Atlantic Seed Association members tour Lincoln Financial Field during Annual Convention in Philadelphia, PA
Members of the Atlantic Seed Association walk along the sidelines of Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA to see the turf on the playing surface. (Chris Lusvardi photos)
For more photos from the event, see the Seed Today Facebook page.
Philadelphia, PA (October 8, 2024) – Members of the Atlantic Seed Association during their Annual Convention Oct. 3 took an up-close look at the turf at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
As part of a tour of the stadium where the Philadelphia Eagles play, the group walked along the sidelines to see the field, which uses the Mountain View Seeds 365ss blend and is supplied by Tuckahoe Turf Farm in Hammonton, NJ.
According to Mountain View Seeds, the bluegrass blend offers “the best of what sports turf professionals demand. 365ss is extremely fast to germinate and establish, crowding out weeds and creating a dense sward for superior sod strength. 365ss holds up to extreme wear and traffic, and recovers quickly between games.”
The 365ss blend is used for fields at Lincoln Financial and several other professional sports stadiums throughout the country.
Prior to visiting the stadium, the Atlantic Seed Association group received guided tours of Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. The public garden consists of more than 1,100 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows. The plants in the garden are selected to provide visitors with a unique experience they won’t find anywhere else.
The group saw construction continuing on a 17-acre expansion that will add a state-of-the-art glass conservatory designed by Weiss/Manfredi housing an immersive Mediterranean garden and water features designed by Reed Hilderbrand. The expansion is scheduled to open Nov. 22.
Knowledge Series Presentations
As part of the convention’s Knowledge Series, the group further learned about growing turf.
Bill Errickson, Agriculture & Natural Resources County Agent III with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County, presented about humic acid amendments for stress management in turf. Humic substances are end products of microbial decomposition and chemical degradation of organic nitrates in soil, he says.
Errickson explains plants in sand-based soil can benefit from humic acid with improved water and nutrient holding capacity.
Ming-Yi Chou, Assistant Extension Specialist at Rutgers University, discussed how microbes in turf can be beneficial, as microbiomes are the “unsung hero of disease control.” He emphasized how plant-soil-microbe interactions in turfgrass and coevolution collectively contribute to disease suppression.
Kelly Gill, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, NRCS Partner Biologist, East Region for the Xerces Society, spoke about the importance of pollinators. She says growers should know about what pollinators are, what they need, and how they live.
She says the group helps with designing habitats that promote pollinator diversity and provide benefits to plants.
Mike Reed, Sales Representative Turf and Ornamental Division with SynaTek Solutions Inc., talked about building a turf care program that promotes healthy turf. He says one of the most important parts of the equation is seed.
Good stewards of the environment will find ways to change what they’re doing, Reed says. He adds they will look at all the tools that can be used to make them better stewards of the environment.
