November Greeting from MASTMA President

Dear MASTMA,          

In appreciation of Veteran’s Day, Thank YOU to those who have served our country!

Fall projects are under way and while we are all busy, just a gentle reminder that the Maryland fertilizer blackout dates are fast approaching. Fertilizer cannot be applied to athletic fields from November 16, 2022 - February 28, 2023. Visit Maryland.gov for additional information.

Will you be the next MVP of the DMV? Get your submissions in soon to show thanks, appreciation and highlight you or your crews effort this year. The winner receives a banner to hang at the facility, a catered lunch and recognition at our 2023 spring event. Details and the application can be found on our homepage MASTMA.org on the lower left-hand side.

The Annual Maryland Turfgrass Conference will take place on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at Turf Valley Resort. Registration can be found online at mdturfcouncil.org. What an impressive lineup for Sports Field Managers - I hope to see you there!

08:30-09:15: “Integrating Plant Growth Regulators and Bio-Stimulants with a Sports Fields Fertility Program” - John Emerson, University of Delaware

09:15-10:00: “Selecting Turfgrass Varieties for Integrated Pest Management Programs” - Geoffrey Rinehart, University of Maryland, College Park

10:15-11:00: “Lessons Learned from K-8 Organic Field Management” - Jason Henderson, University of Connecticut

11:00-11:45: “Mechanisms of Turfgrass Resistance to Insect Attacks” - Kevin Mathias, -University of Maryland, College Park (Emeritus)

01:25-02:00: “Benefits of having a MTC Lobbyist” - Richard Reinhardt, Percy Public Affairs

02:15-03:00: “How to Prevent Catastrophic Turf Loss from Pesticide Mis-Applied, Mis-Used, or Mis-Communicated” - Steve McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions

03:00-03:45: “Evaluation of Organic Management Strategies for Sports Fields”- Shravya Peddigari, University of Maryland, College Park

03:45-04:30: “Factors Affecting Spray Drones Efficacy for Weed Control in Managed Turf” - Shawn Askew, Virginia Tech

In the meantime, don’t forget to renew your membership with MASTMA for 2023!

The holiday season is upon us, and I speak on behalf of the board to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. We are grateful to support you; thank you for all you do!

Sincerely,

Nicole Sherry
President, MASTMA
[email protected]

P.S. Check out your MASTMA Board of Directors meeting last night for the Annual MASTMA Board Dinner.