The grass is growing....finally

After a long and very hot summer, the pleasant late summer weather has made for some good grass growing conditions.  Weak areas in the rough such as #3, 13, and 9 that were seeded multiple times during the summer and again recently are finally getting the right conditions to grow.

Most of these areas were lost due to the excessive rain and subsequent heat around Memorial Day weekend.  Unfortunately, they were reluctant to regrow for a couple of reasons.  First, the abnormally hot summer made for difficult conditions in keeping the seed sufficiently moist, especially considering our priority was keeping the golf course playable and not a squishy mess.  Secondly, and more important, these rough areas are treated every spring with products designed to inhibit the growth and establishment of crabrass and other grassy weeds.  Unfortunately, these chemicals will inhibit ANY seed from growing in these areas, which has greatly influenced our ability to re-establish any new growth.  As summer comes to an end, these products are finally wearing off and the seed has finally started to grow.  Some areas, such as #3, however, are still showing signs that they aren't ready to allow any germination just yet.  We will give them another dose of seed in early september and hope for the best.

The bottom of #9 near the creek was hit hard by spring rains and heat, but there is a nice amount of seed starting to take.  Note the uniform rows of new growth in the bare areas.

Closeup of new seedlings getting started.

An area in front of #13 tee in the courtesy walk-up with a few rows of new grass.

Here's another area on #13 courtesy walk-up that hasn't had any seed come up.  I suspect the herbicide we use for crabgrass control in the spring is still inhibiting seeds from growing here.  The patch of grass in the middle is a patch of ryegrass and bluegrass that survived the summer stress.  The bare area was likely all bentgrass and poa-annua, which are weeds in the rough.  A textbook case of why these species are not as well adapted under stressful, wet, and hot conditions.

More good seedling growth.