Seeding Roughs

We began seeding the roughs this week with ryegrass. I'm hoping that the cooler weather and the possibility of rain will allow us to germinate some seed without any substantial extra water. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has recently reported that there is a 75% likelihood of an El Nino this winter. If we did nothing, poa annua would fill in the thin areas, but rest assured, it would die again next summer when our water restrictions are felt the most.

To say that we have a tough combination of soil and water on which to grow our fairways would be an understatement. Recent soil analysis has us at over 50% clay (under 20% is desired) with infiltration rates less than one inch per hour. Add to that a water that is high in salts and a three year drought and you have a perfect storm for stressed or dead turf. The heavy soil prevents the water from percolating down, thus encouraging the plants to keep their roots near the surface where the moisture lies. However, with very few leaching rain events over the last few years, the salts have also accumulated in the same upper soil profile that the roots occupy. The shallow rooted plants typically die, while those with a deeper root system have made it through the summer. The layer from the dead turf further impedes the water from moving into the soil, often creating  a layer of algae.

If this year's El Nino prediction holds true and we finally get some significant rain, we will see a reduction in salts, as the volume and weight of the rain will finally move water deeper into the soil profile. Where the water goes, so to does the salts....... 

We completed seeding the tee and green surrounds today. Some of the ryegrass that was planted over the last few weeks is really starting to fill-in as you can see from the photos below.

One of the most important aspects of a successful overseed is keeping the seedbed constantly moist. Although it is quite wet and sloppy right now, I think you will agree that the end product is well worth it.

I was very hesitant to vertidrain greens this week. They looked and rolled great, but I knew that infiltration rates were not right. Water was moving slow and we were seeing an increase in disease due to salt accumulation. Looking back, I'm really glad we decided to go ahead with this process. One tool that has been really beneficial in minimizing surface disruption is a Tru-Turf roller that I was able to borrow. This is definitely something I will be putting on my wish list for the future. Not only will it help reduce surface disruption following future aerifications, it will also allow us to keep the greens smooth and firm without reducing our mowing heights.

As if we didn't already have enough challenges, last weekend we had some vandalism on the 2nd hole. A car came on the course through the native area off Skywalker Drive and made a few passes across the fairway. The damage was minor and has already been repaired. It will take a few weeks for the scars to heal. I hope to install a split rail fence in the future to prevent something like this happening again.

On another note, we started seeding around the tees and greens this week. Our process is to scalp the area down, drop seed, aerify, drag, and then water. The process is pretty slow, but we should be done by the end of the month. Key to successful germination is keeping the seedlings moist, so expect these areas to be pretty wet for the next few week. 

One final note of information that I want to pass along is that we will be vertidraining greens this coming Monday (10/20). Infiltration rates are low and we are seeing increased salt stress and disease due to our inability to move water below the rootzone. We will increase our rolling throughout next week, as to minimize any surface disruption this process may cause.

Soils

I'm a data person. I like research and analysis and base much of my decision making on what picture the data paints. Soil and water analysis are great decision making tools when building a fertility plan. Fortunately, there is about 10 years of data for me to analyze and pull from. Unfortunately, the data shows that we have very challenging soils and water. We have heavy soils that are high in salts, magnesium and most especially soluble sulfur. In some locations the sulfur level is four times that required for healthy turfgrass. Infiltration rates are 1/3 of what is considered minimal.

Now add in the fact that we have a large percentage of poa annua on our fairways and you have a recipe for disaster. Poa is a fickle, shallow rooted plant, with very little tolerance to stress. Perhaps this year more than others, the poa has really struggled. Our goal moving forward is to convert all the fairways to Bermudagrass, which can tolerate our challenging growing conditions. Looking at the Bermuda that is out there right now gives me a lot of confidence in our future..........

Greens Update

The greens are looking nice following last months aerification. There are a few isolated areas of salt induced disease, however the majority of the putting surfaces are healthy and playing great. To aid in the recovery process, we were able to borrow a roller which was helpful in smoothing the surface and increasing ball roll. Although I am tempted to lower our cutting height for a little more speed, I don't think it would be wise, as the cooler weather will slow growth and speed will return naturally.