Field Report: BASF introduces specialty products at Innovate ’08 summit

BASF debuted three new products for the turf and ornamental market at the company’s Innovate ’08 summit held in Washington, D.C., in May.

Hitting the market this month is Drive XLR8, a liquid post-emergent herbicide for crabgrass control that is effective against a wide range of broadleaf and grassy weeds. According to Paul Rea, director of specialty products, it is rainfast in 30 minutes and has a much faster uptake than previous versions of the herbicide.

Pageant broad-spectrum fungicide for ornamentals, available in most markets now, is the combination of two active ingredients – Pyraclostrobin (Insignia) and Boscalid (Emerald fungicide). While the target customers are greenhouses and nurseries, Pageant offers landscapers control of diseases such as leaf spot, anthracnose, blights and downy mildews.

EPA registered FreeHand pre-emergent herbicide for ornamentals will be available this month for nurseries and landscapers who maintain ornamentals. The herbicide controls key nursery and landscape weeds including: eclipta, pearlwort, northern willowherb, phyllanthus and liverwort.
~ Christina Jesson


For your bookshelf: ‘Finding the Place of Architecture in the Landscape’
A new book from landscape architect Peter Gisolfi titled “Finding the Place of Architecture in the Landscape” discusses the relationship between architecture and landscape. Gisolfi has the view that “Architecture should always be connected to, and designed in harmony with natural and man-made landscapes.”

Throughout the book, which includes 400 full-color photographs, renderings, site diagrams and concept drawings, Gilsolfi looks at how buildings need to enhance landscapes and be disciplined by them, rather than overpower them. He also includes an aspect of sustainability into each of his designs.
~ Jennifer Mitchell


Letter to the Editor:

Dear Editor:

I enjoyed your fire ant article. As a veteran in the lawn care industry, I have seen a total evolution of fire ant controls for several decades.

I wanted to mention that fire ant control in our Dallas/Fort Worth marketplace has been an incredible service to our customers because of many newer products on the market.

We have moved past the old “two-step method,” and now offer a full-year guarantee utilizing a combination of Advion (Indoxacarb) and TopChoice (Fipronil). The results are outstanding and we rarely have any call-backs. Advion alone will not get the extended full season eradication, but it gets immediate results prior to the TopChoice getting control, as it takes a few weeks. You may want to check out Bayer’s www.nofireants.com Web site.

I have always taken a special interest in fire ants because my son was nearly blinded by a fire ant when he was a toddler.

Thanks a bunch, and I truly enjoy and value your articles and Total Landscape Care magazine.

Gary LaScalea
President/Horticulturist
GroGreen Inc.
Plano, Texas


CLIPPINGS
Dow AgroSciences sponsors insectarium

Dow AgroSciences is sponsor of the Entomologist’s Station in the new insectarium at the Audubon Nature Institute that opened in New Orleans in June. The insectarium includes displays of live and mounted insects, a theater, cooking demonstrations, an insects’ Hall of Fame and interactive displays. The station will feature a scientist who provides visitors the opportunity to see and touch different live insects.

SourceOne completes facility expansion
SourceOne has moved into its expanded facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. The new facility gives the company over 70,000 square feet of production space.

Toro celebrates 10th anniversary of center
Toro is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Center for Advanced Turf Technology (CATT) in Bloomington, Minnesota – a cross-functional innovation team of engineers and agronomists dedicated to developing technologies in turf care.

Bird-X launches improved informational Web site
Bird-X recently launched its improved Web site, www.bird-x.com. The site features all of the information from the previous site but with increased user-friendliness and easier navigation and sourcing. The site also includes educational and practical information on eco-friendly and humane bird and animal control through news stories, case histories and success stories.

Southland announces internship program
Southland Landscape in Charleston, South Carolina, announces its partnership with Spartanburg Community College in South Carolina to offer horticulture students internship opportunities in the landscaping industry. The company will also begin offering an annual $1,000 scholarship to one SCC horticulture student this fall.

Stihl Lumberjack Challenge at GIE+EXPO
Attendees at this year’s GIE+EXPO in Louisville, Kentucky, will have an opportunity to see the Stihl Lumberjack Challenge presented by Scheer’s Lumberjack Shows. Events include axe throwing, chopping, log rolling, cross cut sawing, hot sawing and chainsaw carving. Event times are Thursday, October 23, and Friday, October 24: 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, October 25: 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m.

Horizon partners with Landscape Injection Systems
Horizon partnered with Landscape Injection Systems (LIS) to be the exclusive distributor of LIS Fertiboost fertilizer injectors in the 10 states Horizon serves. LIS supplies fertilizer injection systems for a variety of applications including commercial landscape systems, residential developments and city parks.

Bayer introduces free bait program
To aid in eliminating fire ants, Bayer Environmental Sciences is offering professionals a way to receive more bait for their money. For every 100 pounds of TopChoice insecticide purchased between now and December 31, lawn care operators can receive a free two-pound bottle of Maxforce FC Fire Ant Bait or Ceasefire Fire Ant Bait. For more information on the free bait program, visit www.BackedbyBayer.com.

The Attachments Idea Book
Landscapers use a variety of attachments for doing everything from snow removal to jobsite cleanup, and regardless of how often they are used, every landscaper has a favorite attachment.
Download
Attachments Idea Book Cover