IPM

11:27 just sitting here thinking- listening to the winamp stuff, play list is rather random.  Elton John is currently playing.  One of my new internet friends reminded me I have Elton on the computer.   Smoking a cigarette again.  What a waste of time money and all that, but heck, god put it here (tobbacco).  Many don't know that tobbacco contains a substance that makes a very good natural pesticide.  In reading I have seen the IPM (integrated pest management)  This is where you mix natural, artificial pesticides with Cultural Practices to get the best effective pest control.  One example of IPM would be growing marigolds around a vegtable garden.  One IPM I would use on a regualr lawn program would be to over seed in the fall every year.  Lawn density plays a major role in the IPM program.  Obviously turf/weeds is combat of space, the more space you can occupy your lawn with turf, there is less of a chance to get unwanted weeds.  I say this to show the true "lawn technician" is more than the loser that just sprays chemicals to poison weeds.  

As it turns out the job of Lawn Tech has been quite a learning experience to me. I worked on a golf course, a county club at that.  In the 2 years I worked as a greenskeeper I learned little more than how to duck out of the way of a golf ball.  I even asked questions, when asked "what is poa anna" the only response I got from the assistant superintendant was " oh po anna, she only gets out once a year".  Well the day I left the golf course to start my career as a lawn tech not only did the manager tell me that poa anna is annual blue grass, he took me to a lawn that had poa anna in it.    While a license is not required, you can work under your bosses license, it does take a bit of knowledge to get.  I worked at a lawn care company a while back and one of the guys there went to take that test 3 times.  If he passed the core section he failed the catagory  or vs. The core is general rules on pesticide use, storage and disposal.  All pesticide handlers are included on this part.  Lawn Techs take the same core as the Exterminator or the guy who flies lthe plane for aerial pesticide use.  I guess the catagory part doesn't really need an expanation.  Core questions on a multiple quesss test would be:  when a pesticide container is empty you:

a) triple rinse remove the label and puncture

b) just throw it away

c) use it to hold your drinking water

well thier not all that stupid or obvious 

Have to know the signs for caution poison, corrosive or explosive  

The catagory part was always lthe easier of the test. Has a cheesey mimiograph quality picture of about 4 weeds, and you have to identify tlhem, several questions dealing with insects such as chinch bugs and bill bugs, neither of which have possed any major lawn problems lin my area for over 20 years.   So you need to know for the test but not really for the job; but it is a good thing to know, every once in a while you run into that. Also questions on some fugus disease, leaf spot and dollar spot are both in there. IPM is on the core and the catagory as I recall.  Well lthe last time I had to take that test I passed by a few points, but I spent no study  time .  I just went and took the test.