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~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~
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July 13, 2012 Scouting Report
A
'Cool' Break: Soil T Falls 10°, Record Heat Meant Poa/Bent
Physiological Decline, Dry Means Lawns of Straw, Peter's Brown Patch and
Tim says Bluegrass
Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle
Tired.
Not just because record heat has entered our supposed cool, humid
environment but also because days are long 'at the end of a hose'. It
makes sense when you consider +90° or +100° daytime highs versus the
biology of a cool-season turfgrass system (poorly adapted to heat). Turf
is tired. Just more item is needed to connect the dots. It's a single
short sentence, often ambiguously said, "Fine turfgrass maintained for
golf courses." It really means, "Intensive, sometimes extreme cultural
practices are required to maintain golf greens." When it is record hot,
we must adjust to reduce mechanical stress. We know nothing is more
stressful than a sharp blade cutting grass and so it all starts there.
It's simple, but it requires frequent monitoring and constant
adjustment. If we do not, physiological decline of cool-season turf is
certain. You see, a natural and gradual midsummer process of starvation
(respiration exceeds photosynthesis) always exists. If we ignore it, one
hot afternoon might be turf death. But for a break. Grass blades
teetering on the edge of photosynthetic life saw a reprieve on Saturday
July 6th when Canada blew a breeze our way (July 5th saw 102.6° versus
July 10th saw 81.7°).
A very difficult week reversed itself and
tired expressions on tanned outdoor faces began to change. The corners
of mouths lifted on most superintendents. It was a smile. Still, one of
the scariest summer growing seasons continues. When July looks and feels
like August, but it's not. What will August look like? Only time will
tell, but from my laptop (after I download multitudes of photos at day's
end) this summer is no longer so green. Round 2 is about to begin. Here
goes something!
Click here to view the July 13, 2012 Scouting Report.
Have a good weekend and nice to see a smile or two again out in the field this past week!
Derek Settle, PhD
Director of Turfgrass Program |
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