Summertime Bermudagrass suppression in action.

                      Bermudagrass:

                     Where did it come from and why do we still have it?   

 

     In the 1950's Whitemarsh Valley CC brought in common Bermuda-grass to ensure green fairways in the summer. The irrigation systems of the day were inadequate to supply the proper coverage for the existing grass. For the next 30 years the club enjoyed dense fairways in the summer and fall but put up with the thin lies in the spring.
     The club decided to change over to Bentgrass in 1994 after a brutal winter killed all the Ryegrass and Poa annua on the fairways. The plan was to spray roundup (non-selective herbicide) to remove all Bermuda, Ryegrass and Poa annua from the fairways only while keeping the rough playable during the grow in of the Bentgrass. This plan succeeded in the fairways but over the years the un-effected Bermuda-grass in the roughs tillered their way into fairways. At this time there are not any products that can outright kill Bermuda-grass and not harm Bentgrass. In  2012 a product came out that actually suppresses Bermuda-grass while being relatively harmless to Bentgrass. This is where we are at today, constant suppression during the summer months and reduced Bermuda-grass the following year.                                                    

 



This is a view of the 10th fairway after treatment of the Bermuda-grass suppression product. It causes the tips of the effected grass to turn white which sticks out compared the green color of the fairway.

 

This is a closer look at common Bermuda-grass while in the suppressed state.

 

 



This is a real up close look at what is going on. Over the past 4 years we have made real head-way in reducing the total Bermuda-grass population on the course, with further reduction expected in the future.