Hello FALL!!!!
Weather review:
The weather since
early September has been absolutely gorgeous (!) - average to
above average temperatures and a little on the dry side. Most
areas of northern and central Illinois have received between
1 ¼ to 2 inches of rain since the first of the month,
scattered over several rainfall "events." Many
superintendents have taken advantage
of this great stretch of weather to get early fall projects
done such as aerification and renovation, (most notably revamping
of cart paths and bunkers). The forecast for the upcoming week
calls for a marked dip in the jet stream and some much cooler
temperatures with off and on showers... and maybe our first
real frost of the season in northern IL.
Pest Overview:
The cooler weather
pattern has put a damper on pest activity, with nothing new
being reported since the Sep 5 update. However, dollar spot
has continued to be active the last two weeks, and grub and/or
animal damage has been reported in roughs or other turf areas
not treated with grubicides. The recent cooler weather and moisture
have also brought back more moss and black algae activity. Many
superintendents (and we on the research side) are still struggling
with the right moss control formula that doesn't have intolerable
phytoxic side effects.
CDGA News and Notes:
First official "Sunshine
through Golf" Outing on September 19th.
Since we don't have
a lot of pest news to report, we thought we would add a few
"news" notes regarding some of our other activities
at Golf House. The 3-hole short course grow-in is complete and
has been a great success thanks to the hard work of facility
manager/superintendent Doug Pool, rough mower/arborist Carl
Hopphan, and summer intern Patrick Cannon (and thanks to Paul
Carlson for helping us find Pat!). The course officially "opened"
last Friday (Sep 19th) when the CDGA Foundation held its first
golf event at the short course. Approximately 25 players with
Special Recreation Associations from Lemont, Addison, and Downers
Grove teed it up. Construction should begin soon on a pro-shop
'annex' to golf house, and the official Grand Opening of the
golf course should occur next spring sometime.
On the short course, we have a broad array of turfgrass species
and variety demonstration trials, as well as a display of ornamental
and native grasses. Prof. Tom Voigt of the Univ. of Illinois
has a couple of studies here that are looking into alternative
grasses and management techniques to establish and maintain
attractive and playable long/unmown roughs for golf courses.
Also, this summer, we received approval from the National Turfgrass
Evaluation Program (NTEP) to serve as a testing site. We are
currently seeding in two NTEP turf trials this fall: 1) the
2003 national bentgrass fairway/tee height trial with 21 creeping
cultivars and 7 colonial cultivars (see below) and 2)
the 2003 national fineleaf fescue trial with 53 fescue cultivars
maintained under naturalized, unmown conditions.
To see all of this
(AND MORE!), come to our open house/mini fall field day tentatively
scheduled for Tuesday afternoon October 14th. There will be
an announcement going out soon via email/snail mail to invite
everyone over to see the new golf course…
Thanks for your support of this, as well as all of our research
programs,
