Summer time irrigation

In an effort to help promote the warm season Bermuda grass, we practice deep and infrequent irrigation. Deep and infrequent irrigation means that when we do irrigation it is with sufficient quantity to wet the soil profile. Then we do not irrigate again until the water in the profile has been used by the plant or has evaporated. This deep and infrequent technique favors the deep rooted and more heat tolerant Bermuda grass. Typically for the month of July the fairways will be irrigated every third night. As you would expect the morning after an irrigation event the fairways are wet. You might get some mud on your ball and in places you may hear the water squish under the cart tires. On the second day after an irrigation things are drying out and playable is good. On the third day the fairways have dried and the course will play firm. By the afternoon of the third day you will see some drought stress on the areas of the fairways that are populated with cool season ryegrass. In the areas that are highly populated with ryegrass we will add supplemental water on the second and third day to help these areas survive until the next irrigation cycle.
Transition to Bermudagrass is going well this year. In addition to the other cultural practices that we do the method of deep and infrequent irrigation will ensure that transition is as quick and as painless as possible.

Aerification Update

We are now two days post small tine aerification. The aerification process went very well. The process this time started with vertical mowing in two directions, then the sand was applied to the greens. After the sand was in place then we aerified with small tines on a 1.25" by 1.25" pattern. Then greens were then seeded with bentgrass and the sand was dragged in a figure eight pattern to fill the holes. The greens were rolled and then fertilizers were applied. Potassium and Calcium were applied to help offset the ill effects of the sodium in our water. Over the last two nights the greens were heavily irrgiated to help settle the sand into the canopy and move the applied fertilizers in to the soil. During the recovery the greens are rolled every afternoon. We will return to mowing on daily basis starting Saturday. I would expect the green to be fully recovered by next Wednesday. The two pictures are of our afternoon greens rolling that help smooth the surface and push the holes back together. The other photo is an up close of a typical putting surface this afternoon. You can see the small holes made by the aerifier are now filed with sand and the rest of the putting surface looks like it recieved a good topdressing.

Venting!

A Mid-Summer Venting

Small Tine Aerification and topdressing will occur:
June 22nd and 23th
Holes 11 -17 will be completed on Tuesday the 23rd. We hope to have these holes available for play by 9 am.

This mid-summer small-tine aerification is critical to the success of our greens through the summer months. The ‘venting’ using small ¼” solid tines allows for improved gas exchange and release of toxic Carbon Dioxide that has built up in the soil.

Where does all of the built up carbon dioxide gas in putting green soils come from? The majority is produced by soil-dwelling bacteria and fungi that consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide as a by product of their metabolism. As the temperatures increase in the summer so does the production of CO2.This would not be a problem if the CO2 by-product had a way of escaping from the soil into the atmosphere. However, the thatch layer tends to act as a barrier for gas diffusion. Compaction further seals the turf surface, making gas escape even more difficult. This early summer venting aids in creating a healthy environment for the greens to survive and prosper through the summer.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this necessary maintenance task. I expect that the greens will be completely healed within 7 days.

Lake Maintenance

Over the years, one of the most problematic areas of the course is our lakes. The lakes heat up in the summer time causing algae to bloom, fish to be starved of oxygen and give a off a smell that is not so pleasant. Some of the causes of our lake problems are excessive organic matter on the bottoms, excessively shallow, and a lack of water movement and aeration. The first two problems would require complete reconstruction. The last problem is something that can be addressed. Yesterday we completed installation of an aeration system on our irrigation lake. 9 air diffusers are set up through out the lake to help maintain oxygen levels and circulate the lake vertically through the summer.

Currently the Pondweed in lake is actively growing. Today and tonight we will be lowering the lake level through irrigation. Then on Wednesday morning we will chemically treat the pondweed. The lake level will need to remain low for 48 hours and no water can be removed from the lake in order for the herbicide to work properly. The herbicide does not harm the fish or other wildlife. Once 48 hours pass we will refill the lake a resume normal irrigation on the course.

The photo shows one of the lake aerator pods. Also in the lower portion of the photo you see the pondweed that growing near the banks of the lake.