Golfdom, June 2014

to reduce thatch and organic matter buildup Sand chosen for topdressing should have a consistent particle size with the existing root zone to minimize layering For native soil putting greens it is practical to build up a profile of sand through several years of topdressing and from a winter injury standpoint this is almost always an improvement Plant growth regulators wetting agents and other specialty turf products all have their place when preparing putting greens for winter Generally speaking products that promote healthy turf throughout the growing season will also be benefcial for the plants during the cold acclimation process No one program works for every superintendent due to site specifcs and climatic variation With that in mind be sure to use only those products you are comfortable with and have proven successful for you in the past Test strips are useful for evaluating new products and untreated areas for justifying current ones Wetting agents are more commonly being applied in the late fall prior to irrigation blowout The benefits of this type of application have not yet been evaluated with research but considering that a majority of our winter injury issues are moisture related this is a topic worth investigating Hydrophobic sands sufering from desiccation over winter months can potentially benefit from a late season wetting agent application as will poorly infiltrating root zones Adequate movement of the wetting agent into the root zone through irrigation or precipitation is necessary for this application to be successful This research is ongoing and results will be available soon A holistic ApproAch A strong focus on the basics of putting green management is important for promoting survivability of both annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass Dr James Beard may have said it best Cultural practices should ensure that the turf is healthy disease free and well rooted as the winter season approaches Beard 1973 We have learned a lot about the physiology of winter injury since then but our recommendations remain the same Balanced fertility proper mowing heights sharp reels and irrigation to promote rooting depth are just a handful of practices in addition to what was already discussed that need to become second nature in your management programs Winter injury of turfgrass is a complex issue that should be considered with a holistic approach Tis article focused heavily on the types of damage that can occur over the winter months as the specific type of winter injury will dictate management practices that should follow No matter what type of meltdown winter injury you are dealing with two main points hold true 1 healthy turf is better able to withstand the stresses of winter and 2 mother nature rules all Remember these points as you prepare your putting greens for winter this year Sam Bauer Brain Horgan Ph D and Lindsey Hoffman Ph D are at the University of Minnesota where Bauer is a turfgrass extension specialist Horgan is an associate professor of turfgrass science and Hoffman is a postdoctoral turfgrass research scientist Bauer can be contacted at sjbauer@ umn edu for more information References Beard James B 1973 Turfgrass Science and Culture Englewood Cliffs N J Prentice Hall Hoffman L M DaCosta and S J Ebdon 2014 Examination of cold deacclimation sensitivity of annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass Crop Sci 54 1 413 420 Tompkins D K J B Ross and D L Moroz 2000 Dehardening of annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass during late winter and early spring Agron J 92 5 9 Tompkins D K J B Ross and D L Moroz 2004 Effects of ice cover on annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass putting greens Crop Sci 44 6 2175 2179 GREENS VERTICUTTING SLICING VENTING FLEXIBLE FAIRWAY VERTICUTTERS Quality Innovation Delivered STEC 1 888 Equipment 325 is 2532 an industry leader in Specialized Turf Equipment distribution Our commitment to quality www stecequipment products and com impeccable customer service keeps you on schedule and ahead of competition 1 888 325 2532 www stecequipment com June 2014 Golfdom 33 Golfdom com