Vol. XXVII, No. 16

November 2014

DC Branch, Inc. http://www.pgms.org/branchdc

The mission of the PGMS D.C. Branch is to foster integrity and excellence in grounds management by promoting professional development through education programs, networking, community service, and fellowship.

President: Eric Wenger Complete Plant Health Care, Inc. Eric@HealthyPlant.com Term Expires 2015 Vice President: Christopher Erb Complete Plant Health Care, Inc. Chriserb88@gmail.com Term Expires 2015 Treasurer: Doug McDaniel Grounds Management & Landscaping, Inc. Groundsmanagementdmd@gmail.com

Term Expires 2015 Secretary: Joshua Nadler Bartlett Tree Experts Josh.D.Nadler@gmail.com Term Expires 2015 Chair: Adam Newhart City of Gaithersburg ANewhart@gaithersburgmd.gov Term Expires 2015 At Large: Amanda Lee Laudwein University of Maryland Extension laudwein@umd.edu Term Expires 2015 Ken Ingram University of Maryland kingram@umd.edu Term Expires 2015 Marie Rojas Borders and Butterflies, Inc. hortlady@aol.com Term Expires 2014 Mark Scafide City of Gaithersburg mscafide@gaithersburgmd.gov Term Expires 2015 Shawn Siefers The Care of Trees ssiefers@thecareoftrees.com Term Expires 2014

Newsletter Editor: Michael Gildea Chevy Chase Club mikeg@chevychaseclub.org

President’s Message

There are many Green Industry members that are also members of professional organizations such

as PGMS, whose primary focus may be on trees and ornamental landscapes. And while ornamen-

tals are a very important and valuable part of most landscapes, turfgrass seems to be getting

walked all over - pardon the pun.

The DC Branch of PGMS’ October 2nd meeting was held at the University of Maryland Paint Branch

Turfgrass Research Facility in College Park, Maryland; one of the, if not “The” premier turfgrass

research facility in the Country. We were graciously hosted by DC Branch member Ken Ingram from

the IAA Program at the University and Ken gave us a tour of some of the turf research plots. The

work being done at the facility is cutting edge and will continue to have a positive impact on how

we grow and maintain turfgrass in an environmentally sensitive way.

It seems to be very fashionable these days to deride maintained turfgrass as detrimental to the

environment and bad for the people and animals that may come in contact with it. It is a fasci-

nating, yet disturbing turn for a species of plant that allows us to walk on, play games and sports

on, picnic on, and use in so many ways that are completely different than almost any other living

groundcover would allow.

(continued on page 2)

Next Meeting Information

Meeting: Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 6:00 PM Location: Gaithersburg Equipment 700 East Diamond Avenue Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Program: Site tour/talk and elections Hosts: Jimmy Jacobs Sponsor: Newsom Seed RSVP: Please RSVP to Amanda Laudwein at 301-590-2840, 301-398-8870 (cell) or laudwein@umd.edu Address, Map, and Directions on Page 7.

Page 1

President’s Message, continued

*Did you know that a turfgrass plot as small as 2,500 square feet can provide enough oxygen for a family of four and also absorbs carbon dioxide, ozone, hydrogen fluoride, peroxyace-tyl nitrate while cooling the air temperature at the same time? *http://www.thelawninstitute.org/pages/education/lawn-facts-and-stats/lawn-and-turfgrass-facts-and-stats/ **Did you also know that the United States Department of Environmental Protection (US EPA) released a report in 2013 by an expert panel that shows well maintained turfgrass actu-ally cleans water runoff and is a benefit to the environment? ** http://www.turfgrasssod.org/publisher/hot-topics/2013/6/18/epa-chesapeake-bay-program--report-2013

Last “did you know” – Did you know that Montgomery County

Council member George Leventhal is proposing legislation

banning the use of weed, insect and disease controls

(pesticides) that are used to maintain healthy turf in Mont-

gomery County, MD? This ban would apply to all retail and

commercial sales and use of weed, insect and disease controls

for residential turf, commercial turf, sports turf and more.

This truly uninformed position is being taken from a strictly

political angle and I believe it will harm the environment,

many residents and businesses and the local economy, which

in turn, may harm University of Maryland Paint Branch

Turfgrass Research Facility, “The” premier turfgrass research

facility in the Country.

The proposed legislation is opposed by golf course managers,

sports turf managers, professional lawn care managers (of

which I am one) plant health care specialists, and the farming

and agricultural communities.

Remember: GIE, October 22-25, Louisville, KY

Next DC Branch meeting: 6PM at Gaithersburg Equipment

Company 700 E. Diamond Ave. Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Sponsor: Newsom Seed

Please RSVP

Enjoy the fall foliage and I’ll see you soon!

President’s Message, continued

Page 2

Have something you want to announce to fellow PGMS DC Branch members? Have a special remembrance of one of our past meetings? How about a special picture?

We’d love to share through our monthly newsletter for you! Contact our Editor, Michael Gildea (mikeg@chevychaseclub.org)

Flower Bulb displays for retail Garden Centers featuring:

The Biltmore Estate horticultural collection, pre-packaged and loose

display boxes, crates of tropical and holiday items

Flower Bulbs for your Garden Designs and Greenhouse Operations

Tulips Crocus Elephant Ears

Daffodils Fritillaria Dahlias

Hyacinth Cannas Lilies

Alliums Callas bare-root perennials

Netherland Bulb Co is one of the largest exporters of Dutch flower bulbs.

Still family owned and operated on both sides of the ocean offering the

highest quality bulbs at the most competitive prices.

Your area representative is listed below:

Don Tyson, Landscape Accounts

Email: dtyson@netherlandbulb.com

Phone 610-737-0381 Fax 610-252-9970

Netherland Bulb Co., Inc

PGMS DC Branch News—DC Branch Ballot

PGMS DC BRANCH BALLOT

2014

At-Large Board Member:

Marie Rojas □

Write-in: ____________________

At-Large Board Member:

Shawn Siefers □

Write-in: ____________________

Elections will be held at the November meeting. If you cannot attend and want to vote by absentee ballot please cut this out and return it to Adam Newhart, at

City of Gaithersburg DPW

800 Rabbitt Road

Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Attention: Adam Newhart

Absentee Ballots must be

postmarked no later than November 3, 2014.

Visit and thank our sponsors listed here

and throughout the newsletter!

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Express Certification

Your FAST track to legal pesticide application.

Online Training at your convenience!

Take the exams in as little as two or three months.

Approved for Maryland, Virginia,

and West Virginia.

(See website for details http://expresscert.net)

Contact: David Jefferson

301-775-0512

expresscert@comcast.net

Upcoming PGMS-DC Branch & Green Industry Events

PGMS - DC Branch Meetings and Programs

Please look for the Minutes for the October meeting on the PGMS DC Branch Website

November 6, 2014 Gaithersburg Equipment (Maryland)

Program: Site Tour/Talk and Elections

Site Contact: Jimmy Jacobs

Sponsor: Newsom Seed

Green Industry Events

Museum Moonshine: Garden and Stars Night November 1, 2014

National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC

For information, visit: http://airandspace.si.edu/events/museum-moonshine/

National Turf Grass Training (see registration and information form on page 6) November 3, 2014

Baltimore, MD

For information, email: mdpestnet@aol.com

Trees in the Built Environment (see flyer on page 9) November 5, 2015

Silver Spring, MD

For information, visit: http://www.montgomeryparks.org/calendar/index.php?eID=3105

Save the Date! Green Industry Professional Pesticide Recertification Seminar January 21, 2015

Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus

More information to follow soon

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PGMS News—National Turf Management Training

Educational & Employee

Training Opportunities

Landscaping Classes at Montgomery College

Do you-- Want to learn about designing gardens & landscapes with digital tools? Want to incorporate more native plants in your business or home landscape? Want to learn the newest techniques for plant propagation like hydroponics and tissue culture? Want to learn how to identify and select the best trees, shrubs, and ground covers for good results? If any of these “want to’s” is on your list for 2014, the Montgomery College Landscape Technology program is offering great classes to help you meet your goals—and 3 class locations to make learning more convenient!

Classes are offered at the Germantown and Takoma Park Campuses and at the Agricultural History Farm Park in

Derwood.

For further information contact: Steve Dubik, 240-567-7803 steve.dubik@montgomerycollege.edu

Next PGMS DC Branch Meeting

Directions to Gaithersburg Equipment Location: Gaithersburg Equipment 700 East Diamond Avenue Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Host: Jimmy Jacobs Sponsor: Newsom Seed

Program: Site tour/talk

RSVP: Please RSVP to Amanda Laudwein at 301-590-2840, 240-398-8870 (cell), or laudwein@umd.edu

Directions:

WANT TO SAVE GAS?

Or just like the company of a carpool?

Contact Amanda Laudwein a week

before the meeting to make arrangements:

laudwein@umd.edu, 301-590-2840 or 240-398-8870

Page 7

PGMS DC Branch www.pgms.org/branchdc/index.htm Virginia Cooperative Extension www.ext.vt.edu/

IPM Net http://ipmnet.umd.edu DC Cooperative Extension www.udc.edu/cooperative_extension/coop/ext.htm

Green Industry Seminar www.greenindustryseminar.org University of Maryland Extension http://extension.umd.edu

Visit and thank our sponsors listed here and throughout the newsletter!

Page 9

Trees and the Built Environment Flyer

PGMS Event Candids

Top Left: Eric Wenger and Kip Cortelyou

treated us to a delicious feast

Top Right: An added treat was the amazing

sunset over the research plots

Left: McFall and Berry Landscape Manage-

ment generously sponsored our October

meeting

Bottom Left: Some of the trials at the Uni-

versity of Maryland Turf Farm

Bottom Right: Ken Ingram, our meeting

host, gave a fascinating tour of the research

plots

Professional Grounds

Management Society

DC Branch News 1708 Grandads Lane Silver Spring, MD

DC Branch, Inc. http://www.pgms.org/branchdc The mission of the PGMS D.C. Branch is to foster integrity and excellence in grounds management by promoting professional development through education programs, networking, community service, and fellowship.