A good Two Weeks Behind

We are now in the third week of May and just now is the Scrub Oak pushing out leafs.  Typically by the middle of May the Oak is fully leafed out, but not this year.  This year spring does not seem to want to consistently stay and this has caused the delay in not only deciduous tree leaf production but has also significantly delayed germination of seed.

During aerification the fairways were overseeded with Bentgrass which has just sat without even thinking of germinating.  Finally 35 days later I am beginning to see germination in the fairways as well as on some of the greens that had additional seed applied to them. Typically Bentgrass will germinate after 14 days in the spring with normal weather conditions.

This spring has gotten off to a slow start which hasn't help the overall recovery from the late season winter damage. Let's hope we start consistently warming up and get things actively growing so the golf course can be once again at its best.

Dormant Seeding

Now is a great time to begin addressing some of our native grass areas throughout the golf course.

The original native seed mix contained a nurse crop of Bluegrass that in many areas has taken over due to irrigation overthrow. With the new irrigation system being designed with hard line irrigation edges, we now have an opportunity to reclaim some of these overgrown areas.

We will begin going hole by hole and reintroduce a true native mixture into many areas that are both in play and in view. Other areas of focus will be any areas in which a full recovery from the irrigation installation has not yet occurred. It is my hope that we can once again have the contrasting colors of green maintained turf and brown flowing native grasses.

Dormant seeding will best take advantage of the upcoming seasonal moisture to help with germination and establishment. These areas will be solely reliant on mother nature providing the moisture from now on, which will shift the pendulum in the favor of the desired native grass species.