Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle -
It was a cool week. In my mind that kind of puts things to zero. Like someone pushed the big red reset button. The one that says "Season 2012. How's that? Well, our current soil temps have cooled to the low 50s and that half century mark at a 2 inch depth held all week. Its hypothermic rebirth largely propelled by the return of hard frosts. Things slowed as one might expect. For example, we're now without active dollar spot, fairy ring, or Rhizoctonia yellow patch. Yes, I'm frowing a little. Not any fungi that had gotten me so excited especially early this season - 80s in March! Instead it feels normal - brrr, jackets required in April. From here on out we will likely see a general and consistent warm-up of spring - so I say. Our calendar-based historical records will again mean something - old school IPM can return. Integrated Pest Management is what we live and breath.
But it's not all roses, actually I should have said tulips since it's that time of year - some varieties out there are still blooming nicely. Instead we continue to see quite a bit of early insect activity of the pest kind. In travels across the state, I would identify sod webworm damage on golf greens in both southern and central Illinois. The other striking item was just how dry it had become statewide. Localized dry spot was causing a diseased look on one bentgrass fairway I saw and then today I found the exact look on a Sunshine Course fairway. It made sense. Dry!
Click here to view the April 27, 2012 Scouting Report.
Have a good weekend and enjoy the return of RAIN!
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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