JuLY 2018 NEWS

Rings of dead grass are typical symptoms of patch disease.

Patch Diseases Serious Problem

Perhaps the most serious turf disease likely to occur in northern Illinois is summer patch and necrotic ring spot, two separate diseases that attack grass roots and previously were referred to as fusarium blight. Research continues to look for information on these diseases. Brown patch may also attack turfgrasses. These "patch diseases" are similar in appearance and management in lawns.

Summer patch and brown patch tends to be most active in hot weather, while necrotic ring spot tends to be most active in late spring and in fall. Disease symptoms often show under turf stress in summer, however. Crescent shaped or circular patches of dead grass, often with clumps of green grass inside, are a characteristic symptom (often called "frogeye"). Lawn and other turf areas with advanced disease development may show irregular dead areas and streaks. 

Patch diseases typically develop on turf with stress factors such as excessive thatch, poor soil conditions, sod installed over a poorly prepared site, irregular/excessive nitrogen fertility, and related problems. One typical situation in which these diseases occur is recently sodded lawns (within 2 - 5 years) put down over a clay soil, usually with good care (high watering & fertility) to keep the grass green and vigorous. This condition leads to poor root penetration and development, and also often a problem thatch layer.

Management of these diseases consists of correcting soil problems and implementing proper cultural practices, overseeding dead areas, and possibly fungicide applications. Improving conditions for root growth and reducing problem thatch is critical. Practices such as core aerifying and topdressing, along with sound fertilizing, mowing (avoid mowing too short), and watering are suggested. Spring and fall are suggested times for aerifying, assuming the turf is actively growing. Avoid heavy spring applications of nitrogen fertilizer. Focus most applications on the fall period. Fertilizers containing controlled-release nitrogen are suggested. Overseed dead areas with perennial ryegrass and resistant Kentucky bluegrass cultivars in late August or early September.

These management suggestions may not bring immediate results, but will get the patch disease under control in the long run. Fungicides are an option to help prevent further development on unaffected grass, but will not reverse the factors causing the disease or eliminate the disease. Fungicides treat the symptoms but not the cause of the problem.

Written by Bruce Spangenberg, former Extension Educator, Horticulture. University of Illinois Extension.

Clearys 3336 DG Lite Granular Fungicide

Clearys 3336 DG Lite Granular Fungicide is a systemic fungicide product for the prevention and control of turf diseases and the diseases of annual and perennial flowers, bedding plants, foliage plants, ground covers, plus deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The granular formulation makes the product easy to spread and apply using a typical push spreader.

ARBORJET®

Trunk injection is the most effective alternative to spraying or soil applied pesticides for tree insect or pest control. Arborjet's trunk injection equipment injects formulations directly into the trunk where it is quickly taken up by the vascular system and distributed throughout the tree. With over 10 years of research and development, our trunk injection systems and formulations are proven to give the best results when protecting trees from pests.

Simple & Quick
The Arborjet drill-plug-inject method is easy to learn and application is quick. The Arborjet trunk injection system is a perfect fit for the do-it-yourselfer but is best applied by a professional, especially for more serious problems.

Eco-Friendly
Unlike spraying or soil applications, Arborjet's system injects directly into the tree, limiting any impact to your family, the applicator, and the environment around you. professionals.

Please contact Kevin if you would like more information:

Kevin.Spiller@natseed.com / Mobile 630-903-5240

Three Ways to Have Confidence and Courage in Business

Many small business owners freeze up when it's time to go to networking events, make cold calls, or pitch their business to investors. Doing these things is scary for people who aren't used to them, and sometimes it takes a lot of energy to push forward.
Sometimes, business coaches, friends, and other people who are trying to help tell the frightened business owner to "have confidence." While this is well-intentioned advice, it can make things worse instead of better. Confidence inspires thoughts of fearlessness, of being sure that you will succeed no matter what, of not caring what anybody thinks. Trying to be confident feels like lying, because the business owner knows how scared he or she is.

The good news is that you don't have to be confident to know how to succeed in business. You just have to have courage. If you shift your mindset from confidence to courage, you'll soon push yourself further than you ever thought you could go.

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
Unlike confidence, which requires absolute belief in your abilities, courage only requires one thing: that you act. To be courageous is to do things you're afraid to do.

Many people think it takes confidence to be heroic, but it really takes courage. It's not easy to do things you're afraid of. It requires taking a risk and ignoring the fearful voice in your head. No matter how things turn out, you can be proud that you had the courage to try.

Take Small Steps
As an entrepreneur, you'll need to push yourself out of your comfort zone so that you can take your business to the next level. Whether you want to expand your business, raise funds to create a new product line, or market yourself in a new way, you'll have to try some new things.

The best way to summon your courage to do these things is to take small steps. If you're scared of cold calling, make a commitment to call just one contact on your list. If the thought of going to a networking event causes your heart to race and your palms to sweat, find a small, local event to try out. You don't have to do anything big to be courageous. You just have to take the first step. Take some sort of action.

Give Yourself Permission to Be Afraid
Many business owners think that the most successful business people are the most confident. They may beat themselves up for being afraid because they think they'll never win that way.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Great business owners aren't confident. They're courageous! They succeed because they keep doing things that scare them, and when those things don't scare them anymore, they find new fears to overcome.

Not only are top entrepreneurs often afraid, but so are award-winning actors and actresses. Felicity Huffman once said, "I don't feel confident at all. I feel frightened. I feel ill equipped. I feel like I don't belong in the party. So, I don't think you need confidence. I think you need courage to do it anyway." That's the secret – take action in spite of the fear.

It isn't easy to be a successful entrepreneur. You have to do things on a regular basis that scare you so that you can move forward and hit your sales and marketing goals. Don't make it worse for yourself by looking for confidence that you don't have and don't need. Instead, acknowledge your fears and then develop the courage to overcome them.

Written by Ashford University staff