Not Long Now!

It is not too often that we get excited about the upcoming season as early as February.   These days of sunshine keep coming more frequently and there is hardily any snow.  That leads to things being greener than normal on the golf course. 

The only down side for me is that at the current moment I have too many things to do inside, that I can’t get out on the course and enjoy this weather.  Just as I thought I was done with IPM for a little while, I got an e-mail saying my audit is next week.  It’s really good timing because IPM is fresh on my brain and it will be good to get it over.  The last thing I would want is to have to do it mid summer. 

There are many other things on the go, here at the Parkway.  The equipment is in the early stages of preventative maintenance.  The irrigation computer is going to be updated next week.  Tree clean up is nearly finished.  It certainly feels like spring is just around the corner. 

Let’s just hope that it starts early and stay nice until late November, I don’t think that is too much to ask!

As always if you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me.
kendalllindsay@hotmail.com

Cheers Kendall

Paperwork to the Extreme

The last week and a half have been spent diligently preparing my IPM desk audit for 2011. This is in accordance with the government banning pesticide use in Ontario (Bill 63). When pesticides were banned, golf courses along with a few others were exempt. But, golf courses are required to enter a program (IPM) and are expected to have this program up and running by 2012. To comply with this, we must record every time a class 9 pesticide is used on the golf course. We not only record the pesticide used, but we must also justify why we used the chemical. Last year was my first year preparing the desk audit and I was a little overwhelmed with it. When I was finished I had a binder full of paper, informing you of everything that had been done on our golf course for the year. This year, the IPM council wanted the document posted on their website, which I believed would be easier and possibly use less paper. In the end, I don’t think it was any easier and definitely more paper was used than the year before. Needless to say it is done for another year. If you wish to see a copy, there will be one on hand in the clubhouse for the season.  If you wish to hear about this more, I will be holding a public meeting this calendar year, in accordance with the IPM regulation. We are required to invite the public and all our neighbours,  within 100 metres. Currently, I am still waiting to get my on-site audit for the calendar year of 2010. Once this is over with, I will present the 2011 material. Dates will be posted once they are available. 

Let’s talk about the weather, I have run into many members in the last few days and no one can believe this weather we are having. Was it really a January thaw if there was nothing to thaw? Wiarton Willie did not see his shadow, which means we are going to have an early spring. Great news! Nothing would make me happier than to be able to open the course early. The main worry that comes with the situation that we are in is that the plant is not protected. Normally the plant is under some snow, which helps to insulate it from the temperature changes.  The worst thing that can happen is if the plant breaks it dormancy and begins to grow. Then a few days later the temperature drops and the plant can freeze and the crown of the plant can die.

Above is a picture of the second green, it was taking on Feb 7^th 2012.  Yesterday’s high was a blistering 10 degrees.  Today it is -3 and feels like -10.   The turf must be thinking what the heck is going on.  The best thing to wish for right now is consistent temperatures and not too many beauty days in a row that trigger the plant to wake up too early followed by freezing temperatures.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me

kendalllindsay@hotmail.com

Cheers,

Kendall Lindsay