As the middle of July approaches, we are also in the midst of the dry season, when we rely on our 34-year-old irrigation system to apply the necessary water for our turf. Mother Nature has the best irrigation system, but unfortunately, in this part of the world, we will not see any rainfall until October. The good news is we are out to bid with contractors to replace the irrigation system and controls. As the process progresses, we will communicate the procedures and timing to you.
As we anticipate a cooler period over the next seven days, staff will intensify our weed abatement program. One of the weeds we aim to control is Common Bermuda grass in the new sod areas. We have already performed this task in some areas previously. The picture below shows the whitening effect on the Common Bermuda that happens during this procedure.
#3 approach from a previous spray.
The following are some of the things we will be working on in the next two weeks:
- Continue to aerate, seed, and fertilize new sod areas.
- Edge cart paths.
- Weed abatement in the native areas.
- Tree work – pruning low limbs and suckers.
These processes will be implemented in conjunction with essential daily maintenance practices. As always, feel free to e-mail me or wave me down on the golf course to discuss any thoughts you may have.
Yours in turf,
Stacy L. Wallace, Class A Golf Course Superintendent
Sonoma Agronomy 