Don’t double up on sod

Jim NovakNov 3, 2023

Turfgrass sod experts agree: Installing sod on an existing lawn will create more work in the end. The Internet can be a tremendous tool, especially when it comes to seeking helpful information. Unfortunately, misinformation is abundant. Consider this “advice” one website’s contributing writer offered. “Professional landscapers often apply sod directly over grass. The sod compresses […]

Researching the Research

Jim NovakJul 30, 2018

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International – TPI Landscape professionals, lawn care specialists, park district field supervisors and even sports field managers are sometimes challenged by well intentioned, but often misinformed parties, asking them to justify the resources required to maintain a natural turfgrass field or a healthy lawn. Questions often arise because getting the message […]

The EPA wants to regulate this and that…but does it know what this and that is?

Jim NovakAug 16, 2023

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International It seems as if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making rules and regulations on just about everything. Of concern is the perception that some EPA decision-makers and regulators sometimes seem a bit remiss when it comes to doing their homework or consulting with members of the scientific community prior […]

Measuring golf’s carbon footprint benefits the entire industry

Jim NovakMay 18, 2015

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International The Colorado Golf Carbon Project was initiated to recognize the ecological value of golf courses and to fund related environmental research. The research findings resulting from such an undertaking will no doubt benefit everybody involved with turfgrass, whether we’re talking about turfgrass on golf courses, sports fields, community parks or […]

The many ways lawns help our environment

Jim NovakAug 14, 2023

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International When USA Today ran an article on Aug. 17, 2010 titled, “Out of Fashion: Green Lawns”, Turfgrass Producers International felt a need to draft a Letter to the Editor.  At issue was the fact that the article contained some misinformation and the omission of important facts regarding natural turfgrass lawns and how they […]

Sod harvested at TPI Summer Conference beautifies village park

Jim NovakJun 15, 2015

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International NEW YORK, NY — When Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) held its Summer Convention here, July 26 – 29 and its Field Day at nearby Pine Island Turf Nursery in Pine Island on July 29th there was plenty of activity. More than 40 exhibitors and 300 turfgrass producers from around the […]

Toronto’s BMO Field gets a Kentucky bluegrass facelift

Jim NovakJun 15, 2015

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International When a decision was made to convert three-year-old, 21,800-seat BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from artificial turf to natural grass, Claus Zander of Zander Sod Co. Limited, in Kettleby, Ontario provided the turfgrass and assisted with installation. “The players asked for it, the European players demanded it … and we supplied […]

Educating the public: It’s all in the delivery

Jim NovakMay 18, 2015

By: Jim Novak There’s no denying that water conservation is an important issue, especially in those regions of the country where annual rainfall is minimal and/or water is a precious commodity. Some local and state agencies have resorted to attention-getting ads to influence the public when it comes to the use of natural turfgrass. You will […]

Green, Green Grass of Home–But Where’s Home?

Jim NovakAug 14, 2023

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International Although this photo of a soldier using scissors to trim grass on a tiny plot of turf at what appears to be some remote location has been circulating on the internet for several years; who and where the soldier is has been a mystery. The soldier has been identified on […]

Do you want WaterSense playing on your turf?

Jim NovakAug 16, 2023

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International The EPA WaterSense Program began as most government programs do, with the best of intentions. The program’s goal was and is to propose specifications for “Water-Efficient Single-Family New Homes” that would help conserve a precious resource — water. But as history often shows, sometimes the best of intentions can evolve […]

Turfgrass: Smell the difference it makes

Jim NovakAug 14, 2023

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International Those of us involved in any aspect of the Green Industry more than likely can rattle off a reasonable list of environmental and health benefits that natural turfgrass offers. But it’s just as likely that there’s one positive attribute most of us haven’t yet sniffed out; that’s the health benefit […]

Recent Ag census provides some interesting information

Jim NovakMay 28, 2015

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International The 2007 Census of Agriculture released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) earlier this year reported there were 1,881 turfgrass sod farms in operation throughout the United States at the time of the census. This number reflects an 11.4% decrease in the number of turfgrass farms when […]

Don’t overlook the benefits of natural grass

Jim NovakJun 15, 2015

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International Take a handful of respected economists and provide all of them with the same data; ask them to review the information and offer a recommendation on how to resolve the economic crisis that was presented to them. Chances are you will get a wide variety of opinions. But does the […]