What time is it?
This question means different things to different people. To most, it is a straightforward inquiry about the time of day. In the green industry, however, it’s more a question of proper timing for product applications.
Our warm April caused more timing questions this year than ever. In the Northern Ohio and Pennsylvania areas, it’s “go time” for crabgrass as well as annual bluegrass weevil (ABW) prevention sprays. Typically, we don’t put Dimension or Aloft/Arena apps out until the second week of May. This year, however, warmer soil temps require earlier applications for both pests.
Most of the golf courses throughout the ATS area haven’t yet had the pleasure of dealing with ABWs. In Ohio, they started affecting courses in the Youngstown area about 5-6 years ago. Today, they have stretched beyond Cleveland and south through Wooster. Therefore, those of you in the Toledo and Columbus areas can expect to experience them soon. If you stay ahead of them, they are fairly easy to combat.
We have had excellent results in the Northeastern Ohio region with an early May application of Aloft at 5oz/acre, followed by 2-3 more sprays around cutworm sightings. A “typical year” will consist of 5/15, 7/1, and 8/1 applications. This year appears to be different enough to move the schedule to 5/1, 6/15, 7/15 and 8/15, all at 5 oz/acre. The beauty of this spray schedule lies in all of the other pests that are being controlled. Breaking chlothianidin and bifenthrin into low, frequent doses will control ants, prevent grubs, and knockdown cutworms and sod webworms as well. Unfortunately, some states do not allow lower than label rates, and I am not recommending this program in those areas.
So what time is it? It’s time to play some golf!
