Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org
Wed 50 low /60 high and Thu 46 low /73 high. A pair of nice days and Friday is just as nice - warmer nights and how about full sun? It means this season has just turned the corner and is in a direction that creeping bentgrass likes (i.e., bentgrass needs average soil temperatures at 2 inches to stabilize at about 55 degrees or higher for good growth). Also, good germination of seed has begun and continued to accelerate into this week. Areas injured by season 2010 that were without complete recovery are now looking better - Chicago's inner roughs especially hard hit.
It turns out low-mow Kentucky bluegrass was also slow out of the blocks in 2011. The negative impact of repeat frost events in May did not help. Next up, we will try and experience good weather for June? June is arguably our most important month of root/shoot growth given what July can bring cool-season turf in Chicago. Such as, repeat daytime highs of 90+ degrees and, during a hot and humid summer, midsummer physiological decline that begins as July transitions to August. But wait, it's still May and this week felt like heaven on earth = clear skies and sun!
Click here to view the May 20, 2011 Scouting Report.
Have a great weekend, and exactly where's the sun?
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
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