Turf Scouting Report, May 13th

We count a 90° day: Soils reach 65° at 2 inches, First Dollar Spot, First Waitea, Crabgrass Germination Begins and Tim's Data on Poa annua Control 

Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org 

I'm awake! In a week our temperatures went through the ceiling. What happened was unusual and our environmental conditions quickly shifted from a cool month of sluggish greenup to midsummer. Three days at or near 90° began onTuesday, May 10 when Chicago set new record highs with Midway's mercury reading 91°. Little Sunshine Course matched that and then went on to log two more 90° days. It meant midday wilt stress of sand-based golf greens began. Hand-watering of those purpling patches also began. Just a week prior those same greens were a purplish-red color after enduring one last series of frost. Next up, familiar faces appeared. First, a terrific image via text mail was undeniable - bright yellow rings of Waitea affecting Poa annua on a practice green. I visited to confirm. Then our nemesis, dollar spot disease, said hello. 

Our first dollar spot report was via phone on a bentgrass fairway in central Illinois by Bill Sharp, University of Illinois. That tip led Tim Sibicky to scout and find infection centers on Sunshine Course's practice putting green. A susceptible creeping bentgrass 'Century' was hit with the reddish spots typical of initial dollar spot outbreaks in May. That's heavy stuff for a season that, up until now, had been (big yawn) progressing slowly for an entire month. Not yawning. 

Click here to view the May 13, 2011 Scouting Report. 

Have a good weekend, enjoy a return to cool and maybe check out www.cdgaturf.org. 

Derek Settle, PhD 
Director of Turfgrass Program 
630-685-2307
dsettle@cdga.org 
NEW: Weather Blog 

Timothy A. Sibicky, MS 
Manager of Turfgrass Research 
630-685-2310 
tsibicky@cdga.org 
NEW: Research Blog