Sept. 19, 2018 – Jack Lakey, "the Fixer" at the Toronto Star, has written about a case of neglected weeds growing along a boulevard in the city, suggesting the city is better off without pesticides, but acknowledging something still needs to be done about out-of-control weed growth.

Sept. 18, 2018 – About one in seven golfers in British Columbia plan to smoke marijuana on the golf course once it becomes legal next month, and one in two golfers under the age of 35 plans to do so, according to a survey of about 5,400 golfers.

Sept. 7, 2018 – Bioswales are being used at the University of Lethbridge to help filter stormwater runoff. Although the turfgrass and shrub gardens provide aesthetic value, they keep pollutants out of the river, while also slowing down the flow of water to prevent downstream flooding.

Sept. 6 – An Elmira, Ont. man is basking in the life of leisure after his purchase of an iMow automated mower that is capable of cutting an acre of grass at a time. Because of its quiet operation, he can set up his mower to cut at non-traditional hours.

Aug. 31, 2018 – An insect-obsessed 16-year-old is doing his part to help stave off the invasion of the emerald ash borer into New Brunswick. Working this summer for the Canadian Forest Service, the Grade 12 student is helping to set traps for the insect and has introduced some of his own innovations.

Aug. 31, 2018 – A restoration job done to repair a patch of grass at a Kingston, Ont. man's lawn that had been dug up to repair a damaged sewer pipe has left the homeowner fuming over what he considers to be shoddy workmanship. He claimed his lawn was pristine before the restoration job.

Aug. 28 2018 – A new baseball diamond has opened in North Battleford, Sask., funded in part by the Blue Jays Care Foundation. An official with Battlefords Minor Baseball said the diamond would never have happened without support from the Blue Jays' charity and the city.

Aug. 22, 2018 – Eight years ago, a Woodstock, Ont.-area man built his own field of dreams baseball diamond to give his children a place to play. More recently, he was contacted by the Toronto Blue Jays organization about using the field as a venue for a "Girls at Bat" day.

A few years ago, I was given the chance to work from home. Looking to trim some of the fat away from our overhead, my employer figured it would be more cost-effective for everyone to work from his or her place of residence.

It’s always exciting when you receive a resume from a job candidate who seems like a great fit. It’s even more exciting when the candidate nails the first interview, and then the second. And there’s nothing quite like the relief and satisfaction you feel when the person accepts. Now you’ve got yourself a brand new employee. Unfortunately, sometimes the fairy tale stops here. Hiring expert Scott Wintrip points out that quite often, people who give great interviews turn out to be bad hires.

It’s mid-summer and you’re probably noticing that bees and wasps are especially active these days. It’s their favourite season!

Understanding how fungicides work and knowing what part of the plant should be targeted will greatly assist golf course superintendents with their spraying programs, an audience of superintendents was told in March during a Syngenta-sponsored forum in Milton, Ont.

May 31, 2018 – Landscape professionals may have more choices of plant material than they think. Many imported trees and shrubs care fare well when mixed with native species, adding diversity.

May 17, 2018 – A Kitchener-area lawn care professional says aerating and overseeding lawns is an ideal way to choke out weeds, including dandelions. An a University of Guelph academic adds that regular fertility will produce the best lawns.

May 16, 2018 – A little bit of natural precipitation over the next few days will perk up dried out conditions at the La Verendrye Golf Club near Steinbach, Man., the club's manager has said. Tank watering is being done, much to golfers' dismay.

May 10, 2018 – Drought has beset southern Manitoba, affecting everything from farm land to golf courses. Cracks in the ground at the Old Drover's Run Golf Course in Niverville clearly reveal how parched conditions have become.

May 10, 2018 – While much of Atlantic Canada has been praying for rain to go away, the opposite is true in most of Manitoba. The superintendent at Quarry Oaks in Steinbach said a dry fall followed by one of the driest Aprils on record has left the golf course thirsty.

Lawn care professionals need to get out in front of a problem before it starts, incorporating integrated pest management into their programs, an audience of lawn care practitioners attending the Ontario Turfgrass Symposium were told in February.

Sodium and bicarbonates in the soil are a “big deal” and can rob golf courses of their nutrient dollar, superintendents attending BrettYoung’s annual spring turf academy were told in March at the Links of Kent Golf Club in Chatham, Ont.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Ontario’s cosmetic pesticide ban, and some lawn care professionals are still lamenting that they can no longer use some of the pest control products they once took for granted.

Sharp mower blades promote healthier turf. When they’re dull, it makes turf more prone to disease, and golfers will see first-hand how substandard a course looks and how poorly it performs.

Divots are a natural occurrence in the game of golf. They are particularly abundant on par three tees, especially when a hole is short enough to warrant a wedge or nine-iron shot to the green. They are also commonly found in the fairways of par four and five holes, especially from approach distances that are reachable for most recreational golfers.

Sept. 19, 2018 – The fate of the former McArthur Island Park golf course in Kamloops, B.C. has been decided, but it's not sitting well with all parties. The city has declared the property will be turned into a multi-use space, including a site for disc golf, but it's incompatible with a nature park, says a board director with the Kamloops Naturalist Club.

Sept. 10 – Although recreational marijuana use becomes legal in Canada on Oct. 17, at least two communities in the Montreal area are taking measures to ban cannabis usage anywhere near sports fields, public parks and other green spaces. The new bylaws would fall under the same laws that prevent cigarette smoking and electronic vaping in such vicinities.

Sept. 6, 2018 – Walkerton, Ont.'s new million-dollar soccer fields are only two years old, but are already in need of upgrades. The one-year warranty on the fields at Bruce Power Regional Soccer Park expired in May of last year. Since then, drainage concerns have come to light as well as irrigation heads protruding from the surface, settling of the fields and severe crowning on two playing surfaces.

Sept. 5 – City council in Edmonton has approved a new garbage and yard waste pickup plan that will go into effect in 2020. The plan will separate grass clippings and leaves from other garbage to be picked up and will encourage residents to take their natural waste to designated eco stations.

Aug. 31, 2018 – The City of Ottawa and South Nation Conservation have teamed up to offer homeowners a break in the cost of removing and replacing ash trees damaged by the invasive emerald ash borer. Ottawa homeowners will be eligible for up to $500 per tree to a maximum of 10 trees.

Aug. 31, 2018 – In response to a multitude of complaints about out-of-control weeds and untidy yards, the City of Regina is considering implementing new landscaping regulations that will require homeowners to better look after their properties.

Aug. 30, 2018 – Ottawa city council could face an uphill battle in defending a decision it made Tuesday that requires lights to be shut off at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday at the new artificial turf field at Immaculata High School. The decision is being challenged by the Ottawa Catholic School Board which entered into a partnership with the Ottawa Footy Sevens to build the $2-million field.

Aug. 29, 2018 – Lawn care professionals in Manitoba feel like they're caught between a rock and a hard place after the province announced last year it would relax its ban on cosmetic pesticides, yet hasn't indicated exactly what that will entail. Professionals need to know what the new rules will be so that they can order the appropriate product for next season.

Aug. 28, 2018 – A multi-million-dollar sports park at Windsor, Ont.'s St. Clair College is nearing reality with the approval of a site plan. The proposed park will include an artificial turf soccer stadium, an artificial turf baseball stadium and volleyball courts.

Aug. 28, 2018 – A loss of trees and less green space will be the result of a blanket rezoning of two residential areas in Vancouver. The objective of the rezoning is to create more housing choices in the vicinities.

Aug. 13, 2018 – A Kitchener, Ont. couple who have invested thousands of dollars on natural plants to attract bees and other wildlife to their front yard boulevard have become embroiled in a battle with the municipality. The city wants the couple to cut down the plants' height to comply with a local bylaw, but that could mean denying the bees the flowers they need.

Sept. 19, 2018 – As part of its initiative to bring its commercial solutions to the contractor market, Winter Equipment is announcing the launch of its V-Plow Guard system. The complete system features steel blades, centre and outer PlowGuards, hardware and installation instructions.

Sept. 19, 2018 – Used primarily to separate rocks and large debris from soil and sand, Cat® Skeleton Buckets feature heavy duty construction and find application in a number of industries, including agriculture, construction, land clearing, demolition, landscaping, and scrap handling.

Sept. 19, 2018 – Cat® Side Discharge Buckets are designed for use with skid steer loaders, multi-terrain loaders, compact track loaders, and compact wheel loaders, and collect and transport loose materials such as sawdust, sand, mulch, and topsoil and then discharge these materials via a belt-type conveyor from adjustable openings (doors) on either side of the bucket.

Sept. 14, 2018 – Foley United's ACCU-Sharp 618 gives golf superintendents and maintenance technicians a precision reel grinder that has the ability to do touch-up spin and also perform gauging and relief grinding as required.

Sept. 12, 2018 – Toter, a Wastequip brand and a leading manufacturer of products used in the collection of waste, recycling and organics, has recently redesigned its front end loader (FEL) product line to reflect growing industry demand for heavy-duty, user-friendly alternatives to steel loaders. Adding to the revamped line-up of two, three and four-cubic-yard containers, Toter has introduced a new one-cubic-yard size.

Sept. 12, 2018 – Loftness has introduced the BadAx™ disc mulcher for skid steers. The high-powered forestry head is ideal for a wide range of applications, including land clearing, vegetation control, fire prevention and more.

Sept. 12, 2018 – Grasshopper's fully-enclosed, metal winter cab protects operators from harsh winter elements.

Sept. 5, 2018 – The Thermacell MR450 armoured portable mosquito repeller effectively repels mosquitoes by creating a 15-foot zone of protection. There is no need to resort to messy spray-on repellents to stay clear of nuisance mosquitoes when enjoying the outdoors or working in a confined area.It's important to note that mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance. They can carry both the West Nile and Zika viruses that can render those bitten extremely ill.

Aug. 28, 2018 – KIOTI Tractor wants to "treat you like dirt" in its new advertising campaign. The campaign has been introduced to focus on what tractor owners prioritize most: hard, dirty work on their land.

July 24, 2018 – The turf conditions for the recently concluded World Cup of Soccer competition in Russia were second to none. Cub Cadet's Infinicut turf mower was used to groom the pitches for the games involving the world's greatest players.

July 24, 2018 – A complete line of professional turf solutions bearing the name Turf Fuel™ are available to industry professionals to enhance plant strength and prepare intensely managed turf for extreme growing conditions.