Tech Notes Issue 8

Anthracnose a problem this summer?

Anthracnose is a serious disease of winter grass (Poa annua) putting greens and to a lesser extent creeping bentgrass greens. This disease is especially severe on greens that are under  stress (heat, drought, intense management regime).

Symptoms appear as an reddish-yellow blighting of the turf. The leaf sheaths and crown are usually a blackish color.

If this disease is a severe problem, continue to treat through the fall. The pathogen can overwinter in the plants causing damage in the spring. It is important to get this disease under control going into winter.

An Attachment that is being adapted to maintain green integrity

One of the most difficult mowing practices is to keep the putting green area including the collar to its true dimensions. Many creeping bentgrass greens have a 21 inch collar with the short cut cool season turfgrass (bluegrass/ryegrass) rough along the outer edge of the collar. Depending on how the cleanup pattern is mowed by the operator the green may extend into where the collar should be or the collar extends into the green.

To prevent green or collar creep (encroachment), dots or dashes are painted along the outer edge of the green to help the greens operator know to location of the outer edge.

What some greenskeepers/golf course superintendents are doing is inserting a piece of rebar through the greens mower basket that extends the width of the collar normally 21 inches and is clamped in place. A piece of plastic or tie is placed on the outer edge and is used as guide to run along the bluegrass rough - the original edge of the green.