Summer Greens Management
From heat and drought to traffic stress, summer is hard on golf course greens. To help, we’ve put together some recommendations for cultural practices and products that support summer greens management.
Because dry conditions are so common in the summer, moisture management is a priority for greens management. One tool to help with this is the FieldScout TDR 350 Soil Moisture Meter. Using time-domain reflectometry technology, this moisture meter provides an accurate analysis of the moisture content in the soil. This information helps superintendents irrigate the areas that need it most without overwatering and increasing disease risk.
Speaking of irrigation, don’t underestimate the importance of irrigation system maintenance. Hopefully, you have already completed an irrigation audit in the spring. But that’s not a one-and-done activity. Continue to monitor your irrigation system through the summer to ensure it’s performing properly. A heat wave or dry spell in the forecast is a good reminder to check on your irrigation system.
Another tool to manage moisture on your greens is a wetting agent. Matador is a good option to apply prior to the onset of summer heat. Matador will help maintain adequate soil moisture and reduce hand watering needed to address hydrophobic areas. This product works to establish and maintain a consistent moisture level in the root zone while balancing the root zone moisture conditions and improving plant stress tolerance.
In addition to moisture management, mowing is an important element of greens management in the summer. Consider raising your mowing height by 1/64 to 1/32 of an inch in the summer to relieve some of the stress on the plant. In the balance between playing conditions and plant health, you could actually do more damage by mowing too low in summer stress conditions.
Moisture management and mowing height are crucial to greens management in the summer. Another key element is plant nutrition. Foliar-Pak has several products that use AminoPrecise technology to deliver nutrients and amino acids that will maximize the plant’s energy. These products are effective on their own, or combine them for even greater results.
One is Foundation Forty, which increases the production of key anti-stress osmolytes loaded into the vacuole of the plant. These osmolytes help the plant regulate water storage under drought stress. Foundation Forty also improves nutrient uptake.
Another good greens product from Foliar-Pak is Gold Standard 45, which has the highest solubility of any current phosphite on the market. This allows for a highly concentrated product with a low use rate. The amino acids in the formulation metabolize into antioxidants to sequester stress-messaging molecules, making it especially good for dry conditions in the summer.
Lastly, Colonise Bio combines technologies to improve nutrient uptake, plant resilience, rooting, and turf playability. It contains specific amino acids that work to help plants create stronger roots, more chlorophyll, and anti-stress compounds. This encourages healthier, stronger, more resilient growth. In addition to AminoPrecise technology, Colonise Bio uses Armament technology to maximize the availability of nutrients in the soil.
Between these products and cultural practices, your golf course greens will have the support they need to thrive this summer. Contact your sales rep for help building a program that will set you up for success.
