In the final days of the golfing season this autumn we are preparing our putting surfaces for winter and the next golfing season. We core aerated our greens a little over one month ago, which has allowed us to grow a deeper thicker root structure. Timely fertilization with an emphasis on Potassium will provide for better plant and root health. Because top growth starts to decline more and more as fall progresses. the plant instead uses its energy to produce roots. Fertilization throughout fall will help improve root structure and overall plant health. In fall we also tend to water greens less, to allow roots to dig deeper in search for water, instead of over watering which keeps roots at the surface.
And lastly, we will be slowly raising the height of cut on our putting surfaces. In the coming weeks we should expect green speeds to be slower. The higher the height of cut, the better and healthier the root structure. By preparing now we give turfgrasses the opportunity to utilize the nice weather to make itself healthy so that it can better withstand the stresses of winter and summer.
