It's a big day applying plant protects to fairways and tees. After lab analysis of a couple samples, we are still dealing with some active take-all patch on 5, 6 and 9 fairway. This fungus is active during cooler, damp cloudy days in late spring/early summer but usually only an issue on newer turf that is 5 years old or younger. This is a crown and root disease which means often times the symptoms won't snow up until warm/dry weather and the turf wilts easily. In established turf, micro-organisms in the soil naturally combat this fungus, making it a non issue. In fact, on #10 fairway, after it was renovated in 2001, we constantly battled take all patch. For this pathogen to pop up on 90 year old fairways is a little odd and unexpected. We've made 2 different fungicide applications in the past 3 weeks which have slowed it, but not eradicated it. Today, a 3 product combination is being applied which will deliver the knock out punch. By the end of the week, we may start some nondisruptive pencil tining, that will stimulate turf growth for quicker recovery. As I said yesterday, this is proof that mother nature is still the boss and throws curve balls from time to time that are near impossible to plan for. On greens, our fungicide program covers all bases for obvious reasons, and why you won't see this issue there. For obvious reasons, we superintendents create bullet proof fungicide plans on greens. Fairways on the other hand, which can be 20-30 acres or more, create a slight budget challenge in that we rely on weather patterns and scouting to dictate when fungicide programs begin.
The other product going out is for grub control. Starting in the next couple weeks, beetles (i.e. Japanese Beetle) will begin laying eggs. The eggs laid now, are what become the larval stage (white grubs) that will cause damage in late summer/early fall. Bears, raccoons, skunks, crows and even wild hogs, all dig up turf searching for grubs to eat. You may know someone in HCC who had their yard destroyed in the past few years by wild hogs (believe it or not, we have a healthy population of them). Right now, you can prevent that by applying an insecticide that will prevent egg hatch, thus ending the life cycle. Its critical to be sure you apply it at the proper time- either too early or too late will eliminate the effectiveness of the application. I am asked multiple times a year why numerous yards along Piper's Court are destroyed but why those same animals stay off the golf course? This is the reason- proper grub control products. Animals can sense grubs below the surface and won't dig where there is no food. If you have a lawn, consider looking into this through your property management service.