More than 40 years ago, a young man from Arkansas decided to become an agriculture major because "it was the beginning of the Green Revolution, and agriculture had a bright future." Today that man, University of Georgia professor Paul Raymer, has served Georgia agriculture as a variety tester, a soybean specialist, a canola breeder and a turfgrass breeder.

The 72nd annual University of Georgia Southeastern Turfgrass Conference will be held on Thursday, April 26, at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia.

Georgia’s supply of sodded turfgrass will sufficiently cover demand this year, and the delivery cost is not expected to rise, according to the Annual Georgia Sod Producers Inventory Survey conducted by Clint Waltz, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension turfgrass specialist, and the Georgia Urban Ag Council.

Shimat Joseph, an entomologist based on the University of Georgia Griffin campus, will research turfgrass and ornamental plant pests as the newest member of the UGA Turfgrass Team.

University of Georgia, state and industry leaders cut the ribbon on Sept. 21 signifying the official openings of three new turfgrass research and education facilities on the Griffin, Tifton and Athens campuses. The largest of the facilities is on the UGA Griffin campus, where the ceremony took place.

Georgia turfgrass producers and industry leaders will gather Tuesday, Oct. 31, and Wednesday, Nov. 1, in Ft. Valley, Georgia, for the annual Georgia Sod and Turf Producers Field Day. Industry leaders and university experts will provide updates on turfgrass-related topics, and the latest equipment will be displayed and demonstrated at the event’s trade show.

To successfully establish a new tall fescue lawn or interseed an existing lawn, consider the following techniques and practices from University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.

Last year’s prolonged drought has extended into this year. Lawns that were in poor health before the drought are having trouble greening up now. If you’re reviving a spotty lawn, perk it up with help from University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.  

Last year many lawns across the state didn’t receive enough rainfall for the grass to grow, photosynthesize and make carbohydrate reserves. Turfgrass that experienced this lack of rainfall will likely be slow to green up this spring. If rainfall totals return to normal this spring, lawns will recover, but they may do so at a slower rate because the production of reserves was compromised last fall. For example, a lawn that would typically be fully green and growing in mid-May might take until late May or June to green up. A two- to four-week delay in green-up of warm-season grasses may be common this spring.