Friday, April 15, 2011
Disease Profile: Spring Dead Spot
Spring dead spot is one of the more mysterious turf diseases. It is hard to predict from year to year. Locations are different and severity is also inconsistent. To treat the disease with a fungicide, applications must be made in fall even though damage is not seen until spring, hence the name.
We have never treated for this disease even though we may have experienced it for years. Now that we have a fairway that is solid bermuda year round, the damage is obvious and treatment may become necessary. Other bermuda areas that are damaged have been hidden by overseeded rye grass or poa annua that has come in during the winter months. By the time these are burned out by the weather, the disease looks more like transition struggles than disease.
The photos below are more obvious than transition problems. This first one was taken back on the 3rd of March.
This next one was taken last week, and obviously, the bermuda has had some better weather to green up and the bad spots are beginning to fill in, slowly.
One more, a little closer this time to show the brown, yet playable surface.
We have never treated for this disease even though we may have experienced it for years. Now that we have a fairway that is solid bermuda year round, the damage is obvious and treatment may become necessary. Other bermuda areas that are damaged have been hidden by overseeded rye grass or poa annua that has come in during the winter months. By the time these are burned out by the weather, the disease looks more like transition struggles than disease.
The photos below are more obvious than transition problems. This first one was taken back on the 3rd of March.
This next one was taken last week, and obviously, the bermuda has had some better weather to green up and the bad spots are beginning to fill in, slowly.
One more, a little closer this time to show the brown, yet playable surface.
We'll keep an eye on this and decide if we want to spray a fungicide to control the problem in the fall. At this point, especially on the par 3 11th hole, I would not be a fan of spending money to clean this up. A few more warm days and the surrounding turf will quickly fill the thin spots.
The 11th hole looks sweet right now and the 10th and 17th fairways are starting to transition on their own. We will help them out with a selective herbicide in the near future and will be on our way to firm, lush, tight fairways. Irrigation will once again, favor the drier side to encourage a little turf to fade out in the heat of the summer, making way for some more common bermuda. I welcome questions on this or any of our maintenance practices, so if you see something out there that you don't like or don't understand, please shoot over an email and I'll be happy to discuss our work.
The greens are healing up, tomorrow's post will show you how close we are. Thanks for reading.
Oh, and the Asparagus Festival starts today, so get your tickets and go enjoy the beautiful weather if you can fit some other recreation around your tee times.
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