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Summary: Turfgrass Maintenance Reduction Handbook: Sports, Lawns, and
Review: Golf course superintendants and turfgrass managers all seem to concur that the major expense of any professional turf is not the initial cost of construction, but rather, the cost and commitment required for its maintenance. Few textbooks specifically address this issue, but Dr. Brede's book does. He presents, in great detail, and with a view towards educating the reader, why the choice of a turfgrass is critical, how to make that choice, and how to maintain it with less-intensive management practices than may currently be in vogue. Subsequent chapters develop strategies for reducing maintenance, based on the results of current research: use less fertilizer, use less water, and lighten mowing. These are presented after a step-by-step procedure for establishing/renovating a turf area, as well as a practical treatment on turf soils, discussing issues such as thatch, soil compaction, and the effects of salts. He also presents strategies for controlling insects/pests on turfgrasses, many of which employ changes in management practices rather than application of chemicals. Also, don't miss the appendix, which is an exhaustive list of unconventional turfgrasses. Dr. Brede's advice is based on his own field experience, combined with his education and research in the turfgrass sciences, and may be some of the best-kept secrets in the turfgrass industry. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is planning a new construction or the reconstruction of a turf area-choose the correct turfgrass for your site, and maintain it with a less-intensive management program. You'll likely spend less money and have more time to enjoy using the turf than struggling with its maintenance
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