Last week we completed our spring aeration. Our timing is often several weeks ahead of the “traditional” time, but it works for our situation.
One of the reasons we can accomplish this task early is
because it consists of only aerating greens. Other courses that have cool
season grass on tees and fairways may choose to wait for slightly warmer
temperatures because they have a lot more grass that will need to grow to heal
from the aeration. Often, those courses have bent grass, and bent grass needs
it warmer to really get growing. Our annual bluegrass greens can thrive at
lower spring temperatures than the bent grass, thus healing quicker when it is
still cold.
However, the biggest factor we use for deciding on our aeration
timing is managing the seed heads on the greens. We use Plant Growth Regulators
(PGR’s) to prohibit the plant from producing seed. What the PGR’s also do is
stunt growth. Stunted growth directly impacts how quickly the greens can heal
from aeration and timing the PGR applications too close to aeration means
healing will be severely delayed. But, if we can space the two practices apart
from each other, then the greens get some time to heal before the PGR’s are in
the system. Then, we introduce the chemical and prevent seed heads from forming
later in the spring.
Everything went according to plan last week and our timing
was nearly perfect. We had actually planned on aerating starting on 2/13 but
the course was too wet from rain all day the Sunday prior, so we had to
postpone. However, we still feel like we hit the window early enough to allow
healing time before our seed head control program kicks into high gear.
We will be returning to weekly posts starting in March.
Thank you
Etiquette Reminder of the Month
Please remember to keep your cart on the cart path when we
are “Cart Path Only.”
Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve
course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course
etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:
Ball
Marks - How to properly repair
See you on the course!
Joe
jvillegas@bwrc.org
