Turf Education Day (TED)
The Must-Attend Event for All Turf Care Professionals
Lawn care is a big part of many of our businesses and organizations. Whether you choose to subcontract some of those services or provide them in-house, it is critical to your profitability and customers’ satisfaction to stay informed about the latest turf care products and practices.
Attend education sessions to broaden your knowledge and visit our sponsors to see what exciting products are available.
Schedule of Events
7:15 AM – 8:15 AM
Check-In & Badge Pick-Up
8:15 AM – 8:30 AM
Welcome Remarks
Location: Auditorium
Brandon Burns, Kim Hartmann
8:30 AM – 8:45 AM
Landscape Illinois Advocacy Update – In the Weeds
Location: Auditorium
Scott Grams
8:45 AM – 9:30 AM
Morning Keynote
Impact of Climate Change on Turf Management for LCOs – A Peek into the Future
Location: Auditorium
Fred Yelverton, Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Description Coming Soon!
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Morning Break & Exhibitor Visits
Location: Atrium
Breakout Session 1 – 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM
Irrigation 101
Room 111
Brett Gold, American National Sprinkler & Lighting
Kevin Battistoni, Hunter Industries
This presentation covers the core principles of efficient irrigation tailored specifically for turf care. We’ll explore system components, proper scheduling, and water-saving strategies that enhance turf health while reducing waste. Learn how to identify common issues, understand the role of soil and weather in irrigation decisions, and optimize coverage for different turf types. Whether you’re new to irrigation or looking to refresh your knowledge, this session provides practical insights to improve system performance and client satisfaction. Equip your team with the tools to deliver greener, healthier turf with smarter water management.
Sports Turf Management
Room 105
Ben Baumer, Assistant Groundskeeper, Chicago Bears Football Club
This talk will focus on the Sports side of the turf industry and how it differs from golf, lawn care, etc. There will be stories shared along with what Ben has learned over the years working in many different levels and sectors of the Sports Turf industry. This talk will also include a dive into how the Chicago Bears run their Sports Turf Operation, including their switch from Bluegrass to Bermudagrass. In addition to tips and tricks of what they have learned along the way, and any additional questions attendees may have.
Identification and Management of Winter Injury on Turfgrass Lawns
Auditorium
Paul Koch, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Madison
Winter injury is a general term that describes all the various types of injury that can occur on turfgrass over the winter. Certain turfgrass species are more susceptible to certain types of winter injury, and accurately identifying what winter factor has injured your turf can help you prevent it from occurring again. In this presentation, we will cover the primary types of winter injury on turfgrass lawns in the Midwest, provide strategies for preventing winter injury, and offer recommendations for recovery from winter injury.
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
Morning Break & Exhibitor Visits
Location: Atrium
Breakout Session 2 – 11:15 AM to 12:00 PM
Automated Mowers
Room 111
Joe Langton, Automated Outdoor Solutions
Description Coming Soon!
Turf Health Impacts of Mulching Tree Leaves on Turf & Soil Health
Auditorium
Paul Koch, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Madison
Tree leaf collection is one of the most common fall landscape practices. Piling leaves at the curb contributes significant amounts of phosphorus to urban waterways and requires significant municipal resources to collect and dispose of them in a timely manner. Mulching tree leaves into lawns can be an efficient way to dispose of tree leaves that may also contribute nutrients and organic matter to home lawns, but concerns exist over the impacts of tree leaf mulching on turfgrass health. This presentation will summarize a 3-year study at the University of Wisconsin – Madison detailing the impacts of tree leaf mulching on turf and soil health.
Illinois Department of Agriculture Regulatory Update
Room 105
Brad Beaver, Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
Location: Room 101
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM
Afternoon Keynote
A Review of CDGA Turfgrass Research Impactful to Lawns
Location: Auditorium
Dr. Derek Settle
The CDGA Turfgrass Program began in 1985 with the hiring of Dr. Randy Kane. For 20 years, Randy provided extension-based turfgrass plant pathology in Chicago. Randy was one of the first plant pathologists trained to identify fungal root rots of turfgrass, such as summer patch of Kentucky bluegrass. Therefore, early research efforts at the CDGA focused on maladies associated with turfgrass roots caused by fungi and nematodes. After the CDGA relocated to Midwest Golf House and built the Sunshine Course in Lemont (c. 2005), its turf research efforts were able to expand. Today, under the direction of Dr. Derek Settle and Shehbaz Singh, CDGA Turf Program research areas now include: turfgrass variety trials, control of broadleaf and grassy weeds, as well as investigations of newer fungicides and nematicides. A historical review of research relevant to lawn care will be discussed.
1:50 PM – 2:00 PM
Afternoon Break
Breakout Session 3 – 2:00 PM to 2:50 PM
Management of Troublesome Turfgrass Weeds in Cool-Season Lawns
Auditorium
Fred Yelverton, Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Description Coming Soon!
The Ins and Outs of Grub Control
Room 111
Nikki Hendrickson, Advanced Turf Solutions
Many factors can affect how well your grub application works. This session will cover basic life cycle and ID, along with things to consider when making the application, so you get the best control you can.
