March 13, 2014

Worst case scenario

The recent temperature swings could present a worst case scenario with respect to winter kill for turf grass. The saturated conditions caused by the warm weather and melting snow followed by the rapid drop to below freezing has the potential to cause significant damage to the plants.  Poa annua is at greater risk because it tends to break dormancy and draw moisture from the soil earlier than bentgrass. 
You can find more information about the potential damage in an earlier post. I am confident that the late fall deep aeration will reduce our risk if damage. The temperatures should warm enough tomorrow for the majority of the snow and ice to melt, and hopefully the surfaces will thaw and drain before the next precipitation event. 

No comments: