Probable Frost Delays the next 3 days 10/31-11/2/Greens Aeration Update

As I mentioned in my post earlier in the week, I would expect frost delays the next 3 days which includes Fri-Sun.  We were delayed until 8:30 this morning.  I think you could expect Saturday's delay to be well past 9 a.m. with the late sunrise and with temperatures falling into the upper 20's.  I would check with the pro shop on an approximate start time.  They are predicting some wind overnight Friday but I don't think that will save us with the temperatures predicted to be well below 32.

We brushed the greens again to work the sand around a little bit more and rolled them.  The greens are a little less smooth but we went a couple inches deeper than I normally have been going to give us greater benefit in the long run.  Changing the depth every so often will prevent a compaction layer from forming from the aeration program.  I'm delaying mowing because we left a little more sand on the surface to protect the crowns of the plants  during recovery and help smooth them from play over the last few months.  I would expect that we will put a first mow on them after the weekend cold temperatures.

Next week appears to be in the 60's & 40's so I would expect the greens to improve considerably over the next 7-10 days and we should be back to regular mowing late next week.  As November days continue to pass, we will reduce our mowing schedule and alternate mowing and rolling to begin to allow the turf to slow its growth and harden off toward the end of the month.  An increase of height will also accompany this process to improve turf health going into winter.  I will apply one more growth regulator that is detrimental to the poa annua and will encourage the bent to grow into the more dominant poa annua areas of turf.