Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle -
August decided it was August after all and we would warm considerably and find ourselves right back in the saddle of summer. Yet, our attitude is decidedly different compared to early July. Why? Well we know this 2012 growing season is now past midsummer peak heat caused by long day length and a bright sun that is directly overhead midday. Currently our nights are much cooler by about 10 degrees, seeing 60s for lows mainly. Still, this week got hot and if you were out in the sun without sunscreen your skin was lobster-like? On these new found warm days of summer we began lifting our fingers (again). In the week before Labor Day I for one said, "forty-two, forty-three, forty-four". Yep, we are getting close to forty-seven, the all-time record number of days with high temperatures at or above 90 degrees in a Chicago growing season. New signs tell us it's really the tail-end of a difficult growing season. We began noticing fall color of trees, our first went from green to golden yellow (honeylocusts and lindens). I was also glad to notice Illinois wildflowers continue their peak, tall things like asters, sunflowers, and THAT goldenrod.
Golf course superintendents are increasingly turning their attention, goals, and labor to projects to improve playing surfaces and the overall landscape of their courses. We continue to distance ourselves from July and it now has me saying something quite profound... Welcome September!
Click here to view the August 31, 2012 Scouting Report.
Enjoy your Labor Day weekend with family and friends!
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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