Is it really almost June?
No it's not snow, although there were some flurries on May
3rd in northern Illinois. This hail storm which
hit on May 13th produced serious pitting damage on the putting
greens at this course in Chicagoland.
(put mouse on image to see up close damage)
.
Weather
Cool temperatures and extremely dry air have been
the norm this spring, and the last few weeks have been no different.
Rain has arrived in short bursts, with an inch falling last
Thursday (5/19) and another brief storm on the 12th which produced
the hail damage in the picture above. Although these rains kept
some areas locally wet for a few days, in large part we are
way below average for rainfall this year. April showers were
almost nonexistent for most of Illinois as the statewide average
was an inch and a half less than normal. Total precipitation
for February through April was only 6.09 inches, the 12th most
driest on record since 1895, and May really hasn't brought any
relief.
Temperatures are well below normal for May (after
a warmer than normal April), as evidenced by the degree day
chart below which shows around a 100 DD deficit for most sites
from last year. For May, northern Illinois is about 2 degrees
below normal, and central Illinois is about 1 degree below normal.
This pattern which is being forced on us by a stubbornly fixed
jet stream, is forecasted to continue throughout the month of
May and possibly into the first week of June. An occasional
shower or thunderstorm may provide some relief for local areas,
but summer does not look to be on the horizon for a while yet.
|
2004 vs. 2005 Degree Day Comparison
- May 24th
|
|
Location
|
2005 DDs
|
2004 DDs
|
Differential
|
| Moline |
473
|
554
|
-81
|
| Orland Park |
402
|
498
|
-96
|
| Naperville |
351
|
444
|
-93
|
| Aurora |
340
|
492
|
-152
|
| N. Barrington |
262
|
364
|
-102
|
|
Soil moisture and LDS:
LDS problem at Golf House
The abnormally cool, dry weather we have had this
spring is already bringing soil moisture and irrigation issues
to the forefront. We have heard from several sources that they
have already 'used up' to 30-40% of their irrigation water ‘budget’
for the 2005 season (ouch!). Firm, dry, and 'fast' golf courses
are the norm in northern and central Illinois this spring...!!!
Unfortunately, with the number of dry, windy days we've had,
we are also now seeing some early localized dry spot (LDS) problems.
It is pretty rare to see these types of problems in mid-May,
to say the least. Here at the Sunshine Course at Midwest Golf
House, our sand-based greens and thatchy, clay based fairways
are starting to show some significant wilting on the dry knobs.
These areas have also been slower to recover color and growth
rates after that heavy frost of a couple of weeks ago. Spring
wetting agent programs should be in place or going out now.
Hopefully, some wetter weather will move into the area over
the next few days, and help re-wet some of these bone dry soils.
Proxy + Primo overview:
Most of the annual types of Poa annua are
at or past ‘peak’ for flowering by now. Many superintendents
are applying Proxy + Primo tank mixes in April to suppress Poa
seeding, especially now that applications to green height turf
have been added to the label (eg 3 oz Proxy rate, multiple apps).
We have received a few reports of seedhead ‘breakthrough’ or
lack of control, but for the most part Proxy + Primo tank mixes
continue to work for seedhead suppression. Remember, in our
tests, Proxy + Primo gave 70-80% suppression compared to untreated
control plots. We do not expect 100% control with these applications!
Also, it is becoming apparent that (during certain years anyway)
the treatments won’t work as well as past years, or some types
of Poa just won’t respond strongly to the treatments.
Weather fluctuations, timing issues, and the variability in
response of Poa annua biotypes can all interact to reduce the
efficacy of PGR treatments for Poa seedhead suppression.
Diseases
Early dollar spot scarring at Golf House
A few reports of dollar spot have come in from
around Chicagoland since last Thursday's (5/19) storm. These
sightings from Naperville and Wheaton were described as "faint"
and "slight" outbreaks. Here at Golf House we observed
dollar spot infections from old scars after the rain as well,
and just within the last two days are noticing the same faint
or slight scarring of some areas which may be new. If you were
going with a preventative plan of action this year, this may
be the time to make an application. Systemics and newer chemistries
like Emerald work best when applied before the dollar spot pathogen
really gets cranking. With cooler and drier than normal weather
forecasted, this window of low dollar spot pressure should
continue into next week. However, I sense that the dollar
spot is just waiting for a rain event with a little bit of heat
to really pop.
Microdochium patch took advantage of last
week's storm as well, with a few reports trickling in of activity
on greens and tees in Chicago. This is now the third year in
a row that superintendents have noted activity in the middle
of May. Symptoms can resemble cool weather Pythium in that it
commonly streaks with water patterns as the spores disperse
and cause new infections along the water trail. In severe cases,
control can be obtained with the same fungicides used for pink
snow mold (iprodione and chlorothalonil, strobilurins) since
they are both caused by the same pathogen (which is why leftover
pink snow mold outbreaks from the winter should be treated).
Our first report of a mild outbreak of Rhizoctonia
zeae rings also came in last week from northwest Illinois.
Although most of the sites I've visited has had pretty healthy
looking Poa, I would expect more of these outbreaks to occur
if we stay cool and some areas catch a storm or two. These rings
normally only affect the Poa annua in a mixed stand of
Poa/bentgrass which can give the rings a wavy or scalloped appearance.
Last year, outbreaks were especially strong in late May and
did cause some damage, but for the most part damage is rare
and symptoms usually disappear in a few weeks when a normal
growth pattern resumes.
Average soil temperatures have been above 55 degrees
for a week or two now (and might actually stay there!) signaling
the time for a preventative spray for Take All patch in areas
where the disease has done damage in the past. At 65 degree
soil temperatures (soil temps are currently at 60), summer patch
preventative applications are suggested. The strobulurins and
DMI chemistries tend to work best. However, past experience
has shown that in very dry springs like this one, symptoms and
development of patch diseases seem to be lessened, perhaps due
to the need for moisture in the infection process or a heartier
root system.
In southern Illinois and St. Louis, a few reports
of sycamore anthracnose were submitted last week. This serious
disease of American sycamore caused by Apiognomonia veneta
can cause substantial leaf drop, twig canker and dieback, and
leaf and shoot blight. Otherwise healthy trees can withstand
a fair level of infection by this disease, but trees take on
a ragged appearance. Disease severity changes from year to year,
and cool springs (like this one) are more conducive to severe
outbreaks. Cultural controls include fertilizing the infected
tree, and reducing inoculum by pruning out infected leaves and
limbs and raking out leaf debris. Fungicide injections can be
effective in controlling the disease, but for most large trees
is not feasible. If replanting of the tree is necessary, consider
the London sycamore which is an anthracnose resistant hybrid
and coincidentally the tallest tree in New York City and extremely
adaptable to urban environments. (Thank you Morton Arboretum
and Google . . .)
Insects
Cutworm activity was first noted in Bloomington
over the weekend, and a few holes which may be more than just
bird pecks are being observed on some of the greens here at
Golf House. These reports are right in tune with our first cutworm
moth captures of the year; 3 being found in our pheromone trap
from the weekend. A few Chicago superintendents have also seen
"one big cutworm" in the last week, and the signs
are pointing to his buddies joining him shortly.
A lot of early annual grub sightings have been
noted by superintendents as well. Unless predator damage becomes
too much to bear, withhold putting any insecticide applications
down quite yet. One common question is how long a Merit or Mach
2 application will last if applied now, and the answer is not
nearly long enough to cover the big outbreaks that occur in
late August and September.Now in mid- to late- June I understand
the stretching of these chemistries to try and also catch the
early Ataenius grub outbreaks along with the later annual whites.
Grub control is not as good anyway when they are in this advanced
"fat" stage, and controlling them now will not necessarily
lessen damage later since the beetle life stage is mobile. Click
here to go to a recent Purdue TurfTip that reiterates
these statements.
Speaking of Ataenius, many superintendents are
noting the adult beetles on their greens and in the mowing baskets
again after a lull in activity in early May (when it was freezing!).
It is not known how this recent cool spell will affect their
development, but it definitely didn't kill them as they are
one of the few beetles that overwinter in this area.
Weeds
For the most part, weed presence is about the
same as it was in early May (broadleafs, moss, etc.). Crabgrass
preventative applications are recommended to be made now in
the Chicago area, which normally would have been early May,
but the cool weather has slowed that down as well.
++++++++++++++++++++++
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
