A View From The South East
The last few weeks in Georgia / N. Florida have been challenging. With the passing of Tropical Storm Fay we can take a stab at evaluating its impact.
- How about water logged Turfgrass for 4 plus days in some areas.
- How about (for those managing bermudagrass green), 3-4 solid days of 100% cloud cover.
- How about temps in the low to mid nineties with RH in the 60% + range for 4 plus days.
In other words, from a turf management stand point it’s been a bit tricky. However with today’s resources like (Weather Underground, NOAA, Weather Channel, DTN, etc) today’s turf manager is prepared more than ever for arriving weather and prolonged storms.
By and large, weather this year has been almost ideal for managing turf (I’m speaking from a weather stand point). The lingering drought has made it possible for bentgrass managers to more accurately manage their water inputs on the prized possessions (their greens). This year’s weather patterns have also made weed and insect management a little more tolerable. I haven’t seen a steady stream of fire ant mounds this year until after T.S. Fay brought all this rain.
All in all, despite a few instances where Fay brought too much rain and wind, most in the South welcomed her with open arms to recharge and replenish key water systems. Now on the horizon, Hurricane Gustov, just the name alone is intimidating, we’ll have to wait and see what he brings before we can make any judgment.
Two weeks ago University of Georgia held their biannual field day at the Griffin Research Facility in Griffin, Ga.To their credit, UGA holds this event every other year in partnership with the GTA (Georgia Turfgrass Association) and it really draws and nice crowd. Over 900 paid attendees were there this year alone. This really speaks to the level of support turf managers have for the UGA turf system and for the team of UGA turf and ornamental staff.From a manufacturer’s side, I just wanted to say Well done, UGA, you all continue to provide an excellent event for Turf Managers in the state and a key tool for their success. KEEP IT UP.
Until Next Time, Ya’ll Be Good.
