UMN Turf Research
Wintertime Wonderings: A Roundup of WinterTurf Roundtables By: Dr. Michael R. Barnes University of Minnesota
WinterTurf Overview I think it’s safe to say that we’re finally out of the winter season! It might seem odd to talk about winter now when many of us are already enjoying the sunshine and warmth that follows winter. However, now that we’re at a safe distance from the ice and snow I think it’s a perfect time to reflect on what is a genuinely difficult season for people in general but specifically for turfgrass professionals of all forms, especially in the specific context of golf courses. A variety of winter stresses can have significant impacts on turf health and even result in death in certain circumstances; unfortunately very little is known both about the specific circumstances in which 48
winter injury occurs and what management techniques might be successful in mitigating those injuries. As part of the WinterTurf project discussed by Dr. Eric Watkins in two previous Hole Notes articles, first in May of 2020, and then in March of 2022, a broad range of researchers are working on understanding both of the above areas to help superintendents and other turf professionals understand and mitigate winter injury. One aspect of this winter-related research that was missing is the understanding of what superintendents actually do to try and mitigate winter injury. This is quite an important piece of the puzzle to be missing in terms of figuring out what and how we as researchers should