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About this blog

Dave Wilber goes hard at it and never pulls any punches when it comes to agronomy.

Entries in this blog

My Perspective On The Most Important Part

It's time. Recent forum discussions, people asking me and even Herr Peter have prompted me to get with it and talk about soils. I'm told that this is one of the things that people want to hear most from me. That's nice. I think I've stayed pretty current and I think I understand that much of the so called controversy is just a way for someone or something to make waves and therefore get attention. My perspective comes from having the words Soil Consultant make my living, a zillion soil test
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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Last Chance Meetings Lead to Educational High

California Turfheads need the education hours that our wonderful state government requires for being a Qualified Pesticide applicator. It’s not a stiff requirement, a few hours of Laws and Regs and a few more hours of “other”. I’ve just finished 3 days, in three different cities helping to put on what we call our “Last Chance” meetings. That’s right, you get it, it’s a “Last Chance” to get those continuing education hours. We build this program around giving suppliers and company representatives
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Last Chance Meetings Lead to Educational High

California Turfheads need the education hours that our wonderful state government requires for being a Qualified Pesticide applicator. Its not a stiff requirement, a few hours of Laws and Regs and a few more hours of other. Ive just finished 3 days, in three different cities helping to put on what we call our Last Chance meetings. Thats right, you get it, its a Last Chance to get those continuing education hours. We build this program around giving suppliers and company representatives time slot
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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When Our Bodies Remind Us

I’ve been a little quiet the last couple weeks….. October was a blur of face melting insanity. If I told you how many hours I worked or how many miles I put on the vehicle, you’d never believe me. And I really don’t care to brag about it amidst a crowd of people that work a zillion hours themselves. Seems pointless. Let’s just say it was crazy busy and really, I like it that way. I don’t know how to do it any other way. Call it work ethic or call it not having a life, but either way, it’s me. 2
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When Our Bodies Remind Us

I've been a little quiet the last couple weeks..   October was a blur of face melting insanity. If I told you how many hours I worked or how many miles I put on the vehicle, you'd never believe me. And I really don't care to brag about it amidst a crowd of people that work a zillion hours themselves. Seems pointless. Let's just say it was crazy busy and really, I like it that way. I don't know how to do it any other way. Call it work ethic or call it not having a life, but either way, it's me.
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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Purpose. Pre. During. Post.

Purpose. Pre. During. Post. The entire subject of greens aerification is fraught with the very same issues that often make monkeys fly out of people’s butts. Go ahead, read it again. Keep trying. It will make sense eventually. Or not. Over the last couple weeks, I’ve had some calls to come and look at greens that just didn’t come through fall aerification the way they were expected to. There are some common denominators that show when we do the diagnosis. If you are dealing with this, it mig
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Purpose. Pre. During. Post.

Purpose. Pre. During. Post.   The entire subject of greens aerification is fraught with the very same issues that often make monkeys fly out of people's butts. Go ahead, read it again. Keep trying. It will make sense eventually. Or not.   Over the last couple weeks, I've had some calls to come and look at greens that just didn't come through fall aerification the way they were expected to. There are some common denominators that show when we do the diagnosis. If you are dealing with this,
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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Fescue Be Not Jungle, Man!

Agronomy, you monkeys! Agronomy! One of the things that the “New Economy” is going to bring on is a whole bunch of talk about how to reduce inputs, irrigation, mowing and therefore $’s. Pretty simple and I love it. And I’m hearing a ton of golf course architects that aren’t building anything new suggesting that there are ways to save inputs by doing some creative design work. Love that too. This week I was fortunate enough to do my quarterly (or so) visit with one of my favorite places, Clarem
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Fescue Be Not Jungle, Man!

Agronomy, you monkeys! Agronomy! One of the things that the New Economy is going to bring on is a whole bunch of talk about how to reduce inputs, irrigation, mowing and therefore $'s. Pretty simple and I love it. And I'm hearing a ton of golf course architects that aren't building anything new suggesting that there are ways to save inputs by doing some creative design work. Love that too.   This week I was fortunate enough to do my quarterly (or so) visit with one of my favorite places, Clar
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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When I Just Can’t Help Myself

It didn’t take long. I figured it was going to happen within a couple days, but indeed it was really just a couple hours. And as a human monkey (and a turfhead to boot), I’m prone to mistakes and even, yes… failure. So when a young (and amazing) superintendent whom I did some soil tests for early in the year wrote me an email today it made for a really good moment of introspective guilt. I don’t want to violate the confidence of personal email communication, but I think he might not mind if I p
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When I Just Can't Help Myself

It didn't take long. I figured it was going to happen within a couple days, but indeed it was really just a couple hours.   And as a human monkey (and a turfhead to boot), I'm prone to mistakes and even, yes failure. So when a young (and amazing) superintendent whom I did some soil tests for early in the year wrote me an email today it made for a really good moment of introspective guilt. I don't want to violate the confidence of personal email communication, but I think he might not mind if I
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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When You Just Can’t Help Yourself

Today, this week and really… all month, I’ve been angry. No, actually, I’ve been pissed off. I usually have what I have come to call “Red October”, where at some point I have a meltdown of some sort of a series of Chernobyl like events that last until about Christmas. Last week, I had a conversation with TurfNet’s Maestro (that’s Herr McCormick to you…) about the plusses and minuses of blogging a little more from my heart and soul and getting my daily experience into words. Great. So here you g
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When You Just Can't Help Yourself

Today, this week and really all month, I've been angry. No, actually, I've been pissed off. I usually have what I have come to call "Red October", where at some point I have a meltdown of some sort of a series of Chernobyl like events that last until about Christmas.   Last week, I had a conversation with TurfNet's Maestro (that's Herr McCormick to you) about the plusses and minuses of blogging a little more from my heart and soul and getting my daily experience into words. Great. So here you
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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Flying By The Numbers: Soil Temp Edition

Superintendents amaze me sometimes at the way they lick their finger, put in in the air and declare the weather is, well, something. If that’s you, Captain Windfinger, then we have some work to do. Because in the world of plant growth there are critical decisions to make based on actual data. I was on a site visit a few days back and when this kind of keen obervation began, I started to ask some questions. In this case I was asking about soil temperatures. “Oh, pretty cold”, was the scientific
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Flying By The Numbers: Soil Temp Edition

Superintendents amaze me sometimes at the way they lick their finger, put in in the air and declare the weather is, well, something. If that's you, Captain Windfinger, then we have some work to do. Because in the world of plant growth there are critical decisions to make based on actual data.   I was on a site visit a few days back and when this kind of keen observation began, I started to ask some questions. In this case I was asking about soil temperatures. Oh, pretty cold, was the scientifi
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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Everybody Wants Some, You Want Some Too

Everybody wants seed! (and Bananas) It’s time to do some Agronomy. This fall, no matter what climate you grow grass in, you are probably going to buy some seed. It’s actually one thing that cool- and warm season Turfheads have in common: generally there is some kind of fall overseeding on some kind of playing surface. And the reason is supposed to be the same, get better grasses going for short or long term gain. Simple. But leave it to us to make it into a snake pit. Seed, in its innocent s
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Everybody Wants Some, You Want Some Too

Everybody wants seed! (and Bananas) I's time to do some Agronomy.   This fall, no matter what climate you grow grass in, you are probably going to buy some seed. I's actually one thing that cool- and warm season Turfheads have in common: generally there is some kind of fall overseeding on some kind of playing surface. And the reason is supposed to be the same, get better grasses going for short or long term gain. Simple. But leave it to us to make it into a snake pit. I see seed buyers maki
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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Whoa! All The Way!!

What Does It Mean, Man?? If there is one constant in the world of Turfheads, in some way, somehow, summer brings some kind of challenge. Like stuffing in the Thanksgiving Turkey here we Turfheads are, right in the middle of it. And there isn’t a soul on the big blue marble that can tell us that it is easy. It’s not and my hat goes off to each and every person in our crazy business that endures. We all deal with it in different way. Complain, ignore, panic, brash confidence, total paranoia
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Todays iPhone Adoption

Now look…..some people freak over Football or World Cup or F1 or Dancing With The Stars. That’s fine. Not me. This is the story of a man who embraces his addiction like the trained monkey he is. I happen to have an inner geek that makes me read tech blogs and get all nuts about geekery. Top of my geek habit leader board for some time has been Apple and the iPhone. I’ve drunk the Kool-Aid since waiting in line all day for the first version. Today, I was up at the usual early, not to geek on gra
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The Turfhead Mysteries, Part 1.1

Prologue This next series of Turfgrass Zealot posts is going to be a challenge for me. As much as I really didn’t want to become a “blogger” in the first place, I REALLY don’t want to tackle a series. Especially this series. But I polled some people who I call friends and they put me up to saying I would do this. Of course, they are probably the same “friends” who would let me drink SeviMol, just to see me do “The Worm”. Yet, though, I still listen. Turfheads are a magical breed. They don’t
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The Turfhead Mysteries, Part 1.1

Prologue This next series of Turfgrass Zealot posts is going to be a challenge for me. As much as I really didn't want to become a "blogger in the first place, I REALLY don't want to tackle a series. Especially this series. But I polled some people who I call friends and they put me up to saying I would do this. Of course, they are probably the same "friends who would let me drink SeviMol, just to see me do "The Worm. Yet, though, I still listen.   Turfheads are a magical breed. They don't
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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Turfhead Poll #2: Lunch

It’s time for you to share your mid-day eating habits. In some form or another, every turfhead has a method for feeding itself. And of course Stories of Your Habits in the comment section are warmly welcomed. Because after all, this is one of those important topics that only True Turfheads would really understand. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
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Turfhead Poll #1

Ok gang….it’s time to initiate the first in a series of Polls designed for two things. One….show off the amazing technology that Peter gives me to use. Two…test your mettle and see if indeed you are a True Turfhead. Of course Turfheadedness is Open_Source, so it may be that via your answer trends can change. It’s just like American Idol. Vote! Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
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The Telegraphic Dynamics of a Successful Summer

Here is Spring and that means Summer has the throttle twisted in a pre-run burnout and is headed our way. Summer means all kinds of things to turfgrass managers. Long days, different grass types and their needs, kids out of school and their needs, long days, golfers, irrigation issues, long days and of course, long days. For almost all of us, it is make or break time. Why am I talking about this now? I have seen clearly that successful summer survivors are always months ahead of the game as it
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The Telegraphic Dynamics of a Successful Summer

Here is Spring and that means Summer has the throttle twisted in a pre-run burnout and is headed our way. Summer means all kinds of things to turfgrass managers. Long days, different grass types and their needs, kids out of school and their needs, long days, golfers, irrigation issues, long days and of course, long days. For almost all of us, it is make or break time.   Why am I talking about this now? I have seen clearly that successful summer survivors are always months ahead of the game as
Dave Wilber

Dave Wilber

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