Despite the unpredictable weather that the last month has brought the London area, our department has been successful in working away at a number of winter preparation tasks.
Greens:
Early in the fall we performed a deep verticut on our greens to reduce organic matter and increase the potential for sand incorporation (during the topdressing process). This practice worked out very well and we will be utilizing it again in the spring of 2013.
Our fall Deeptine/Vertidraining of greens was completed as well. This process opens up deep 8" channels to allow for compaction relief, air and water flow as well as sand incorporation deep into the profile. As always this process was preceded with a generous topdressing.
This week we will be applying our Snow Mold preventative fungicide. We will also be applying Manganese Sulphate and a Magnesium product to help elevate these nutrient levels in the soil in preparation for next season. If the weather permits we will be applying one more topdressing of sand prior to installing the permeable greens covers.
Tees/Approaches:
Cultural practices on tees and approaches this fall have included a deep verticut, deeptine aeration and topdressing. All have been completed once to date. We are currently deeptining tees and approaches again to allow for deep channels for water to move through them during the winter months.
We will be applying our Snow Mold preventative this week on tees and approaches as well. Following that fungicide application, we will be applying a heavy topdressing of sand and leaving it on the surface for the winter. This process is to allow the sand to protect the crowns of the plant in the absence of snow cover and/or permeable covers.
Fairways:
This fall we have been fairly limited as to the cultural practices performed on our fairways. Unpredictable weather and staff limitations prevent us from doing such tasks as deep verticutting. We will be performing a deep verticut in the spring of 2013. We have however completed a deep slicing with our Superject aerator. This process allows for compaction relief and slices in the soil for air and water movement.
We will be applying our Snow Mold preventative fungicide on the fairways in the next week or so as well. Once this is applied we will be deep slicing the fairways again in hopes of leaving more channels for water movement throughout the winter months.
Roughs:
This fall we have been rather diligent with our leaf blowing and mulching regime. We have done our best as to not mulch leaves in areas that the rough tends to struggle during the season (typically under larger trees). We have made a conscious effort on improving these rough areas throughout the season. Overseeding, leveling and extra fertilization has improved these areas. In continuance with this process we will be adding some extra dormant fertilizer to the roughs this fall to help improve density.
All but a few leaves have fallen, we have blown and mulched almost to the point that the golf course is free of leaves. This is to help in preparing for a nice clean, healthy golf course come the 2013 season.
Greens:
Early in the fall we performed a deep verticut on our greens to reduce organic matter and increase the potential for sand incorporation (during the topdressing process). This practice worked out very well and we will be utilizing it again in the spring of 2013.
Our fall Deeptine/Vertidraining of greens was completed as well. This process opens up deep 8" channels to allow for compaction relief, air and water flow as well as sand incorporation deep into the profile. As always this process was preceded with a generous topdressing.
This week we will be applying our Snow Mold preventative fungicide. We will also be applying Manganese Sulphate and a Magnesium product to help elevate these nutrient levels in the soil in preparation for next season. If the weather permits we will be applying one more topdressing of sand prior to installing the permeable greens covers.
Tees/Approaches:
Cultural practices on tees and approaches this fall have included a deep verticut, deeptine aeration and topdressing. All have been completed once to date. We are currently deeptining tees and approaches again to allow for deep channels for water to move through them during the winter months.
We will be applying our Snow Mold preventative this week on tees and approaches as well. Following that fungicide application, we will be applying a heavy topdressing of sand and leaving it on the surface for the winter. This process is to allow the sand to protect the crowns of the plant in the absence of snow cover and/or permeable covers.
Fairways:
This fall we have been fairly limited as to the cultural practices performed on our fairways. Unpredictable weather and staff limitations prevent us from doing such tasks as deep verticutting. We will be performing a deep verticut in the spring of 2013. We have however completed a deep slicing with our Superject aerator. This process allows for compaction relief and slices in the soil for air and water movement.
We will be applying our Snow Mold preventative fungicide on the fairways in the next week or so as well. Once this is applied we will be deep slicing the fairways again in hopes of leaving more channels for water movement throughout the winter months.
Roughs:
This fall we have been rather diligent with our leaf blowing and mulching regime. We have done our best as to not mulch leaves in areas that the rough tends to struggle during the season (typically under larger trees). We have made a conscious effort on improving these rough areas throughout the season. Overseeding, leveling and extra fertilization has improved these areas. In continuance with this process we will be adding some extra dormant fertilizer to the roughs this fall to help improve density.
All but a few leaves have fallen, we have blown and mulched almost to the point that the golf course is free of leaves. This is to help in preparing for a nice clean, healthy golf course come the 2013 season.
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