Grounds

Greenkeeper's Update:

WINTER COURSE MAINTENANCE

To date, the weather has been ideal to complete numerous tasks on the Club’s courses as we only received 1.35" of rain in November and .63" in December. Ground conditions were dry and firm, which has been ideal to complete tree work throughout the property, focusing mainly on trees that are safety hazards. Dead and dying trees pose a threat to members, guests, and staff. Like last year, we will be replanting a new tree to the left of #7 East to replace the two dying trees depicted below.

Additional plantings will also take place on both sides of the driving range tees, adjacent to the fence along Mays Chapel and Jenifer Roads, near the barn hole on #6 (replace oak tree extensively damaged by cicadas), and to the right of #14 East green where a large oak had died. In December, conditions were ideal to complete fairway aeration on both courses, as well as core aeration and topdressing the East greens. In late December, our team installed turf covers on the bermudagrass playing areas established this past summer (with the exception of the Driving Range fairway). While there is no guaranteed way to prevent winter injury, covers provide the best level of protection for bermudagrass grown on a sand base during freezing temperatures. Extreme cold temperatures can be lethal to warm-season grass (below 20 degrees for an extended period). These special covers also allow air, water, and sunlight to penetrate, which act similar to a greenhouse effect by increasing the surface and soil temperatures. This will also benefit the perennial ryegrass which was overseeded into the IronCutter Bermuda turf.

Regarding cold temperatures on the bentgrass fairways and greens, the 007 creeping bentgrass is incredibly tolerant of freezing temperatures and unaffected by the cold temperatures. However, we will be installing covers on heavily divoted areas (collection areas at bottom of slopes) on #14 and #15 East to insure these areas have recovered and are ready for the coming golf season. Finally, if you have driven by our Five Farms campus in December, you may have seen sprinklers running throughout the property. You may ask yourself if we really need water since growth has slowed and the grass has gone offcolor. The answer is yes, due to the low amounts of rain we received. While the grass has slowed and somewhat offcolor, it is still growing very slowly and the cold, dry, and windy weather can rapidly dry out the soil and plant tissue. This is especially true on all the surfaces which have been recently aerated. As a result of this drying or desiccation, damage can happen and it’s often not visible until spring. ◆

#14 turf cover

#15 turf cover

In last month’s Lifestyle issue, Director of Horticulture Cathy Wagner wrote about the Club’s efforts to preserve the American elm trees at our Five Farms campus as Phase 1 of our Lifestyle Facilities Master Plan is underway. Part of preserving the elm trees involves evaluating the health of the remaining elms throughout the property. Last September, we noticed that one of the elms, mixed amongst the Osage Orange trees along Mays Chapel Road, was declining. We consulted with our Licensed Maryland Tree Expert and ISA Certified Arborist who specializes in the maintenance and care of these trees, and he determined that this 40' American elm had a large dead leader in the center that accounts for roughly 20-25% of the canopy, and the remaining portions appear to be thinning and possibly dying back as well. While the cause is unclear, it could be related to excessive utility pruning and/or phytotoxicity from past treatment for Dutch elm disease. While the tree did not appear to be symptomatic for Dutch elm disease at this time, it was recommended for removal since the decline process will likely continue, which would attract elm bark beetle (vector for Dutch elm disease) and put other, more valued elms at Five Farms at risk for infection, particularly the trees located at the clubhouse location. ◆

WHAT IS DUTCH ELM DISEASE?

Dutch elm disease is a serious, lethal disease that infects many elm species including American, Winged, Slippery, Rock, and September elms. Symptoms typically appear in May as wilted branches that show yellow, then brown leaves. Dried leaves may remain attached to the branches or fall, leaving bare twigs. As symptoms progress, entire limbs may show wilt symptoms and once the infection reaches the trunk, the entire tree may wilt. In older trees, wilt symptoms may progress throughout the canopy for several years before death occurs. This fungal disease enters through feeding wounds made by the native elm bark beetle and the more prevalent, smaller, European elm bark beetle. Beetles breed beneath the bark of dying or recently dead elms. Infected or stressed trees emit an odor that attracts beetles to them for breeding and egglaying. In addition, female beetles also emit attractants that lure additional beetles to declining trees. Beetles that emerge from infected trees typically are covered with fungal spores growing in the pupal chambers. Beetles flying to other trees spread the spores to other trees.

Infected beetles emerge and fly to healthy trees

Fungus produces fruiting bodies

The larvae develop under the bark

THE CYCLE

In the course of feeding, the beetles infect the tree with the fungus

Disease develops in the tree

Tree is weakened to where beetles bore through the bark and lay eggs under it

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

The chief strategy for control of Dutch elm disease is through early removal of newly infected branches to interrupt the spread by elm bark beetles. Ideally, removal should occur within two to three weeks after symptoms appear during the growing season. Diseased wood should be chipped and removed. Pruning cuts should be made at a branch fork at least 10' below visible streaking in the sapwood. Pruning is most effective if less than five percent of the crown is affected. High-value trees may be appropriately injected with systemic fungicides, administered by a licensed arborist.