Learning Lawncare

[Acute Cut]

Where did you gentlemen get all you knowledge?

I know there is college. No time.

Are there web sites that teach or help teach lawncare? Books you have read?

I read lawnsite and the mags, but dont get much in the arena of lawncare how to's. The "Soil Test" by Kirby is the type of stuff i am looking for. I want to dedicate this winter to learning more than just how to stripe better and which mower is better. I would like to find places to get a "REAL" education without me having to attend some college or something. I know the local community college offers these classes, but only in the spring time. Need i say more on why i cant attend those classes?

Let me know. I am hoping that this thread can become a treasure trove of learning materials.

Heck, at this point i am even thinking of turning to one of Bill's books. (jk bill)

Have a good one yall and thanks for taking the time to help us unejumakated folk.

Acute Cut

[Scag48]

Acute-I would like to know stuff like that too. I have landscaping books that are full of facts about PH tests, etc.. No general mowing or trimming etc. books that I have seen. Like how to stipe (beautifuly or Eric Style) and how to edge correctly. Someone of this stuff is a no-brainer but some actually needs some sort of explanation to accomplish. Most of the things I know I either learned here or by my own experiences. I guess the statement "we learn something new everyday" is true. I think that most of learning comes from our own "fiddling" with things. I am constantly trying new striping patterns, the best way to hold your trimmer when edging, whatever. Edging is tough with me 'cuz I'm short and have a curved shaft trimmer so I had to find a good way to do it. I agree that technical things that involve a sort of chemistry or math or whatever that is too difficult to be explained by Joe across the street needs to be in a book. Whenever that book comes out, I'm gettin' a copy.

[KirbysLawn]

Here are a few web sites I read when I first started, actually I'm going to read over some of them again.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/TurfFiles/home.html

Click on lawn tips: http://www.lawninstitute.com/

http://www.turfgrasssod.org/trc/index.html

Links galore, diseases, bugs, grasses and more: http://www.turfgrasssod.org/links.html#Associations%20Turf%20State%20and%20Local

There's enough reading in the above links to make you sick of reading.

[Edited by KirbysLawn on 10-17-2000 at 04:40 AM]

[Acute Cut]

Kirby:
As always you come through for us. Thank you.

I can not put into words how thankful i am to you for sharing with us little guys these GREAT sites! I have been reading since you posted. This is gonna take WEEKS!

(sniffle, sniffle).......I LOVE YOU MAN!

hehe
thanks kirby

Sincerly thankful,
Acute Cut

[Lazer]

Our local associations have winter classes given by MSU botnists and such. Perhaps your local association does too.

University extension services also are a great source, especially in the off-season.

[ant]

THANKS FOR THE LINKS RAY,I BOOKED MARKED THEM
ANTHONY

[jaclawn]

http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/programs/turfgrass/index.shtml

[lawrence stone]

In PA the state (using PSU PHDs from state college)puts on programs thru the county extension agents (there are 67 countys) but you have to be on the mailing list (send a letter to the agents in the counties in your part of the state.

I took a course that was 3 full days over three weeks in the poconos at a resort that cost a whopping $75 that included a buffet lunch every day.

You dont have to be a PA resident to get the deal. They don't check to see if you are a resident.

The PA Turfgrass Council puts on a one day seminar in the winter in Pittsburgh, Phila (2 day king of prussia) and last and least in Wilkes-Barre.

I am going to the Phila meeting this year. Its two days vs. one day and they have a LOT more trade show venders.

The Pa Nurserymans Assoc. Has meetings usually in Allentown,
Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg.

[davesgs75]

don't forget about thew public library, books, magazines, papers, computers, etc. its all free..

[Scraper]

Stone...When is the King of Prussia meeting? I'd be interested in that. You can e-mail me at oscapes@yahoo.com

[lawrence stone]

http://www.paturf.org/

Eastern PA Turf Conference & Trade Show



Tuesday-Thursday, January 9-11, 2001

Valley Forge Convention Center

1200 First Avenue

King of Prussia, PA 19406

For information, contact: Nancy Bosold
Berks County Cooperative Extension
1238 County Welfare Road
P.O. Box 520
Leesport, PA 19533-0520
Phone: (610) 378-1327

Michael Smith
Gulph Mills Golf Club
300 Swedeland Road
King of Prussia, PA 19406
Phone: (610) 828-0253

[lawrence stone]

More cheap education available at the pa turfs 3 day golf conference coming up next month in state college.

Get this it's only $75 for three days of instruction!!!

http://www.paturf.org/pdf/nov_14.pdf

[jaclawn]

Our Lesco stores put on an educational day over the winter. It was essentially a commercial put on by the various chemical reps, but none the less, there was much to be learned. Cost was $15 for the all day seminar which included a buffet lunch, and also got me 2 CORE and 4 category credits for my pesticide license.

[dylan]

Try looking at
http://www.exmark.com/TheResource.htm

They had some good stuff.

[GroundKprs]

Join your state turfgrass association. They will have many educational meetings throughout the year. In IN, the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation has a winter conference, 3-4 days in Indianapolis, a summer field day at Purdue, where you can bring in samples of problems to be diagnosed by the specialists there, and numerous one day and half day events around the state. MRTF also sponsors a week long intensive turf school in Feb each year, in conjunction with IL turf assn.
You never know when you will get an answer to a problem or question bugging you. Many times the answer will come from another contractor sitting next to you at a seminar. You simply cannot get educated by a web page as effectively as you can in a group of peers. Lawnsite.com is a rare exception to that idea, because there are few organizations dealing with the details of turf maintenance and equipment that we see here.
Also check the turf associations in adjoining states. Their conferences and field days will generally not conflict with each other, because these associations often share speakers.
You will never get enough education to know it all, but you can learn where to get the answer to almost any question you come up against. Make use of state extension specialists. I once spent 30 mins on a call about a question, got shifted to 7-8 different people until I got my answer; this was not a pass the buck deal, my questions were just refined thru each contact until I got to the person who had exactly the knowledge to help me.

Some state organizations, and a lot of other info, are linked here: http://comp.uark.edu/~karcher/turflinks

Go here to find your state cooperative extension service: http://www.reeusda.gov/1700/statepartners/usa.htm

[Edited by GroundKprs on 10-17-2000 at 06:46 PM]