Sweet Heart Winery Project.....

I was extremely excited when the owner of Sweetheart Winery in Loveland, Colorado, first contacted me concerning some agronomic consulting of the property.  Having been to the winery on a few occasions, I really loved their grounds. I always looked at the lawn areas thinking they could be something really special with the correct agronomic program.

After a meeting and walk-around with the owner, I was hired to do the exact thing I had thought about - come up with an agronomic plan for the property! So, I went to work on the perfect plan.  When you work as an agronomic consultant, there aren’t many times when someone tells you to do whatever it takes to get turf areas where they need to be. Starting with a blank canvas is always a good way to start. 

The winery sits on the Big Thompson River and is a very environmentally sensitive area.  In 2013, the river flooded and caused some major issues. The river restoration was just completing in the area at the time of my involvement with the property. Knowing the entire situation, the owner requested the use of an organic fertilizer source. It didn’t take me long to realize that one of my favorite fertilizers, Milorganite, would be my choice for this project. Milorganite is a natural slow-release fertilizer that I had used for some 35 years during my career as a golf course superintendent, and always was the mainstay of my nutritional program. Being a natural slow-release, Milorganite would offer the characteristics we would need. With the Big Thompson River flowing along the property, we wanted to protect the water quality and have no leaching of nutrients into the water. With the nitrogen in Milorganite, I knew there would be no leaching. We also wanted to build the soil structure and I knew that with the nitrogen from Milorganite, soil microorganisms would start to proliferate during the breakdown of the nitrogen. This would help build soil health quickly. With the winery only being open for two years, with minimal professional turf management, building long-term soil health was a goal of mine for the property. The iron in Milorganite would also be a big plus, as we could get some instant greening of the turf. Even though the use of Milorganite would be the mainstay of the overall fertility plan, there were other items to address as well.

The Winery is located on the Big Thompson River.

Although the property was not that old, the irrigation system certainly needed to have an audit performed. No matter what the nutritional plan was, if the irrigation coverage wasn’t good, the turf health would be the same. So, I performed a complete audit of the system. This audit identified many fix-its which would make the system perform more efficiently. Items such as crooked heads, broken/clogged nozzles, minor leaks, and programming were all evaluated and fixed. Once the irrigation was working well, I new we were ready to get the turf in great shape.

With the turf condition very thin and weak, I decided to also include a small amount of urea (0.25#/N/M) as a jump-start for the turf. I also incorporated some humic acid as part of the nutrient program. I have now termed the program “The Hybrid Method” which means a small amount of synthetic plus a larger fraction of organic.

There was one more item to address at the winery and that was watering. The owner had asked me to do whatever we could to save on the water bill. Domestic water in Colorado is very expensive, so anything would be helpful. Colorado also experiences some very consistent dry weather with very low relative humidity. It’s not uncommon to have ET (evapotranspiration) rates run as high as 0.35” + per day. So, I knew that there was no doubting the fact that the use of a wetting agent would make perfect sense for these issues. Although there are many manufacturers’ claims of what wetting agents do, the research tells us there are two definite benefits - they reduce surface tension and produce better soil moisture uniformity. Needless to say, I decided to incorporate a wetting agent as part of the overall management plan.

Before Photo.

At six weeks after irrigation audit and product applications.

I’m very pleased to say the results have been truly fantastic. The grounds at the winery have improved tremendously since the initial applications.  Going forward,  I believe regular Milorganite and wetting agent applications will be the backbone of turfgrass health at the Sweetheart Winery. Stay tuned to the blog for future updates.

TurfNet TV - Latest Video is Live.......

My latest video for TurfNet.com is live. This video is a follow-up to my previous video, the first ONCOURSE Turf Quiz. In this video I give the answers to the Turf Quiz. Check it out and see how you did. The quiz was a collection of just some of the issues I've seen in my travels over the past couple of years. Hope you had fun with it, because that's what it's all about. View HERE. As always, thanks to my supporting sponsor, Tanto Irrigation.

TurfNetTV - Latest Video is Live....

My latest ON COURSE video for TurfNet.com is live. In this video I chat with Matt Gourlay, CGCS - superintendent at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, KS. We discuss his "More is Less" philosphy about turfgrass management. Matt also gives us some insight about what it meant to be named TurfNet Superintendent of the Year back in 2015. Please click HERE to view. As always, thanks to my supporting sponsor Tanto Irrigation

Vole Control on the Golf Course

There is no debating the fact that one of the biggest issues for superintendents in the mountain west are those little pesky voles. Voles are rodents and a relative of the mouse. There are over 100 species of voles. The meadow vole is responsible for the bulk of the damage in a turfgrass situation. Voles are herbivores and the majority of their diet consists of grass stems and leaves. In the summertime voles migrate to thick taller grassy/native areas for protection against predators. However, when snowfall arrives they have protection under snow cover and this is the time they migrate to fine turf areas and can cause damage. This makes golf course turfgrass very susceptible to damage during wintertime period. Voles cause turf damage by chewing grass plants extremely low to the ground. They chew so low they cause damage to the crown of the plant. Voles also create runways in the winter, first by chewing the plants, then by using these to forage for additional food each day. These runways can see extensive traffic throughout the winter as voles forage each day on 10-15 trips through these runways.

Vole Damage in a fairway situation with no Milorganite applied. 

Generally speaking, voles don’t directly kill the turf plant. Although if they damage the crown of the plant extensively, it is possible. The main issue with vole damage is the slow recovery of the turf in the spring. With the combination of cold soil temperatures and damaged turf plants in the spring, recovery can be extremely slow. The other issue with vole damage is its effect on playability. When a golf ball lands in one of the vole tunnels it can nestle down and make for a very poor lie. So until complete recovery occurs playability suffers.

Vole Damage to Kentucky Bluegrass tee surrounds. The tee surface received
 an application of Milorganite and sand topdressing and is not touched!

Controlling voles is extremely difficult if not impossible. Over the year’s superintendents have tried many different products with minimal success. One product I found which shows some vole repellency is Milorganite fertilizer. I discovered this primarily by accident. I have used Milorganite fertilizer for many years as a dormant feed on greens, tees, and fairways. What I didn’t realize was all those years of apply Milorganite, I was also repelling voles in those areas. 

All the years we applied Milorganite to the fairways we were getting
a side benefit of vole control, which we really discovered in 2014.

This came to light during the winter of 2014-15. That fall we had early snow cover and only finished 11 fairways with our Milorganite application. That spring we had extensive vole damage on fairways that didn’t receive the Milorganite application. We also noticed that spring that late season topdressing applications also reduced vole damage. With this in mind, we decided to apply Milorganite to the rough as well in the fall of 2015. We also set-up some small test areas with check plots to test our theory.

Some testing I performed in some grassy hollows which every year suffers
from vole damage. No Milorganite applied on the left and 0.75#N/M applied
to the right. Totally clean from any damage with the Milorganite.

In the spring of 2016 we were amazed at almost the complete lack of vole damage on the property. Our test plots also show without question that Milorganite certainly repels vole activity. We used a rate of 0.75#/N/M in all the rough and in our test areas. The results were fantastic. With this in mind, ONCOURSETurf, LLC set-up some independent testing in the fall of 2017 at some other local golf facilities, Sonnenalp Club and Red Sky Ranch. All test plots were 25 square feet and received a rate of one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Plots were established in areas of consistent vole damage each spring. Most areas were north facing, which allowed prolonged snow cover. In mid-April this past spring after snowmelt, I was able to observe the results from those test plots. The past winter season was a low pressure vole year, meaning the voles were not as active as other years. The main reason for this was the lack of snowfall and the lack of duration of what snow was received. With voles primarily active under snowcover. No snow cover equals no voles. There was some snow cover however and we did see some positive results with the Milorganite use. The rate used for the test plots was 1#/N/M. Take a look at some of my findings below.

Voles active in the area, but the Milorganite plot stayed clean from any damage.

In this test plot we had heavy vole damage on two sides, but the plot was generally clean.
The arrow shows vole entry into the plot from the right side, but it appears there was
repellency as very minimal damage occurred.
  

Another observation from the test plots was spring green-up. At the time of the test plot observations, soil temperatures were in the high 30's. In the photos below you can already see some spring green up occurring even with these extremely cold soil temperatures.

Initial spring green-up noticed immediately after snowmelt with soil temperatures in the high 30's.

Although it wasn't a high pressure vole year, there were certainly some indications that Milorganite can be effective for vole repellency. Presently, I am in the process of establishing some new testing on some of Colorado's front range courses to study this repellency further. Stay tuned.
Special thanks to Milorganite and WinField United for their support in establishing these test plots. 

To summarize, Milorganite certainly shows some control for vole damage. This fertilizer is a great option for a dormant fertility program with getting additional side effects of vole repellency. Getting two things accomplished with one product, that is a big plus! To read the benefits of Milorganite as a dormant fertility product click HERE

Greens Construction Amendments......

When it comes to USGA greens construction, the addition of rootzone organic amendments can certainly make a major difference during the grow-in/establishment phase. Many times, superintendents are under tremendous pressure to establish new greens as fast as possible and get them ready for play. The use of amendments is a great way to help accomplish this. One organic amendment, Milorganite, has been one of the most used and successful amendments for greens construction for many years. I’ve personally used Milorganite as an amendment in greens construction throughout my career and have seen excellent results. I would personally not perform any greens construction and grow-in without the supplemental use of Milorganite.

Adding an organic amendment such as Milorganite during greens
construction can enhance establishment dramatically. 

Research was conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison using various organic fertilizer amendments showed some very interesting results. All plots treated with amendments showed more rapid grow-in than the control plot. The study also found that adding additional organic materials to the rootzone mix increased firmness and stability, improved water retention and water infiltration rates, enhanced color, increased rooting depth and reduced phosphorous deficiency symptoms.

This photo shows the incredible rooting and establishment of a USGA
green I constructed a few years ago with the use of Milorganite. 

As you can see in the graph below, Milorganite amended plots rated numerically higher or, at minimum, equal to the highest treatment, in all categories. Adding Milorganite to the original off-site mix or as an on-site supplement increased the establishment and performance of the new greens construction plots.

As fall golf course renovation hits full stride, consider adding an organic amendment such as Milorganite to your rootzone mix for superior grow-in and establishment of USGA greens construction.

Vole Test Plots Results

Last fall, I established some test plots using Milorganite fertilizer for vole repellency. You can read about it HERE In mid-April after snowmelt, I was able to observe the results from those test plots. This past winter season was a low pressure vole year, meaning the voles were not as active as other years. The main reason for this was the lack of snowfall and the lack of duration of what snow was recieved. Voles are primarily active under snowcover. No snow cover equals no voles. There was some snow cover however and we did see some positive results with the Milorganite use. The rate used for the test plots was 1#/N/M. Take a look at some of my findings below.

Voles active in the area, but the Milorganite plot stayed clean from any damage.

In this test plot we had heavy vole damage on two sides, but the plot was generally clean.
The arrow shows vole entry into the plot from the right side, but it appears there was
repellency as very minimal damage occurred.
  

Another observation from the test plots was spring green-up. At the time of the test plot observations, soil temperatures were in the high 30's. In the photos below you can already see some spring green up occurring even with these extremely cold soil temperatures.

Initial spring green-up noticed immediately after snowmelt with soil temperatures in the high 30's.

Although it wasn't a high pressure vole year, there were certainly some indications that Milorganite can be effective for vole repellency. This fall, I plan to establish some new test plots to study this repellency further. Stay tuned.

Vole Test Plots Established

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit with both the Sonnenalp Club and Red Sky Ranch. The purpose of my visit was to establish some test plots for vole repellency/control using Milorganite organic fertilizer. Thanks to Neil Tretter, Sonnenalp Club and Michael Miner, Red Sky Ranch for being such great hosts and allowing me to perform this testing.

All test plots were 25 square feet and received a rate of one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Plots were established in areas of consistent vole damage each spring. Most areas were north facing, which will allow prolonged snow cover.

For many years I have noticed vole repellency using Milorganite. These test plots will give me a chance to replicate my past results at other facilities. Can't wait till spring to evaluate. 

Special thanks to Milorganite and WinField United for their support in establishing these test plots.

Here I am, being a mad scientist, weighing material for the test plots. 

This particular test plot at Sonnenalp had already seen some vole activity. 

Many test plots were established next to the native grass to obtain 
the most vole activity.

Explaining to Sonnenalp Club superintendent, Neil Tretter about Milorganite.

Preparing a test plot while Neil looks on.

Always fun driving to the Red Sky facility to see how they blended the outside 
of their building to the development.

Besides establishing Milorganite plots, Red Sky Ranch Director of GC Maintenance, 
Mike Miner and myself enjoyed a lot of Turf Talk, while on top of the world! 

Many test plots were established on north facing slopes to hold the snow 
cover the longest. This plot at Red Sky was shaded at 1:15pm.

With the course closed, Red Sky was as peaceful as could be. 
Always felt I'm on the top of the world when visiting here.

Vole Management in Turf

One of the biggest issues for superintendents in the mountain west are those little pesky voles. Voles are rodents and a relative of the mouse. There are over 100 species of voles. The meadow vole is responsible for the bulk of the damage in a turfgrass situation. Voles are herbivores and the majority of their diet consists of grass stems and leaves. In the summertime voles migrate to thick taller grassy areas for protection against predators. However, when snowfall arrives they have protection under the snow and this is the time they migrate to fine turf areas and cause damage. This makes golf course turf very susceptible to wintertime damage. Voles cause turf damage by chewing grass plants extremely low to the ground and can chew so low they cause damage to the crown of the plant. Voles also create runways in the winter, first by chewing the plants, then by using these to forage for additional food each day. These runways can see extensive traffic throughout the winter as voles forage each day on 10-15 trips.

Vole Damage in a fairway situation with no Milorganite applied. 

Most of the time voles don’t directly kill the turf plant, although if they damage the crown extensively it is possible. The main issue with vole damage is the slow recovery of the turf in the spring. With the combination of cold soil temperatures and damaged turf plants, recovery can be extremely slow. The other issue with vole damage is its effect on playability. When a golf ball lands in one of the vole tunnels, it can nestle down and make for a very poor lie. So until complete recovery happens playability suffers.

Vole Damage to Kentucky Bluegrass tee surrounds. The tee surface received
 an application of Milorganite and sand topdressing and is not touched!

Controlling voles is extremely difficult if not impossible. Over the year’s superintendents have tried many different products with minimal success. One product I found which shows some vole repellency is Milorganite fertilizer. I discovered this primarily by accident. I have used Milorganite fertilizer for many years as a dormant feed on greens, tees, and fairways. What I didn’t realize was all those years of apply Milorganite, I was also repelling voles in those areas. 

All the years we applied Milorganite to the fairways we were getting
a side benefit of vole control, which we really discovered in 2014.

This came to light during the winter of 2014-15. That fall we had early snow cover and only finished 11 fairways with our Milorganite application. That spring we had extensive vole damage on fairways that didn’t receive the Milorganite application. We also noticed that spring that late topdressing applications also reduced vole damage. With this in mind, we decided to apply Milorganite to the rough as well in the fall of 2015. We also set-up some small test areas with check plots to test our theory.

Some testing I performed in some grassy hollows which every year suffers
from vole damage. No Milorganite applied on the left and 0.75#N/M applied
to the right. Totally clean from any damage with the Milorganite.

In the spring of 2016 we were amazed at almost the complete lack of vole damage on the property. Our test plots also show without question that Milorganite certainly repels vole activity. We used rate of 0.75#/N/M in all the rough and in our test areas. The results were fantastic. Not only do you repel voles, you also get the benefits of a great dormant fertilizer application HERE: https://oncourseturf.blogspot.com/2017/10/dormant-fertilization.html . Getting two things accomplished with one product, that is a big plus!