WHY IS MY TURF IS STILL GREEN? For those of you in parts of the northern United States you may be wondering why your turf is still green. This past year, temperatures remained warm well into late fall. In conjunction with late season nitrogen fertilization, the turf retained its green color. With arrival and persistence of snow cover through most of December, the turf remained insulated from the cold and the chlorophyll-degrading action of cold and high light intensity. With snow melt and relatively warm temperatures after Christmas the turf has remained green. The greener-than-normal turf should not affect its cold tolerance because the plant has undergone its hardening-off process.
Where problems could occur to the turf if significant traffic is occurring. On sports fields or golf courses, individuals may want to play soccer, football, or on golf courses play golf since the turf is still green and temperatures relatively warm. The problem with such activities is that the turf is subject to wear. Although the turf is still green, this does not mean it’s growing. Thus, wear injury could occur to the turf because it is unable to recover via growth from the damage.
DESSICATION IN THE UPPER GREAT PLAINS. Desiccation occurs when water is leaving the turf faster than what is being taken up by the root system. During the winter when air temperatures exceed average soil temperatures by more than 20 degrees the potential of desiccation increases. Conditions that are favorable for desiccation are relatively warm breezy sunny days. In exposed open areas where soil moisture levels are low or the water frozen desiccation can occur. In the Great Plains where turf is exposed the potential for desiccation is great on dry soils. Over the next several weeks if desiccation is suspected, take a cup cutter plug and place in a lighted warm area and watch for growth. Desiccation if limited to the leaf blades is relatively minor. However, if the crown is injured, turf recovery will be slow in the spring.
YELLOW PATCH. Yellow patch, also known as cool-weather brown patch, cool temperature brown patch and winter brown patch is caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis. The current cool wet weather in the northeastern United States is conducive for yellow patch on Poa annua/creeping bentgrass greens. Symptoms appear as yellow or rusty circular rings (may also appear as partial arcs) with green turf in the center of the ring. The symptoms are most easily seen in the morning and become more difficult to observe as the day progresses. Interacting with yellow patch to a smaller degree may be pink snow mold or even red thread. Usually this disease is of minor concern, however if the rings become more severe and sunken a fungicide application maybe needed.
SOIL TEMPERATURES.
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