Big difference a year makes. We have been getting numerous positive comments on the condition of our greens. My staff and I appreciate it very much. Summer is not over yet and Nematodes are still present in our greens profile. We need to make it through August and we are home free. So what has changed from this season to last season. One big difference is I stopped trying to kill Lance Nematode with conventional Nematicides. This did not work and only made the problem worse. The years up to the time we found out we had a Nematode problem we did not treat our greens for Nematodes. We would have a few problems during the summer the greens would repair themselves or we would plug the bigger areas. I always thought those problems were from drought stress. We now know it was Nematodes. Once I found out trying to kill Nematodes with Nematicides was hurting me I looked for biological controls to fight this pest. The biological products I found have some activity on the Nematodes and there eggs. These products also have an added benefit they help build soil biology which give the Bentgrass plant deeper and stronger root systems. Chitin, Yucca, Harpin protein and compost are the products I add to my program. Chitin is the first product I found that builds soil, tricks the plant to defend itself. Chitin is ground up Crab Shells. I am using this in the liquid and dry form. We are using 6 different products that have liquid or soluble Chitin in them. My greens granular fertilizer we use after aerification has the dry form of Chitin in it. I am also using a product that has Harpin protein in it that helps reduce Nematode eggs and it also helps build soil biology. Yucca plant extract is a natural wetting agent and it also builds soil biology. The last product we are using is compost. I am mixing compost with our aerification sand and incorporating it in the green profile when we aerate greens. The compost helps build our soil biology and it has a fungus in it that feeds on Nematodes. As of today this program is working. These products are not in the main stream golf course fertility and pesticide warehouses. It is sort of like taking a supplement or herb instead of a pharmaceutical pill to treat some disorder. This golf course is a testament that these products have a positive effect to our greens. If we can get to September without significant damage This will be the best year we would have in a long time. These products will also work on your landscape, garden and house plants. Google Crab Shell meal or extract, yucca plant extract or harpin protein. Thanks for reading my blog.
