The story for the past month (or more) has been the heat wave. By the time the summer of 2011 is complete it will more than likely go down as the hottest and one of the driest summers on record for Wichita, Kansas.
With conditions like we are experiencing all of our programs are under extreme pressure from cultural practices (such as aerification, topdressing, and grooming) to our chemical programs (such as herbicide, fungicide, and fertility programs) to water management. All of these programs must work together, along with all the other details we manage, to bring the golf course through the extreme conditions we are facing.
Water management has been high on our list since the beginning of the summer. Walking the fine line between dry and not too dry is the daily challenge. Not only is water expensive, too much water can cause more problems compared to not enough. Hand watering, use of wetting agents, proper summer venting (aerification), and use of soil moisture sensors have all proven to be invaluable resources on a daily basis.
With one more month to go we will continue on the same path with the hope of some relief before fall arrives. Certainly, the summer of 2011 will be one we won't forget any time soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment