Aeration recap

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org