Much like an insurance policy, turf nurseries are sometimes viewed as an unnecessary additional cost considering the limited use they receive – until they are needed! A nursery green is the most common type of turf nursery maintained on golf courses and it can be invaluable for repairing damaged areas in the unfortunate event that some degree of turf decline occurs. However, being able to make repairs is only one of the many benefits of maintaining a turf nursery.
On a recent site visit to The Kansas City Country Club, superintendent Patrick Rose and I looked at their nursery area that was planted last fall. The club is planning for a major renovation and took the opportunity to plant several modern varieties of turf that could potentially be used throughout the golf course. In addition to bentgrass turf, they also planted several commonly used rough varieties to evaluate their performance side by side. The ability to evaluate how each grass performs under his maintenance program prior to the renovation is invaluable. Many of the varieties planted are those that I see regularly in my travels, but being able to see them side by side has revealed some striking differences in density, spring greenup, establishment rate and color. Even if you are not necessarily planning for an upcoming renovation, planting several improved varieties on a nursery, or a portion of a nursery, will illustrate the benefits of improved varieties for golfers and may help drive a future regrassing project.
For a nursery to be as useful as possible for repairs or testing, keep in mind that nursery turf, especially greens, should be planted on similar soil and receive the same maintenance program as the other parts of the course. That way the nursery turf is the same quality as the turf on the course and it can adjust relatively quickly when transplanted. Don’t let the nursery area become an afterthought.
If you would like to discuss how to establish a nursery, or which turf varieties may be best to use at your facility, contact your regional USGA agronomist.
Central Region Agronomists:
Zach Nicoludis, regional director – znicoludis@usga.org
Paul Jacobs, agronomist – pjacobs@usga.org