GROUNDS COMMITTEE AND AGRONOMY TEAM
Ranch Course Conditions Recent sustained cold temperatures have driven our base Bermuda grass into full dormancy, confirming our concerns over the quality of this year’s Ranch course overseed. The current Ranch conditions, including many thin, brown areas on fairways and spots that seem both over-and under-watered are the result of several factors, including The severe three-week heat spike during the Ranch over-seed that enabled the Bermuda grass to re-establish and out-compete the rye-grass over-seed in many spots.Those spots are now browning out as the Bermuda grass goes dormant and the dormant grass doesn’t soak up any irrigation water. Our very salty irrigation water. While it’s necessary to water to keep existing rye grass alive, every irrigation cycle adds more unhealthy salt to our soil profiles. Salt build-up in the soil creates water drainage barriers, so even minimal watering results in wet spots. The 2+ year dry cycle during which we have not had a single extended rain event of 1 inch or more to flush this accumulating salt away from grass root zones. Our agronomy team is using every tool at their disposal, including aerification, sanding and applications of gypsum and organic acids to reduce the negative impact of salt build- up in the soil, but there’s only so much that can be accomplished without causing long- term negative impacts. The challenges of growing grass on our golf courses will be discussed in greater detail in an upcoming Turf Talk.
Tonto Verde Grounds Committee and Agronomy Team
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