This morning greens were spiked and topdressed. Spiking allows for minor gaseous exchange and opens them up ever so slightly. It also gives the sand a small channel to settle into. In addition, we applied another 8 lbs of Calcitic Lime per 1000ft2. The goal is to continually build up Calcium levels in the soil.
In regards to our ponds, I am withholding chemical treatments for the time being. The reason is because of the elevated Copper levels I am seeing in our soils. I am getting somewhat concerned about this and think the copper compounds used to battle algae and other aquatic weeds are contributing to this. We can use other products in the lakes that don't contain copper. However, this requires major water restrictions and the lack of rain we've had this summer isn't allowing for that. Therefore, we may see a little bit more algae than normal but it is critical for the health of the grass. You can see how all these aspects of golf course maintenance are tied together.
