Monday, February 18, 2013

Spring Preemerge Application and other Happenings around the Course

Yes it is already that time of year for our spring preemerge application.  This year we are applying a 30-0-15 fertilizer impregnated with oxadiazon.  Our fertilizer is made up of a 100% control release nitrogen and 50% control release potassium.  Oxadiazon is our preemerge of choice for the spring growing season because it does not inhibit root growth like other available products.  If you play golf early this week you may notice some small green prills on our fairways and tees but it will soon be gone as it works into the turfgrass canopy.

Fertilizer prills seen on a fwy.

Spring preemerge and fertilizer being applied.
 
Over the past week we have planted long leaf pine seedlings around the golf course.  Long leaf pine is the tree that dominated the gulf coast region for thousands of years prior to this area being settled.  Prior to settlement the long leaf pine forrest was over 90 million acres and was one of the most biologically diverse habitats in the northern hemisphere.  This unique and beautiful habitat has been reduced to approximately 2% of its peak acreage so anything we can do to promote our native habitat is very beneficial.  If you see a small tuft of what looks like a clump of grass in our straw areas that is the seedling of the long leaf pine waiting for warmer weather to grow!


Horticulturist Hugo Rodriguez planting new long leaf seedlings.

Long leaf seedlings in bed right of hole 1.


 
We are also in the process of planting some swamp azaleas (Rhododendron viscosum) in the recently cleared area behind nine green.  This variety is a deciduous shrub that will tolerate the wet soil conditions in this area and will bloom in the late spring.

Swamp azalea being installed behind 9 green.