Fusariummy

Fusarium, my fungal nemesis. Well we are hardly through the summer but I am already starting to make my plan of attack for the coming fusarium patch (microdochium nivale) season. Ya I know, it's weird that I refer to the seasons by what diseases I have but that's my biggest concern. This year my approach is going to involve some serious prevention. This is due to the fact that this is not spring and the turf is only slowing in growth and its ability to naturally combat the fungal diseases is reduced when it's not growing. I will also be attempting to use only organic pest control products which don't work in the same way that traditional synthetic pesticides do. The effective organic pesticides only work when applied preventatively. Our coastal climate is very tough for managing winter diseases. The winter temperatures are mild enough for disease activity but cool enough to almost cease any turf growth. We don't enjoy the insulating cover of snow but also don't

Full afternoon sun for my moss green. Yikes! So way back in the spring when I started my little moss experiment I had no idea how useful it would be to my every day maintenance on the course. It has become an essential tool for me. The moss study is ongoing but lately I have been using the study green to make decisions on rolling frequency on my putting greens. I feel that rolling is a very important tool for managing turfgrass pests on golf courses such as dollar spot ( Sclerotinia homoeocarpa)  and Fusarium patch (microdochium nivale). Rolling isn't just a tool to make your greens smooth any more. Rolled 8x daily..ummmm no thanks Rolling has many benefits that we are just now starting to realize but it's not perfect. Like any turf management practice there is a balance that needs to be achieved to get the best results. I use the study green to see what rolling frequency is getting me the best results. Rolling too much at certain times of the season can cause thinning and ev

So far so good... I am very confident in saying that my organic pest control for dollar spot works. It is actually the best control I have ever seen on my putting greens. So far this season I have only seen one single spot on my putting greens. Even with synthetic pesticides I still had more, mind you I wasn't using the synthetics preventatively. So far I am using the following strategies for dollar spot control: Light and frequent soluble nitrogen applications (urea) while ensuring adequate soil moisture for nutrient uptake with a soil moisture meter. Rolling 1-2x daily as needed. Civitas applied at the 1/4 rate weekly to keep the colour down. Phosphites applied weekly in my fertilizer applications. Rhapsody ASO fungicide applied at the low rate every 2 weeks. Other than the Urea fertilizer applications everything above is considered organic. All of the actual pest control products are registered organic by the OMRI . Fairways are feeling the pain I know what I am doing is workin