Summer in April Might be
Over
|
2004 vs. 2005 Degree Day Comparison
- April 19th
|
Soil Temperatures - April 20
|
| Location |
2005 DDs
|
2004 DDs
|
Differential
|
| Peoria |
238
|
203
|
+35
|
| Moline |
208
|
169
|
+39
|
| Orland Park |
164
|
131
|
+33
|
| Aurora |
145
|
130
|
+15
|
| N.Barrington |
51
|
32
|
+19
|
|
|
April 20th soil temperature
map from the Illinois
State Water Survey on the right. Likelihood of crabgrass
emergence (soil temps over 55 F for a few days) are overlaid
on the current totals. 2005 and 2004 degree day totals from
the Interactive Turf program are summarized in the table on
the left.
Weather
Well, it has cooled down finally, as northern
Illinois had been experiencing summer in mid April with air
temperatures reaching the 80s on some days. Humidities were
fairly low throughout the period so lows on some nights still
dropped to freezing while the daytime temps soared back into
the 70s. Degree days are well ahead of where they were last
year but this cool weather spell should get us back on track.
The forecast is calling for rain tonight in northern
Illinois. Honestly, I'll believe it when I see it since they
said 3/4 of an inch was supposed to hit here Tuesday and Wednesday
and we got nothing leaving my lawn fertilizer quite dry and
lonely. Those in central Illinois got either a modest dousing
of a quarter to half inch (Peoria) to a drenching of well over
an inch to two inches (Champaign). If forecasts hold, the wet
weather will continue for central Illinois tonight and slack
off as next week progresses. Temperatures are also not supposed
to get back into June-like levels again for at least the next
week or so.
Diseases
Not much to speak of. The pink snow mold in the
area is healing up, and there were no reports of early dollar
spot despite the warm temperatures (yeah for dry air!). Last
year was a warm spring as well though, and this warmth may have
kick-started the metabolism of the dollar spot organism. If
temperatures and humidities surge, there could be outbreaks
in southern Chicagoland as early as last year (May 7-10th).
I am working with Dr. Joe Vargas on development and timing of
the early dollar spot preventative strategies for this area.
My first application was Monday, April 11th on one of the plots
(now that's early!!), with other first applications being made
incrementally throughout the next month or so. Stay tuned, as
the results will be forthcoming.
One topic of note for the southern guys growing
zoysia is large patch or zoysia patch. I haven't heard any reports
yet (last year was around April 25th), but now is probably the
time to spray preventatively. The latest research out of Purdue
-
(click here to go to full report) - shows the
best large patch suppression when fungicides are applied at
around 50% zoysia greenup.
Weeds
Those in central Illinois should be thinking about
applying crabgrass preemergents now as the soil temperatures
have been over 55 F for a week or so now. Up here in northern
Illinois though, I think we will get a reprieve with this cold
weather pattern we are entering, which should make the soil
temperatures plummet again and give us some extra time to get
herbicides down. Broadleafs on the other hand have exploded
throughout the area in the last week. Dandelions are blooming
and clover is creeping, especially in spots where preventative
applications were not made last fall.
Poa seedheads
Poa seedheads are popping around Chicagoland,
but only in fairways and roughs and not yet really busting out
on greens. One report from the southside does state that a few
seedheads are starting to become visible on greens but that
has been it thus far (I guess the PGR apps are working!). Honestly
I would have really figured the seedheads would have flowered
by now since the degree days are higher now than they were last
year (see above table), and last year they really popped in
mid & southern Chicagoland on April 19th.
So how critical is timing for Poa seedhead applications?
Well, if you are using sequential Proxy/Primo apps there really
is not a "last chance day" as was erroneously written
(by me, whoops) in an earlier emailed pest alert. There normally
is a window of about 7-10 days to get the material down so it
will be effective. In our tests, even if you get the Proxy/Primo
on after the first early biotypes begin to swell with seed,
then you will still get fairly good control. Those that went
out early this week, which there were a great number in the
southern suburbs, should not fear either, as they should have
it down in more than enough time to catch the first flowers,
and will just replenish on the next application. Give us a call
if you want to talk about your plan this season or read our
past research by clicking
here for the USGA TERO article or see the
Sponsored Research section of this website.
Poa Winterkill
Well, unfortunately it is obvious now that, (like
Milwaukee that got hit really hard), some courses on the north
lake shore of Chicago got some pretty serious ice or crown hydration
damage this year. There was a significant event back in January
that could have lead to this -
- click here to read January 12th newsletter) - -.
Randy has put out a press release on the CDGA website that can
hopefully break it a little easier to the golfers expecting
a totally green spring. There really is nothing to do now except
aerify, reseed, and look at it as a selective herbicide app.
Below is an excerpt of the press release...
"On many golf courses, wet snow and rain
mixed to form dense sheets of ice during this time, especially
in the northern and northwestern suburbs - extending into southern
Wisconsin. Some of these ice sheets lasted well into March (up
to 6 weeks), and were probably responsible for some of the damage
we are now observing on golf turf, especially turfs consisting
primarily of Poa annua (annual bluegrass). These ice sheets
formed and persisted over the turf in depressions where rain/snow
melt water settled, or on other poorly drained or shaded sites.
Long term coverage by ice layers is a major cause of winter
injury to Poa annua. The injury is caused by anoxia (lack of
oxygen) and accumulation of CO2 when the turf is coverd for
long periods by ice. Dormant plants lying under snow and ice
need small amounts of oxygen to survive the winter. Research
has shown that it takes 30 days or more of solid ice cover to
damage or kill a Poa annua turf, and 50 or more days to hurt
creeping bentgrass. Many damaged areas were under ice layers
for well over 30-40 days.
Another major cause of winter turf loss is a condition
called "crown hydration-freezing injury." As the winter
affected turf becomes saturated with water or covered with melting
ice and snow, and temperatures fluctuate into warmer ranges,
there is a chance that Poa annua plants warm-up enough to break
dormancy and soak up some of this water into the roots and crown
area ("crown hydration"). Sudden freezing of the water
in hydrated tissues causes ice crystals to form, which will
damage the cell walls and membranes of individual cells to the
point that entire tissues and plant organs will fail. Unfortunately,
this type of injury often goes unnoticed until spring green-up,
when large areas of turf fail to green up and begin growth in
early spring. Again, Poa annua is the major victim for this
type of injury, but other plants may also be affected."
To get to the entire article:
Click
here to go to the CDGA website.
Select Turf Topics from the menu on the left, and
then select "Winter Injury to Poa annua on N. Illinois
Golf Courses". Also an article by our friend Bob Vavrek
at the USGA also gives some good information. It is aptly named
"Damage Done" and is mostly for the Milwaukee area
which was especially hard hit. (click
here to go to the USGA Green Section record article).
Insects
The first "intense" capture of cutworm
moths took place on April 12th and 13th near Peoria. It's kind
of odd that the capture would take place there first, but the
western part of the state has been warmer thus far. Some other
limited captures of moths occurred near Carbondale at the beginning
of the month. At Golf House last year, when the moths were captured
in the traps we started to see bird pecking and cutworm feeding
activity on our greens.
The BTA (Ataenius and/or Aphodius)
beetles are out now in Chicagoland as well,. Several superintendents
throughout the area have noted seeing the critters scurrying
around, and we have a nice little swarm going out here on our
3rd green as well. This is a little bit earlier than we saw
them last year, which I'm sure has something to do with the
recent summer-like temperatures. If this kind of warm spring
continues, however(which I can't imagine it can!), then we might
need to take note of last year when BTA damage started in early
June.
Also one superintendent noted seeing a lot of
grubs for this time of year while laying sod. This early rise
of the overwintering grubs is also probably due to the warm
temps, but the increasing number of them may be due to the increasing
establishment of the Japanese beetle in the area. These early
grubs won't cause much damage by actively feeding, but if the
predators are active they love to rip up the turf after the
little guys. Most of this damage doesn't occur until late summer,
but we did hear of some last year.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
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.106
