Sustained Cold Puts The Course on Hold

This has been quite a streak of frost days. Twelve of the last thirteen days with heavy frost and highs less than 60 have even caused the ground to freeze in shaded areas. 

A ground freeze in Los Gatos is quite rare. I am well versed in cold temperatures after living in Truckee for nearly 15 years. To grow grass in cold climates takes a lot of patience, and good planning prior to the onset of the grass stopping growth. In our case we applied our Poa herbicide right before the frost which was great timing, producing great results.

Dead Poa near the 13th tee

During the early frosty mornings when golf course maintenance can not get onto the turf projects are done.

Sprinkler head leveling and edging

Edging at #14 tee and bathroom

Additional mulch was added on the 17th, 6th and 3rd holes, although it is not pictured here.

Soon the temperatures will be back closer to normal and the grass will grow a little more and the projects will have to be put on hold, but for now we are being productive with our down time in the mornings.

Future projects include changing out the sprinkler heads on the driving range, adding drainage between the back of 9 tee and 8 green, and more tree thinning to lessen the impact of frost on the select areas of the course.

Kevin