TURF CARE

Greetings to all! It has been a little frosty lately, but I am confident things will get better soon. We have to tolerate a little bit of winter down here, but it doesn’t last long.

The frost has made the Bermuda grass go dormant and turn a tan/brown color in many areas. This is simply a built- in measure the plant has that protects it. Once things warm a little it will resume growth. The cool season grasses like Rye, Bent, Kentucky Bluegrass, etc. all handle cooler weather much better because they are built for it. Bermuda is a warm season grass and will shut down when it gets cold. It is a little unfortunate that our busy golf season coincides with a period of very slow turf growth. That is a recipe for declining turf conditions due to wear and tear. I preach every year about the importance of proper cart driving procedures. The cart paths can handle the traffic, but the grass cannot when exposed to constant travel in the same areas. Help us to preserve the turf during the slow growth season by being mindful of where your cart is being driven.

We recently performed a very small needle tine operation for venting purposes. You may not even notice the tiny holes in the greens. This helps with oxygen exchange and may release any gases that are building up in the soil. We will do this periodically between our regular aerifications. The Zoysia greens are really starting to shine now! This is the time of year we can get them to perform and roll at a nice pace. Summer is a little more difficult due to the heavy growth of the plant, but we are still looking for ways to improve on that.

Its great to see everyone out enjoying the game we love!