In Bloom

With all of the spring rains and cooler than normal temperatures some of the wildflowers are still looking good. The flowers that are most visible at this time are Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis). These flowers are often found in cooler shaded areas, but there are always exceptions to the rule as found on the third hole.

Dame’s Rock was a common garden flower that was introduced to America from Europe in colonial times, and has since spread through prolific seeding. Technically it is considered a noxious weed by many states and needs close monitoring to control the spread of this plant. Even though this plant is considered by some a weed, it sure adds a lot to the beautification of the golf course.

We pay close attention to the spreading of this weed by applying herbicides to control it in numerous areas on and around the golf course. The definition of a weed is a plant out of place, Dame’s Rocket sure looks nice but if you’re not careful it can get away from you.

Weed of The Week

Thistle

Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterized by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the plant family Asteraceae. Prickles often occur all over the plant - on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves. These are an adaptation to protect the plant against herbivorous animals, discouraging them from feeding on the plant.

The two most problematic Thistle species we deal with are Canada and Bull thistle. You will routinely see our staff out spraying these weeds throughout the growing season.

Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense): is an aggressive, creeping perennial weed that infests Crops, pastures, rangeland, roadsides and non crop areas. Generally, infestations start on disturbed ground, including ditch banks, overgrazed pastures, tilled fields or abandoned sites. The Thistle crowds out and replaces native plants, changes the structure and species composition of natural plant communities and reduces plant and animal diversity. This highly invasive thistle prevents the coexistence of other plant species through shading, competition for soil resources and possibly through the release of chemical toxins poisonous to other plants.

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare): It is a biennial, and sometimes annual or perennial in the sunflower family, a widespread weed that can grow in a wide range of environments but is most troublesome in recently or repeatedly disturbed areas such as pastures or home construction sites. It is found on dry and wet soils, but is most common on soils with intermediate moisture.

Weed Control Without Chemicals

Many of the weeds that are commonly controlled with herbicides can also be controlled by other more environmentally friendly methods.

In a turf situation the best defense again weed invasion is maintaining a think, dense healthy turf where voids are not present allowing weed seeds to germinate. This can be accomplished through proper fertility and cultivation. When weeds do become present, there are now organic chemical controls available that will eliminate certain weed species. If organic chemicals are not an option then the good old fashioned way still work by physical removal of the weeds.

In landscape situations other methods of control are also available such as the use of flamers. Flamers are actually modified gas torches that burn or melt the cell walls within the plant and kill them without chemical use. These work great, but great care must be taken while using these devices due to fire danger in our extremely dry climate. Another great method of controlling weeds in landscape beds is the use of mulch products. These mulch products are available in numerous colors and materials. Mulches actually serve two purposes when used in a landscape situation; the first is sunlight deprivation to the weeds and secondly they provide moisture retention to the desired plant materials.

Any one of these alternatives to synthetic chemicals is worth a try and by doing so you will be helping in keeping the planet a little greener.

Weed of The Week

One of the other common weeds we deal with on the golf course is Black Medic. Our problem with this weed generally occurs on the tees. It can be found on the outer edges of the tee surface since these areas tend to be the driest. As with all weeds they act as indicators of deficiencies that exist in the soil.






Black Medic:
Medicago Lupulina
Description:



Black medic, is a common, prostrate broadleaf weed that is found throughout the US . Native to Europe and temperate Asia, this member of the legume family (Fabaceae) has a few other common names including yellow trefoil, black clover and hop medic. Its is most often found as a weed in in dry, sunny areas in turf and waste ground, such as along roadsides and railroads, but it can be a nuisance in gardens and fields as well. Black medic can be an indication of low soil nitrogen in lawns as it outcompetes weak grass. Black medic and white clover grow in similar sites and are often found growing together in turf. Although it is classified as a cool season summer annual, in mild winters some plants may survive to act as a perennial. It spreads easily by seed and will form large colonies if left undisturbed.

Weed of The Week

I will be starting a weekly series that covers all of the problem weeds that we deal with in the rocky mountain region. These weeds will include both broad leaf and grassy types of weed species. Technically a weed is a plant that is that is out of place or inconsistent with the desired species.

Of all weeds we deal with on the golf course the Dandelion is one of the most prolific seed producers that contributes to it’s ability to show up most anywhere in the landscape. With that said it is also one of the easiest to control with herbicides that are either pre-emergent or post-emergently applied.

DESCRIPTION:
Dandelion:
Taraxacum officinale




Dandelion is a widely distributed perennial weed. The mature plant arises from a strong, deep taproot that exudes a milky substance when cut. There is no visible stem. Leaves are sparsely hairy or without hairs, have deeply serrated margins, and are clustered in a rosette at the base of the plant. Dandelion can reproduce from seed almost year-round or it can regrow from its taproot. Bright yellow flower heads, 1 to 2 inches (2.5 - 5 cm) across, consist of petal-like ray flowers and are borne singly on the tip of a hollow stalk, 3 to 12 inches (7.5 - 30 cm) long. Seeds are enclosed singly within fruiting bodies and are attached to a long slender stalk that terminates in a parachute-like structure called a pappus. Seeds are transported in the wind.