I have another Scouting Report from the Chicago District Golf
Association for all of you. But before I post it I thought I would call
attention to the first paragraph of page 2 (for those of you who follow
the link). Dr. Settle quotes a superintendent who had made a note to
himself equating the purple appearance of his inactive bentgrass with
the cold and frost we've been seeing for the last few weeks. I'm sure
many of you have notice the same thing here at Cress Creek!
~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~
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April 27, 2012 Scouting Report
Spring
Drought: Chi Suburbs Dry, Nights See Hard Frosts, Sod Webworms, Yellow
Tuft central IL, Dollar Spot southern IL, and Tim's KBG Variety Trial
Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle
It
was a cool week. In my mind that kind of puts things to zero. Like
someone pushed the big red reset button. The one that says "Season 2012.
How's that? Well, our current soil temps have cooled to the low 50s and
that half century mark at a 2 inch depth held all week. Its hypothermic
rebirth largely propelled by the return of hard frosts. Things slowed
as one might expect. For example, we're now without active dollar spot,
fairy ring, or Rhizoctonia yellow patch. Yes, I'm frowing a little. Not
any fungi that had gotten me so excited especially early this season -
80s in March! Instead it feels normal - brrr, jackets required in April.
From here on out we will likely see a general and consistent warm-up of
spring - so I say. Our calendar-based historical records will again
mean something - old school IPM can return. Integrated Pest Management
is what we live and breath.
But it's not all roses, actually I
should have said tulips since it's that time of year - some varieties
out there are still blooming nicely. Instead we continue to see quite a
bit of early insect activity of the pest kind. In travels across the
state, I would identify sod webworm damage on golf greens in both
southern and central Illinois. The other striking item was just how dry
it had become statewide. Localized dry spot was causing a diseased look
on one bentgrass fairway I saw and then today I found the exact look on a
Sunshine Course fairway. It made sense. Dry!
Click here to view the April 27, 2012 Scouting Report.
Have a good weekend and enjoy the return of RAIN!
Derek Settle, PhD
Director of Turfgrass Program |
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