Chicago District Turfgrass Program
Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - 8/27/10
Lessons learned. Weathermen’s words are now kind. Chicago’s Tom Skilling wrote, “It becomes difficult for temperatures to warm to early summer levels this late in the season.” Our days continue to shorten and tree shadows continue grow. Nevertheless, the final days of August are to be hot – a few more 90s forecast. It continues to remind us that summer 2010 was a difficult experience. It turned out to be consistently wet and warm. Heat intolerant Poa trivialis and Poa annua caught our attention from the very beginning – too consistent! Meanwhile, bentgrass suffered physiological decline – during peak midsummer heat we were too wet for too long. Even Kentucky bluegrass faltered – overly wet soils exacerbated root damage by summer patch.
From a plant health standpoint, summer 2010 was a “booger bear” so to speak. Few breaks in heat and humidity occurred. And the Green Committee asks, “Why just us?” News accounts tell us that other areas of the country were possibly worse off. No amount of budget can provide a pristine look if shortcomings exist – they always do. For example, we usually deal with poor drainage somewhere. It makes sense since many golf courses benefit urban areas by providing a watershed. Streams and lakes will overflow their banks on occasion – 2010 for example. Golf courses with significant turf loss in 2010 are often a story of enduring an especially hot summer AND a flood event or two or three... Peak heat is largely now behind us and turf recovery has begun – naturally. Overseeding bentgrass and adding new tile lines ASAP – lessons learned.
I do not know Who’s hot, but I do know What’s hot – this weekend forecast! Stay cool?
Derek
Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - 8/20/10
Unkind! It looked as though we had completed our last test – an especially hot period with a total of 6 days straight of 90+ degrees (Aug 9 to Aug 14). Our forecast was a cool break. And so we waited. On Tuesday, August 17 it happened and Chicago’s high temperatures were unable to cross 80 degrees. Amazingly, we learned 2010 had set an all-time record for a consistently warm summer – 46 days straight of daytime highs at least 80 degrees. Summer 2010 now holds number 1 with 1955 number two at 42 days. For my part I have watched this season unfold with usual diligence – life of turf is entirely dependent on weather that is sometimes unkind!
Summer 2010 is now compared to two other summers of recent Chicago memory (1988 and 1995). Hot summers seem to hit the upper Midwest about once every decade. For example, up to this point, 2010 now ranks as the 9th warmest with an average temperature of 75 degrees. Interestingly, years that experienced significant turf loss in superintendent’s memory are also highly ranked (1988 = 2nd warmest and 1995 = 5th warmest). For newer golf courses and young superintendents early in their career, this has been their most challenging season. From start to finish problems have been continuous and difficult. Unkind summer 2010, are you finished yet?