The pinestraw process for the year is nearing completion. We lack holes 14-18 and the driving range. Guess how many bails of straw it takes to finish the golf course? The answer is about 1,500! This is actually a small amount compared to other courses. In fact, it used to take over 2,000 bails. With the introduction of mulch in some areas and the reduction of beds, the amount has decreased. Ultimately, I would like to make the switch to 100% mulch on the course. This would be a pretty time consuming goal because it would require physically raking up all the straw that is currently out there. Hardwood mulch is a much more native material. Pinestraw comes from south Georgia and Florida and comes off a tree that doesn't even grow within 200 miles of HCC.
Last week, I wrote about a fertilizer that is said to reduce earthworm populations buy irritating their skin. I made applications on #3 and #6 fairways. I am really encouraged by what I am seeing this weekend. On these two fairways, there are no new castings. This means their activitiy is really reduced. Maybe this is the magic product I've been waiting for!!