TurfComms Vol. 12,16 Apr. 14, '00 PURPOSE: To pass on what we learn willingly and happily to others in the profession so as to improve turf conditions around the country. GCSAA Conf. & Show - a few more comments: I even stayed for the Show on Sunday morning: Web sites crying for your attention. I went looking for slow release potassium sources including sunflower ash (potassium carbonate). Eco-soil last had this source but dropped it because the analysis was too variable for California standards. Equipment everywhere but I stuck to the agronomics and web sites for the most part. As to potassium sources I am still working this material up. There appears to be only one source of sunflower ash for greens and that is in the product - There is one coated potassium source and several with small particles aimed at putting greens but, more on this latter. Shade computerized: Spent some time talking to the ArborCom people as I like their technology for showing what trees needed to be cut down so as to obtain sufficient light for good bentgrass or bermudagrass growth, although they were only concentrating on the bentgrass market. If the members/greens committee/ manager won't take your word or a consultant's word you might want to try these people they can really produce the data. Cost, minimum of $2600/green. A little expensive for my blood but they do a nice job of convincing people with their computer generated pictures and data. For more information visit website: www.arborcom.ort.ca Another product that impressed me was Bunker WollŽ: One reason this a fibrous geotextile for bunker faces impressed me is I love to see bunker faces. It appears this product when properly TURFCOMMS is published at unpredictable intervals by the editor and publisher: Douglas T. Hawes, Ph.D. 2408 Roundrock Trail Certified Professional Agronomist Piano, Texas 75075 Specializing in Golf Course (972) 867-0176 Maintenance Consulting Fax (972) 519-9263 e-mail: dhawes@dallas.net Subscription cost is $15. Send checks to Doug Hawes at the above address. installed will allow the sand to remain on a bunker face after a heavy rain. Now basically I hate plastic and fabrics in bunkers but, if this product works like they say it does then I and a lot of other golfers will be happy to see bunker faces come back into the game. For more information contact Nadine or BunkerNet at 1-800-713-1906. THE GREATEST PLAYER WHO NEVER LIVED by J. Michael Veron: Along with many of you I heard this lawyer/author speak on the USGA Green Section program in New Orleans so I had to read his golf oriented book. What I had read about it was that it was a mystery that involved a superintendent as the main character. Well the story(yarn), to my way of thinking is written about a young law student who uncovers a mysterious golfer known and befriended by the immortal Bobby Jones. It is a good story and I read it during the Master's week, even finishing that Sunday evening. As you might guess a lot of the "action" centers around Augusta National. I'm afraid many of you about the time you read this have heard enough about Augusta National at this time of year. The book is interesting reading, very factual for fiction, even educational about golf: both the history and the psychology of it. Go out and buy it and then save it for reading later in the year. Speaking about the Masters, did you see David Duval tearing up the fairway on the 17th or 18th hole in the finishing round? I hope the PGA fines him heavily for that bit of misplaced anger. Poor boy, his ball was in a divot scar. NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER, AGRONOMIST, Norman Borlaug: There is an interesting article in the April issue of REASON magazine where Dr. Borlaug now a Distinguished Professor in the Soil and Crop Sciences Dept. is interviewed. Dr. Borlaug is considered to be farther of the "Green Revolution". For you young folks that was 1970 when he won the Nobel Peace Prize. In this interview Dr. Borlaug comes out opposed to the philosophy of Paul Ehrlich - author of "Population Bomb" and Lester Brown of the WorldWatch Institute. Both have been predicting famine regularly for 10 years or more. Dr. Borlaug thinks the technology is in place to keep increasing food production in step with ever increasing population growth. He also is very much in favor of the insertion of genes in one crop that have been taken from another different species, often called GMO. The article is seven pages long and well worth reading. I'll send a copy to readers if you ask. DROUGHT: A suggestion for northern golf courses on how to prepare for next summer's drought. An idea stolen from Moshe Alamaro of MIT as reported in Jan. 29,'00 Science News. Take an unused or little used high spot on your golf course where runoff will drain into your irrigation pond. Then proceed to make and stockpile snow on this spot during the coldest days of winter. Next when you remove your winter green covers put them on top of the snow pile thus insulating it or at least slowing down the snow melt. Dr. Alamaro claims in one day he could easily freeze all Quebec City's yearly water needs. You might need some insulating blanket that works better than those winter green covers but they would be a start. A nice thin layer of silvery plastic above these and separated by a thin layer of trapped air would work. Remember, they used to cut ice off the ponds and pack it with straw to save it for summer use. Why, not save packed snow. Oh, I forgot most of you arenft that old. But, you have read about it, correct? LEAF BLOWERS: One of my daughters sent me an article by Adrian Higgins of the Washington Post on the harm caused by these devices. The writer notes that the high velocity wind created by these devices can result in windburn on needled and broadleaf evergreen trees and shrubs. Also newly planted ground covers and new turf seedlings can be pulled from the soil. Also too many leaves blown under azaleas and other shrubs may smother lower branches and create a temporary organic mulch that results in the lower branches rooting into it to the detriment of long term survival. DEER: These comments on deterring deer are written in BIRDS & BLOOMS Feb/Mar. 2000 issue by a Minnesotean with suggestions also from readers in Ga, Conn., Iowa, Wash., and Wise. I'm listing here only the ones that might work in a golf course situation or I haven't heard before. 1. Black polypropylene netting - a light weight nearly invisible barrier that can be strung using electrical conduit for post. 2. Sprays for plant protection: A. 2 tablespoons of Tabasco sauce/gal. with spreader-sticker. B. 12 to 18 eggs blended/5 gal. 3. Dust for plant protection: 1/2 oz. of black pepper in flour and dust the leaves. 4. Aluminum pie plates hanging on limbs. 5. A motion detector to activate a light bulb and radio. Only four seconds appears to be enough time for the light and radio to be on. 6. White plastic bags tied to branches of susceptible trees. 7. Wind chimes in branches of susceptible trees. 8. Chicken wire laid underneath the susceptible trees. The best strategy is to keep mixing up your deterrent approach so as to keep one step ahead of the deer's learning curve, good luck. The article also has a list of plants that deer don't usually eat. But your local Extension Service can probably be of more help in that department. Deer are very bad in portions of the East Coast yet I have never seen one within a mile of my mother's South Dartmouth, MA home. And I have yet to see one in Piano. ARMADILLO TRAPPING: The Nobel Foundation March newsletter has an interesting and perhaps helpful one page article on trapping these critters. They suggest box or cage traps that are open at both ends (double door). Then they rig six inch high wings on both ends to funnel the 'dillos into the trap. If you would like a copy call or write, filed under animal repellents. ANTITRANSPIRANTS: Remember Wilt Pruf and Vapor Gard often recommended for spraying on leaves of shrubs and trees before moving? If you remember in TurfComms V. 12,1. 4 Antitranspirants were mentioned once on page 4 as a material that reduced Dollarspot. Well it appears they will reduce other diseases and some insects, examples are anthracnose, powdery mildew and red spider mites. Basically they are nontoxic polymers similar to wax. Thus they biodegradable readily and are often inexpensive compared to fungicides. Think of the good PR obtained by using something considered so harmless. For more information you might want to look at the 9 page article in the Jan. 2000 issue of The IPM Practitioner. USGA REGIONAL CONF. - DALLAS: I was rather disappointed at the relatively short program with two of the turf maintenance related talks from industry. Brian Maloy took the subject of Golfer's Expectations as he did in a recent Green Section article Nov./Dec. 1998, republished in North Texas News V.7,1.2. I did enjoy the comment that Mr. Stimpson, the inventor of the Stimpmeter, was quoted as finding the green speed at a USGA event in 1972 as being between 31 and 32 - inches that is. With the greens cut at 3/16 of an inch and rolled to accomplish this. Also that a one million dollar maintenance budget was required for top maintenance conditions. That $600,000 plus was the average value of an 18 hole golf course's equipment and that therefore $70,000 per year was needed to keep it up to date. Dr. Dennis Shepard of Novartis talked on Removing the Stress from turf by using Primo. I will admit it is an excellent tool for just that purpose, but disappointed in the USGA giving him a platform to say so. Used carefully in the shade it improves quality by discouraging the usual etiolated growth of grass in the shade. He showed some interesting data that Primo use consistently increased cold hardiness in bermudagrass, however in the article noted below he writes only that "Research has found no decrease in cold tolerance..." He claimed 28 studies had shown no increase in disease, but diseased turf should not be sprayed. See March GCSAA's Golf Course Management magazine pg. 56 for more information. Wallace Menn, a Texas A&M researcher and educator, discussed some old research he had run showing that preemerges applied 6 to 8 weeks before overseeding fairways could keep perennial ryegrass overseedings reasonably free of Poa annua. Also of course the higher the seeding rate from 10 to 40 lb./M did much the same thing. He obtained best control with the Barricade, prodiamine. Rates of 1 lb. a.i./A worked best but 0.5 lb. is safer; less damage from root pruning. 0.75 lb./A might be a more acceptable compromise. Waiting only six weeks to overseed after treatment provides better Poa annua control, 90 vs. 73% at the 0.5 lb. rate. Two years of research gave same results. He also noted that Dimension stayed active (more damaging also, where the turf remained wet. There was a talk on the Rules of Golf - year 2000 update and we were all given a video entitled "The Spirit of the Game". Now if we could get all golfers to "Play the course as they find it" and "Play the ball as it lies." while "doing what is fair." And all without complaining? Advisory Visit For a Turf Sign up now