Hort 351XW Turfgrass Establishment and Management available on line

Nick Christians
August 20, 2014
 nchris@iastate.edu
515-294-0036


There is still time to enroll in the turf course.  I have added the information that the university is sending out to new online students.  Let me know if anyone has any questions.

Hort 351 XW  Turfgrass Establishment and Management is available on line this fall.  It begins next week.  This is a totally web based course and can be taken from anywhere in the world that there is internet connection.

The course will begin on August 25 and continue through the 3rd  week of December..

Check out the details at:

:http://agonline.iastate.edu/courses/f2013hort-351-xw

Instructor:  Dr. Nick Christians


Here is the information that the college is sending out to students.

Welcome to Iowa State University Online Learning fall 2014! You are currently enrolled in Establishment and Management, HORT 351, delivered via Blackboard Learn. The course is taught by Nick Christians- nchris@iastate.edu or by telephone at: 515-294-0036.

Course dates:  Monday, August 25, 2014 to Friday, December 19, 2014

There is a delivery fee of $175 in addition to the standard (resident) tuition rates.

Book/Course Packet Info:

Mathematics of Turfgrass Maintenance, 4th ed, 2008
ISBN 9780470048450
Nick Christians
Wiley
REQUIRED

Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management, 4th ed, 2011
ISBN 9780470587317
Nick Christians
Wiley
REQUIRED

You may order your textbook through the Iowa State University Book Store at http://www.isubookstore.com.You may also use other online resources to order your textbook. Just make sure to verify you are purchasing the correct edition and ISBN number. If there is a course pack for this class, they will have it available for you at the bookstore for order as well.

Accessing your online course:

You can access your online course via Blackboard Learn – this is the university’s online course management system for communications, assignments, testing and course content. Go to https://bb.its.iastate.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp  and use your ISU NetID and password to log-in. If you need to set up your ISU NetID and password, see the “New Student Information” section below.  Be sure you can login to Blackboard Learn prior to the start of your course- please note that your courses may not be available until the start date.  If you have issues logging in to Blackboard Learn or cannot access your course on or after the start date, please contact the Solution Center at 515-294-4000.

Enrollment changes and Billing:

If your plans change and you need to drop this course, IMMEDIATELY do so in one of the following ways:

·         Access Plus (limited access to schedule changes after the first day of class)

·         Email us at agonlinehelp@iastate.edu  and we’ll assist you with the process

Tuition is calculated from the first day of class onward. Informing your instructor of your wish to drop a course is not a sufficient way to drop the course; drops must be processed through AccessPlus or by contacting the Office of the Registrar.

**In order to receive a full refund, you must drop the class no later than the day BEFORE the class is scheduled to begin.

NOTE:  Failure to attend or login to the course or failure to pay tuition does not constitute a drop.  You can verify your drop on Access Plus or through the Registrar’s Office. For more information on tuition and fees adjustment deadlines please visit http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/fees/tuition-adj.

AccessPlus account

Please note: Iowa State University does not mail billing statements or grades to students. Instead, you will be notified via email that your bill is available on AccessPlus. 

New Student Information:

Please read this carefully and follow the instructions to view your ISU ID number, ISU billing statements, grades, and to set up your ISU NET-ID (email).

**If you are a current student, you have already established your accounts and can proceed to login to Blackboard Learn to access your course.

To establish your AccessPlus account:

As a new student at Iowa State University you will receive a letter in the mail from the Office of the Registrar giving you directions on how to set up your ISU AccessPlus account. This letter will include your student ID# and a temporary password you can use to log-in to AccessPlus. You will be asked to reset your password after you have logged in. Once you have reset your password, you can begin using the system to view your schedule, pay your U-bill and to view grades.

*You will also use your student ID# to set up your ISU Net-ID (ISU email account). See directions below.

To establish your ISU Net ID (ISU email account) 

It is important to establish your email account as soon as possible as this is the main form of communication used by ISU for your billing notifications, important updates, course information, and for updates from the online learning student services office.  Additionally, your Net-ID and password for this account is your login to access courses in Blackboard Learn.

ISU policy requires that communication is done via e-mail.

·         Go to: asw.iastate.edu then click on "Register for a Net ID" and follow the instructions.  If you have any trouble, please refer to the “FAQ” button under AccessPlus or call the HELP line at 515-294-4000. 

Online Student Resources and Support:

We have compiled a list of resources below to help you in your online course experience.

·         Computer Requirements: http://agonline.iastate.edu/resources/computer-requirements

·         Student Services: For questions related to registration and other student services related functions contact us at: agonlinehelp@iastate.edu or 800-747-4478.

·         Technical Support: For questions related to Blackboard Learn, Adobe Connect or other technical questions contact us at: agonlinetech@iastate.edu

·         Proctoring Information: Please check your syllabus or with your instructor to verify if you need a proctor for your online course. It is your responsibility to find a proctor to administer and oversee your exams. Good candidates for proctors include human resources personnel, supervisors, librarians, ministers, principals and higher education professionals.

·         Iowa State E-Library

·         Financial Aid

·         TechCyte: ISU online students have access to buy computers and software at discounted rates

·         Disability Resources

·         ISU Veterans Services

To receive online course updates make sure to “like” the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online Learning on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ames-IA/ISU-College-of-Agriculture-Life-Sciences-Distance-Education/353742375498 (this is not mandatory)

Hope you have a great semester!

Michelle Zander
Student Services/GP IDEA Coordinator

0006 Curtiss
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Online
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011

515-294-7656
mzander@iastate.edu

Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction & Technology Transfer – http://www.brenton.iastate.edu

CALS AgOnline Distance Education Program – http://agonline.iastate.edu

FERTILITY MANAGEMENT ON SAND-BASED SYSTEMS

Nick Christians
August 18, 2014
nchris@iastate.edu

On February 26, 2014,  I posted a draft on an article based on a presentation that I made at the Canadian Turf Show.  The title was "Fertility Management on Sand-based systems".  The article is now up on the Canadian Groundskeeper, an online publication.  The final paper can be found at:


http://www.kenilworth.com/publications/cg/de/201407/files/18.html

Rainwater Collection System at Grinnell College

The following in an article by Jason Koester explaining Grinnell College's rainwater collection system that has been designed to collect, store, and water the game day football field and more.

Grinnell College completed phase two of an athletics building construction project in late August of 2010. The phase two construction consisted of an Olympic size swimming pool and an indoor field house with athletic offices attached.   Phase one { Darby gym } was completed in 2005 home of record breaking Grinnell College Men's basketball team. A unique aspect of the phase two project included a rain water collection system from the large field house roof and surroundings, which feeds a 20,000 gallon collection tank. Condensate water is also harvested from the air handling system in the field house, which provides a large amount of clean water for the collection tank.   The water collected is used for toilets in the field house and to irrigate the game day football field.  A new main irrigation line, valves, decoder system and controller were installed after the building project was completed.   This system was hooked onto our current infield piping and irrigation heads. We  installed a wireless Solar Sync unit  to help with weather monitoring.  Weather monitoring will help conserve water on the football field.

City water is used for all of our other fields and the water quality is poor.  With high pH, bicarbonates and sodium issues, the potential idea of using natural rain water was quite optimistic. With any unique project we had our reservations but after a full calendar year of having the system in tack it has performed well.

How the collection system works is simple, the rain water is collected from the roof, storm drains, and bleachers from the field house area and funneled by drains into a large concrete 20,000 gal holding tank under the field house. Condensate from chiller and air conditioner units also help feed the storage tank. The collection tank was actually dug, formed and poured with concrete as the field support structure was being constructed. When the tank water level reaches a full level of 91”, the excess water is diverted to the storm sewer system which feeds the Grinnell Country Club ponds. [ Irrigation for golf course is pumped out of these ponds].  When a low point level is reached at 34” the system switches to city water by sensors and electric valves, until the collection tank is recharged by rainfall. As an example, the summer of 2013 was a statewide drought and our system never had to switch over to city water because condensate collection kept up with the watering demand. Ground water seepage and the condensate lines must be adding a lot of water to the tank to keep up with our current water demands and lack of rainfall.

The water from the collection tank is filtered on the way out of the tank before reaching the pumping system, which is a dual variable pump system, is based on flow needs for the restrooms and field irrigation. The variable pump system has been a large upgrade and the coverage of the irrigation heads has increased. The water quality has been relatively good so far, we have been sending in water samples to track the water quality to see if there is much fluctuation in the tank water through the year. One interesting sample I sent in was in early April 2011 at irrigation start up, the water that had sitting for an extended period of time; the test came back very good even after being stagnate.  Water test results have fluctuated some but the tank water has led  to increased turfgrass quality in comparison to prior city water usage.

This water collection system has been a success so far and more systems similar to this will be examined for any future building projects on our campus.  Benefits we are experiencing so far are saving water, spending less money on water resources, slowed the watershed runoff speed from the building and have increased the water quality immensely.

Hort 351XW Turfgrass Establishment and Management available on line

Nick Christians
August 6, 2014
 nchris@iastate.edu
515-294-0036

Hort 351 XW  Turfgrass Establishment and Management is available on line this fall.  It begins next week.  This is a totally web based course and can be taken from anywhere in the world that there is internet connection.

The course will begin on August 25 and continue through the 3rd  week of December..

Check out the details at:

:http://agonline.iastate.edu/courses/f2013hort-351-xw

Instructor:  Dr. Nick Christians

The two test books are used in the course:

Iowa Nematode Update and Sample Preperation

Dan Strey watering-in nematode controls at Turf Research

About two months ago, I noticed some damage on Penncross creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) greens at Westwood municipal golf course in Newton, Ia.  The symptoms looked like the patch disease Take All, caused by the fungi (Gaeumannomyces graminis). Similar symptoms were soon observed at the ISU turf research station. The Iowa State Plant Insect Diagnostic Clinic (ISU PIDC) confirmed both of the areas for Take All.  At the same time, they did a nematode count and found counts over the thresholds that also may be involved in the damage. Westwood had 146 lance nematodes while the research farm had 762 ring nematodes. 

I received a similar call from Hyperion Golf Club and upon further review and analysis; it was the same culprit (high Lance Nematodes: 470 and Take All patch). The University of Florida Nematode Assay Lab and ISU PIDC have also confirmed high stunt and ring nematode counts at Schaumburg Golf Club outside of Chicago. Talking with people in the industry, it seems like a few golf courses are dealing with comparable issues in the Kansas City area. 

Last week, samples were run from 5x80 golf and country club in Menlo, IA. One sample was submitted from an area suspected of having nematode problems, and another from a “good green.”   The “good green” had very low count of 82-ring nematode, while the “trouble green” had 410 ring nematodes. Again, Take All runner hyphae were found in the sample. While the trouble green clearly had higher nematodes (5x as many) and Take All, we are still unsure of the relationship because 410 ring nematodes is not usually considered to be enough to cause damage. 

The last portion of this blog will address how to take a nematode sample. Earlier in the year, we were advising to take a cup-cutter because of ease in looking for Take All runner hyphae.  However, after sitting down with the ISU PIDC we have created a more defined sampling methodology. The best way to samples is by preparing 10 to 20 "cores" of soil from the infected areas. This can be done by use a soil probe, soil-sampling tube, auger, or trowel to a depth of 3-5 inches. The 10-20 cores should equate to about two cups of soil. This composite methodology will give a more accurate count of the nematodes. There is some concern that using a cup-cutter plugs might result in missing the nematodes in the soil. Please also send the samples overnight mail and try to keep them in a moist environment prior to shipping.   The ISU PIDC’s web site is http://www.ent.iastate.edu/pidc/. 

This week I have found several other labs who offer similar services. A and L Laboratories (Memphis branch), the University of Florida, Nematest (Lincoln) and Midwest Labs (Omaha) all offer assays for a nominal cost like the ISU PIDC. Regardless of where you send the sample, please send me the results (even at low nematode counts) because we are creating a workbook to monitor nematode counts around the state. If this is going to be a problem from the next 15-20 years, it would be beneficial to have a data trail.