Irrigation 101

"Top 5 things to do if you have an irrigation system"

 The North Bend Water Authorty sends out a mailer to the homeowners and I received mine. There was a few topics to bring out that I see improvements could be made on the homeowners part. On the golf course there are particular houses that continue to irrigate there yard night after night, even after heavy rains. So basically, the sprinklers are never turned off; just imagine if the golf course followed the same rules and watered night after night. Imagine all the calls I would receive from the homeowners and/or members saying "why are watering so much". Here's a good example on hole #3 on the right side, there's a house or two that waters weather it's shining or raining and the right side of the cart path along the fence line remains flooded. Once this area can no longer hold the water it crosses the cart path and begins it drainage onto the playing areas of the course. Just imagine if I watered the golf course the same way they water there lawn, that would not be good the course would basically be unplayable.

 How offer does your irrigation system come on? You keep reminding yourself to check the system controller, but it never seems to get done. "It's not hurting the grass," you think "so what's the harm?" Overwatering encourages turf to grow shallow roots which causes the grass to stress if water isn't available.

 There are a number of things that you can do to maximize the use of your irrigation system and avoid wasting water and your money. Adopt a "conservative" watering cycle, using your house number water no more than twice week on a odd/even schedule. You can even skip a day if your grass doesn't need watering.

1. IRRIGATION SYSTEM LEAKS

 What are some signs of an irrigation system leak? How about running off your yard onto the street if a pipe is completely broken. Or maybe an area of your yard is staying wetter than any other spot, even if the controller is turned off. 

 Unfortunately when your system is underground it is difficult to find leaks until they appear. So, if you see these potential problems get it repaired immediately and also get any of your leaky heads replaced as well.

2. TIMING IS EVERYTHING

 Avoid watering your lawn during peak water usage hours. Irrigate say 4:00 a.m. Let there be plenty of water pressure for you and your neighbors.

 Timing is difficult, the key is only to water as long as it takes to get moisture down into the soil, and that could be as little as 10 minutes or as much as 30 minutes, avoid allowing water to run into the street or onto someone else's property.

3. HYDROZONE YOUR YARD

 When it comes to water, shrub areas need a different amount of water than the turf needs. Shrubs or turf exposed to afternoon sun need more water than those protected by the shade. Yet, when it comes to watering the yard and plants the same amount of water is applied to each. There's a tendency to put the same amount of water on turf as we do on the flower beds.

4. OVER-SPRAYING - WHAT A WASTE!

 The TCEQ rules governing irrigation in Texas do not allow spraying water over surfaces such as walls, fences, sidewalks, and streets. The reason for this rule is simple - it just wastes water! If your sprinkler system is set it irrigate at one inch, throws over sidewalks during that cycle, it will waste around 220 gallons. This water runs down the sidewalk into the storm sewer or runs into an area that  is saturated, either way - WHAT A WASTE! 

 Another point to consider is that watering your lawn is like running a marathon. You need to train the roots to grow deeper into the soil. If you water everyday, the roots will stay near the surface where the water is. By skipping days between watering periods, the roots will begin to grow deeper to reach water. The deeper the roots grow, the longer your grass can go between watering.

5. THE EFFECTS OF PRESSURE ON IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

 Irrigation systems do not perform we'll when the pressure is to high. Consider having your irrigation system evaluated by a Licensed Irrigator to determine how you can conserve water wasted due to high pressure at the nozzle.

 Remember, when all is said and done...irrigation systems don't waste water  - people do! Get acquainted with - and take control of - your irrigation system controller. 

Come on Spring

 I will tell you I am so ready for the air temperatures to reach the 150 degree rule. The weather/temperatures have been so up and down in the last 30 to 45 days. That is making the transition from winter into spring difficult to happen.
 The greens are confused, they don't know whether to grow or stay in a dormant stage. Just a week ago we had high temperatures reaching into the low 80's and the bam high temperatures dropped into the 50's North winds 15-25 m.p.h. for 2 days. In fact in my home town of Santa Fe, just south of here there was softball size hail reported.
 The weather channel in predicting yet another cool down the same week the golf course maintenance staff is preparing the golf course for the Member/Member Tournament. So the green up to the bermudagrass is delayed longer and without green up very little if no turf is actively growing.
 Remember the air temperature rule of thumb; add the night time and the daytime temperatures together. You are looking for 150 degrees combined to have a steady active growing turf.

Example:

Low: 50  High: 68  = 118 degrees combined--turf will remain shutdown.
Low: 60  High: 78  = 138 degrees combined--turf will begin to green and show signs of life
Low: 70  High: 80  = 150 degrees combined--turf will actively be growing and turf recovery now begins.

Thank
Willy Plowman
Golf Course Superintendent

Artifact Excursion

 My daughter and I took a drive towards the Colombus area and spent the day looking for creek beds that has rock laying in the bottom and found some nice pieces of petrified wood and some bones.

Away from the golf course, my hobby

Probably, one of my top hobbies is to collect historical items. That could mean petrified wood, fossils, arrowheads, coins, pieces and bits of history; just anything interesting.  The Brazos River area; history says that San Felipe, Texas was founded in 1824, the town served as the capital of Stephen F. Austin's first colony and was the founding spot of the Texas Rangers.The oldest post office in Texas is located in San Felipe.  I went to the Brazos River last week and I collected approximately 125 pieces of petrified wood along with some coral. I spent a hour and a half there at one sight and was rather productive on collecting rocks.

 I am always looking for sites to go and search for artifacts. If anyone has land nearby, in the hill country, along a river, East Texas and would allow me to explore there property, please let me know.

Thanks
Willy Plowman
Golf Course Superintendent



Upcoming fertilizer applications

1. Greens-a granular fertilizer with the micro nutrient package included to help in boosting a few deficiencies in Potassium and Magnesium. Will be applied in late March to early April.
***Our first greens aerification is scheduled for Monday April 15th.
2. Driving range tee-fertilizer application scheduled for the last week of March and then we will repeat every 30 days to help in recovering turf from divots.
3. Tee's-fertilizer application scheduled for early to mid April.
4. Fairways & Roughs-fertilizer applicatin scheduled for May.

Willy Plowman

#18 Greenside bunker removed the huge facing due to erosion problems and rolled the sod. 

Greens Drainage Completed

Here's what we found on the greens drainage. All drainage has been repaired and so far 2013 is looking promising for the putting surfaces particularly on holes #3,4,5,7,14.

#1 Green-found crushed pipe in front of green and tree roots filled in pipe.

Pipe found filled with tree roots.









Pipe and fitting crushed.

#2 green found tree roots in pipe. No pictures available.

#3 Green found pipe crushed on the approach in front of the green, roots filled pipe. No pictures available.

#4 Green found pipe and fittings separated. No pictures available.

#5 Green found crushed pipe in several places, greens drainage actually went into the bunker drainage however that pipe was crushed as well plus found 2 drain pipes cut.

Pipe found crushed plus it was not even connected to the main drainage line.








Just below is the new main drain line installed.

Main drain line coming off of #5 green.

#6 Green found the end of the pipe crushed.

#7 Green was good. That was a surprise???

#8 Green found the pipe filled with tree roots. A total new drainage line was installed from the front of the green to the 24" drain basin.

 Our first discovery the pipe was filled with water and tree roots was the issue.

 New drainage line installed.

#9 found the pipe with a huge elevation rise plus filled with tree roots along the lake bank.

Huge rise in pipe coming out of drain basin.

#10 found the drain line simply dead ended into a crushed 12" drain basin in the rough on the left side of the fairway 50 to 75 yards out from the green. Remember the spot that was always wet in the trees on the left side that was the drainage. A new line has been installed to a 24" concrete basin that empties in the lake on #10.

New drain line installed.

Front of #10 green.

#11 found pipe and fittings crushed at the front edge of the green.

 Front of #11 green.

Pipe and tee crushed.

#12 found the pipe collided into the 2" irrigation pipe. On one side of the pipe the drain line was set at level on the opposite it was 8" above the pipe. Folks, water does not drain going up!!!

Really? Lazy way to do things.

#13 was actually a surprise to all of us. Back in October, we came in one morning and the front of the green was flooded, the turf was floating. Located the drain line in the 24" concrete drain basin and not a drop of water was coming out. We then started tracking the line, once we found the troubled area (which was filled with tree roots) we cut open the line and a huge rush of water drained out of the drain pipe for nearly 3 hours. No pictures available.

#14 green found the pipe filled with tree roots. No pictures available.

#15 found damaged pipe in front of the green.

 Inconsistency in the level plus hole found in pipe.

 Pipe damaged.

#16 green was GOOD!!!

#17 green found pipe filled tree roots.

 4" pipe filled tree roots.

Wye filled with tree roots.

#18 green found the pipe and fitting crushed.

 In front of #18 green.

Wye and pipe crushed

Putting green found the first pipe dead ended and the second pipe was cut.

The pipe below is the actual drain line found cut and dead ended.

Second drain line found cut.

This was an outstanding project and took many of us by surprise. My hope that this is the reason Willow Fork has suffered so many years of dealing with greens like #4,5,14, and the putting green with disease year after year. Folks, after 2012 I had enough and it was time to get to work.

Only time will tell us now, if we figured it out. Just for once--be YES.

Thank all of you for your patience in playing golf around the maintenance staff during this event.

Willy Plowman

Golf Course Superintendent