Greens Condition update April 12, 2012

 This spring has been brutal as far as disease pressure. The folks from Bayer Science stated to me "If there are 10 turfgrass related diseases in 2012 anyone was susceptible to all ten turfgrass diseases". That is nearly an unheard of event in the turfgrass management programs.
 Many of our greens were affected by one disease or another, so several types of treatment had to be applied to knock off the disease and then a follow up had to be made to hopefully conquer it!
 I wanted to share the examples of diseases that were present on one green and not another and vis versa. Take #1, PG, green--Leaf Spot Disease--tissue related.
Take #3,4,5 Pythium Disease + Leaf Spot Disease--root rot related + tissue related.
Take #2,14 Pythium--root rot related.

Here was our weather conditions for January:
Average Low: 61 degrees
Average Hi: 68 degrees
Rainfall: 8.72"
Note: 20 days out of 31 were cloudy days-No Sunshine

Here was our weather conditions for February:
Average Low: 52 degrees
Average Hi: 67 degrees
Rainfall: 7.64"
Note: 21 days out of 29 were cloudy days-No Sunshine

The examples listed above shows average temperatures well above normal, rainfall well above normal, and extensive amounts of cloudy day; so here's the set up for disease.

**1st week of January-6" of rainfall occurred temperatures went up into the 80's and no sunshine to speak of for 7 to 10 days now. Huge outbreak of Blight/leaf Spot Disease in the Houston area.
**1st of February 5" of rainfall occurred and 12 days now without sunshine and temperatures soared up to the 80's and then dropped to the 40's. The outbreak of leaf Spot/Blight Disease re-occurred and moved into The Melting out Disease. Plus now Pythium disease in the crown of the plant has broke out as well. Two diseases going on at one time, not something we deal with everyday folks.

 Extensive fungicide applications were applied and weekly fertilizer applications are being applied to the necessary areas for recovery. I'm happy to tell you the greens are recovering well and as soon as we get morning temperatures into the mid 7o" consistently day in and day out---look out the greens are going to explode in growth and then I'll be trying to slow down the growth in order to putting speeds up.
 Thanks to all of you for your understanding and patience with a couple of the green.

Willy Plowman
Golf Course Superintendent