Although we haven't experienced many 90-degree days, this summer has been much warmer than average. How? Very high relative humidity and warm nights provided average daily temperatures 4-degrees warmer than average in July. In July 2009, our warmest nighttime temperature was 65-degrees. In July 2010, I recorded only 3 nights with temperatures lower than 65 degrees (62, 63, and 64). The other 28 nights were warmer and very humid.
High nighttime temperatures can be more stressful to the turf than a 90-degree day. The soil relies on the nighttime temperatures to cool down and drawn in fresh air. When soils are wet from repeated rainfalls and continually absorbs solar heat each day, but cannot cool down at night, the turf becomes very stressed. In addition, the high humidity also provided an ideal environment for many of our most destructive turf diseases, requiring an increase use of plant protectants. This summer has been extremely stressful to many areas from the Midwest to the Northeast. I hear many reports of turf loss, dead greens and even golf course closure as a result of the damage.
Thankfully, our weather hasn't been that severe. However many of our turf management programs are helping use survive our current stresses.
- Venting Greens to facilitate gas air exchange to roots
- Smooth Rollers on greens and fairway mowers
- Light, frequent foliar fertilizing
- Increased mowing height on greens with an increase rolling frequency to help maintain green speeds
- Hand watering only the dry spots on greens.
It'll be interesting to see what Augusts' weather is. High rainfall, high temperatures and continued high humidity will continue to stress the turf, especially the Poa annua. Although the new fairways are displaying stress from excessive moisture and golf car traffic, the bentgrass is surviving and performing much better than the Poa annua. The years 2008 and 2009 were fairly easy seasons, weather speaking. If we still were maintaining the old fairways, 2010's summer would have significantly impacted the conditions negatively. Proof is in the first cut of rough as the old annual bluegrass and Kentucky bluegrasses have been thinned by heat, disease, traffic etc.
We are supposed to be on the down swing of summer and cooler temperatures will return. At that time, our bentgrass playing surfaces can rebound and expand into any voids created by the weakened Poa annua.
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