Golfdom, April 2010

S P R I N G G R E E N U P Continued from page 57 58 TURFGRASS TRENDS A p r i l 2 0 1 0 www turfgrasstrends com Below Seashore paspalum plots in April 2009 The lower plot was covered throughout the winter The covered paspalum plot had much more green turf cover at this late April date than the uncovered plot PHOTOS COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE Above The plot area in November 2008 Covers were in place because temperatures were below 25 degrees F but paint had not yet been applied keep the soil and air temperatures around the turf surface warmer than the ambient air temperature which can protect turf from winter injury Previous research has shown moveable covers to enhance fall color retention winter survival and spring regrowth of bermudagrass maintained at heights above 075 inches and on MS Express bermudagrass maintained at putting green height However no research has been conducted regarding the effects of temporary winter covers on the more commonly used ultradwarf bermudagrass cultivars like Champion and TifEagle or other species Historically superintendents have overseeded warm season greens to help maintain acceptable aesthetics However surface quality and aesthetics often decrease during fall establishment of the overseeded turf and spring transition back to the warm season turf Additionally overseeded surfaces require more fertilizer water and pesticide inputs than nonoverseeded turf and the shade created from the overseeded turf can impede spring greenup of the warm season turf To provide green color on the putting surface during the dormancy period without the drawbacks of overseeding warm season putting greens are often painted with a green latex paint However the impact of painting the surfaces on soil temperature turf surface temperature and winter survival is unknown To those ends the objective of this research was to determine the impact of polyethylene covers used during periods of low temperature and the use of latex paint on low temperature injury and pace of spring greenup of warm season putting green species in the transition zone This study was conducted on a sand based putting green at the East Tennessee Research and Education Center in Knoxville Champion and TifEagle bermudagrass SeaDwarf seashore paspalum and Diamond zoysiagrass were established from sod in 10 foot by 5 foot plots in July 2008 and maintained under putting green conditions including mowing at 0125 inches six times per week and irrigating two to three times per week Bermudagrass and seashore paspalum plots received 6 pounds 15 pounds and 25 pounds of nitrogen N phosphorus P and potassium K per 1000 square feet respectively for the year while the zoysiagrass plots received 3 pounds 15 pounds and 2 pounds of N P and K per 1000 square feet respectively Polyethylene covers Evergreen Covermaster Inc Rexdale Ont Canada were randomly applied to one half of the plots for each of the green variety species when the forecast low temperature was to be 26 degrees Fahrenheit Covers remained in place if temperatures were forecast to be 37 F but were removed if temperatures were forecast to be 37 F A green latex paint MatchPlay Ultra Dwarf Super from Pioneer Athletics