Att 2 - NCA Handbook Guidelines.docx

ATTACHMENT

NCA Handbook 3420 (Excerpt) Turfgrass Maintenance in VA National Cemeteries

DEFINITIONS

A.I. - Active Ingredient. Refers to the percent by weight of active ingredient content in a pest control product.

Aerification (core or slice) - The process of cultivating an established stand of turfgrass without destroying that stand, using specialized tools to remove small cores of soil, or slice grooves in the soil surface, to relieve soil compaction and improve soil aeration.

Blue Tag-certified seed - Commercially-grown seed that adheres to specific standards of quality and is certified to be true to genetic identity and type by individual State agencies responsible for ensuring seed quality.

Cool Season Turfgrass - A turfgrass species adapted to cool, humid climatic regions. Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and bent grass are the most widely used examples.

Evapotranspiration - The loss of plant water from the combined forces of surface evaporation and metabolic transpiration.

Generally Free of Bare Areas - The presence of bare ground is very widely scattered and visually insignificant when the total expanse of the cemetery turfgrass is observed. The presence of bare ground in no way distracts from the visual attractiveness of the landscape.

Generally Weed Free - The population of weeds is very widely scattered and visually insignificant when the total expanse of the cemetery turfgrass is observed. The weeds in no way distract from the visual attractiveness of the landscape.

Glyphosate - The common or generic name of the active ingredient contained in the non-selective herbicide known as Roundup.

Low Visual Impact Areas - Includes areas used for soil spoils, not used at all, or viewed at considerable distance.

Medium Visual Impact Areas - Includes non-burial areas adjacent to secondary roads, areas adjoining the memorial path, or areas adjacent to the maintenance building/yard.

Non-selective Herbicide - An herbicide that kills most plants on contact. Glyphosate (tradename Roundup) is the most widely used example.

Over-seeding - Spreading turfgrass seed over the top of an existing stand of turfgrass for the purpose of increasing its density. Usually necessary when turfgrasses have been thinned due to injury from various pests or overuse.

Power Rake - A motorized device used to remove thatch from an established stand of turfgrass. The rake has steel tines that rotate at high speed and rip through the thatch layer.

Sod Quality Seed - An elite grade of certified seed that meets exceptionally rigid standards of purity and quality used to establish turfgrass stands for commercial sod production.

Vertical Mower - A mowing/turfgrass renovation device with rigidly mounted steel blades that slice through the turfgrass canopy perpendicular to the soil surface.

Verticut - The process of slicing through the turfgrass canopy perpendicular to the soil surface.

Visually Prominent Areas - Includes areas near interment sections, committal service shelters, columbaria, flagpole/assembly area, public buildings, and entrance gate; areas adjacent to the main entrance road; and primary roads/routes to committal service shelters.

Warm Season Turfgrass - Turfgrass species adapted to warm, humid climatic regions. Bermudagrass, zoysia grass, St. Augustine grass, and Bahia grass are the most commonly used examples.

Windrows - Excessive accumulations of grass clippings deposited in rows during mowing operations (usually when mowing frequency is inadequate).

SECTION III – TURFGRASS MAINTENANCE

The following maintenance operations should be performed routinely to achieve a high-quality stand of turfgrass: mowing and trimming, fertilization, irrigation, aerification, thatch removal, and pest control.

1. MOWING/TRIMMING/EDGING

a. Mowing:

(1) It is important to remember that mowing turfgrasses stresses the plants. Most common turfgrass species can produce a healthy dense stand of turfgrass when routinely mowed at a height and frequency best suited to the specific growth characteristics of each type. For best results:

1. Keep mower blades sharp at all times. Start each mowing cycle with newly sharpened blades

1. Never remove more than 1/3 of the total leaf surface length in a single mowing

1. Alternate the direction of mowing where possible. When mowing between rows of headstones, begin each mowing cycle at a point that will ensure that each row is mowed in the opposite direction from the previous cycle

1. Remove clippings only if mowing interval has been lengthened due to uncontrollable environmental factors, and excess clippings result

1. Maintain a height of cut recommended for the type of turfgrass (i.e., 2.5 to 3.0 inches for cool season turfgrasses, 1-2 inches for Bermudagrass, 2-3 inches for St. Augustine grass)

(2) Cemetery areas are normally split into visually prominent areas, medium visual impact areas, and low visual impact areas (see Definitions in Section I). Place special emphasis on mowing the visually prominent areas near front entrance, office, flag-pole circle, committal shelters, and interment areas. Mow other areas when ground conditions permit. Mower operators should report any sunken graves or turfgrass area(s) in need of repair and inform the supervisor. The supervisor will give directions for refill or renovation actions.

(3) Mowing equipment should be kept 6 to 12 inches from upright headstones. Mowing equipment can mow over the top of properly set flat markers.

b. Trimming/Edging:

(1) Turfgrass within 6 to 12 inches of upright headstones, monuments, etc., will be trimmed to the recommended mowing height using line-type trimmers. Each trimmer will be fitted with an anti-scalping device and used only with the device properly attached. Flat markers will be edged using appropriate edging equipment.

(2) There should be no windrows; no clippings left on walks, headstones, markers, streets, etc. There should be no damage to headstones or markers, monuments, surrounding vegetation (trees/shrubs), or structures.

(3) A complete trimming and/or edging cycle may take twice as long as a single mowing cycle.

NCA Handbook 3410 (Excerpt) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Procedures for VA National Cemeteries

APPENDIX E – WEED CONTROL IN TURFGRASS AREAS

1. BACKGROUND

a. A weed is a plant growing where it is not wanted, or essentially, a plant out of place. Weed encroachment into an established turf usually results when the turf has become weak and thin due to environmental stress, damage by pests and diseases, improper cultural practices, or intense wear from foot or vehicle traffic. Weed control is the process of limiting a weed infestation so that turfgrass can grow properly. Weed control practices are not effective on a long-term basis unless the original cause of weed encroachment is corrected. When properly maintained, warm- and cool-season turfgrasses are highly competitive with weeds. Providing ideal agronomic conditions is the preferred method for managing weeds in turfgrass. When weed populations exceed NCA standards of appearance, chemical weed control can be practiced. There are two types of herbicides to control weeds.

(1) Pre-emergence herbicides are applied prior to weed germination and are used for the control of crabgrass, goosegrass, annual bluegrass, and certain annual broadleaf weeds. Pre-emergence herbicides are usually applied to the entire turfgrass area to rid it of broadleaf weeds.

(2) Post-emergence herbicides are applied after the weed has germinated and is growing, and are generally used to control weeds not controlled by a pre-emergence herbicide. Post-emergence herbicide can be applied on a "spot-treatment" or "as-needed" basis directly to the weed infestation. Weed species vary in their susceptibility to herbicides. The most important factor in selecting a post-emergence herbicide is the tolerance of the turfgrass to the herbicide.

b. Correct weed identification is necessary to select an appropriate herbicide. The herbicide label should contain information about what weeds can be controlled. Timing of application is important, for example, certain herbicides can only be applied to Bermuda grass when the grass is dormant.

NOTE: Proper storage requirements and safe handling and application procedures must be adhered to at all times for all herbicides. All chemical herbicides must be applied by a State licensed applicator. Records must be kept of the day, time, weather, name of product applied and manufacturer, and quantity used, as specified in Section IV of this handbook.

2. SELECTIVE BROADLEAF WEED CONTROL

a. Cultural Practices: The best way to avoid broadleaf weeds in turfgrass stands is by producing a healthy, vigorous, dense stand of the desired turfgrass species. Using appropriate cultural practices will reduce the need for chemical control measures (see current NCA Handbook 3420 – Turfgrass Maintenance in VA National Cemeteries, for detailed information on these practices).

(1) The most common cultural control technique is routine mowing, as only a limited number of broadleaf weed species can tolerate frequent mowing. However, many of the species that can tolerate frequent mowing are difficult to control and quite competitive once established. The most difficult species of broadleaf weeds to deal with in turfgrass are those that have a low, spreading growth and can tolerate the mowing heights commonly employed for turfgrasses. Some of the most troublesome are clover, black medic, wild violet, ground ivy, knotweed, prostrate spurge, veronica, and chickweed.

(2) Other cultural practices that have a significant impact on weed encroachment are fertilization, irrigation, and aerification.

(a) Proper timing, quantity, and nutrient content of fertilizer products can encourage the growth of the desired turfgrass species while discouraging weed species. For example, cool season turfgrass species will benefit most with spring and fall applications of fertilizer. Mid-summer applications would encourage the growth of summer annual weeds.

(b) Established stands of perennial turfgrass should be irrigated infrequently (in sufficient quantity to penetrate to a minimum soil depth of 6 inches), and then allowed to dry before being irrigated again. Water applied in frequent light quantities will encourage the germination of weed seeds located near the soil surface and help them to become established.

(c) Core aerification can injure plants that are not actively growing, and can bring weed seeds to the surface where they will germinate. Core aerification should never be done in spring. Aerification should not be done during high temperature stress periods, or when common weeds are germinating. Applying a pre-emergent herbicide after aerification will help keep weed seeds from germinating.

b. Mechanical Control: If the number of weeds is small, removal by hand is recommended. It may be necessary to use a broadleaf herbicide to control an infestation of unwanted weed species.

c. Chemical Control:

NOTE: See paragraph Application/Disposal Instructions in Section IV – Chemical Pesticides, for detailed information about application procedures and required notification of staff, visitors, and neighboring individuals. Consult the product label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for handling, storage, and safety information.

(1) Herbicide Selection: Current practice is to use pyridine-based herbicides (where practical and appropriate) to replace 2,4-D and other earlier products. Triclopyr and clopyralid - sold as Turflon, Confront, and Millennium, and under other trade names - are pyridine products available for use on turfgrasses. These products work well on commonly grown cool season turfgrasses. Warm season turfgrass species tolerance to these herbicides varies and should be confirmed prior to use.

(2) Herbicide Application Techniques:

(a) Scattered small patches of broadleaf weeds should be selectively controlled and removed by spot treating the affected area(s). Small hand-held or backpack style sprayers can hold 2 to 4 gallons of spray solution. The spray solution should be delivered in a single pass over the target area so that the foliage of the weeds is uniformly wet.

(b) If the broadleaf weeds affect a large area, tractor or utility cart-mounted spray equipment should be used to apply the selective herbicide.

(3) Herbicide Application Timing: Although selective broadleaf herbicides can be used anytime that the target weeds are growing and the turfgrass is mature and actively growing, applications at certain times will deliver the best results.

(a) Summer annual broadleaf weeds germinate during the spring, grow rapidly into early summer, flower and produce seed during the summer, and usually die as a result of the first killing frost in fall. If herbicide treatment is necessary for summer annual species, it should be completed well before the plants have a chance to produce seed. Common summer annual broadleaf weeds include pigweed, prostrate spurge, black medic, and yellow woodsorrel (this can be perennial in some areas).

(b) Winter annual broadleaf weeds germinate during late summer and early fall, grow rapidly through the fall, overwinter in a semi-dormant state, and resume active growth the following spring; then flower and produce seed and die during the warmer temperatures of summer. Treatment for winter species can be made during the late summer/fall growing period or in the following spring (prior to flowering and seed production). Common winter annual broadleaf weeds include chickweed, henbit, Virginia pepperweed, and corn speedwell.

(c) Perennial broadleaf weeds live two or more seasons and do not need to come back from seed each year. Treatment to control perennials should be made in early fall when plants are moving carbohydrates into their root systems as storage reserves for winter survival. The applied herbicides will move into the root system and facilitate a complete kill of the target weed plant. Common examples of perennials broadleaf weeds include Canada thistle, wild carrot, ground ivy (creeping Charlie), white clover, wild violet, and dandelion.

3. PRE-EMERGENCE CONTROL OF CRABGRASS AND OTHER ANNUAL GRASS WEEDS

Crabgrass is the most common weed in established stands of cool season turfgrass. Several other annual weed grasses are common across the country, including yellow and green foxtail, barnyardgrass, goosegrass, and annual bluegrass (Poa annua). Annual bluegrass is a winter annual and germinates around Labor Day; all of the others are summer annuals and germinate during the spring.

a. Herbicide Selection/Performance Factors: There are commercially available herbicide products that will effectively control the germinating seeds of crabgrass and other annual grass weeds. The best choice for each depends upon factors such as cost, formulations available, soil residual properties, turfgrass species tolerance, effectiveness, and user handling and safety.

(1) In order to perform effectively, all pre-emergence herbicides:

NOTE: Available products include benefin (trade name Balan), trifluralin+benefin (trade name Team and Team Pro), pendimethalin (trade name Pendulum and Pre-M), prodiamine (trade name Barricade), dithiopyr (trade name Dimension), and quinclorac (Trade name Drive). The first four products belong to the same chemical family – dinitroanalines – and clearly dominate this category of herbicide usage. Dithiopyr and quinclorac are not members of the dinitroanaline family.

b. Application Timing:

(1) Herbicide application(s) should be made 1 to 2 weeks prior to weed germination, which depends upon soil temperature. Soil temperatures are slow to rise in the spring. If the soil has been more moist than usual the warming process will be even slower, as water is a very poor conductor of heat.

(2) Several inexpensive soil thermometers should be placed at strategic locations around the property at a soil depth of 2 inches. When they record mid-afternoon temperatures of over 50 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 4 consecutive days, pre-emergents can be applied.

(3) If the herbicide is applied 4 to 6 weeks before germination, a significant percentage of the active ingredient will be wasted, since the active ingredient begins to degrade as soon as it is applied. Application should not be delayed until after weed germination.

For example, crabgrass begins to germinate in the spring after soil temperatures in the top 1 to 2 inches of soil have reached between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The germination process will not begin just because there have been a few unseasonably warm days in March or April. Although all of the herbicides mentioned in the NOTE above will control a young one- to two-leaf stage crabgrass plant, only quinclorac can control relatively mature crabgrass plants.

c. Formulation Options: All of the herbicide products discussed in the NOTE above are commercially available from numerous sources and in several different formulations. They can be purchased in sprayable formulations, true liquids, wettable powders, flowables, or dry flowables blended with fertilizers.

(1) Uniform application to the target area is essential. Most users will find that a granular product, or fertilizer combination that includes the selected herbicide is easier to apply. Using fertilizer spreading equipment is generally more efficient and accurate than spraying.

(2) In most cases a single, properly timed herbicide application will control over 90% of the annual weed grass seeds that germinate during a normal spring season. NOTE: For areas with consistent crabgrass problems, two sequential crabgrass control applications are recommended to ensure complete full season control.