn Life has exclusive rights to the Steinernema scarabaei product for the Canadian turfgrass market.
The Japanese beetle has made a resurgence in Ontario in recent times.
The scarabaei is a bigger, more aggressive species of nematode that is raised on a live host (the Gaillardia moth). The symbiosis makes the nematode healthier and stronger.
The adult European chafer is typically in flight the first week of July with hatching taking place about the first week of August. Because they prefer moist conditions to lay their eggs, homeowners
“The key is watering before and having good soil moisture and then watering immediately after.”
who water their lawns regularly could face a dilemma. Heavy watering in late June or early July can effectively drown large populations of chinch bug nymphs but will create ideal egg-laying conditions for the chafer.
Reed said chinch bugs tend to prefer Kentucky bluegrass, suggesting such lawns overseeded with ryegrass or fescue can be an effective deterrent. Chinch bugs also prefer high light intensity. A correlation exists among the thickness of thatch, mowing height and insect pressure.
Resurgence of Japanese beetle
Pavely said there has been a notable resurgence of Japanese beetle in Ontario. At a trial conducted last September at a golf course north of Toronto, in which the soil temperature was about 15 degrees Celsius, grubs numbered about 40 per square foot in places, making for a heavy infestation. Compounding the problem was wide spread
digging of the turf by animals that took place a couple of weeks before an application of scarabaei was made.
Curative synthetic treatments had been applied, but with only limited success. It neither slowed down the development of the grubs nor the amount of animal digging.
Nematodes were applied on 1,000 square feet of fairway, using a boom sprayer.
Thirteen days after treatment, the first stage of infection in beetle grubs usually takes place. For three to four days, depending on soil temperatures, white grubs will turn yellow and become sluggish. Sixty per cent of the grubs in the treated area were alive, but had turned yellow. The remaining 40 per cent were dead and were either copper or black in colour.
Once the infection stage is reached, the grubs turn yellow and are dying before they turn black. Pavely said it’s difficult to get a handle on the
precise number of grubs killed because once they turn black “they pretty much disintegrate.” The nematode releases bacteria inside the grub, killing it, and then multiplies to bolster the amount of control.
Twenty-one days after treatment, roots had significantly rebounded, turf health had improved, and there was no further sign of animal digging in the treated areas. Soil temperatures had cooled to about seven or eight degrees, causing the nematodes to become inactive.
Because of the persistence of the scarabaei , it is expected their activity will resume this spring once soil temperatures warm up, Pavely said.
He noted Japanese beetle grubs were “nasty” 10 to 15 years ago, “and they’re still carrying people’s turf away.”
Like the European chafer, the Japanese beetle seems to have followed the general route of Highway 401 in an eastward direction where it is
The Steinernema scarabaei is a bigger, more aggressive species of nematode.
Canadian Commercial Distributors
British Columbia
Oakcreek Golf & Turf Inc.
Kelowna 250-860-5090
Surrey 604-882-8399
Duncan 250-701-0766
Alberta
Oakcreek Golf & Turf Inc.
Calgary 403-279-2907
Edmonton 780-469-2332
Saskatchewan Oakcreek Golf & Turf Inc.
Saskatoon 306-975-1110
Manitoba Mazergroup
Winnipeg 204-253-2900
Ontario Turf Care Products
Canada Limited
Carp 613-821-1880
Medina 519-349-2400
Newmarket 905-836-0988
Québec
Les Produits Turf Care
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Vaudreuil-Dorion 450-218-4544
Atlantic Canada
Vesey’s Equipment
York, P.E.I. 902-892-8873
1-866-455-TURF (8873)
now present in Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City.
The scarabaei nematode was discovered in New Jersey and is the only product registered for use in Ontario for grub control in lawn care. Reed said diaphragm pumps are effective in applying nematodes because they are less damaging to them as opposed to piston pumps and roller pumps that are known to cause damage. The higher the water output, the better, he said, suggesting at least two gallons per 1,000 square feet.
“Keep your pressure down so you have less chance of damaging them,” Reed said. “The key is watering before and having good soil moisture and then watering immediately after.”
Split applications
Reed said some theory suggests making split applications because eggs will hatch at different times during a hot, dry summer.
“If you put all your eggs in one basket and get out there early in August and treat all your lawns, and some of the eggs hatch a little later, you may get better control with a split app.”
Rainy days, either in the early morning or evening, are an ideal time for application. Staying away from ultra-violet light when applying nematodes is critical, Reed said, acknowledging tests are being conducted on UV inhibitors. Conditions in August can often be too dry, making September a better option. Various turf management practices can either help to prevent a grub problem or may help rectify one. Maintaining a higher mowing height will result in deeper roots. Less damage will occur when there is more root mass. When turf is high and thick, it’s more difficult for beetles to get down and lay their eggs.
Aeration and slit seeding can damage grubs. In the United States and Europe, verti-cut machines have successfully damaged grubs. Aeration and slit
seeding also allow nematodes to more easily penetrate the thatch layer to reach the soil profile.
Nematodes prefer loamy soil that is moist as well as a healthy soil with good organic matter and a large earthworm population. Nematodes will hitchhike onto worms, allowing them to move further distances.
Pavely said it is preferable to wait until soil temperatures fall into the 12 to 15-degree range before putting down nematodes. The timing of application, however, must be done before grubs begin to pupate because nematodes will not be able to penetrate their exterior shell.
He said studies have shown that high amounts of nitrogen will increase the number of surface insects. More will breed and more will survive. High potassium levels are detrimental to a lot of insects.
Options for grub control are currently limited, Pavely said, but he hinted new technologies are “coming down the road.”
An abundance of grubs in the soil near the surface of a lawn.
Hundreds of
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It’s a numbers game. You need to get more jobs done fast and right the first time, optimize your club’s resources and stay within budget. Toro’s new Outcross 9060, a multi-purpose and turf-friendly workhorse, combines purpose-built, all-season functionality with intuitive operation – with virtually anyone on your staff – and unprecedented versatility to deliver impressive results. Even better, Outcross can power your existing attachments utilizing its 3-point connection and power take-off*, haul over two tons in its supersized cargo/dump-bed, and tow up to 16,000 lbs. (7,257 kg)**, which is more than three times its own weight. The weight-balanced, fourwheel steer and full-time four-wheel drive powerhouse can get it all done without damaging sensitive turf. The all new Outcross 9060 is a Jack-of-all-trades, and Jack is jealous.
Pickups put to test in Truck King trial
By Howard J. Elmer
This year’s Canadian Truck King Challenge consisted of mid-size, full-size and HD entries – 10 trucks in all – all vying for a win in what is now the 11th year of the challenge. We tested 10 2018 pickup trucks covering the 2500 HD segment; two mid-size and five full-size pickups completed the rest of the 2018 entries. Following is a complete list of scores, by model, revealing our choice for the winner of the 2018 Canadian Truck King Challenge.
The testing method
As most readers know, the Canadian Truck King Challenge does what we call “real world testing.” Our journalist judges drive the trucks on a prescribed course empty, then with payload and finally towing a trailer on this same route – one after the other, back to back. This year judges drove more than 3,000 kilometres during testing while scoring each truck across 20 different categories. These totals are then averaged across the field of judges and converted to a percentage out of 100.
The HD trucks and the mid-size category used our usual Head River test loop while half-tons were tested on a new loop in Halton Hills, using the same method.
Mid-size trucks carried a payload of 500 pounds and towed 4,000 pounds. The half-tons hauled payload of 600 pounds and towed 7,000 pounds; while the three-quarter tons towed 10,000 pounds and used 1,000 pounds for payload.
The weights we use never exceed those published manufacturer limits.
Fuel economy
Each year we use electronic data recorders during testing to capture real world fuel economy. An outside company, FleetCarma, collects, and translates the data from each truck, giving us a unique fuel economy report – one that shows not only empty consumption, but also consumption while loaded and while towing. For these 2018 models, the study is available in its entirety at our website, www.truckking.ca
2018 mid-size trucks
The mid-size segment was particularly interesting this year, as both the contenders were specific off-road models. Toyota supplied us with the Tacoma TRD Pro and Chevrolet sent us a ZR2 Colorado diesel. We were fortunate to get these early in the fall when there was lots of rain and mud. As with all the contenders this year, we shot video matchups that can be viewed at our YouTube channel. Through our website, www.truckking.ca, look for Truck King TV. Links to all the 2018 test videos are listed there.
Ten pickups tested in Canadian Truck King Challenge.
Competing trucks were put through a number of challenges, including muddy terrain.
2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
• Engine: 2.8L Duramax diesel
• Horsepower: 186
• Torque: 369 foot-pounds
• Transmission: six-speed automatic
• Drive: 4WD – two-speed transfer case; front and rear electric lockers
• Drive: 4WD – two-speed transfer case; rear locker
• Wheelbase: 140.6 inches
• Cab: double cab – four-door
• Box: five feet
• Rear axle ratio: N/A
• GVWR: 6,000 pounds
• Payload limit: 1,000 pounds
• Bumper tow limit: 6,400 pounds
• Special feature: all-terrain tires; aluminum skid plates; Fox racing shocks.
• Base MSRP: $53,295
• Price as tested: $53,295
2018 half-ton trucks
The half-ton segment, which makes up the bulk of the Canadian pickup market, was fully represented in this year’s challenge. We tested trucks from Ford, Chevrolet, Ram, Toyota and Nissan. Each manufacturer supplied a truck of its own choice. They decided which trim or accessory package to apply, as well as the choice of engine.
2018 Ford F-150 FX4 Platinum
• Engine: 5.0L V8
• Horsepower: 395
• Torque: 400 foot-pounds
• Transmission: 10-speed SelectShift automatic
• Drive: 4WD; two-speed transfer case; electric rear locker
• Wheelbase: 145 inches
• Cab: crew cab – four-door
• Box: five feet, six inches
• Rear axle ratio: 3:31
• GVWR: 7,050 pounds
• Payload limit: 3,270 pounds
• Bumper tow limit: 13,200 pounds
• Special feature: auto stop/start standard; adaptive cruise w/pre-collision
• Base MSRP: $70,579
• Price as tested: $78,699
2018 Chevrolet Silverado Z71 1500 LTZ
• Engine: 5.3L V8 Ecotec3 w/cylinder deactivation
• Horsepower: 355
• Torque: 383 foot-pounds
• Transmission: eight-speed automatic
• Drive: 4WD; two-speed transfer case;
• Wheelbase: 143.5 inches
• Cab: crew cab – four-door
• Box: five feet, eight inches
• Rear axle ratio: 3:42
• GVWR: 7,600 pounds
• Payload limit: 2,120 pounds
• Bumper tow limit: 11,700 pounds
• Special feature: Rancho shocks; underbody shield; hill descent; Wi-Fi
• Base MSRP: $56,725
• Price as tested: $65,075
2018 Ram 1500 Limited Tungsten edition Crew 4x4
• Engine: 5.7L Hemi V8 w/MDS
• Horsepower: 395
• Torque: 410 foot-pounds
• Transmission: eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic
• Drive: 4WD; two-speed transfer case; anti-spin rear diff;
• Wheelbase: 140 inches
• Cab: crew cab – four-door
• Box: five feet, seven inches
• Rear axle ratio: 3:21
• GVWR: 6,900 pounds
• Payload limit: 1,388 pounds
• Bumper tow limit: 7,970 pounds
• Special feature: four-corner air suspen-
sion; RamBox
• Base MSRP: $63,895
• Price as tested: $74,550
2018 4x4 Toyota Tundra DBL Cab LTD
• Engine: 5.7L i-Force V8
• Horsepower: 381
• Torque: 401 foot-pounds
• Transmission: six-speed automatic
• Drive: 4WD, two-speed transfer case, limited slip diff.
• Wheelbase: 145.7
• Cab: double cab – four-door
• Box: six feet, five inches
• Rear axle ratio: 4:30
• GVWR: N/A
• Payload limit: 1,500 pounds
• Bumper Tow limit: 9,899 pounds
• Special feature: 144L fuel tank
WORK BEYOND YOUR WILDEST
• Base MSRP: $55,690
• Price as tested: $55,690
2018 Nissan Titan Pro 4X
• Engine: 5.6L V8
• Horsepower: 390
• Torque: 394 foot-pounds
• Transmission: seven-speed automatic
• Drive: 4WD two-speed transfer case, limited slip diff.
• Wheelbase: 139.8 inches
• Cab: crew cab – four-door
• Box: five feet, seven inches
• Rear axle ratio: N/A
• GVWR: 7,300 pounds
• Payload limit: 1,610 pounds
• Bumper tow limit: 9,230 pounds
• Special feature: Pro 4X off-road package
• Base MSRP: $63,050
• Price as tested: $63,050
Trucks tested had to deal with the most rugged terrain so that their attributes could be fully realized.
2018 2500-HD Trucks
Testing of the Big Three HD diesel powered pickups took place during the first real cold snap in November. The weather was nasty. I remember thinking that for truck testing, in Canada, it was actually appropriate; because unlike magazine awards that come out of the deserts of California or Texas, Truck King is home grown, tattooed red and white and very often frozen.
2017 Ford F250 FX4 Lariat (*there are no changes for 2018)
• Transmission: six-speed automatic (note: Ram still offers a six-speed manual)
• Drive: 4WD with two-speed transfer case
• Wheelbase: 149.5 inches
• Cab: crew cab – four-door
• Box: six feet, four inches
• Rear axle ratio: 3.42 with anti-spin differential
Canadian Turf Distributors
Atlantic Provinces
Irri Plus Inc. (902) 405-4774
Quebec Triad
Ville St. Laurent, QC (800) 567-2473
Central Irrigation Supply
Ville St. Laurent, QC (514) 788-5884
Atlantic Irrigation
Ville St. Laurent, QC (514) 913-6719
Ontario
Site One Landscape Supply
Concord, ON (4 locations) (800) 347-4272
Vanden Bussche Irrigation
Milton, ON (5 locations) (800) 263-4112
Central Irrigation Supply
Mississauga, ON (4 locations) (905) 795-8088
Atlantic Irrigation
Toronto, ON (416) 244-5551
Manitoba
Consolidated Supply Winnipeg, MB (204) 632-7643
Site One Landscape Supply Winnipeg, MB (204) 694-9442
Saskatchewan
Consolidated Supply
Saskatoon, SK (306) 653-5444
Site One Landscape Supply Saskatoon, SK (306) 931-2440
Alberta Emco
Calgary, AB (403) 278-1470
Corix Water Products Calgary, AB (5 locations in AB) (800) 242-3176
Consolidated Supply Calgary, AB (403) 203-7550 Edmonton, AB (780) 413-3173
Site One Landscape Supply (2 locations in AB) (403) 236-0102
British Columbia Andrew Sheret Ltd. (24 locations in BC) (250)-386-7744
Consolidated Supply Kelowna BC (250) 863-8291
Corix Water Products Surrey, BC
(11 locations in B.C.) (800) 667-2445
Site One Landscape Supply (4 locations in B.C.) (250) 544-0401
Van-Kel/EMCO Corporation (8 locations in BC) (800) 667-8825
Vancouver Irrigation Supply Vancouver, BC (604) 251-2258 (4 locations)
Rain Bird International Inc. www.rainbird.com/ca
• GVWR: 9,900 pounds
• Payload limit: 2,380 pounds
• Bumper tow limit: 17,160 pounds
• Special feature: auto-leveling rear air suspension
• Base MSRP: $69,995
• Price as tested: $92,105
About the winner: 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 LTZ Z71
The winner of this year’s challenge is a truck that has been refined year after year, adding technology and improving its diesel engine. It’s now, in the opinion of the judges, the best 2500-series HD hauler on the market. This 2018 version of the Silverado HD came to us equipped with a new generation of the 6.6L V8 turbo-diesel. It’s been redesigned with a new cylinder block and heads. Its oil and coolant flow capacity have been increased and the turbocharging system is now electronically controlled. Horsepower has increased to 445 and torque now reaches 910 foot-pounds. Ninety per cent of both numbers are achieved at just 1,550 rpm.
A new two-piece oil pan makes the Duramax quieter and also houses an integrated oil cooler with 50 per cent greater capacity than found on the old engine. Of particular interest to Canadians will be the new Duramax cold-weather performance. With microprocessor-controlled glow plugs, the engine requires less than three seconds to preheat in temps as low as minus 29 degrees Celsius. These new ceramic
glow plugs adjust current to each plug based on outside temperature. This new engine continues to be coupled to the Alison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission that has a stellar reputation.
Also new is a redesigned air intake system that uses an integrated hood scoop to trap snow, sleet and rain. It drains it away from the breather, allowing cool, dry air to get to the engine without clogging it up.
But past the mechanical updates, this Chevrolet impresses with the number of electronic driver assist features that make moving loads easier and safer overall.
Among many are:
• a new digital steering assist that improves road handling
• a new tire pressure monitor system now includes a tire fill alert
• all full driver alert package include lane departure warning, forward collision alert, safety alert seat and front and rear park assist.
GM’s longtime StabiliTrak stability control system has been updated to include rollover mitigation technology, a tie-in to the trailer sway control and hill start assist.
Visual help is found in the Chevrolet MyLink with an eight-inch-diagonal touchscreen. Of particular interest is the camera system that broadcasts on this centre-mounted touchscreen (now standard on all models with cargo box).
Congratulations to all participants and winners in the 2018 Canadian Truck King Challenge. For more information, visit www.truckking.ca.
The 2018 Chevrolet Silverado was the winner of this year’s Canadian Truck King Challenge.
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Sodium, bicarbs impact role of soil
Bicarbonates decrease calcium availability and decrease nutrient availability to the roots.
By Mike Jiggens
Sodium and bicarbonates in the soil are a “big deal” and can rob golf courses of their nutrient dollar, superintendents attending BrettYoung’s annual spring turf academy were told in March at the Links of Kent Golf Club in Chatham, Ont.
Greg Moore, distributor sales manager for Plant Food Company, said knocking back sodium to make all nutrients more available to turf and dissolving bicarbonates to make calcium more available is imperative.
“Sodium is the bad boy of turfgrass management,” he said.
The good news is that available soil calcium can reverse that, he added. Making calcium soluble to displace sodium is “the big deal,” he added, noting bicarbonates found in irrigation water is what prevents the calcium from doing its job.
“It’s taking it out of the game.”
Bicarbonates decrease calcium availability and decrease nutrient availability to the roots. If soils are high in sodium, superintendents need to ensure there is enough total calcium present in the soil, which can be determined by a soil test. If soil calcium levels are low, the ten -
dency is to put out regular products because it’s more cost effective as long as th e product dissolves quickly. Once there is sufficient calcium, it must solubilize. This is when long lasting acids
work well. If there is sufficient rain, there is no need for additional acid products because rain is acidic by nature and releases calcium, making all nutrients more available.
Bicarbonate levels in bottled water are about 285 parts per million. If bottled water was used for irrigation, fewer nutrients would be available to the turf.
“Soil testing is the pink elephant in the room,” Moore said, adding everyone should be testing and know what to do with the results. Many, however, don’t use the test results because they don’t know how to extract the information.
Moore said a turf plant compares to the engine in a truck. The soil is the transmission that works with the engine to allow one to get to where he wishes to go. A superintendent can have the best turf variety, the best nutrient program and the best aerification program, but if the soil is out of balance it’s like driving down Highway 401 in third gear, he said. One can still reach his destination, but he’ll end up overworking his engine and will experience an uncomfortable ride “because your soil transmission is not working properly.”
Soil tests reference what is present in the soil, but not what is needed. The big three nutrients that plants require are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium while the big three nutrients needed in the soil are calcium, magnesium and potassium. As the “soil transmission mechanic,” the superintendent needs to make sure all nutrients are available.
When the goal is to make all nutrients available, Moore said the soil biology, soil structure and soil chemistry must all be considered. The biology includes putting out good organic matter to feed the microbes that produce more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Attention to the soil structure includes building a green properly and making sure aeration is done to get oxygen into the soil. The focus on soil chemistry works with the biological and physical components.
Moore said sodium breaks down soil structure, rendering it tight. When irrigating, greens will start to puddle. Even a small amount of sodium could make clay particles tight and prevent water penetration. Roots will lack oxygen and become shorter. High amounts of sodium make it difficult for the plant because all nutrients become less available, prompting superintendents to put down more nutrients to compensate.
“Poor soil chemistry can be very expensive and puts more stress on the plant and puts more stress on you when you’re trying to get excellent playability conditions. High sodium can be a problem.”
CALCIUM TO CURE SODIUM PROBLEM
When high sodium levels are present, the cure is having
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enough calcium, magnesium and potassium in the soil that is soluble. Moore said the cure is available calcium and not total calcium.
“If I have calcium and sodium, cal-
cium is always going to win.”
Sodium has one charge and an atomic weight of 23. Calcium has two charges and an atomic weight of 40.
“If calcium is available, it will beat
sodium, but sometimes calcium becomes unavailable and is busy someplace else.”
Clay soils tend to present issues with sodium, and even a small amount can be detrimental. Sodium acts like glue, and its one charge makes the clay particles stick together. In high sodium soils, the clay sticks together, preventing air and nutrients to move through. This happens when sodium levels typically increase in the summer. Greens tend to puddle when irrigating.
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If there is available calcium and it’s watered in, it solubilizes the sodium. The calcium knocks out the sodium, and calcium’s two positive charges takes the clay’s negatively charged particles and inverses them.
Moore said if irrigation has taken place for three or four weeks and nutrients are becoming less available and puddles are occurring, and then a rain storm occurs that initiates greenup and water is beginning to move better, it’s because the calcium is solubilizing and opening up the soil. Available calcium will displace sodium, Moore said, but bicarbonates in poor irrigation water can cause sodium buildup. Bicarbonates in water for human consumption is good, but if a water test shows bicarbonates are more than 120 parts per million, it’s undesirable for irrigation. In bottled drinking water, bicarbonate levels are 285 parts per million.
“If you irrigate with bottled water, you would have less nutrients available to your turf.”
Even though bicarbonates are good for humans and pets, they present issues when their levels in irrigation water are high.
“If your bicarbs are 120 or over, I would be concerned. Below that, you have plenty of solubility.”
A water test will provide a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). If the number is greater than four, there is an issue, Moore said. If it’s less than four, there is more calcium and magnesium than
sodium that allows things to be available.
He shared a water test example in which the SAR was 1.48, suggesting plenty of calcium and magnesium present in the water. But the bicarbonate level was 249 parts per million –g reater than the ideal level of 120 –indicating it could make the calcium unavailable. If there is ample rain, it won’t be an issue, he said, but during a dry season with frequent irrigation and a bicarbonate level greater than 120, more can be done.
Bicarbonates have a physiological effect on roots that leads to a reduction in nutrient adsorption. High bicarbonates lead to unavailable calcium, elevated sodium levels and nutrient tie-up. The problem with bicarbonates is that when there are high levels, calcium cannot displace sodium. Combined with soil calcium, t he calcium becomes unavailable. Sodium levels are able to increase, locking up the soil and decreasing the efficiency of fertilizers.
Moore said superintendents reading a chemical extraction test should pa y particular attention to the percentage of sodium present as well as the levels of calcium, magnesium and potassium.
A saturated paste test will determine proper availability. A three-point priority will determine if there is a need to solubilize more of the calcium in the soil. The percentage of potassium must be greater than that of sodium. Potassium is the barrier that keeps moisture in the plant. Sodium dehydrates nutrients and moisture of the cell wall. The percentage of calcium must also be greater than the sum of the percentage of magnesium and the percentage of potassium. Calcium should be at least 40 parts per million.
“If any one of those three fail, you need to solubilize with an acid or pray for rain.”
Moore said the cure for dissolving bicarbonates is to use acids, and acid
rain delivered by Mother Nature will also do the trick. Acid injection systems are effective and have been successfully used “for ages” in Florida where there are significant bicarbonate issues.
Long-lasting acids work in the soil for 21 to 28 days to release calcium and knock out sodium.
“Acids are a fantastic tool to release things.”
Customers need education to keep lawns weed-free
When customers adopt best mowing and irrigation practices to complement programs offered by lawn care professionals, weeds can often be kept at bay.
By Mike Jiggens
Lawn care professionals need to get out in front of a problem before it starts, incorporating integrated pest management into their programs, an audience of lawn care practitioners attending the Ontario Turfgrass Symposium were told in February.
“In order to get these green lawns, we need to make sure we’re doing everything right because we don’t have the rescue products like we once did,” Mike Ross, technical sales representative for Plant Products said at the University of Guelph forum.
He said Fiesta is the only real “go to”
weed control product legally available to lawn care professionals in Ontario since the province’s cosmetic pesticide ban took effect in 2009. IPM is a big component of golf and sports turf maintenance, but the lawn care industry hasn’t seen a lot of it, he added.
“It’s becoming more critical since we don’t have a lot of the tools we once did.”
When customers adopt best mowing and irrigation practices to complement programs offered by lawn care professionals, weeds can often be kept at bay. Getting the message out to home lawn customers is key, however, Ross said.
“We only have control of so many
elements from the lawn care standpoint,” such as fertility and pest control. “It’s important we educate our customers on how it’s best to mow and irrigate as an option.”
Tim Armstrong, also a technical sales representative with Plant Products, said lawn care professionals are able to better manage their operations with IPM. It’s not just chemical use, but incorporates cultural practices and management as a whole to see what works.
“There’s no silver bullet in this industry, and it’s going to be constantly changing with new insects and new regulations.”
These will dictate what can and can’t
Mowing is a practice largely left in the hands of the homeowner. Lawn care professionals must instruct them to mow properly if the goal is to achieve and maintain a healthy lawn.
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be done.
Inspection forms the basis of IPM, and lead hands need to be educated about the needs of inspecting, identifying and monitoring, Armstrong said.
The best cultural controls start from the ground up, he said, beginning with
soil fertility. The customer site must be rendered as healthy as possible, necessitating aeration to improve the soil profile and encourage a thick lawn aimed at reducing weed inputs.
As far as last resort treatments for weeds are concerned, Armstrong said
lawn care professionals’ hands are strapped these days, noting Fiesta is the one product available. But he said others are anticipated in the near future.
Roundup is still available for use as long as the target can be proven to be a noxious weed.
SIX RS OF LAWN CARE
Lawn care professionals are expected to promote the six Rs: the right product at the right rate in the right location at the right time under the right conditions and with the right equipment.
A checklist that shows due diligence on the part of the lawn care company should be filled out by the individual in charge at the site, Armstrong said. This provides the customer with a monthly snapshot of what is going in, that certain areas exhibit greater drought tolerance than others and other relevant information. The customer learns
The proper means to irrigate is another practice for which the homeowner is usually responsible. A lawn care professional should educate the homeowner accordingly.
what is available to the professional and how he can best perform his duties, backed by education.
Ross said the lawn care company owner can’t be everywhere at once and will often have to depend on what his labourers see.
“They don’t necessarily need to be the expert, but they can certainly do a lot of documentation. It’s a lot easier to document if you give them a checklist.”
Ross says he sees many different fertilizer types being used in the lawn care industry, including organics and different types of slow release products.
“It’s all over the map, but at the end of the day I still think we’re delivering the same relative nutrients. It’s just in a different manner and how we do that.”
How nutrients are delivered has a bearing on weeds, he said, adding he doesn’t suggest a soil test be conducted on every lawn. Soil types in the same neighbourhood tend to be similar.
Understanding and implementing a well-balanced fertilizer program is one of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy lawn.
“In fact it’s probably the single biggest thing we can do,” Ross said. “At the end of the day, the biggest impact we have on lawns is fertilization.”
Two to four yearly applications have typically been the norm within the industry, but Ross said the fewer the number of applications, the smaller labour costs will be.
Although nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are standard in most bags of fertilizer, the addition of minor nutrients in the right amounts are important when there are deficiencies.
“That’s where a soil test can come in very handy as well,” Ross said.
Certain weeds will become apparent when there is a deficiency in either of the main or minor nutrients, he said. Nitrogen is deemed the most important nutrient in lawn care and the one responsible for colour, shoot growth and density and that contributes to
‘We only have control of so many elements from the lawn care standpoint’
wear and disease tolerance.
“I think we see a lot of over-applying nitrogen,” Ross said. “We’re seeing too much growth and too much thatch. We’re seeing a lot less nematode tolerance or wear tolerance.”
He said the industry is seeing many more programs now that are likely the result of consumer demand, including organic options. The challenge with that, he noted, is that there isn’t as much in the bag and it’s usually more expensive and
must be put down more frequently.
“In a competitive market, that gets a little tougher to do,” Ross said. “But there are more socially conscious customers out there nowadays.”
ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Organic sources such as animal byproducts have their pros and cons. With comparatively lower amounts of nitrogen present, burning potential is reduced. It’s also a slow release source,
but its foul odour accounts for the downside.
Synthetic fertilizers remain in the highest demand. With the advent of polymer-coated urea, applications are
able to decrease from five or six times a season to two.
“It’s also a more efficient way of putting it down,” Ross said. “More of that nitrogen ends up in the plant.”
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Ammonium sulfate, on the other hand, works fast, but the plant can handle only so much, he added.
Most lawn care professionals are using some form of slow-release fertilizer, he said, whether it’s 30 per cent or upwards of 70 per cent.
“They give a consistent release of nutrient over a longer period of time, reducing the number of applications per property.”
Some customers may want to see their lawn care professional several times over the course of a season, believing frequent visits provide good value for their money. But Ross argued that if those same customers had a nice lawn, they wouldn’t want to see a lawn care professional as often.
“The quality of the lawn is the big one.”
Ross said if 100 per cent urea is put down at a rate of one pound per 1,000 square feet, only 35 to 55 per cent uptake of nitrogen is achieved. The remainder either leaches into the soil or volatizes into the atmosphere.
“I might be getting a good cost on 100 per cent urea, but I’m losing a lot of that.”
With a polymer-coated fertilizer, 75 to 80 per cent of the nitrogen that is paid for actually reaches the plant. Ross said it’s a more efficient source of nitrogen that is feeding the plant as needed. Putting down polymer-coated fertilizers also reduces labour costs.
Overseeding is another means to achieve a thicker, healthier lawn and keep weeds at bay. Spring is the best time of year for overseeding, he said, as long as equipment can get out to customers’ sites. He cautioned, however, that it’s also a time of the season when there is competition with weeds. September is generally a month conducive for overseeding, but it depends on the location. In areas such as Huntsville, Ont., it can snow in October, and any seed that hasn’t yet germinated is apt to rot. A shift in scheduling may need to be considered.
Mowing is a practice normally left in the hands of the customer. If the customer can be educated to mow frequently enough so as to remove no more than the top third of the blade, he will stand a better chance of achieving a healthier stand of turf than one who removes half of the blade or more, shocking the plant and running into other problems.
More steady growth should be encouraged, requiring the customer to mow two or three times a week. If he removes no more than a quarter or a third of the grass blade each time he mows, he will realize a healthy, lush lawn when combined with fertility, aeration and amending soils with mychorrhizae or other beneficial products.
Managing thatch helps to prevent other problems from developing.
“You want to manage it to the point where you’re not creating an environment for insects to thrive,” Armstrong said.
He added aerating with hollow tines is more effective than using solid tines. They break up the cores that can then be returned along with organic matter.
Customers with irrigation systems often misuse them, Ross said. They tend to overwater frequently, promoting shallow roots and encouraging weed seed germination in the top canopy of the grass.
“Far too many of our turf areas are watered far too frequently and for too short a time.”
If the soil is sandy, more water will be required. If there is a slope, it may require more frequent watering but at separate times. Watering shouldn’t be done 20 minutes at a time because all that water is going to run down, Ross said.
If a customer has clay soil and is equipped with an irrigation system, it’s best that he break up his watering cycles. Ross said the system shouldn’t be turned on for six hours in one
night. Irrigation should be staggered. Armstrong finished their presentation by reminding the lawn care professionals in the audience that they must first understand why their properties are
getting weeds in the first place and then build a program to eradicate them. It’s the preferable alternative to coming in at the end and waiting for a product to work, he said.
TRENCHING PRECISION PAYS
Mini trenching helped contribute to profitability.
Every day we benefit greatly from the precision achieved when professionals use tools designed specifically for their jobs. Surgery, for instance, would be far more risky and leave less than ideal results if surgeons did not have some of the sharpest scalpels in the world that allow them to work with extreme precision.
Installing landscape irrigation lines is a similar endeavour, albeit less life threatening. When it’s done with the best tools around it can deliver extremely precise and high-quality results, saving customers and contractors from headaches and labour costs.
Bill Waltz is no surgeon, but he and his crew at Green Oasis Irrigation in Tomball, Texas, know firsthand that using the right tools for the job can have a huge impact on success. Waltz owns Green Oasis, and he and his crew install and service sprinkler systems in the state’s southeast. The task involves digging trenches as narrow as one inch, as deep as eight inches and, in some cases, hundreds of feet long for placing irrigation lines. When he first started the business, it wasn’t always as easy as it sounds.
An unexpected business partner
“One of my good friends and I were looking to keep ourselves busy one summer while we were home from
college,” Waltz said. “When I saw a few guys installing a sprinkler system at the house across the street, I knew that was the ticket to passing time while earning some money.”
After some research and trips to the
hardware store for supplies, he and his partner were in business and ready for their first project: installing irrigation lines at Waltz’s childhood home where his parents still reside. After that first successful install, he and his partner hit
With the help of the trencher, crews can turn what would otherwise be a two-day job into one that is six to eight hours.
the pavement, posting fliers to drum up business. Their efforts proved successful, but as the number of projects grew, their faith in their methods diminished.
“We started out using trenching shovels, which certainly got the job done, but our bodies paid the price,” he said. “They also didn’t leave the type of results we wanted to give our customers.”
Trenching by hand is not only a laborious process, but time intensive as well. In addition, the process greatly disturbs the soil, so customers had to wait as long as two months before their yards were back to normal.
“The longer soil and grass is
left out of the trench, the more it dries out and the longer it takes for that area to heal once material is put back,” Waltz said. “If that’s our only option, that’s one thing, but we knew there had to be a better way.”
A visit to the local rental shop proved them right.
There it was: a 2.5-by-five-foot piece of equipment that, at the time, Waltz had no idea would have such a hand in shaping his business. It was a Little Beaver Kwik-Trench mini-trencher – a gas-powered machine that slices through soil, leaving trenches as narrow as one inch and as deep as 12 inches.
“Up until then our only power trenching options were large models that would have destroyed lawns,” he said. “They were overkill for what we needed.”
He added that many customers hear the word “trencher” and envision the lawns they work so hard to maintain turning into a dirt-filled warzone.
“That image isn’t too far from reality if you use larger trenchers. We knew we had to have clean, narrow trenches that could minimize cleanup time and deliver better results for our customers. The mini-trencher was our best option.”
Over the next few years, as the
HOURS
The time it took to do a job in what otherwise would have taken two to three days.
‘We started out using trenching shovels, which certainly got the job done, but our bodies paid the price’
business got off the ground, Green Oasis rented the mini-trencher for nearly every irrigation project. The unit cut trenches as quickly as 30 feet per minute and its carbide tipped blades rotated as fast as 800 rpm, delivering clean and precise results.
“Compliments started rolling in on the finished yard – a benefit we only could contribute to the Kwik-Trench,” Waltz said.
The team of two quickly realized that what started as a way for quick cash on college breaks, had developed into a thriving business opportunity. As soon as they had the funds, they purchased the trencher.
The sharpest tool in the shed
And the rest, as they say, is history. That was nearly 28 years ago and since then Waltz’s partner has gone his own way while Green Oasis has grown to 10 installers and two mini-trenchers working year-round to service customers. He also continues to get rave reviews.
“The mini-trenchers have really made our business stand out amongst the competition,” Waltz said. “I’ve had customers arrive home and think we hadn’t completed the job because the yard looked undisturbed. Clients have also been pleased with how fast their yards are back to normal.”
The trencher deposits soil on one side of the trench, which makes backfilling easy and fast, allowing the area to heal quickly. The subsequent customer satisfaction helps fill much of Green Oasis’ business, which primarily comes from referrals.
But clients aren’t the only ones pleased with Waltz’s approach to
digging trenches. His employees are also happy.
“I’ve had some of my guys say if they had to dig by hand they wouldn’t be working for me,” Waltz said. “Ergonomics is starting to play a big role in employee satisfaction, and rightfully so. We’re not young forever.”
Operators walk behind the unit while pushing forward, which is not only easier than larger trenchers that operate by pulling the unit backward, but it’s also safer. Green Oasis’ minitrenchers are also relatively lightweight and easy to manoeuver.
In addition to safety and ergonomics, the units have also boosted profits for Green Oasis.
“It’s simple because we can cut trenches faster, we can complete projects more quickly, which means we can take on more than what can be achieved with hand digging,” Waltz said.
He noted one of the largest projects his crew has completed with the minitrenchers included installing irrigation lines on a three-acre property outside of Tomball.
“It took us four days to complete the job, one of the longest projects we’ve worked on. But if we had hand dug the trenches it would have taken us almost two weeks,” he said.
That efficiency continues to pay even on the day-to-day projects, turning what could be two-day projects into six to eight-hour jobs.
Not only has efficiency played a role in the company’s success, but having quick and timely parts support has also helped Green Oasis stay on top of profits.
“We bill per project rather than hourly so if we had to wait for parts to arrive it could really eat into our profits,” Waltz said. He can get the parts he needs within a few days.
“I’m not sure why some contractors still choose to hand
dig their trenches, but for us it’s a no-brainer,” Waltz said.
Having the right tools for the job is smart. Just like the surgeon with his instruments, a contractor with his minitrencher is poised to operate
with extreme precision to deliver fast, high-quality results. And it’s all in the name of saving.
Whether it’s rescuing clients from an unsightly yard or saving a contractor time, hassle and labour costs, the right tools pay.
Walking behind while pushing forward is easier than pulling large trenchers backward and is also safer.
Ad Index
Agrimetal24
Alliance Agri-Turf Inc53
Bartlett Tree Experts Canada Division 49
Botanix-Oxford
Health & Safety
Continued from page 25
Insta-Shade Inc. 50
Buffalo Turbine LLC29
Echo Power Equipment Canada 56
Ecolawn Applicator50
Exmark12, 13
Fish Farm Supply Co.51
George de Groot Laser Grading & Excavating Inc. 29
Green Jacket Turf Covers49
Gro-Bark (Ontario) Ltd.17
Husqvarna Group7
Hutcheson Sand & Mixes51
John Deere 5, 19, 55
Kaddy-Lac49, 53
Kubota Canada Ltd.27
Lawn Life46
Mountainview Turf Farm28
Ontario Seed Co.44
Ontario Turf Aeration53
Outdoor Supplies and Equipment Inc. 45
Pickseed Canada Inc.53
Practical Turf Care53
Pro-Power Canada11
Progressive Turf Equipment Inc. 16
Quality Seeds53
Rainbird36, 37
Reist Welding (Elmira) Ltd.40
RTF Turf Producers Association 39
Shindaiwa20, 21
STIHL Limited2
Target Specialty Products53
The Anderson’s Inc.43
The Toro Company30, 31
Ventrac by Venture Products Inc. 34
Worldlawn Power Equipment Inc. 35
Zander Sod Company Ltd.41, 47
7 Guidelines for preparing toolbox safety talks
1. For each discussion or talk, focus on one idea (hazard or job-related task).
2. Select a key topic to discuss (i.e. a hazard workers need to understand and can relate to):
• Consider your own experiences, observations, and beliefs
• Think of your area of control, repeated problems, recent accomplishments, and areas for improvements
• Think of the workers, what they want and need, opinions, accomplishments, and areas for improvements
• Keep notes of day-to-day occurrences so you can address them in timely safety talks
• Read safety-related material, bookmark occupational health and safety websites, research and save news articles
3. Summarize your talk in point form
• Know what you’re going to say
• Write down key points, facts, and examples
4. Practice your talk
• Run through your material before your present it to your workers. Over time this will get easier.
5. Make toolbox talks a scheduled and regular part of the work day and if needed, before starting a particular task.
6. You should:
• Have the immediate supervisor conduct the meeting
• Make them short and to the point
• Focus on one topic but cover it in as much detail as necessary to convey the safety information
• Have an agenda to keep the talks on track
• Document the talk and maintain a record in your business files
7. Toolbox safety talks, like all safety meetings, are critical to the employer’s health and safety program and establishing due diligence. Using a logbook is the best way to document that you conduct safety talks, what topics are covered and who attended.
The legalization of marijuana in Canada is inching closer , even though Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s original target date of July 1 is now going to be missed. That’s probably a good thing.
A countrywide dope-up doesn’t seem like the most appropriate way to celebrate Canada Day. Call me a square, call me a goody two shoes, call me whatever you like. I just can’t get my head around the fact that smoking dope is on the cusp of becoming legal in Canada. If someone had told me back in my high school days that pot would be legalized in Canada in another four decades, I would have responded, “You must be smoking dope if you think that’s going to happen.”
Welcome to the new Canada. Personally, I’ve never tried the stuff, nor do I have any desire to do so now that I’ll soon be able to legally do it if I choose. The stench of it has always turned me off. I figured that if it smelled that foul, the taste couldn’t be far behind. It’s not something I wanted to put in my body.
I certainly had my opportunities to smoke dope. I had friends who indulged every now and then and who offered me the chance to join in, but I politely declined each time. When something stinks that bad, I don’t want it anywhere near me.
I’d hear my friends talking while they passed a joint around for everyone to share: “That’s good sh*t, man!”
If dope is being compared to sh*t, then I definitely want no part of it. In fact, as far as smell goes, inhaling second hand marijuana smoke is about as appealing to the nostrils as
walking into a bathroom stall that was just vacated by a sumo wrestler. That’s bad sh*t, man. Sh*t is sh*t. There’s no such thing as good sh*t.
As one who likes to sit out on his back porch during the early evening on a nice summer day, I occasionally pick up various scents blown my way in the breeze. “Smells like Bob is barbecuing something good tonight,” I’d say to myself as I savoured the aroma.
Soon it’s going to be, “Smells like Bob is smoking some of that wacky tobacky. Either that or someone down the road has just run over a skunk.”
I’m not a connoisseur of smells. To me, there is no discernable difference between the stench of pot and a skunk. Nor for that matter can I make the distinction between the smells of flatulence and a delicatessen.
“Don’t you think you should excuse yourself? Oh, my mistake, I see you’re slicing up some salami.”
There are many who believe that once Bill C-45 becomes law, the number of Canadian dope smokers will increase dramatically, suggesting the only previous deterrent was the possibility of being arrested. The secretive back alley exchanges will eventually become a thing of the past and everyone can soon get his pot fix above board.
Legalizing something that was previously against the law doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is going to jump on the bandwagon and start toking away. Look at what happened several years ago in Ontario when the law was changed to allow women to go topless in public. Nothing happened. In my visits to the beach, I’ve yet to find a single woman in all these years who has taken advantage of the amended law.
‘Smells like Bob is smoking some of that wacky tobacky’
Although one practice is no longer against the law and the other is about to become legal, comparing bare breasts with dope smoking is like comparing apples to oranges. It’s no big deal for a woman to be topless. If some people find it offensive in a beach setting, they can park themselves further down the shore and it becomes a non-issue. But there is no escaping the putrid smell of dope. It lingers in sheltered areas and travels with the wind.
I’d rather be standing in line for 10 minutes at a delicatessen counter. At least I’d know the unpleasant (for me) smell was just the store’s inventory. Of course the guy in front of me could let one rip, figuring he could hide his gaseous emission among the various meats. As long as he’s adept at the art of silent-but-deadly delivery, I’d be fooled.
I’d be curious to see the inside of these cannabis retail outlets once they officially open for business. Will there be signs posted directing customers to their choice of mild sh*t, strong sh*t, sh*t lite or perhaps a refined sh*t? Will you be able to buy imported dope? Will one type be advertised as producing 50 per cent less stench than another? Might one be able to hand in a coupon for a free roach clip? Will there be pictures of everyone’s favourite stoner – Snoop Dogg – plastered over the walls?
No doubt some customers will feel a sense of loyalty to their longtime suppliers and may be willing to shell out a few bucks more for that homegrown quality. They’ll liken it to eating homemade cookies versus the pre-packaged goodies bought in a store.
I wonder if Justin will take the ceremonial first toke once the legalization is official. After all, this was his idea.
Rod Perry, aka Duffer, is a Niagara-based freelance writer.
www.JohnDeere.ca/2Family
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