WINTER DESSICATION
Continuing with the topic of winter injury, todays post highlights winter dessication. Dessication occurs when the turf dries to the point of death. Dessication can be very detrimental to large areas of turf if the conditions are favorable. The best defense for dessication is a cover on the turf to prevent exposure to the sun and wind. During the winter months, this is best accomplished with snow. If there is no snow cover, it may be necessary for irrigation to be applied.
Through the winter, the turf still needs available water, albeit, much less than when it is actively growing in the summer. After the soil becomes frozen, moisture in the soil becomes unavailable [.....]
FREEZE INJURY
If you watched the video on Freeze Smothering I linked to yesterday, you may have heard Dr. Karl Danneberger mention that ice formation, although able to sufficate turfgrass, is most often associated with freeze injury. Freeze injury occurs when water in the plant freezes and results in death. Freeze injury most often occurs in the early winter time or early spring when temperatures can be very warm during the day, then drop below freezing at night.
The turf's natural defense against freeze injury [.....]
Even though the winter involves much less work on the course, as evidenced by my lack of turf related posts, our concerns of the turf's well being is not lessened. There are several maledies that can compromise the turf's health through the winter and into the spring transition. Some of those include winter dessication, ice cover, freezing damage and disease. I have touched on the diseases that can damage turf in the winter (November 20), but will go into some more detail here.
ICE COVER
I will [.....]
If you were able to make it to the clubhouse this weekend with your valentine you noticed we did have a set of tables complete for you to eat on. The refinishing of the banquet carts has been completed and they are back at the clubhouse as well. The last few tables are almost finished and will likely be back up at the clubhouse on Wednesday.
These are the last of the tables that we will be refinishing. When these have been completed, we will [.....]
I have attached a link to the most resent scouting report from Derek Settle at the CDGA. This issue includes a summary of weather conditions and what the result has been for some of the area courses. The link is "January 29" under Turf Scouting Reports.
The other link is to an article I wrote in the January issue of On Course, which is the monthly publication of the Midwest Association of Golf Course Superintendents. That link is "On Course January 2010" under Further Reading.
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Through my research of the club's history, I have enjoyed discovering about the lives of several of the members who have walked the grounds of the club. One person I have enjoyed reading about, and the subject of this post is Herb Matter, Jr. I will only touch on a few things here and save the rest for you to read in the other writings.
The Matters, and their extended family are an institution among the club and the Naperville community. Herb Matter, Jr. is the son of Herb [.....]
Though my efforts to update the blog have been slow, it does not mean the work has been. The benches and divot boxes are ready for a coat of sealer for the coming year, and the trash cans and ball washers will be receiving a touch-up of paint soon to ready them for the warm weather as well.
This week Torres and Emilio have been in the process of sanding and refinishing the banquet tables and banquet carts for the clubhouse. The first round of tables and [.....]