I am sitting in the Chicago suburbs on this fine 60-degree day in early March and am contemplating putting on shorts to go for a walk outside this afternoon. Golfers who have been cooped up for the winter are excited to get out on the course and play a round at this time of year. Golf course agronomic teams are excited too. Taking covers off putting greens, mowing, and setting up the golf course are welcome tasks for staff that have been doing equipment maintenance or tree management all winter.
Superintendents of courses with busy golf schedules may be tempted to get ahead right now by conducting cultural management practices before the tee sheet and outing schedule is slammed this spring. However, it is important to resist this temptation – especially for aeration or aggressive vertical mowing. The disruption from cultivation at this time of year can be long lasting. The turf is not actively growing and will not recover from cultivation until soil temperatures can support regular growth.
Though it is currently warm, it will likely not be for long. Snow is common in the Midwest throughout the month of March, and the 10-year average soil temperature during the first week of March in Chicago is around 36 F. Compare this to soil temperatures in the mid-50s that drive cool-season turfgrass growth and it is easy to see why it’s important to be patient and let the growing season come to you. If you have any questions regarding the timing of your cultural management practices, reach out to your local USGA agronomist.
Central Region Agronomists:
Zach Nicoludis, regional director, Central Region – znicoludis@usga.org
Tom Gould, agronomist – tgould@usga.org