Per the calendar spring is here, but unfortunately the weather is not. I have had several questions regarding golf course playing conditions, from “when is the Bermuda going to green up?” to “ Why are we always on the cart path?” to “Last year this time we were hitting off the driving range tee, what gives?” I’ll answer a few of these questions along with the explicit, big bad word “WINTER KILL!!” going forward.
Bermuda grass is a warm season grass predominantly grown in the transition zone which Tennessee is in. If you can imagine a bell curve with peak of said curve being summer, and on one side winter/fall, and the other being winter/spring. (Pictured below) We have not reached the soil temperatures needed for Bermuda grass to begin active growth. You can always use the rule of 150, which is when the day and night time temperatures add up to 150 degrees for consecutive days, Bermuda grass will begin actively growing.
“Why have we been on the cart path all winter?”
If you have been outside this year, more than likely it was raining. The best factual answer would be, we are 12+” above average rainfall. WOW! And we are only 3 months in! With that being said, Bermuda grass is still dormant it is not taking up H2O, like it normally would when it is actively growing. I promise I’m not a bad guy! I’m only trying to protect your investment!
Warning: Winterkill definition ahead.
Winterkill is the result of temperatures below freezing experienced in winter. Winter kill most commonly occurs during periods of alternating freezing and thawing, aggravated by the increase in plant moisture when the turf is most vulnerable in late winter.
This is an informational post, not a scare tatic, but it does seem to describe a lot of what we have experienced recently. I have seen great signs of our Bermuda grass waking up from dormancy, as well as healthy roots in areas of concern, but it’s still a little to early to say we are out of the clear. Our Latitude 36 Bermuda grass is a very cold tolerant Bermuda, but at the end of the day it’s still a Bermuda.
I have been at Bluegrass for 7 years now. Every single season Winter, fall, spring, summer has been different every year. Unfortunately Mother Nature determines a lot of what I do or how we react. Imagine being in a stock car going around a track, except you don’t have control of a steering, brakes or gas. Sometimes you cruise, sometimes you are in a pit, sometimes you go left, maybe right…don’t go right… that’s my best analogy of Mother Nature in the transition zone.
See ya on the Course,
Tyler Ingram