The Turf Zone Podcast

Welcome to The Turf Zone podcast. This episode previews the University of Connecticut Turfgrass Field Day. On July 22 hundreds of industry professionals will join researchers and Extension educators for UConn’s biennial Turfgrass Field Day. At this unique event, faculty from the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture and UConn Extension share their latest projects with members of t...

Welcome to The Turf Zone podcast. This episode features a Q & A spotlighting NE-SFMA Sports Field Manager of the Year Chris McGinty – Superintendent of Parks Maintenance Division for the City of Framingham, Massachusetts. Read from the Summer 2026 issue of New England Blade magazine. Where did your turf management education begin? I received a B.S. in Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Stud...

Welcome to The Turf Zone Podcast. This episode previews the MSU Turfgrass Research Field Day. The 2026 Mississippi State University Turfgrass Research Field Day and Pesticide Applicator Training will be held on September 17 in Starkville. After lunch, pesticide applicator/CEU training will be held in the newly renovated A.B. McKay building (the old Enology Lab) up the hill from the turf facility....

Welcome to The Turf Zone podcast. This episode features the article “Anyone for Tennis – Research?” written by Dr. Scott Ebdon – Emeritus Professor, University of Massachusetts – Amherst and Mike Buras – former Director of Grounds, Longwood Cricket Club, Chestnut Hill, MA For accompanying tables, graphs, photos and references see the Summer 2026 issue of New England Blade magazine avai...

Welcome to The Turf Zone podcast. This episode features the article “Testing Ground” featured in Tennessee Turfgrass magazine. UT turfgrass researchers have invented a device to test the playability of football fields, soccer pitches, and other surfaces—with the goal of keeping athletes safe. In 2018, the NFL scheduled a game for a neutral site in Mexico. Though the field had passed ma...

Welcome to The Turf Zone podcast. This episode covers how The University of Tennessee’s research as part of the FIFA 2026 World Cup is already scoring benefits on the world stage. When FIFA selected the University of Tennessee to oversee research for building and maintaining the FIFA WORLD CUP 26 pitches, it promised to focus worldwide attention on the university’s turfgrass science and mana...

Welcome to The Turf Zone podcast. This episode features the article “Welcome, Dr. Zia Williamson to Mississippi State University” from Mississippi Turfgrass magazine. Mississippi State University is pleased to welcome Dr. Zia Williamson as Assistant Professor of Extension for Turf and Ornamental Entomology in the Department of Agricultural Sciences and Plant Protection. A native of Lin...

Welcome to The Turf Zone Podcast. This episode features the article “How Variability Within and Between Natural Turfgrass and Synthetic Athletic Fields Impacts Athlete Safety and Performance” written by Ava Veith, Dr. David McCall, Dr. Chase Straw, Dr. Daniel Sandor, Dr. Jay Williams, Elisabeth Kitchen, Kevin Hensler, Aaron Tucker and Dr. Caleb Henderson Authors Note and Context Ava Ve...

Welcome to The Turf Zone Podcast. This episode features the article “Give Yourself the Edge in Managing Sedges in Lawns and Landscape Beds” written by Jeffrey Derr and Adam Nichols. Sedges are major weed problems in turf and landscape ornamentals, as well as in crop production, including container- and field-grown nursery crops. Although there are annual sedges that occasionally are pr...

Welcome to The Turf Zone podcast. This episode spotlights Turfgrass Council of North Carolina member Devin McCaffrey. Devin McCaffrey brings a straightforward philosophy to his work as Southeast Territory Manager for Performance Nutrition: help the land perform better while leaving it better than you found it. He works to deliver liquid and dry fertilizers, biostimulants, and a portfolio of plant...