Beat the Heat - Deep Dives

A Professional Development Series for Green Industry Professionals

Join us this summer for an intensive educational series designed to help turfgrass professionals sharpen their skills, earn pesticide recertification points, and stay ahead of the heat. This year, Beat the Heat will be built around extended, in-depth sessions.  

THIS YEAR'S DEEP DIVES
Water Management & Pest Control (2-hour block) Through two focused sessions, we explore water management as a critical cultural control strategy for integrated pest management. From hands-on irrigation auditing, scheduling, and water budgeting to leveraging modern tools like soil moisture sensors and wetting agent programs to drive better pest control outcomes on both irrigated and non-irrigated sites.

Weed Management in Turfgrass (2-hour block) Weeds don't wait, and neither should your program. Two dedicated sessions take you from the ground up — starting with proper identification and look-alikes for the top 10-15 weeds of concern in turf, then building into a season-long herbicide program that integrates pre- and post-emergence herbicide control strategies for consistent control.

Regional Focus Session (1-hour block) Each Beat the Heat event this year features a custom session tailored to the unique challenges, pest pressures, and opportunities relevant to that region. No two stops are the same.

EVENT DATES & LOCATIONS
-    July 15 — Beat the Heat on the Plateau | Cumberland County
-    July 23 — Beat the Heat in West TN | Shelby County
-    July 30 — Beat the Heat in the Scenic City | Hamilton County
-    August 13 — Beat the Heat in Middle TN | Rutherford County
-    August 21 — Beat the Heat in the Smoky Mountains | Knox County

REGISTRATION FEE
The standard registration fee is $95 per person.

Please direct all inquiries to Becky Bowling at rgrubbs5@utk.edu.