Spring Treatments - September 2014

The fresh breeze in the air means time for change...

It's that time of the year again...Sandy, slow and bumpy Greens, dust because of the shaved down Fairways and non-stop irrigation on the course until we are fortunate enough to get our first summer rains!

These procedures all fall part of our annual Spring Treatment Program at PCC and the importance (and correct implementation) of these processes can not be overlooked by any Golf Course. 

Below follows a brief report of the progress and completion of these procedures over the last 2 weeks.

Greens

• We started on Sunday afternoon, 31 August and all the Greens were Hollowtinned, Top-Dressed and Fertilized and all procedures were completed on Tuesday, 2 September.
• During every Hollowtine procedure we ONLY use USGA Spec Silica sand to topdress the Greens as this formulation, consisting of certain percentages from bigger granules to fines is the correct composition to minimize compaction and provide the root-zone with air pockets to allow oxygen, water and fertilizer to move through and around where the roots can easily take up the nutrients and oxygen.
• The 2^nd application of the same organic slow-release fertilizer (recommended 5-7days after original application) was applied on Monday, 8 September.
• Our Turf Consultant, Dr. At Schoeman was here on Tuesday morning, driving around the course with myself and John and informed us that the current growth, colour and recovery of the Greens is well above what is expected.
• We have not however not yet started to mow the Greens as the slow-release fertilizer, that is still visible on the surface, continues to break down and dissolve with every irrigation application and once these granules have fully dissolved we will send the mowers out.
• It was also discussed and agreed that the current fertilizer already applied will still supply the Greens with enough nutrition and nourishment till the end of September where-after soil, clippings and irrigation water monsters will only be taken later in the month to determine the new fertilizer program after we have seen what nutrients and trace elements the Greens require.

Fairways

• All Fairways were scarified and swept to remove all dead foliage left over from winter dormancy, and completed on Tuesday, 9 September.
• We have started with the Topdressing of the Fairways on Monday, 8 September and will be completed with all the Fairways by Wednesday, 10 September.
• The Topdressing was scheduled to take about 5 days but we have managed to push this procedure and completed well before planned, only needing 3 days.
• The growth has already started to come through as the warmer temperatures and normal Fairway Irrigation Programs have started.
• The nutrients in the Topdressing contain 30% Kraal Manure so we have agreed to hold back on the fertilizing of the fairways till next week sometime to give the grass on the fairways chance to take-up these organic nutrients before applying Greensulf, a artificial (granular) fertilizer.

Photo above- Process of sweeping up the clippings after the Fairways have been scarified...and yes that "was" a navy blue overall being worn by the operator.

Tee’s

• The Tee’s have also all been Verti-cut to remove winter thatch build-up, Hollowtinned and Topdressed and this was completed on Thursday, 4 September.
• All these tee’s have now been fertilized and this was completed Monday, 8 September.
• The Kikuyu Patch areas on the Tee-Box Surrounds will now be treated with topdressing to encourage recovery growth.

Other Areas – Greens Surrounds

• All the Greens Surrounds were Verti-Cut and completed Tuesday, 9 September.
• These areas will now be topdressed and fertilized during the next 3 days.

Other Areas – Driving Range

• The Driving Range Tee was scarified on Tuesday, 9 September and will be Topdressed on Wednesday morning.
• After this, the Tee-box will be fertilized with Greensulf, a quick green-up boost fertilizer.

*We are however still busy with a few other projects and Irrigation Repairs on the Course and the last few Spring Treatment tasks will be completed before the end of next week, whereby then our normal Summer Routine will be in full swing!!

Kikuyu Patch on Our Fairways

Kikuyu Patch

Kikuyu Patch, the most common fungus attacking Kikuyu grass areas on Golf Courses here on the Highveld, is caused by a simple organism, similar to a fungus that feeds on rotting material or living plants by absorbing nutrients through fine threads in the Kikuyu specie.

 Above: A picture with a harsh infection of the Kikuyu Patch disease. This fungus is called Verrucalvus flavofaciens and is the primary disease of turf and pasture types of kikuyu.

Facts, Identification and Progress of Kikuyu Patch Disease:

·         As from autumn, when a decline in soil temperatures can be expected, this fungus infects the root system and causes severe root rot leading to plant death.

·         The fungus thrives in the presence of high soil moisture.

·         Disease symptoms are consistent and are expressed as a yellowing which becomes circular as the affected area expands from a R5 coin size to the size of a Green!

·         The centre of the circle dies and as kikuyu does not re-grow in the centre, the patch can become suitable for other grasses and broadleaf weed species to flourish.

·         The disease is usually most noticeable just before spring.

The Current Management Procedures used on PCC:  

·         Annually switch-off all irrigation on Kikuyu areas (E.g. Fairways, Tee’s and Green Surrounds) as from autumn (1 May), the excessive moisture encourages the fungus to produce more rapidly.

·         Prevent spread by not mowing infected soils during autumn and throughout winter, thus not transferring the fungus around on machinery.

·         Prevent spread by not moving infected soils and grass to new areas.

·         During our Spring Treatment Programme we scarify, sweep and top-dress these areas with a nutrient rich lawn-dressing and then fertilize with a quick boost Nitrogen fertilizer.

Fungicidal control

While there are currently NO registered chemical controls for the disease yet, it can be masked to a degree by Nitrogen fertilizer applications as soon as the soil temperatures reach an appropriate level.

Even though, we are also experimenting with a few different products to try and suppress the further development and spreading of this disease with great success during the past 4 years.

Above: This picture clearly shows the centre of a Kikuyu Patch circle, where the Kikuyu has died and not re-grown. This infected patch has now become suitable for other grasses and broadleaf weed species to produce.

References

·         Soil-Borne Turfgrass Diseases – by Kaylene Bransgrove

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Redlands Research Station, Cleveland.

·         Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum)- by Geoff Moore,

Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia.

·          Syngenta – Greencast