New Year Starts off with Microclover Symposium, More to Come
The Maryland Turfgrass Council started off the New Year by hosting a microclover symposium as part of its annual Turfgrass Conference. The two day Conference, which brings together turfgrass professionals from throughout the mid-Atlantic serves as the primary turfgrass education event held in state of Maryland each year. The microclover symposium, which was held on January 5, brought together five university professors who have either been working on integrating microclover into cool and warm season lawn grasses or have extensive experience in the growth and management of clover in pasture systems.
Associate
Professor Emeritus and former University of Maryland Forage Extension specialists
Dr. Lester Vough launched the symposium by
providing an overview of the difference types of clover and how each has traditionally
been utilized in pasture systems. Dr.
David Gardner from the Ohio State University followed with a talk on the
potential role of microclover in promoting sustainable turfgrass ecosystems.
Dr. Jeffery
Derr from Virginia Tech University, presented results from a multi-year project
conducted in Virginia Beach that examined the establishment of bermudagras + microclover
lawns from seed and the incorporation of microclover into an existing stands of
bermudagrass. Dr. Peter Landschoot from the Pennsylvania
State University followed with similar presentation on the introduction into microclover
into existing tall fescue turf and the establishment and growth of a minimally
fertilized tall fescue + microclover lawn. As part of his presentation Dr.
Landschoot also reviewed the potential for using herbicides to control weeds in
tall fescue + microclover lawns. Dr. Mark Carroll from the University of
Maryland wrapped up the symposium by presenting the results a survey aimed at
determining the aesthetic appeal of microclover based lawns.
The symposium
was popular among conference attendees with over 125 individuals attending the
afternoon session. Follow up events aimed at providing additional opportunities
to see and learn about inclusion of microclover in lawns are planned for this
spring in State College Pennsylvania and at U.S. National Arboretum in Washington
DC.
