MAY AGRONOMY FOCUS

Plus tips for caring for your home lawn & gardens

BY LOU SILVEIRA, DIRECTOR OF AGRONOMY

1. Post-Aeration Recovery

We completed our spring aerification last month, and now we’re focused on promoting full turf recovery. Light applications of nitrogen fertilizer and frequent mowing help the turf fill in quickly and evenly.

At home: If you aerated your lawn, now’s the time to apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer and mow regularly at the proper height (typically 2.5–3.5 inches for most home lawns). This will encourage density and reduce weed pressure.

2. Irrigation Adjustments

As the Central Valley heats up, irrigation becomes critical. We’re currently fine-tuning our system based on soil moisture levels and microclimate variations across the course.

Home tip: Water deeply and infrequently—aim for 2 to 3 times per week in the early morning. This encourages deeper root growth and helps your lawn handle summer heat stress.

3. Weed Management

Our team is spot-spraying herbicides to stay ahead of common broadleaf weeds and invasive grasses.

What you can do: If you’re seeing weeds in your lawn or garden beds, targeted applications are the way to go. Avoid overusing herbicides; instead, focus on maintaining healthy turf and mulch beds to crowd out unwanted growth.

4. Bed Maintenance & Mulching

We're refreshing mulch in landscape beds to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture. A clean edge and fresh mulch do wonders for aesthetics and plant health.

In your garden: Now is a great time to do the same at home—apply a 2–3 inch layer of mulch around trees, shrubs, and flowers. This keeps roots cool and reduces water evaporation.

As always, we appreciate your support and shared pride in the condition of your Club. Our team is committed to providing the best playing conditions possible while also serving as a local resource for your own landscape success. If you ever have questions or want to talk turf, feel free to catch me out on the course or contact the Agronomy Office.

See you on the greens!