Pushing Roots

With summer just around the corner we have been doing a lot of work on the greens to prepare them for the stresses of warmer weather. Last months vertidrain helps to relieve compaction for improved water infiltration and deeper rooting. We are addressing particularly problematic areas with a micro-tine aerification as yet another beneficial cultural practice.

We have also recently bumped our fertilizer rates to try to push some roots as well. Routine spiking and grooming is taking place weekly to increase air movement in the upper soil profile. All of these practices are essential, as we want plant health to be at an optimum level for early May (12th & 13th) when we will be aerifying. If you notice the greens are rolling a bit slower, it is all part of the plan.........

Spring Cultural Practices

Thatch reduction

This week we started our Spring cultural practices on the fairways. Our goal is to reduce thatch, alleviate compaction and provide an ideal environment for the seed that follows. The process has many moving parts and is as follows: 1. Verticut 2-3 directions to reduce thatch. 2. Blow and collect clippings. 3. Aerify to reduce compaction. 4. Allow the aerification plugs to dry (1 hour). 5. Verticut, drag and mow to breakup the plugs. 6. Seed 7. Solid tine aerify to punch-in the seed. 8. Drag-in the seed.



Aerifying to reduce compaction



As you can imagine, the going is a bit slow. To keep the process moving as smooth as possible we will be closing whatever hole we happen to be working on at that time. Hopefully, this does not create too much of an inconvenience.

Springtime mowing

The Spring is always a busy time on the golf course. As soil temperatures are warming, the grass begins to jump, requiring an increase in mowing frequency. Our mowing schedule is seasonal to coincide with the rate of growth we are seeing in the field. Our spring/summer schedule has us mowing greens on a daily basis, all other short grass areas (tees, collars, fairways & approaches) three times a week and the rough twice. Native areas will be cut every 2-3 weeks depending on the growth. Mondays are always a great day for cultural practices, fertilizing, project work, etc. as we are often closed. This Monday is no exception as we are planning to spike, lightly topdress and fertilize greens with calcium. We will also work to complete the single rail fence next to the cart path on #10. And finally, we will be spraying fairways on the front nine to slow the rate of growth, as we will begin aerification and seeding by mid week. Fairway seeding will continue over the next few weeks until complete.

#10 Lake

I have been getting a lot of questions lately about the lake on #10. In recent weeks it has turned a murky brown, we have seen some fish die, and the smell is rancid. My first suspicion was that a faulty lake circulation pump had created the problem. But the the pump was only down for a day and a half; not enough time for such a drastic change. We have not made any recent fertilizer or chemical applications, so I could rule that out as well. Sabotage??? Surely not. I did some research and made a few phone calls and found the answer. The process is known as lake stratification. Basically, the lake is in the process of overturning itself, moving the warmer surface layer down as the colder water from below moves up. This stirring action is what is creating the murkiness and terrible smell, as the sediment from the bottom is rising to the top. We will be adding microbes to help move this process along and hopefully prevent such an occurrence in the future.

Wind damage

The Santa Ana winds returned Wednesday with a vengeance. Winds were around 30 mph, with gusts into the mid 40's. We lost a big Eucalyptus on the right side of the third hole. We also lost two large Pines on number 7 and number 11, and a Tulip tree near the eighth tee. Unfortunately, not one of these specimens was on our tree removal list. As of today, we are still in recovery mode as the course is littered with limbs and debris.

Aerification

We started tee and approach aerification on Monday, completing through the eighth hole. The remainder of the front nine and all of the back nine should be wrapped up by this afternoon. Often despised, aerification is one of those processes that has definite long term benefits. Not only does it relieve compaction, it also reduces thatch and organic matter, while allowing for better water infiltration and percolation. We typically follow this process with a light seeding and a healthy dose of fertilizer to have them looking their best in no time.

New equipment

Yesterday our new equipment arrived. It was like Christmas in March! We received a new fairway unit, a rough unit, and a trim mower. We also purchased a new greens aerifier. While the mowers are vital for daily grooming of the golf course, the aerifier is essential for proper cultural practices. All of these pieces of equipment should provide us with years of problem free use, saving us labor and repair expenses over time. We are very grateful..........