The following report describes in detail the intended use of pesticides by the Physical Facilities Department during the spring summer and fall seasons of 2008. We recommend the use of pesticides in the manner described in the following five areas: (1) Curbs, (2) Lawns, (3) Planting beds, (4) the Anderson Center Outdoor Seating Area, (5) Varsity Competition Fields.
Since 1990, our department has been working to improve the health of the lawns in an effort to reduce the need for weed killers to be applied to the turf. The methodology for this included a program of five applications of weed killer to all campus lawns over a two and one half-year period, combined with fertilization and proper mowing practices.
Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we do not feel we will be able to reach the ultimate goal of eliminating the use of weed killers on the campus lawns. There are numerous reasons for this, including problems with the weather. However, the most difficult problem to overcome is insufficient crew and equipment to complete all of the necessary tasks to naturally obtain a pest free lawn.
Currently, we do not have any equipment for top dressing nor sufficient money in the budget for the top dressing material to handle all of the campus lawns. On select athletic fields we have instituted a program to top dress, aerate, fertilize and over seed on a monthly basis. Mowers used on all campus lawns are checked periodically for blade sharpness and the cutting height is regulated at 2 ½ to 3 inches depending on the weather.
As a result, we propose to continue application of weed killers to select lawns throughout the campus. This will be limited to the lawns along all road sides, the Peace Quad and the athletic fields. The week killer application will be done with the same material we have used for the past several years. We will continue to aerate lawns wherever possible. In addition, we will apply fertilizer to all lawns on campus except in the residential communities.
PESTICIDE APPLICATION 2008 SEASON
(If you have questions about this plan, please contact Grounds Services Manager Steve Gowe at 7-4638.
OVERVIEW:
The following is a plan for pesticide applications for the 2008 season. These applications are planned as part of our scheduled grounds work maintenance program. The five primary applications of pesticides are:
I. Curbs Total weed killer to the road and parking lot curb line for control of weed growth along curbs. (Note: The connector roadway, which runs through the Nature Preserve was crack filled in the Fall of 2001.)
II. Lawns Granular weed killer, insecticide and fertilizer applied to selected lawns throughout Campus.
III. Planting Beds A semi-total weed killer used in planting beds, rings around trees, and building edges.
IV. Anderson Center Berms The Anderson Center for the Performing Arts outdoor seating Berms where insect control is used, if needed. (Note: No applications were needed in this area since 2001.)
V. Varsity Competition Fields- A sample maintenance schedule is provided to describe applications used on the competition fields. These fields include the West Gym Soccer Practice and Games Fields, Baseball, Softball and the center of the running track area.
DETAILED APPLICATION INFORMATION
CURBS
The commercial name of the material used is Concentrated Weed Killer.
The chemical name is Bromacil
The quantity to be used is 150 gallons.
The vendor is Independent Chemical Co., in Pittston, PA.
Concentrated Weed Killer is a non-selective herbicide. Its primary method of control is through the root system. Secondary control is obtained through absorption of succulent foliage. This material has low water solubility, and therefore does not move quickly through the soil; rather, it remains in the area placed through the growing season.
The Grounds Supervisor and the Grounds Crew will make application. Current plans are to make the application between 5:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Prior to applications, all parking lots and roadways will be swept clear of sand so that the sprayed material will reach into the crack without obstruction. Overnight parking on campus during this application will be limited to parking lot M1.
This single application will control most weeds along the curbsides for the entire season
PEACE QUAD, CENTER DRIVE ISLANDS AND INTRAMURAL FIELDS
Weed Control This is a commercially packaged brand of the exact same material available for homeowner purchase and use.
The commercial product name is Lebanon 28-4-8
Granular Weed and Feed w/Trimec.
The chemicals in this product are:
2, 4-D
MCPP
Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilizers
The quantity to be used is 5 tons
The application of a weed killer on the Peace Quad , Center Drive Islands and Intramural Fields is for the purpose of controlling broad leaf weeds. Such control will allow turf grass to grow stronger, providing a safer and healthier turf.
The Grass Roots application is made by a sprayer attached to the rear of the tractor. The primary control is through absorption of the material by young growth. This product is a post-emergent herbicide and is intended for use after the weeds have surfaced.
The initial application of this material is scheduled for May 1-May 8, 2007 between 5 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. If weather does not permit these applications, the tasks will be done as soon as possible after the dates mentioned. A second application may be needed in June depending on the influx of broad leaf weeds. An outside vendor will make these applications.
The proposed date has been coordinated with the Physical Education Department. In addition, signs will be posted at the time of application for a 24-hour period advising all persons to stay off the lawn during this time. There will be no signs posted where only straight fertilizer is used.
Insect Control - only if necessary
- The commercial product name is Sevin 50% WP
- The chemical name is Carbaryl, wettable powder.
- The vendor is Master Pest Control.
The application of Seven 50% WP is for the purpose of controlling any major insect infestation on the turf areas of the campus. Steve Gowe and the grounds crew will make the application on as as-needed basis. The treatment will be done on a limited basis after appropriate soil tests show a positive need for the work.
Campus Lawns
Turf Fertilizer: This is a commercially packaged brand of the exact same material available for homeowners purchase and use.
The commercial product is Lebanon 25-15-0 turf fertilizer
The chemicals in this product are: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and potassium fertilizer The quantity to be used is 5 tons.
The vendor is Andre and Sons, Montrose, Pennsylvania.
The application of turf fertilizer is for the purpose of creating a healthy lawn. This application will allow the turf grass to grow stronger. The fertilizer application will be made by a spreader attached to the rear of a tractor or a small walk-behind push spreader.
Planting Beds
Pesticide Information
The commercial name is Round-Up.
The chemical name in MON 65005.
The quantity to be used is 30 gallons.
The vendor is Lesco, Rockey River, Ohio.
Round-up is a semi-total weed control which controls only those plants whose main roots are in the upper 1 1 ½ of soil. This material forms a vapor barrier in the soil, which kills existing weeds and grasses, and prevents new weeds and grasses from establishing. One application of this liquid material lasts throughout the growing season.
In our use of this material over the last few years, we have been extremely successful in keeping down the growth of weeds around trees, posts, light poles and the building edges. This reduces the need for labor intensive, noisy weed eaters throughout campus.
In addition, this practice protects trees from damage which weed eaters and lawn mowers do as they try to cut the grass close to the trunk. This material would be applied by the grounds crew throughout the campus.
Beetle Control
The commercial name is Sevin EC.
The chemical name is Carbaryl emusifiable concentrate.
The quantity is 32 oz
The vendor is Agway Home & Garden Center, Endicott,
NY.
Anderson Center Berm * No applications have been made in this area for the past 6 seasons.
Fogging Mosquito/Gnat Control
The commercial name is Burgess Fogging Insecticide.
The chemical name is Resmethrin.
The quantity used is 2 gallons.
The vendor is Agway Home & Garden Center, Endicott, NY.
The Anderson Center for the Performing Arts seating berm serves as an outdoor arena for the Summer Music Festival. Our goal is to provide a healthy stand of grass that is comfortable, safe and strong enough to withstand multiple uses throughout the summer. In addition, we desire to eliminate flying insects from this area as much as possible, as such insects may disturb the users of the facility.
To provide this environment, we recommend the following:
Late June through early July Spray the lawn, trees and shrubs with Sevin to eliminate Japanese and May beetles from the site. Over the past few years, these beetles have been numerous. The Japanese beetles fly over the lawn area throughout early morning and mid-day. The May beetles come out in the evening, during the performances. They fly primarily around the Hemlocks at the northern edge of the site.
These beetles are extremely distracting to users of the site. The application of Sevin directly to the lawn and shrubs during the adult stage of these insects will greatly reduce the populations.
The adults of both beetle species begin to emerge around the end of June and continue to emerge through July. Therefore, one or two applications may be necessary during late June or early July to control the adult population.
The current proposal is to conduct regular inspections of this area beginning in early June to monitor the adult populations. Once the adults begin to emerge, applications of Sevin would be made accordingly.
July through August The final type of pest control to be employed on the Berm is the fogging of the area at 5:00 a.m. the morning of each evening performance. This technique uses an electric fogger, which reduces the insecticide to microscopic particles through the use of heat. This fog penetrates shrubbery, lawn, grass blades and other insect havens, resulting direct contact with the hiding insects. The targets of this application are primarily mosquitoes, gnats and other small nuisance types of insects. This method gives effective control while using far less actual pesticide than normal spray methods.
Sevin, when dispersed in this manner, is one of the safest insecticides available. The material is extremely quick to break down when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, the area is free of the material by the time of the evening performance. The Grounds Supervisor will make these applications.
This program as outlined includes only those items that we know must have our attention. There may be, however, times of serious outbreaks of insects such as Gypsy Moths which threaten our shrubs and trees. Such outbreaks would be carefully evaluated and quick action would be taken to minimize any damage to our campus plantings. These types of outbreaks would be most injurious to our newly planted trees and shrubs. At such a time, I would inform you of such circumstances and our plans to correct the problem.
For all these applications, we must be in compliance with the new regulations for notification of pesticide application. As currently understood by the DEC Pesticide Division, the pesticide notification regulations would require the following:
1. For application of pesticides to the lawns, small signs must be posed at intervals no greater than 75 feet around the perimeter of and at all entry points to the treated area. These signs must remain in place for 24 hours. A sample sign is attached.
2. For the curbs, planting beds and the fogging of the Berm, a written notification in the official Binghamton University newspaper (INSIDE) notifying the public of these applications would satisfy the DEC.
Binghamton University, the Department of Physical Facilities, and its Grounds Department are sensitive and cognizant of pesticide use and its ongoing concern as an environmentally sensitive issue. However, quality maintenance is significantly hindered by absolute bans on pesticide use. The program outlined reflects a responsible, selective use of these materials.
