GREENKEEPER BLOG

Shade Management is Growth Management

Turf growing under shade stress is difficult to manage. Most grass species evolved in sunny growing environments. That means shorter day lengths and lower sun elevations during the fall can quickly lead to problems. The cause is simple, really. Energy in (sunlight) is...

Grow-in Guidance: Tools to Track Overseeding Progress

The process of seeding newly renovated turf areas or overseeding dormant bermudagrass can be stressful. Golf course and sports fields operators need these surface back in-play quickly. Turf managers are tasked with several decisions regarding seed variety and pricing,...

Mad-Tiller Disease

Bacterial etiolation or "Mad-Tiller" disease is a very frustrating growth disorder that has perplexed many turfgrass managers and researchers. While the Kerns and Vargas labs have independently shown the rapid leaf growth rate is most likely the result of bacterial...

When Half an Inch Is Not

Not all precipitation events are created equal. That was definitely the case in Southeast Nebraska during the last week of July 2024. The high temperatures had been around 100F with dew points were in the 70s. Any storm that develops during those conditions can...

HOW-TO Guide: Water Resource Planner

The Water Resource Planner in GreenKeeper App is the most powerful irrigation scheduling tool in the professional turfgrass management market. It uses advance agronomic and meteorological models to predict changes in soil moisture with hourly resolution. While the...

Nightly Irrigation Guidance Comes to GreenKeeper App

It's always a tough call. Should we irrigate tonight or stretch it another day? Make the wrong decision and you'll be hand-watering wilt tomorrow afternoon. So you decide to water, but how many minutes are required? Over-watering not only wastes water and money, but...

One Easy Task Will Transform Your Management Program

I can assure you that this simple task, taking less than one minute each day, will provide valuable insight that directly impacts agronomic decisions. It is the most valuable piece of data that I collect, and it’s my biggest pet peeve when it’s skipped. This measurement predicts putting green performance, helps schedule mowing and topdressing frequency, and guides PGR and nitrogen application rates. It also helps me manage high and low performing greens differently. Still, there are a lot of questions about how to collect, log and use the data. This short article will help answer those questions.

Experience GreenKeeper CIS at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show

Are you interested in GreenKeeper App but don’t know where to start? Maybe you’re curious about GreenKeeper CIS and want try it at your course. Join our GreenKeeper team at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Phoenix.

Making the Case for GPS Sprayer Technology

Access to GPS-equipped technologies have exploded in the turfgrass management industry over the past decade. These technologies monitor soil moisture, measure turf health, and improve application precision. The rise of GPS-enabled sprayers offer the potential to...

Revamped GreenKeeper University Enhances Flexibility

To add flexibility for students around the world, GreenKeeper University classes has moved to a self-paced, asynchronous, delivery system. Students gain immediate access to the course after they enroll and have no time limit to complete the course content.

Don’t Let the Tail Wag the Dog

Don’t Let the Tail Wag the Dog

Many factors influence turfgrass growth rate. Some are beyond the manager's control while others are frequently manipulated through normal management. Environmental factors including the recent weather and soil conditions, turfgrass genetics, traffic levels and even...

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Invest in Yourself & Your Staff this Off-Season

Invest in Yourself & Your Staff this Off-Season

Labor shortages continue to be a major threat to the turf management industry. Field managers, golf course superintendents, and LCOs from around the country have struggled to find and retain qualified turfgrass professionals at all levels. Many managers have to...

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Moving Beyond PGR GDD Intervals

Moving Beyond PGR GDD Intervals

For nearly 15 years, Dr. Doug Soldat and I have been creating growing degree day (GDD) models for plant growth regulators (PGRs) and now DMI fungicides. These sinewave shaped models predict how these routinely applied products affect the relative growth rate of...

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Be Careful with Fall Growth Regulation

Be Careful with Fall Growth Regulation

Fall weather is coming, and that should bring changes to your plant growth regulator applications. For over a decade, we've known that PGRs - and even DMI fungicides - produce longer growth suppression during cooler weather. This is why we use growing degree day (GDD)...

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Application Summary Aids EOP Planning

Application Summary Aids EOP Planning

Early fall can be a stressful time of year for golf course superintendents and field managers. Staffing levels start to decline as students head back to school, the summer stress doesn't seem to end, and Early Order Programs for pest control products, wetting agents...

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Mixing PGRs can transform your putting greens

Mixing PGRs can transform your putting greens

Doug Soldat and I have been developing PGR growing degree day (GDD) models since 2008. These models have helped turfgrass managers understand how clipping yield - a.k.a. ClipVol - is affected by a single PGR application. They also provide golf course superintendents,...

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