Turf Scouting Report, June 3rd

It's June: Another Holiday Flood?, Melting-out of KBG, Waitea Wows, Dollar Spot Progresses, Peter Likes Tall Fescue, and Tim says W. circinata var. circinata 

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

Summer? This growing season now quickly feels like summer - though officially it's still spring. When you watch experienced superintendents and plantsmen, you begin to understand why their planning and preparation is so essential. Once the season begins, it moves quickly. It reminds me of a big locomotive with energy and motion that cannot slow or stop quickly. Our season of rapid growth has begun. First, Kentucky bluegrass began to thicken roughs to golfer delight. Second, our biggest issue of this spring goes away - red-purple bentgrass is now green. Then, our usual problems associated with warmer temperatures are back - Waitea, dollar spot, and melting-out of Poa. Up next, the scattered and sometimes volatile thunderstorms of summer mean you might just flood. Finally, we watch our average soil temperatures cross 70° F at 2 inches and this means optimal root growth for cool-season turf is soon to be, if not already, over. 

For the experienced who live a life tending golf courses it's just another season - the rhythm of which begins early each morning and ends by the afternoon (when all goes as planned). So far, it has been good health-wise for turf (we've experienced few pest issues during winter and spring). Now, we need some good old-fashioned dry weather (not too dry) so rounds and rounds of golf can be played. I think we've turned the corner and it's about to happen. I can feel it. Can you? 

Click here to view the June 3, 2011 Scouting Report. 

Enjoy the weekend...it feels like summer. 

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

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