I thought I would write a quick post on Fusarium seeing as this year has been by far the worst outbreak we have had to date especially on tee's, approaches & fairways. With greens being pretty clear all winter
What Is It?
Fusarium Patch is a fungal disease that attacks areas of fine turf when local conditions are conducive for the organism to become active.
Have I Got It?
Fusarium Patch is one of the most common diseases found attacking fine turf. Annual meadowgrass (Poa annua) is the species most susceptible and makes up a high percentage of the sward in the turf on the surfaces of our course. Other grasses are susceptible such as Perennial Rye ( Lolium perenne) & Bent grasses (Agrostis) but it remains most prevalent in Poa annua. The first signs of Fusarium Patch activity are small brown or straw-coloured spots. If the attack becomes aggressive the spots will merge into larger patches, often with a dark red or orange perimeter to the affected area.
If I Have Got It How Do I Try To Control It?
Because Fusarium Patch is a fungal disease it does not like being exposed to ultraviolet light. Therefore if bright sunny weather follows early signs of an attack it may subside naturally, particularly if it is also breezy. However, the most likely time for this disease to occur is the damp autumn months as sunshine usually is in short supply. Prevention is better than cure. We have some fantastic chemicals at our disposal to prevent an outbreak. However these can be very expensive, anywhere between £450 - £850 for one application which can last between 3/4 weeks depending on growth rate of turf. Where it is cost effective and a necessity to apply a fungicide on greens and maybe approaches it becomes very costly to apply to fairways. Two or three applications would be needed. Although fusarium is very evasive and quick to infect the plant, the grass plant has the ability to recover very quickly in the correct conditions. So although we have had a very bad infection this year my approach is not to spray the fairways and wait for a natural recovery which will happen in the spring with a little nutritional help from us. Infact recovery is well underway at the moment. Below are a few useful links for more information.
http://www.bigga.org.uk/about-us/magazine/back-issues/02-2004/fusarium-patk-snow-mould/00415.html
www.pitchcare.com/shop/iguide/fusarium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusarium_patch
What Is It?
Fusarium Patch is a fungal disease that attacks areas of fine turf when local conditions are conducive for the organism to become active.
Have I Got It?
Fusarium Patch is one of the most common diseases found attacking fine turf. Annual meadowgrass (Poa annua) is the species most susceptible and makes up a high percentage of the sward in the turf on the surfaces of our course. Other grasses are susceptible such as Perennial Rye ( Lolium perenne) & Bent grasses (Agrostis) but it remains most prevalent in Poa annua. The first signs of Fusarium Patch activity are small brown or straw-coloured spots. If the attack becomes aggressive the spots will merge into larger patches, often with a dark red or orange perimeter to the affected area.
If I Have Got It How Do I Try To Control It?
Because Fusarium Patch is a fungal disease it does not like being exposed to ultraviolet light. Therefore if bright sunny weather follows early signs of an attack it may subside naturally, particularly if it is also breezy. However, the most likely time for this disease to occur is the damp autumn months as sunshine usually is in short supply. Prevention is better than cure. We have some fantastic chemicals at our disposal to prevent an outbreak. However these can be very expensive, anywhere between £450 - £850 for one application which can last between 3/4 weeks depending on growth rate of turf. Where it is cost effective and a necessity to apply a fungicide on greens and maybe approaches it becomes very costly to apply to fairways. Two or three applications would be needed. Although fusarium is very evasive and quick to infect the plant, the grass plant has the ability to recover very quickly in the correct conditions. So although we have had a very bad infection this year my approach is not to spray the fairways and wait for a natural recovery which will happen in the spring with a little nutritional help from us. Infact recovery is well underway at the moment. Below are a few useful links for more information.
http://www.bigga.org.uk/about-us/magazine/back-issues/02-2004/fusarium-patk-snow-mould/00415.html
www.pitchcare.com/shop/iguide/fusarium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusarium_patch
HOLE CHANGING
I thought i would fill the rest of my blog with the process of changing holes. The process has to be carried out with precision and care. Selection of pin location is vital e.g. if inclement weather is coming we must locate the pin in the driest spot on the green or if we notice a area getting worn by golfer footfall we may locate the pin on the opposite side to relieve the wear. There are no regulations as to how close to the edge of the green a pin can be located so during the winter we may use locations very close to the edge of the green to again spread the wear. We try not to locate the new position within 5 meters of a old hole plug. Tools used are as follows;
- Hole Cutter
- Board
- Cup Setter
- Scissors
- Paint Applicator
- Paint
- Soil Remover
- Hole clipping tool
Process is shown in the pictures below.
1) tools required
2) select location place board
3) insert hole cutter through hole in board making sure the spirit level on the handles is level
4) hammer in hole cutter whilst standing on board
5) remove hole cutter with slow twisting motion whilst standing on board
6) use soil removal tool to remove any excess soil from new hole
7) brush in loose grass and trim with scissors or hole clipping tool
8) carefully insert cup into hole without damaging edges
9) use cup setter and push down gently until cup is at correct depth and give a gentle twist on removal
10) put protective cover over cup prior to spraying paint
11) insert paint applicator
12) place paint into applicator and give 3 quick bursts making sure you slightly rotate the can
13) remove paint applicator and protective cover and place pin
- Hole Cutter
- Board
- Cup Setter
- Scissors
- Paint Applicator
- Paint
- Soil Remover
- Hole clipping tool
Process is shown in the pictures below.
1) tools required
2) select location place board
3) insert hole cutter through hole in board making sure the spirit level on the handles is level
4) hammer in hole cutter whilst standing on board
5) remove hole cutter with slow twisting motion whilst standing on board
6) use soil removal tool to remove any excess soil from new hole
7) brush in loose grass and trim with scissors or hole clipping tool
8) carefully insert cup into hole without damaging edges
9) use cup setter and push down gently until cup is at correct depth and give a gentle twist on removal
10) put protective cover over cup prior to spraying paint
11) insert paint applicator
12) place paint into applicator and give 3 quick bursts making sure you slightly rotate the can
13) remove paint applicator and protective cover and place pin
So that is the hole changing process here at Burnham. Holes are changed twice a week and on days of tournaments. We paint the top of the hole all year round but in the winter the longevity is not so good. As you can see the hole is presented to correct depth and finished neatly with no burred edges or crowning. The use of the board leaves a true level surface around the hole. Of course the hole will deteriorate over time with play and the most contributing factor to hole crowning is footfall. Holes are checked and trimmed daily.
Thank you for reading.
Best regards
Lee & Greenkeeping Team
Thank you for reading.
Best regards
Lee & Greenkeeping Team