A 14-module course on turf establishment will be offered through the Turf & Ornamental Education (TOE) program.
The course is authored by Elizabeth Curry, Ph.D. in turfgrass pathology, and Henry Wilkinson, professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and is part of the TOE program’s online series of courses for the horticulture industry, with turfgrass pests and diseases slated as the next available course.
It’s designed for both students at a sophomore level in college and professionals with one to two years of practical experience.
The course is set up to train participants to answer customer questions and solve real-life problems regarding turf, starting with the basics of turf and soil science and covering all aspects of establishing a lawn.
The main focus will be cool-season grasses, but warm-season grasses will also be covered.
According to Curry and Wilkinson, other course features include:
- It’s set up to be easily navigated;
- Student/instructor interaction is made possible through email, blogs, message boards and online chat;
- A subscription for continued access to course professors and materials will be available for $10 per month upon course completion; and
- The course costs $385.
