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Trey Rodgers, Ph.D The Yard Doctor
The Yard Doctor, John (Trey) Rogers, Ph.D., is a professor of turfgrass science at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. He is regarded as one of the country’s leading experts on growing and maintaining healthy lawns.
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A consultant to Briggs & Stratton, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of engines for outdoor power equipment, Dr. Rogers is a frequent guest on television and radio programs around the nation and has been quoted in numerous print publications.
A member of the Michigan State faculty since 1988, Dr. Rogers’ expertise and experience have been foundational to the training of the best golf course, baseball, and football field groundskeepers in the country. He also has led essential research in the improvement of athletic fields and golf courses around the world. He even holds two turfgrass patents.
Dr. Rogers’ interest in lawn care began early, while he was working as a golf course groundskeeper during his teens in his hometown of Fort Smith, Ark. He cultivated this initial interest by earning degrees in agronomy from the University of Arkansas and a doctorate in agronomy from Penn State University in 1988.
Dr. Rogers earned the nicknames “Sultan of Sod” and “God of Grass,” when he led a research team that helped perfect indoor grass growth for the 1994 World Cup soccer competition at the Pontiac Silverdome.
Although Dr. Rogers is called on to share his expertise with golf courses and athletic facilities throughout the world, he enjoys sharing lawn care advice with homeowners. Nothing brings him satisfaction like the sight of a healthy lawn that is well maintained.
You can visit The Yard Doctor's web site at The Yard Doctor.
You can read The Yard Doctor's regular column in ProGardenBiz.
The Yard Doctor Recommends
Web Resources
I recommend surfing the Web. One great starting page is http://www.msu.edu/user/karcherd/turflinks/.
The world is at your fingertips from here.
Books
Here's one of my favorite books:
Turfgrass Management Information Directory
edited by K.J. Karnok
Amazon's price: $19.95
Here are a few other books I highly recommend:
Lawn Care for Dummies
by Lance Walheim, National Gardening Association
If your neighbors' lawn always resembles a beautiful green carpet while yours looks like something that would cost Tiger Woods several shots, you could use some practical help. Trust the Dummies folks - you really can have a great lawn without breaking your back every weekend, spending a fortune on sod, or poisoning your pets. "Lawn Care for Dummies" takes you through all the steps: choosing the right grass, planting the seed or laying the sod, installing an irrigation system, fertilizing, aerating, watering, and mowing. It also helps you avoid (or conquer) the Big Three: weeds, pests, and disease. Finally, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow ®¢ you get to enjoy your lawn! In the spirit of all Dummies books, there's a list of 10 lawn games at the end. Bocce, anyone? Amazon.
Amazon's price: $13.99
A Man's Turf: The Perfect Lawn
by Warren Shultz
What relationship is as intense, as profound as a boy and his dog? A man and his lawn, of course. Like a fine car and a big house, a luxurious and weed-free lawn announces to the world that we have arrived. In "A Man's Turf: The Perfect Lawn," sodmeister Warren Schultz explores the world of lawns in all of its multifaceted complexity, from the history of lawn tools to the spiritually renewing effects of a beautiful lawn on the human psyche. "Being a man means growing up with a lawn. That's where we learn to ride a bike, on that cushion of green, or learn how to throw a curveball. It's the setting for barbeques and family reunions. It's where we're allowed to spend hours building daydreams behind a mower." Amazon.
Amazon's price: $17.47
Turfgrass Management
by Alfred J. Turgeon
An introductory text for students in turfgrass science and management. Covers important features of turfgrass systems, interactions between and among system components, and principles of turfgrass management, and establishes the role of cultural interventions for achieving specific objectives. Contains chapters on growth and development, species, cultural practices and systems, pest management, and propagation, plus reference appendices, a glossary, and chapter questions. Book News, Inc.®, Portland, O.R.
Amazon's price: $97.00
Destructive Turfgrass Insects
by Daniel A. Potter
A practical reference book for professionals who work with turfgrass. Integrates diagnostic and biological information with guidelines for pest management. Covers both common and uncommon insects and pests found in the United States and southern Canada. For each pest, describes characteristics, symptoms of damage, life cycle, and habits. Also discusses biorational insecticides, cultural and biological control tactics, and environmental protection. Lists of sources of information and supplies. Includes numerous color photos of pests. Book News, Inc.®, Portland, O.R.
Amazon's price: $69.95
Southern Turfgrasses: Their Management and Use
by Richard L. Duble
A comprehensive guide to creating and maintaining turf for athletic fields, golf courses, parks, cemeteries, and commercial and residential landscapes. The author describes the biology of turfgrasses and provides extensive information about each of the species that predominate in the southern zone. Chapters include detailed information about soil types, terrain, and climate; establishing new turf; controlling weeds, diseases, and insects; and cultural practices. Ample b&w and color photographs. Book News, Inc.®, Portland, O.R.
Amazon's price: $27.95
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