Seedling Update

September 16, 2012

Germination is well underway on fairways 8 and 18 with the first wave of green leaf tips finding the sun and more on the way. Mild weather and a steady supply of rain have meant that irrigation from our system has not been needed as much as we originally anticipated. This is a mixed blessing however: while mild temperatures mean less moisture lost from the soil, they also mean lower soil temperatures and less heat for the plants. Remember that our time frame for a full scale re-seeding of fairways would be undertaken three to four weeks sooner than this project was, in order to provide maximum heat and sunlight for our seedlings.

I have been asked on several occasions why the turf killed with Roundup prior to seeding was not removed prior to seeding. While it may appear counter-productive, this layer of material serves multiple vital functions. This layer forms a barrier against erosion should we receive heavy rain or wind, and predators who would make a meal of our precious seed. It also holds moisture and keeps it available to the infant plants as they develop. Anytime you've seen seed covered with mulch or straw, (the thriving seed to the left of 18 approach is a prime example) the material was added to serve these very same purposes. To strip this layer only to replace it with another material to serve the same purpose would cost unneeded time, money, and effort.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling