Summer 2014

Summer 2014

It is mid-August, 2014 and I am still wondering where summer is in the Northeast and most of the mid-Atlantic region?  Temperatures (both air and soil) have remained below normal, essentially since the last week of October.  At the same time, most locations have had above normal rainfall and it has come in a timely fashion (as in every three days or so).  I have not seen any summer dormant cool season turf due to high temperatures or lack of moisture yet this season!  Perhaps a first in my over 40 years of being in the business! Is it still possible?  Of course, but with the cool soil temperatures and the lack of hardly any roots sloughing off this summer, any high temperatures that occur should not cause significant physiological stresses.

That being said, those turf managers that have cultured turf in a proactive fashion, i.e. a pre-stress conditioning approach using foliar feeding, growth regulators, and products containing bio-stimulants, can sleep comfortably and not be too concerned about environmental stresses for the balance of the year.  

On the disease front, an early outbreak of pink patch/red thread occurred in early June and was chronic for about six weeks on perennial ryegrasses and fine fescues.  However, Kentucky bluegrass was also attacked in some locations. Perhaps the biggest disease issue has been dollar spot. Dollar spot began showing up in early June (as it does in most years), and has continued to be quite active to this date.  Many fungicides have not kept the disease under control for as long a period of time as in most years.  Those that have shortened the time interval between applications have experienced good to excellent control, but not without paying the price for more expensive products coupled with the labor and equipment needed for the applications.  Some basal anthracnose is out there, but not any more severe than the norm.  

Although there have been some reports of etiolated leaf growth, it does not appear to be directly linked to the use of growth regulators or bio-stimulants.  Consequently, recommendations that are being made to discontinue the use of such materials does not appear to be scientifically grounded.  

Insect problems are somewhat spotty, but where they are occurring, are causing some significant problems.

My educated guess is that if we were having a more stressful summer with regard to soil moisture availability, the insect issues would probably be worse than they currently are in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. BTA seems to be the most common problem, especially for annual bluegrass turf.  

My advice is to stay vigilant, relax (but not too much), keep a close eye on weather prognostications, be sure to vent to keep oxygen flowing into the rootzone, carefully map locations of poor drainage, and take the opportunity to strategically plan for the upcoming late summer and early fall.   

The season is already flying by and some are still in 'catch up' mode (understandably).

 This week Matt Shaffer and his staff are hosting the U. S. Open at Merion Country Club outside of Philadelphia.  The course has been subjected to torrential rains for over a week and, as a result, it has challenged the human resources that are available in order to cope with all that needs to be done.  Fortunately, a host of volunteers are on hand to help with those challenges and it appears that Mother Nature will lose the battle to the shear will, determination, ambition, and of course intellect of those on site. 

The seedhead suppression of annual bluegrass this year, particularly on greens, is a very mixed review.  Some courses had varied results from green to green (all treated on the same day with the same materials).  That does emphasize how the different micro-climates, that exist on every property, can influence the results attained.  Further, because of the way the weather stayed so fickle throughout the spring (particularly in the northeast and mid-Atlantic) the accumulation of degree days as an indicator of when emergence of seedheads would occur, was severely challenged.  In many cases, the phenotypic indicator of the full bloom of Forsythia, turned out to be as good an indicator as anything else.  In any event, high levels of seedhead suppression across the board was difficult to come by this year regardless of product used.  That being said, even fifty percent suppression is better than none at all!

With all the rain, pre-emergence herbicides for summer annual grassy weeds, will be hard pressed to maintain the threshold concentration level needed in the upper soil profile in order to provide excellent control. Consequently, it well may be that this year will require the need for post-emergence applications of herbicides to keep the crabgrass and goosegrass from becoming a problem.  Acclaim Extra is a very good choice as long as it is applied before the crabgrass begins to produce basal tillers.  Drive is a good option once the crabgrass has begun to produce basal tillers.  Both products are excellent herbicides, but the way in which they control the crabgrass is different, which makes the stage of growth important with regard to which one to use. 

As the season moves further into the time when environmental stresses become more and more of an issue, be sure to have a pro-active approach to nutrition and carbohydrate management.  Pre-stress conditioning of the turf should be underway now, with applications of nutritional supplements that contain bio-stimulants and anti-oxidant materials.  In my opinion, turf health should become a very important component of your nutrient management strategy.  If it already has, that is a very good thing. 

Managing biology, i.e. turfgrass management, is often frustrating, confusing, and down right unfair, but the rewards can be great when a well thought out plan and its execution come together to produce amazing results.  Thinking about strategies to handle the complexities of Mother Nature  is extremely hard work, but coming out on top of Mother Nature is not always about working up a sweat.

In the upper Mid-West and East Coast, many superintendents are now well into the 'catch-up' phase of spring management programs.  After a winter that would not relent, into an active spring severe storm weather pattern with warm muggy air masses, the turf has really 'taken off', so to speak.  Obviously, a true spring weather pattern will be compressed in duration this year, as longer range forecasts look like a summer weather pattern will become dominate very soon. 

Playing 'catch-up' is never ideal and it frustrates the proper timing of maintenance practices that work better when they are properly spaced out over several days and even weeks.  Consequently, turf managers must be fast on their feet, yet not loose sight of the overall objectives and the things that need to be done.  Further, those practices that should be imposed PRIOR to the onset of stressful weather, must still be fitted into maintenance schedules. 

The soil temperatures have risen dramatically in the last seven to ten days and as a result, annual grassy weeds have been germinating rapidly and vigorously, Poa annua seedheads have emerged with abandon, and accelerated vertical growth rates are consuming carbohydrates almost as fast as the turf can produce them.  All of these factors bring me to the subject of pro-active management.  Regardless of what Mother Nature might throw at us, we have to adapt, make changes, re-set priorities at times, and keep our eye on the target.  We cannot sit back and react to our circumstances, rather we must attempt to stay ahead of those things that are happening to us in order to prepare the turf for what might be lurking on the horizon.

 For example, everyone has now been exposed to the term pre-stress conditioning in one way or another.  The drivers for pre-stress conditioning are the conservation of carbohydrate and the inclusion of bio-stimulant type chemistries that contain anti-oxidants and cytokinins to supplement the nutritional diet of the turf.  The conservation of carbohydrate is best achieved through the use of plant growth regulators, which reduces growth which, in turn, reduces consumption of the carbohydrate the turf has been working hard to produce.  The bio-stimulant products containing anti-oxidants and cytokinins improve the turf's natural defense mechanisms, and keep the turf in the strongest possible position for the continued production of new roots when adverse conditions develop ( rapidly accelerating soil and air temperatures).  In order for these practices and additions to the maintenance schedule to be the most affective, they must be initiated prior to the onset of adverse environmental conditions  (hence the term pre-stress conditioning). 

Keep managing Mother Nature the best that you can and remember that being pro-active is the best way to accomplish that goal...

In my recent travels, I was able to see that spring has begun to arrive.  That being said, much of the landscape of the upper Mid-West and East Coast are still behind with regard to growth and development of turfgrasses (as well as other plants in the area).  The development and emergence of annual bluegrass seedheads is several days later than last year, so PGR suppression should be better this year.  Golf course superintendents continue to vary with regard to their PGR choice from Embark to Proxy to the combination of Proxy/Primo.  The pluses and minuses of any choice remain from year to year and are not consistent from place to place.  From a percent reduction perspective, Embark continues to provide the best suppression, but it does have some baggage that Proxy/Primo applications do not typically have (injury to off target species, discoloration, etc.). 

Remember that suppressing annual bluegrass seedheads conserves carbohydrate which makes the plant stronger and better able to withstand environmental stresses during the summer months.  Therefore, if reducing the amount of annual bluegrass in the stand is one of your objectives, it is better to let it produce the head and put all your cultural programming into promoting the creeping bentgrass or what ever species you are attempting to encourage.  For example, if you are trying to convert a mixed stand of annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass to more creeping bentgrass by using Class B PGR's, the timing of application is best when the annual bluegrass seedhead is beginning to shatter (around the end of May). 

The American Society of Agronomy (Crop Science/C-5 Turfgrass Division) has a CD available that discusses in great deal the classification system now being used for PGR's.  It is authored by myself, Dr.Joe Dipaola, and Dr.Dennis Shepherd.  This CD contains the most comprehensive explanation and discussion of plant growth regulator use on turfgrasses.  Please understand that this is not a sales pitch as the authors do not receive any compensation (the proceeds go to the society. 

Here we go again!

In some parts of the upper Mid-West, winter will just not go away!  Even in locations where it is not still snowing, the precipitation has been cold, cold rain and air temperature 12-15 degrees below normal.  Those that love to fish (not ice fish), in MN and WI are headed for one of the latest ice outs on record (talk about  good 'indicators' as to the timing for various turfgrass management practices being put into a cocked hat!).  

In any event, the interval between various cultural practices, i.e. seedhead suppression, crabgrass control, core cultivation, topdressing, over-seeding, etc. are going to be put into a compressed mode of action.  It is important that when these circumstances happen, that you are able to be nimble with you timing, prioritizing of your actions, and thinking.  I cannot over emphasize the thinking part of the previous statement.  Stay in a pro-active rather than re-active management approach, do not panic, nor knee-jerk what you impliment and things will work out just fine.

At this time of year, your turf will mostly react to things you cannot control (soil temperature, weather patterns, etc.  Therefore, you cannot force the issue, you can only manage it.  It is said that patience is a virtue and I know that being patient is difficult, particularly when there are golfers with even less patience than you beating on your door for action.  

This is the time to practice and refine your communication skills, both written and oral in order to keep everyone from employees to end users on the same page.....

More later this week as conditions change, for better or worse depending on where you are!

As was predicted the weather has turned much warmer in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S.
Showers and some T-storms are putting down precipitation that is made up of relatively warm water, which can rapidly increase soil temperatures, particularly near the surface where new roots are initiating growth from crown buds.  

New rooting of creeping bentgrass and Poa annua in green's height situations, appears to be a 'neck and neck' proposition (which bodes well for the creeping bentgrass).   Usually, the Poa annua has a bit of a competitive advantage when it comes to early rooting, but it doesn't not appear to be much this year. 

Earthworm activity has substantially increased of late, so Mother Nature's aerifiers are doing their job, but making a bit of a mess in the process.  These critters can disrupt the chemical barrier provided by preemergence herbicides which reduces effectiveness (even more so that mechanical core cultivation).  Dr. Dave Shetlar at The Ohio State University is a valuable resource for you with regard to reducing earthworm populations. 

As an aside, the book 'Managing Turfgrass Pests' published in the early 90's by myself, Dr. Peter Dernoden, and Dr. Shetlar has been recently revised and should be available to you by the end of this month.  Many updates, photos, and new cultural control strategies have been added to this second edition.  

READY, SET, GO!

It appears that spring is about to arrive in most of the northern most states after a long winter and a spring that has been stubborn to show up.  With warmer weather patterns now developing, cool season turfgrasses will get 'kick started' by this warming as they have re-hydrated and have become physiologically prepared for regrowth. 

Annual bluegrass seedheads will begin to emerge rather rapidly leaving a smaller window for proper timing of PGR applications.  Remember to supplement what ever growth regulators you might be using, with foliar nitrogen and bio-stimulant sources.  These supplements will enhance the activity of the chosen PGR and facilitate movement throughout the plant.  Carefully examine some of the Poa plants in order to monitor seedhead development in the 'boot stage' of development.  When developing seedheads are visible, application timing is right!

If the warmer weather pattern holds, summer annual grasses (particularly smooth crabgrass), could still germinate early.  Monitor soil temperature (remember to measure soil temperature in the upper half inch of the profile) and when the temperature is 55F in the morning before heating from the sun occurs, for three days in a row, make your preemergence application and be sure to irrigate it into the ground.  Incidentally, this phenomenon coincides very closely with the first petal fall of forsythia (a good phenotipical indicator). 

Your comments are always welcome and let's get the growing season started!!!

Dr. Tom-Turfgrass Expert