Home Stretch

Well, this is it. The next six weeks are the toughest on the turf. We will now see if we have grown enough roots to combat the summer stress period. We have prepared all we can and now it is a race to cooler nights and shorter days. Survival for a grass plant does not always mean living through the year. Some of our turf has evolved other methods for survival. Poa annua, or annual bluegrass for example, sets seed and puts energy into the flower stalk to ensure next generations. This is the equivalent of running away and is the last thing I would like the turf doing when the growing gets rough. It is this process which makes Poa so successful at growing in difficult conditions like low growing, shade, and poorly draining. Poa only has to live long enough to leaf out, flower, and set seed, not exactly what I desire growing on my greens.

The next week looks like a good one, moderate rainfall events with seasonally average temperatures. Perfect for getting out with friends and teeing it up!