Issued By The

UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION
P. O. Box 73

Benjamin Franklin Station 
Washington, D. C.

SPRING ROLLING: The heaving of soil as a result of alternate freezing and 
thawing loosens the roots of the grass and in many cases partially lifts the 
plants out of the soil, and rolling is necessary to firm them back in place as 
early as possible in the spring. Rolling, however, must be done with caution, since 
using too heavy a roller or rolling the turf when there is too much moisture in 
the soil is likely to pack the soil and do more harm than good. On the other hand, * 
rolling turf when the soil is dry will not firm the roots into place and is there­
fore useless from this standpoint. Turf on clay soils will not tolerate as heavy 
rolling as will that on sandy soil. The water ballast type of roller is generally 
satisfactory for lawns because the weight of the roller can readily be adjusted 
for any particular set of conditions by removing or adding water.

The turf should never be rolled with the idea of removing irregularities 
in the surface due to faulty laying of the turf originally, to worm casts or other 
causes. Irregularities due to faulty surfacing or to settling should be taken 
care of by filling in the depressions with repeated topdressings rather than by 
packing the soil in the elevated spots with heavy rolling.

The need for improved drainage becomes particularly conspicuous

DRAINAGE: 
in the early spring. Unfortunately, low spots on turf are too often handled 
in much the same manner as is the leaky roof by the shiftless home owner;-in 
wet weather the job can not be done and in dry weather it does not seem to be 
needed. During the wet periods in the spring there should be a thorough checking 
of low areas where water stands on the turf. Diagrams or careful notes made at 
that time will make it possible later to install tile drains where necessary or 
to regrade the areas by lifting the sod, filling in the depressions and replacing 
the sod. Such jobs done in the spring may prevent the development of large dead 
patches of turf on these areas in the summer.

BROWNPATCH IN THE SOUTH: Reports indicate that conditions have been favorable 
for the development of brownpatch on ryegrass greens over rather wide areas in 
the southern states.

Corrosive sublimate (bichloride of mercury) applied at the rate of 1 to 3 

ounces to 1,000 square feet, depending on the temperature at the time of applica­
tion may be expected to check the development of brownpatch. It may either be 
applied dry, mixed with sufficient screened sand or topdressing to make possible 
a uniform distribution, or dissolved in water and applied in a spray. The amount 
of water required in the latter method will depend on the type of spray equipment 
used but usually 3 to 5 gallons will cover an area of 1,000 square feet. In both 
cases the treatment should be followed by a light watering.

The corrosive sublimate is more readily soluble than calomel and may there­

fore be expected to give more immediate control. For somewhat more lasting results 
and less injury to the turf, calomel may be mixed with the corrosive sublimate in 
equal parts or in a proportion of 1 part of corrosive sublimate to 2 of calomel and 
applied at the rate of 3 ounces to 1,000 square feet. On hot, humid days the rate 
of application should be reduced to 1 ounce to 1,000 square feet in order to pre­
vent any turf injury from the fungicide. Applications should be repeated as oc­
currence of the disease warrants.

FEBRUARY, 1941

1

WINTER INJURY TO TREES: Word has come to us from Ames, Iowa, that in the Missouri 
River valley from Wichita, Kansas to Ames and possibly farther east, all of the 
apple, cherry and peach trees and most of the pear trees were killed to the ground 
as a result of the unseasonable storm last fall during the second week in November. 
The storm followed in the path of equally as unseasonably warm, balmy weather 
which gave the trees no chance to harden off gradually for winter. Considerable 
injury was also done to the Austrian pine, white pine, spruces and junipers as 
well as some of the deciduous shrubs such as Spiraea.

In view of this fact people in that area are urged not to prune trees or 
shrubs if they have not already done so, until they know whether their plants have 
been injured and if so, to what extent. Similar advice should be followed in all 
other sections where unusually severe winter-killing of trees and shrubs occurred.

Most of our turf grasses commonly grown in this region are generally tol­

erant of any low temperatures to which they are ordinarily subjected. If any un­
usual winter-kill of the turf grasses has been observed in this region as a result 
of the unseasonable and sudden drop in temperature by which the trees were so 
severely injured, the Green Section would like very much to hear about it.

FERTILIZING LAWN TREES: There is experimental evidence indicating that shade 
trees as well as turf grasses require high nitrogen fertilizer and that such grades 
as 12-6-4 and 10-6-4 give the most favorable results with trees as well as with 
turf. It is recommended in the publication The Shade Tree for July, 1939, that for 
young trees, 6 inches or less in diameter, 1 to 2 pounds of either of these ferti­
lizers be applied for each inch in the diameter of the trunk of the tree at breast 
height. For larger trees, more than 6 inches in diameter, these same fertilizers 
should be applied at the rate of 2 to 4 pounds for each inch in diameter of the trunk. 
This fertilizer may be broadcast over the surface soil of the area traversed 

by the roots. In the article in The Shade Tree, however, it is recommended that in 
lawns the fertilizer be applied in holes 18 inches deep, allowing 10 holes for 
each inch in diameter of the trunk. In order to avoid injury to the grass a plug 
of turf should be removed, then the bore made and the fertilizer applied after which 
the bore should be refilled with soil and the plug of turf tamped back in place. The 
two best periods in the year for fertilizing are early spring and fall (October 15 
to November 15). There seems, however, to be a difference in opinion as to which 
time of year is better.

SPRING FERTILIZING: It is generally advisable to apply fertilizer more liberally 
in the fall than in the spring except where there is a possible danger from snow­
mold. This is particularly true in areas where crabgrass and other summer weeds 
prevail. In all events, when fertilizer is to be used on turf in the spring it 
should be applied as early as possible in order to encourage the grass which has 
been injured during the winter to form a dense turf and thus give as little en­
couragement as possible to crabgrass and other summer weeds.

MOSS - AN INDICATION OF STARVED TURF: Contrary to the opinion held by many that 
the presence of moss in turf is a ’’sure-shot” indication of acid soil and the 
need of lime, it has been demonstrated repeatedly that the addition of lime will 
not check the growth of moss and in some cases may even encourage it. Moss is 
likely to thrive on soil which lacks sufficient fertility to support a good cover 
of grass or even of weeds. It can, therefore, usually be controlled by loosening 
the moss plants and breaking up the stand with a rake, and then applying fertilizer. 
Such treatment encourages growth of the turf grasses and at the same time dis­
courages the moss. Where the moss has crowded out the grass completely, reseeding 

may be necessary.

In some cases, moss is associated with a water-logged soil resulting from 

poor drainage. Early spring is the time of year to note whether or not such areas 
are water-logged and in need of better drainage. If necessary, they should be 
properly drained when conditions become favorable for such work and before the 

above treatment for moss is applied.

FEBRUARY 1941 

T.T.T. 2

SNOWMOLD DISEASE: In sections of the country where the ground was frozen before 
snow fell and the snow melts but little during the winter, the snowmold fungi 
will have little chance to develop and consequently the turf will probably not 
be severely injured. In those sections, however, in which snow fell on soft 
ground or which experience prolonged thaws during the winter, the fungi may 
develop and result in a real injury to the turf, particularly when the turf is 
composed of susceptible species or strains of grass (See T.T.T., October, 1940).

Where the disease is found, it is well to treat the turf as soon as pos­

sible with corrosive sublimate at the rate of 3 or 4 ounces to 1,000 square feet 
in order to kill the fungus and prevent its further spread should the conditions 
be favorable for its growth. This treatment will not restore diseased turf but 
will prevent the spread of the disease.

Much of the turf attacked by snowmold will not be completely killed and 
will be restored as soon as new blades of grass are produced. Such recovery will 
be hastened by applications of inorganic fertilizers containing relatively large 
amounts of quickly available nitrogen.

Where the turf is found to be killed in spots, these areas should be 

patched as early in the spring as possible. Where this is not practical, the dead 
areas should be raked or disced lightly and seeded as soon as possible.

’’WINTER-KILL” OF TURF: There are causes other than snowmold responsible for win­
ter injury to turf. Damage frequently occurs when water remains on turf too long 
during a time of intermittent freezing and thawing. There is but one preventive 
measure for injury of this sort and that is to provide for proper surface drainage. 
When moist soil becomes frozen it becomes practically impervious to water so that 
all systems of subsurface drainage fail to function. Consequently, when rain or 
melted snow settles in depressions which have no surface outlets the water must 
stay there until removed by the gradual process of evaporation or until sufficient 
openings are melted through the frozen layer of soil.

During the thaws of February and March possibilities of such injury 

should be considered. In some cases the dam which causes the water to accumulate 
may be a bank of snow. In such cases drainage paths should be cut through the 
snow bank to provide adequate outlets for the melted snow and ice. If the ob­
struction is of a permanent nature, charts should be drawn and detailed notes 
taken so that when weather permits the sod can be lifted, the obstruction removed 
by regrading, and the sod replaced. Such a program will also prevent trouble in 
the summer since brownpatch and other summer disturbances are encouraged by faulty 
surface drainage.

SPRING SEEDING: Late summer or early fall seeding of northern grasses is much 
to be preferred to spring seeding, although with proper care good stands of grass 
may be obtained from spring seeding. Where turf is so thin that reseeding is jus­
tified, however, it is advisable to seed in the spring at as early a date as possi­
ble. While the ground is still frozen it is possible to get out on the turf with­
out injuring the grass. By sowing seed at this time advantage can be taken of the 
"honeycombed" condition of the soil which frequently results from alternate freez­
ing and thawing. The seeds sown on frozen soil will lodge in the cracks of the 
"honeycombed" structure, will be covered by subsequent thaws, and will germinate 
as soon as soil temperatures become favorable and before the soil dries out.

TURF PROGRAMS: Doctor Monteith and Mr. Bengston will represent the Green Section 
on the program of the fifteenth annual National Turf Conference of the Greenkeeping 
Superintendents Association. The conference will be held in Detroit on February 4 
to 7, the educational program beginning Wednesday, February 5. Other turf programs 
in February on which the Green Section will be represented are the greenkeepers1 
short courses in Denver, Colorado, at the Park Lane Hotel, on February 18 to 20; 
Purdue University at Lafayette, Indiana, on February 25 and 26; and University of 
Chicago, February 27 to March 1, on which Dr. Monteith is scheduled to speak. On 
the program of the Maryland Nurserymen’s short course, to be given at the University 
of Maryland, February 19 and 20, Mr. Bengston will represent the Green Section.

FEBRUARY 1941 

T.T.T. 3