Welcome to the “Turf Agriphone” sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. This message is being recorded for the week of July 13 – 20, 2001.
The temperatures again have returned to the mid twenties most of this week with the nighttime lows in the mid teens. As far as rainfall goes, there has been almost no rain all week in most locations here in the southwest. We are on average behind last year for rainfall by half and we are between 50-75% of the 30 year average. The local ten day forecast again shows no rain and temperatures rising to the high twenties by mid week next week. So far with the dry conditions, there have been lawn watering restrictions, but no watering bans that I know of. If the dry conditions continue, we could be facing watering bans in municipalities. So far also, no reports of golf courses having to restrict watering.
One good thing about the dry conditions is that diseases activity is reduced. The two diseases that have been active are dollar spot and take-all patch. I have had just a few reports of necrotic ring spot on home lawns and believe it or not, we have had some red thread here at GTI, but that was on irrigated turf. There are warmer temperatures in the forecast, but unless we get some high humidity, there will be little chance of disease development.
The European chafer adult flights are slowing down now. Japanese beetle adults flights have been heavy over the last week in the Niagara peninsula. Japanese beetle flights will continue for several weeks now. This is the ideal time now for Merit applications. Just be sure to make sure it is watered in. There are reports of June beetle grub damage occurring in the Barrie/Orillia area now.
Hairy chinch bug nymphs are developing quickly now with all the heat. We are finding up to third instar nymphs now. These nymphs will be feeding on dormant turf for the most part and we will probably run into a situation like we did in 1999. Come late August when the rains return, people will find that their grass is dead.
Again, thanks for phoning the Turf Agriphone for this week. The next agriphone message will be recorded on Fri. July 20,2001. – See more at: https://lawnsavers.com/turf-hotline-2001/turf-agrifax-week-14-2001-july-13th-2001.html#sthash.EepgVadE.dpuf
