Fall Air, Fall Work, Fall Conditions

The roller coast continues right into September.  These first 9 days of September has showed us signs of fall and summer with days in the 90's as well as days in the upper 60's.  I prefer the upper 60's at this point in time, those 90's exhausted themselves back in July.  Anyway, Fall is here and we're off and running.  This time of year there are some constants involved in our industry; aerification, falling leaves, rust, and grubs.  So far we're seeing them all. 

Tuesday after Labor Day our aerification process began.  Slow start to the day as we received a good amount of rain on Labor Day but eventually we were able to wrap up aerification on the approaches.  The project last fall gave us the ability to remove a great deal of thatch so it wasn't necessary for us to pull cores.  Instead, this year we poked solid 1/2" holes and filled with sand.  Amazing how when we were finished one could hardly tell aerification was carried out except for the sand on the surface.  Great to have it done and things healed in, next up will be tees and fairways.  We plan on beginning the aerification of these areas on Monday September 17th.  Tees will be a one day process, but fairways will take a few weeks to complete.  Here are a few photos from approach aerification:

Here Ramon and Refugio are applying 0-0-50 Potash to the Approach prior to aerification

Topdressing sand applied to 2 approach.  Sand was applied prior to aerification so that the aerification itself would help incorporate the sand into the profile

Aerificaiton of 8 approach.  Here you can see the sand has dried and the aerification helps work the sand in slightly

Here the crew is doing final cleanup following dragging in the sand.  Use of blowers to cleanup any excess sand and turf debris

 

Fall conditions are becoming evident, a little earlier than normal.  My belief is that with the warmer winter and spring life cycles were accelerated.  Leaves on trees are beginning to turn, rust in the rough is becoming very evident, and we're having critters out on the course digging for grubs. 

Trees were stressed greatly this summer.  The heat and drought pushed the trees physically and some trees are heading out early.  Honeylocusts are beginning to show yellow leaves, how soon will the other follow?  Will it be a good color year, or are things just going to go straight to brown? 

Rough is developing rust on leaf blades.  Sure some of you are saying, "rust?"  Yes rust; it is a form of turf disease, more aesthetically than anything.  Never really harms the turf or can kill it, but it can make cart tires and shoes slightly unpleasant.  Here's a photo of my cart tire showing the rust accumulation:

Lastly are grubs!  Grubs are little white "worms" that live under the canopy of the turf and feed on roots.  Areas throughout the course where moisture is plentiful as well as compaction see grub investations.  Normal insecticides were put in place this spring but a great deal of questions surrounded the mild winter.  Normally winter is a for of control as insects life cycles are ended due to the cool weather.  This winter we never received that really cold or even a frost developing in the ground.  This past week we've begun to see the damage created not only by grubs but critters like skunks and raccoons hunting for them.  Grubs will chew on the roots of the turf browning it out and making it very loose.  Then the critters come in and pull at the turf to get at the grubs to feed on.  We've been out applying postemergence insecticides to control the insect itself, a trapper will be in tomorrow to help control the critters.  Here are a few photos of the grubs themselves and the damage from the critters:

 

 

It's good to finally make it into September.  The summer was a pressure tester, but we made it through.  Now to get things recovered and prepared for winter.