Product News

Biobarrier II weed control system adds sizes

Biobarrier II Weed Control System has added two new sizes for the convenience of its customers--a 39-inch x 20-foot roll and a 39-inch by 100-foot roll.

The product is also available in 58.5-inch x 50-foot and 58.5-inch x 100-foot roll sizes.

Biobarrier II preemergence weed control system eliminates weed growth in a variety of situations. Used like a landscape fabric and covered with two inches of mulch, gravel or soil, Biobarrier II inhibits root growth both above and below it.

It is often used in areas where mechanical trimming or spraying herbicides is expensive and/or dangerous, such as landscaped beds (where ornamental shrubs have roots more than two inches below the surface), under fences, brick or gravel walkways and driveways, around the base of cellular phone towers, and under guardrails and signs on highways.

Earlier this year, Biobarrier root control system, a system for controlling tree and shrub roots, also added new sizes-a 24-inch x 20-foot roll and a 24-inch x 100-foot roll.

Contact http://www.biobarrier.com.

Sod Shield turf protection covers

Sod Shield, a new way of protecting and promoting sod, has been introduced by Bethel Farms and Sod Solutions, Inc.

Sod Shield is a unique five-sided cover that fits snugly over a pallet of rolled or cut sod. The cover incorporates SureFit Technology, which allows for a secure fit and is constructed from lightweight, opaque co-extruded poly material that blocks light and heat while retaining optimum moisture levels.

Sod Shield is manufactured in a standard size of 49 by 49 by 40 inches, but size can be adjusted for different pallet sizes. It is designed to be placed over a pallet before shipping, and will:

• Protect the pallet from drying wind and sun during transit and at the delivery destination.
• Shield the pallet from rain, which adds weight and excessive moisture to the pallet.
• Decrease the number of loose sod pieces that blow away during transit.
• Eliminate the need for truck tarps to cover sod.

In addition, a message can be printed on four sides of the cover, making it ideal for promoting a farm or other business while sod is in transit or at the point of sale.

"Getting your name and brand in the public eye is paramount in our competitive industry," says Michael Pope, national sales manager at Bethel Farms. We were looking to enhance our customers' satisfaction with a concept that would extend the shipping life and quality of our cut sod. The fact we can do both at the same time is a big plus."

Sod Shield is available for ordering by producers around the world. For more information visit sodshield.com or contact Christian Broucqsualt at Sod Solutions, 843-849-1288.

Online erosion and sediment control certification offered

CPESC Inc. has teamed with the International Erosion Control Association to offer the Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control exam review course through IECA's online training web site ieca.webex.com.

"As our programs continue to grow, it is becoming obvious that we cannot satisfy the demand for our exam reviews through traditional instructor-led classes," said John Brown, program manager for CPESC Inc.

To accommodate the demand, online training sessions, known as webinars, allow professionals to take the exam review course over a six week period from their home or office. Webinars in this series range from 45 to 90 minutes. The exam review sessions are divided into six modules:

• Site Planning and Management
• Rules and Regulations
• Erosion Prediction
• Runoff Management
• Soil Stabilization (Erosion Control)
• Sediment Control

Erosion and sediment control professionals can take the entire series or use individual modules to review specific topics when preparing for the exam.

Although the exam review course is designed to help professionals prepare for the certification exams, the course also serves as a great overall review for anyone working in the erosion and sediment control industry, according to Kim M. Kline, IECA technical resources director.

Webinars also are being used as a convenient way to earn the professional development units needed to keep a certification current. Through ieca.webex.com, IECA offers webinars on a variety of training topics including: Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan writing, implementation and maintenance; low impact development; construction site inspection programs; rainwater harvesting; stormwater BMP maintenance and more.

Pollution liability insurance offered for golf courses

Environmental Risk Managers Inc. is offering a new pollution liability insurance program to protect golf courses from the variety of environmental exposures they face.

The PAR (pollution and remediation) program includes sudden and gradual coverage, on-site and off-site pollution clean up along with third party bodily injury, property damage and business interruption, underground/aboveground storage tanks and more. A variety of options are available with premiums starting at $3,000.

The insurance is offered by a leading A.M. Best rated A VIII company and is available in all 50 states.

A benefit of PAR is that "most programs only offer herbicide and pesticide coverage on a sudden and accidental basis and the premium reflects this limited coverage," according to Mr. Chris Bunbury, president.

Bunbury said, "We are offering the PAR program on a stand alone basis to complement existing property and casualty insurance programs for golf courses. The PAR program is available through retail insurance agents and wholesalers."

Contact Chris Bunbury, Environmental Risk Managers Inc., 231-256-2122, mailto:jcbunbury@aol.com.

SeaDwarf paspalum producer named for Hawaii

Environmental Turf Inc has selected Ali'i Turf as the only licensed sod producer of SeaDwarf Seashore paspalum in the Hawaiian Islands.

The company says SeaDwarf is the only true dwarf variety of all commercially available seashore paspalum turfgrasses. It can be used on golf courses from tee to green and on sports fields and home lawns and requires up to 50 percent less water and up to 75 percent less fertilizer than bermudagrass. It can also tolerate high levels of salt from salt spray or irrigation. Contact Ali'i Turf 808-293-8873, mailto:thees001@hawaii.rr.com.

Precision offers research on Sync fungicide activator

According to Precision Laboratories Inc., university trials and field tests of its Sync fungicide activator show that it maximizes fungicide longevity and disease control, helping to manage problems like snow mold.

Three years of university trials and thousands of field applications show that tank mixing Sync with fungicide applications results in optimized disease control, increased longevity, increased efficiency at lower spray volumes, reduced application times and less interference with play.

"Superintendents continue to report great results when using Sync," said Don Spier, vice president of turf and ornamentals. "Not only are they enjoying the aesthetic results, but they are able to make their fungicide work longer and more efficiently, which increases their value." Contact http://www.precisionlab.com.