Thursday, July 30, 2015

MID SUMMER UPDATE

Its midsummer update time so I wanted to inform you on course conditions and programs in place to ensure sustainable quality turf.  The golf course has received numerous complements since the start of the season but some summer stress is becoming evident.  We are in our typical battle with Mother Nature having received 12.32” of rain in the past 45 days.  Couple that with high temps and humidity and you have all the ingredients needed for disease pressure and stress on cool season grasses.  With that being said, we are holding our own and continually monitoring for disease activity.  Our standard preventive spray program interval is every 14 days.  Currently we are spraying fairways every 7 days to hold back fungal growth.  With each rain event fungal pathogens gain strength as saturated soils take time to drain and the accompanying high temps create a petri dish.  This is mostly evident in the swales and low spots that transport and hold water. 

The chart below shows the projected weather along with growth potential (GP) for cool season grasses.  A red GP indicates heavy disease pressure.  Let the countdown begin!




  7/29
  Wed
  7/30
  Thu
  7/31
  Fri
  8/1
  Sat
  8/2
  Sun
Max F
  89
  92
  91
  93
  92
Min F
  73
  69
  68
  68
  68
Avg F
  81
  81
  80
  81
  80
Max C
  32
  33
  33
  34
  33
Min C
  23
  21
  20
  20
  20
Avg C
  28
  27
  27
  27
  27
Cool GP
  43
  43
  49
  43
  49
Warm GP
  84
  84
  80
  84
  80
Conditions
  Chance of a Thunderstorm
  Chance of a Thunderstorm
  Clear
  Clear
  Clear
GREENS

The greens are performing extremely well.  We do have some thinning on White #2 and Blue#7 in the back, but is minimal given the weather pattern.  This is better than last season but still not to our standards.  We have implemented the use of hex plugs this season as needed to improve play ability.

Our program for greens/tees continues to include vent aerating every two weeks with small pencil sized tines to promote proper gas exchange in the soil and promote drying.  Turf that can’t breathe can’t grow.

TEES

Tees are showing signs of wear and heat stress.  We will be expanding our tee marker placement to spread the wear across more area.  We found some irrigation head issues that resulted in hot spots.  They have been repaired and with a little TLC they will be a distant memory.

FAIRWAYS

Ryegrass – Ryegrass – Ryegrass      How I Love Thee in July and August.

The fairways to this point have performed as expected.  We have a few areas of disease breakthrough, but minimal impact on playability.  As I stated early, our plant protectant intervals have been compressed to hold off the disease charge.  They are holding steady and overall the ryegrass is performing well.  What used to spell disaster has been met with better performing turf.

Cultural Programs – Coming Soon!
Aerification/Seeding – September
Weed Cleanup – September/October
Fall Fertility - October
Poa Annua control application – November/December

Deep Tine Aerification – Spring 2016


ROUGHS/SURROUNDS

Last season we began a program of treating a 20’ pass outside the fairways with plant protectants.  The discoloration you see outside the fairways is a result of two factors.
1.)    A targeted herbicide application for the weeds: nutsedge and kyllinga.





2.)    Heat Stress on the Poa Annua (Annual Bluegrass) Our ultimate goal is to minimize the poa population on the course.  Poa is just not reliable in this region and we have just about eliminated it in the fairways with years of herbicide treatments and over seeding.  We hope to expand our treatment areas to include Green and Tee surrounds and more rough.  The good news is Mother Nature has helped us out.  The bad news is, it’s on her time table and reseeding will have to wait until temperatures moderate.

Green/Tee surrounds are being treated with granular plant protectants due to the fact a spray machine can’t access the sloped surround areas.  This program has alleviated the damage received in previous years from Brown Patch and other pests.

WEEDS

My weed control program consists of a pre-emergant herbicide application made in early April.  The coverage and timing has been good and I don’t see significant crabgrass/goosgrass breakthrough.  It is designed to last until we over seed fairways in September.  You will see some patches of orange in the fairways/rough that is the result of a post- emergant herbicide for a weed called nutsedge.  Clover will be treated as we get closer to aerification and over seeding to minimize any voids in the fairways.

NATIVE AREAS

Weed control in these areas has been a high priority yielding a much cleaner look.  Multiple applications have been made and more are needed.  These treatments will have to wait until we can lengthen our spray interval on fairways.  Disease control will take priority with the labor and equipment force.  Last fall we performed aggressive weed removal and seeding.  This has given mixed results and I will modify some and return others to Tall Fescue.

PRIORITIES
Exceeding Member Expectations
Disease Control - minimizing turf loss
Native Areas – Weed control and trimming to promote clean appearance.

Minimize Poa Annua in the rough.