DROUGHT RECOVERY
Our recent series on the Environmental Benefits of Turf Grass showed all the scientific reasons for keeping grass healthy and green. Golf Burnaby believes that the benefits of a healthy and well-maintained turf plant not only produces a great playing surface, but also provides environmental benefits to the community as well.
After the summer drought in 2015, it was not easy to restore the turf grass to its original condition. Some species of turf grass die under drought conditions, and leave bare soil in its place. Bare soil is prone to erosion, weed infestation, dust development, and a number of other negative effects. Unfortunately, the main type of turf grass in the Pacific Northwest, including the Lower Mainland, dies if it's not exposed to a little water on a weekly basis.
Here is the difference a year makes:
Both at Riverway Golf Course and Burnaby Mountain Golf Course, it took our staff a significant amount of effort to return the golf courses to their current excellent condition. In October 2015, overseeding drought tolerant species, aerification, topdressing, and fertilizing took place on all fairways and some areas of rough. In April 2016, the staff had to go back once again into select areas to ensure complete recovery from the effects of the drought.
Much of the extra work undertaken by the turf care staff at Burnaby Golf could have been avoided if living healthy turf grass was seen from a scientific point of view.
Article by: Peter Sorokovsky, your friendly golf superintendent