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Early May Showers
Weather update:
From early drought concerns to heavy downpours, this early spring
pattern has been a wild one. Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes
ripped through the central & northern IL region on Saturday
(5/10), and were followed on Sunday (5/11) by extremely high winds
(up to 55 mph gusts!). The high winds blew many trees and limbs
down on Sunday, creating a Monday morning clean-up nightmare for
some clubs.
Since the beginning of May, many areas have received as much
as 5 inches of rain (or more). Three big storm systems produced
all this rain in 11 days, dropping locally an inch to 3 inches
per system (if you have an area with drainage issues on your course,
then you probably know it now!). Rainfall totals for May now exceed
the normal monthly total for most sites, and we are not even halfway
through the month yet. Believe it or not though, 2003 rainfall
totals are still running about 3 inches below normal - here’s
hoping we don’t make up the deficit all at once.
Air temperatures have been fairly moderate, except for a high
in the mid 80’s on May 9 in northern IL. Last year we did not
reach 80 F until May 29! Soil temperatures are reaching to near
60 degrees in northern Illinois, and the recent rains and warmer
temperatures have improved the color of some of the slower growing
bentgrasses and Kentucky bluegrasses. Many spring flowering trees
and shrubs are in full bloom, including crabapples and lilacs.
Several central IL superintendents have reported heavy seed drop
from maple trees (“samaras” – the winged fruit that looks like
helicopters), which have required extra measures to clean-up.
Diseases:
Anthracnose continues to be the most commonly reported turf disease
this spring, although with the rain and warmer temperatures, dollar
spot should be just around the corner. In fact, we have had reports
of early dollar spot activity in St. Louis, Springfield, and Bloomington
(on bluegrass). Also, if it stays wet, there is a good chance
of seeing “Helminthosporium” leaf spots, especially on
Kentucky bluegrass and perennial rye. Fairy rings will continue
to occur as well; and we may soon see some outbreaks of Rhizoctonia
zeae on Poa annua.
On the tree front, telial galls from the cedar apple rust pathogen
have been observed (see above picture). If you have the older
non-resistant varieties of crabapples, the defoliating stage of
this disease will be of concern later in the summer and may warrant
preventative treatment now. See
the current Plant Health Care Report from the Morton Arboretum
for more details.
Weeds:
Poa annua fairways are starting to seed heavily in northern
IL, with the Poa seeding on greens coming along a little
slower. The heavy rains are likely to stimulate some algae growth
on greens, especially where winter damage or more recent frosts
have thinned the turf (or grow-ins!). Moss on greens will probably
start to increase soon also.
Many broadleaf weeds have now germinated and are rapidly growing,
including some pesky ones like knotweed, henbit, and the mustards.
Also, we have noticed that many weedy grasses are growing, including
reed canarygrass near our wetlands. In northern IL, pre-emergence
crabgrass herbicides should probably be applied by now for best
control (soil temps in the upper 50s to low 60s for several consecutive
days). But if you miss the window or want to spot-treat the crabgrass
on a post emergence basis, there are some good herbicides for
that approach as well (e.g. quinclorac). See
the turf tip by Cella et al (1999).
Insects:
There are reports of some significant cutworm feeding
activity as far north as I-70 to I-72. If you see birds pecking
at the turf and you find small holes with grass eaten away from
the edges, cutworms are probably the culprit. Click
here to see a note on cutworms in this week's U of I Home, Yard
and Garden Newsletter. Black turgrass Ataenius
(BTA) beetles have been active throughout the region now. A report
of either May/June beetle or European chafer activity (see picture
below) was also noted in the central portion of the state. I have
heard some of you say, "How could we be seeing this early
beetle activity after this 'hard' winter we had?" Interestingly,
May/June beetles and BTA beetles do not overwinter as larvae,
like most other beetles do, which may explain why they were not
affected by the deep frost in the soils. Also, grubs of the European
chafer are very winter hardy and can stand freezing temperatures,
while grubs of the Japanese beetle are not, which may be limiting
their spread up from the Southeast (easier year for the Japanese
beetle?).
Picture of a European chafer beetle - the producer
of most of the white grubs in the region.
Other insect pests that we should be on the look
out for aren't between our toes but in the trees. I know some
of us would rather some of our trees would go down in the favor
of better growing conditions for our turf, but I would bet there
is a tree or two that has a place in your heart somewhere on the
course. The three major pests I have heard of recently are the
gypsy moth, Asian long-horned beetle, and Emerald Ash borer (at
the last MAGCS meeting). Reported from a recent article in the
Chicago Tribune (Metro West section - Sunday, April 13 edition),
the Illinois Department of Agriculture will be targeting gypsy
moths by spraying 3,900 acres with Bacillus thuringiensis
kurstaki (BTK) and 26,300 acres with pheromone flakes in DuPage,
Kane, Cook, McHenry, and Will counties. Helicopters will be used
in this eradicative effort, with applications of BTK to be made
in conjunction with caterpillar feeding in late May, and pheromone
applications made in conjunction with mating in late June.
From what I have just recently read and heard though,
the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) seems to be a serious threat, with
a potential epidemic that could rival the devastation caused by
Dutch Elm Disease. The EAB has been found in southeastern Michigan,
(prompting a quarantine on Ash from the Detroit area), and one
location in northwest Ohio . Stay tuned for future articles.
I am just learning about these pests so here are
a few websites.
Gypsy Moth : (provided by Donna Danielson
from the Morton Arboretum)
General Information: http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/gmoth/
Slow the Spread program: http://www.ento.vt.edu/STS/
Maps where they will spray in 2003 in Illinois: http://www.agr.state.il.us/Environment/Pest/maps.html
Good publication with great photos: http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/gypsymoth/gypsy.htm
Asian Longhorned Beetle :
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/alb/index.htm
Emerald Ash Borer:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/eab/
http://www.msue.msu.edu/reg_se/roberts/ash/#something
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Thanks for your support of this, as well as all of our research
programs,
Randy Kane
CDGA
Director of Turfgrass Programs
Midwest Golf House
11855 Archer Ave
Lemont, IL 60439
630-257-8126
Lee Miller
CDGA
Manager of Turfgrass Research
Midwest Golf House
11855 Archer Ave
Lemont, IL 60439
630-257-2005 x.111
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