Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle -
Our jackets were on as mid-April nights repeatedly fell into the 20s for Chicago. Even far southern Illinois would say "hard frost" at least once. The cool temperatures meant color green becomes subdued - creeping bentgrass golf greens will become a patchy red-purple hue. Cool temps slowed golf play but did nothing to interrupt ongoing cultivation - aerification of greens, fairways and tees. Roots. Did I hear someone say roots? Roots so healthy and so deep so early continues to amaze us all. Driven down very early by warmer than usual soil temperatures. However, since the 3rd week of March our soil now reads 10 degrees less or about 50 degrees at 2 inches. That has significance as we time certain preventive applications. Did we apply too early? On Sunshine Course our perspective was... no choice (dollar spot and fairy ring blazing).
Today our superintendent Chris asssisted by Niki were busy completing Sunshine Course's first fertilizer application. Next week they tell me they will say the A-word (aerification). Meantime, Tim finished up a study to explore fungicide effects on roots on a green. I have been on the road to Wisconsin then central Illinois. North helped me see how we can prevent snow molds by fungicides - we still need to learn a lot. South helped me solve a mystery - off-color bentgrass caused by abnormal spring temperatures of 2012? We're now very dry and ready for rain. Hurry!
Click here to view the April 13, 2012 Scouting Report.
Enjoy the return of rain and have a nice weekend,
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
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