Golf Naturalized Areas Study: Herbicides
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
by Brian Thompson
Update on BASF golf course naturalized areas study with Auburn University
The BASF naturalized areas study between Holes No. 1 and 10 utilize Pendulum® AquaCap™, Onetime™, Plateau®, and Journey® herbicides. These treatments were all applied after an early May mowing and clearly show how these chemistries (especially the Pendulum AquaCap and Onetime) can eliminate invasive weeds and reduce the density of the predominately tall fescue natural areas.
In addition to being aesthetically unacceptable, these golf course naturalized areas can be difficult to manage because the extreme density makes it difficult to find errant golf balls and the monoculture stand is generally not conducive to wildlife habitat. The preemergent activity of the Pendulum AquaCap has really held up well to the thistle, pokeweed, marestail and jimson weed that normally thrive in this Alabama environment.
Segment® herbicide good tool for zoysia grass golf courses in Southeast and greater transition zone
These photos depict Segment® herbicide treatments used to suppress encroaching bermuda grass in a zoysia grass fairway. 
Segment herbicide is generally regarded as a non-selective grass herbicide (except for centipede and fine fescue) but is showing additional tolerance to zorro zoysia for this type of application.
Zoysia has become a popular choice for fairways in the Southeast and greater transition zone because of its drought tolerance and its need for less nitrogen and as a result, the ability to selectively and economically control bermuda will become an important cog in the management of these new programs.
FreeHand®1.75G herbicide is a hit at FarmLinks!
With all the new cottages, cabins, office buildings and other amenities FarmLinks has to offer, FreeHand has been implemented to keep the landscape weed-free around the periphery of all these new buildings. One preemergent FreeHand application back in April has done an EXCELLENT job in keeping these areas clean!
For demo purposes, a small area towards the rear of the FarmLinks Solutions Center was skipped when the FreeHand was applied. Take a look at the picture and see if you can guess which side of the bed was not treated. As they say: "The proof in in the pudding!"
Posted at 1:27 pm
About the Author
Brian Thompson
Brian Thompson is the Pinehurst Project Leader for BASF Specialty Products Department and is based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
