This is the 2008 OMAFRA Turf Management Update recorded on Sept. 23. Just a reminder that these messages will be every two weeks until the beginning of October.
We have had more rain in the last two weeks, with remnants of Gustav and Ike passing through Ontario. The forecast is for mostly dry weather for the next two weeks. Temperatures will range from above normal for this time of year (24°C) to below seasonal (16°C). There is rain in the forecast for the first weekend in October.
The majority of the golf course problems encountered now are a result of too much water and insufficient drainage. Turf samples are coming in with moss and algae and very smelly soil that obviously has anaerobic conditions because they are too wet. The dry weather in the forecast will help this situation.
Rust symptoms seem to have quieted down, probably because the grass is growing gangbusters. If you do encounter rust, keep the mowing height high and fertilize. That should help keep the symptoms under control. The onset of Fusarium patch is just around the corner. If you have any unknown turf problems, please contact the GTI Turf Diagnostics. Information on this service is available at the link below. You can email them at diagnostics@guelphturfgrass.ca or telephone at (519) 824-4120 x 58873.
Usually in a wet year, diseases are more of a problem than insects. This year seems to be the exception. About a week ago we had the winged ant flights. This phenomenon occurs once a season, usually in the late summer or early fall. Over the season some workers develop into winged males and winged females which are the kings and queens of the ant colony. During the late summer these winged ants leave the nest and swarm. Females and males mate and the males die soon after. The mated female (queen) flies to an attractive nesting site, tears off her wings, and encloses herself in a small excavation in the soil, and lays eggs and a new colony is formed.
Last week was also the peak flights of European crane flies. The current conditions are perfect for European crane fly egg survival and egg hatch. They need to have lots of moisture in the soil to hatch and survive. European chafer damage is starting to show up in earnest. I am surprised with all the rain, that we are even seeing grub damage. Where it is first being noticed is in and around the drip line of trees. There is still time to get control this fall with a curative product like carbaryl.
There are still reports of people finding hairy chinch bugs in lawns, but they should be heading off to their over-wintering sites very soon.
We are in the middle of the normal window for broadleaf herbicide treatments. The early fall turf fertilization should be finished now. The next application of turf fertilizer should be applied in late October to early November. This is also the ideal window for aeration now. This isn’t a year to skip or delay aeration, especially on push up greens that are poorly drained.
Thanks for calling the Turf Management Updates. This message will be updated on Fri. Oct. 3, 2008.
– See more at: https://lawnsavers.com/turf-hotline-2008/turfgrass-management-agriphone-for-september-23-2008.html#sthash.kdn2Pt0J.dpuf
