Horticulture Commons^™

Pb1649-Commercial Tall Fescue-Kentucky Bluegrass Sod Production, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Commercial Horticulture

Many Tennessee farmers, facing narrow profit margins and increasing price risk, are considering new or alternative crop enterprises. New crop enterprises are most successful if they make effective use of existing resources; are adapted to the local environment, soils and climate; and if they serve a market that is well-defined and expanding. Turfgrass sod production is one crop enterprise that may meet these criteria.

A sod production program is founded on agronomic principles. While corn, soybean and wheat production practices often result in increased grain yield, effective sod production results in healthy, dense vegetation free of most troublesome turfgrass pests. …

Sp307-G-Protecting Fruit Trees From Winter Injury, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Commercial Horticulture

Winter freeze damage, also called Southeast trunk injury, can be a problem for young fruit trees growing in Tennessee. This damage can occur on sunny winter days even though temperatures may be quite low. Sunlight striking the tree trunk may raise the temperature of the bark on the lower trunk to 80 or 90 F. Cambial tissue under the bark will lose hardiness. When the sun goes down, trunk temperatures will drop to the same temperature as the air. If this temperature drops below a critical point, these sensitive tissues will be injured or killed.