When to apply Pre-Emergent?

This is a question that seems to come up almost everyday. Usually the question on when to apply pre-emergent this time of year is related to crabgrass and summer weeds. Researchers at the University of Maryland determined that the minimum daytime soil temperature to observe the initial emergence of crabgrass was 54 degrees. The major emergence of crabgrass, however, did not appear until soil temperatures were at least in the range of 60 to 70 degrees.  Around northeast Atlanta, the soil temperatures have been between 47-55 degrees the past week.  The optimum time to apply pre-emergent differs for each location depending on shade, soil type, moisture, etc. 

The earlier you apply pre-emergent the better control you may have initially, but more weeds could develop later in the summer if you do not come back again with another application.  If you apply it later, weeds may germinate before to you put it down causing a need for a post-emergent herbicide. 

With all this information, The golf course maintenance staff at Bears Best will be spreading our pre-emergent in the next 7-21 days depending on what the weather does during that time period. If it stays warmer and the soil temperatures continue to rise, we will apply it sooner rather than later. Here is a link to the risk levels of crabgrass provided on Syngenta's website. http://www.greencastonline.com/PestOutlooks.aspx?po_id=47

Irrigation is back up and running!!!

The main irrigation line comes right out of the pump house and tee's off by the nursery green.  The connector from the 14 inch pipe to the 10 inch pipe had shifted over time, thus allowing water under high pressure to flow out. This is something that no one in the Golf Course Maintenance Department wanted to come across. With the warmer temperatures upon us, we needed to get this fixed as soon as possible. We dug up the area and drained the line and went to work yesterday to fix the break and get the new connectors in place.  Once finished, concrete was poured over the area to make sure the pipe would not shift under high pressure. The process was completed yesterday and our irrigation system is back up and running today.  Thank goodness this did not happen in the heat of the summer.  



14" Tee between two valves



Removing the bad 14" to 10" connector

Installing the 14" to 10" reducer directly to the Tee



Connecting the Reducer to the pipe and a 10" mechanical coupling





Pouring concrete to secure the connection



Georgia Golf Hall of Fame - 2011 Inductee Documentary - Mark Esoda

Mark Esoda is the Certified Golf Course Superintendent at Atlanta Country Club.  He has been instrumental in the golf industry regarding environmental and water conservation issues.  He was inducted in the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame recently.  Here is the video they play at his induction.

#8 Lake

The dredging project on #8's middle lake is finished.  Thank you to everyone that used #9 cart path the past week to allow Drainage Solutions to complete the work. They did a good job of keeping the impact on the golf course to a minimum.  We will sod a small area from the lake to the cart path to get everything back to normal. 

Before



After



Snow at Bears Best in Atlanta, GA

This winter has been well below average for temperature, but we were not expecting enough snow here in Atlanta for the golf course to be shut down for 10 days.  Here are some pictures of the course while it was under snow cover.

#6 green looking across to #11

different view of #6 and #11

#7 and #10



#8 Green

Sam Leatherberry, GCS

#3 Green back bunker rebuild

Over time, the back bunker on #3 began to hold water to a point where no water would drain unless we pumped it out.  The drain in the bunker was clear, but at some point between the bunker and the 50 foot outlet line to the creek there was a problem.  We found three areas where the pipe was crushed and decided to put in a whole new line.  We put new drain rock in the bunker and added new sand as well.  Here is the timeline in pictures of the bunker rebuild.

I will continue to post pictures and updates from the golf course and maintenance department on this website.  Please feel free to ask questions or leave comments.

Sam Leatherberry, GCS