HOT AND DRY

http://weatherblog.kshb.com/the-return-of-the-heat-wave-creator/

Please read this latest blog post from a local meteorologist in the kansas city region.

We are over 10 inches below normal rainfall since april 2012.

Golf course superintendent in this region usually use September first as the finish line for the extreme heat... After this date we can begin our fall seeding and recovery projects. Some might even use august 15th as the finish line but I am a little more conservative and shoot for September first.

VENTING GREENS

A little break from the extreme heat.. We are still dangerously dry but at least we are going to have some relief from the triple digit heat. We are taking advantage of the cooler temps as we are needle tining greens this morning. We will roll the greens after we needle tine them and they will roll nice... The venting is important to insure great air exchange for the roots and allow water to percolate through the root zone. This is another positive step in our quest to provide excellent putting conditions at Deer Creek Golf Club.

THIS PRETTY MUCH SUMS UP THE CHALLENGING WEATHER WE ARE DEALING WITH

http://weatherblog.kshb.com/heat-wave-day-10-cold-front-is-a-day-away/

MOISTURE MANAGEMENT

One of the most important components of maintaining quality putting greens is moisture management. Too little water and the plant wilts, too much moisture and the plants suffocate.. There is a delicate balance that we try to maintain. Recently I have been introduced to a tool that many Superintendents have found to be the answer to this challenge. It changes the art of moisture management to an exacting science by calculating the volumetric moisture content in the soil. We know the percentage when the plant wilts as well as the point where the soil is saturated with moisture and we target a moisture level in the middle where the plants thrive and the putting surface is firm and consistent... We have been using these tools at Deer Creek since May and I am completely sold on the concept.. I say it is where Cutting Edge technology and logic collide resulting in awesome tools that change how we manage turf...

AIR MOVEMENT

As we evaluated the 2011 season, many Superintendents in Kansas City determined that air movement was one of the most crippling environmental stress related problems of the season as it relates to consistent and healthy putting greens.. We were not immune to this problem at Deer Creek.. Our lower lying greens suffered from poor air movement symptoms... We are prepared to remedy this problem with new fans. We researched the topic and have determined the specific needs of our toughest micro climate. We recently purchased 5 50" precision fans and we are in the installation stage of the project now... The project is scheduled to be completed by the 15th of July. Just in time for the humid "dog days" of summer to settle in.

PREPARE FOR THE HEAT

June 27

We are using needle tines to vent the greens as the heat sets in for the 2012 season. We follow the aerators with a roller to smooth the surface. The end result is a small open hole in the he green that allows air exchange that helps the plant breathe and the root zone to percolate water and provide a firm dry putting surface.