Covering Ultradwarf Greens Cancel The title field is required!

1. Shelia Finney

   

   11 posts
   
   1/17/2013 12:01 PM

   Afternoon,
   
   I'm trying to gather some data as back up. Those of you who have an ultradwarf what is your criteria for pulling your covers. What does the low have to be for how long and how high would the daytime temp be to cause you to decide not to cover. Try to be specific.
   
   Thanks,
   Shelia Finney
   Gaylord Springs Golf Links
   Nashville, Tn

   
   
   
   
2. Jason Baker

   

   12 posts
   
   1/17/2013 12:01 PM

   Sheila, I tell my members we will cover when the air temp is forecasted to be below 25 "for an extended period of time". There are several variables that factor in how long that time needs to be before I have concern. Soil moisture, forecasted wind speeds, current soil temps to name a few.
   I seldom cover the greens if it is going to be a one night event, no matter how cold, the soil temps just sdo not fall that far over night, unless they are very dry, and it is windy.

   
   
   
   
3. Jennings Dustin T

   
   1/17/2013 12:01 PM

   The rule of thumb I've used is if the daytime temps are not going to get above freezing for 3 days in a row then I'll cover the greens. If it's only going to be 1 night of below freezing temps then I'd leave uncovered. It mostly depends on wind chill. If i saw the temperatures were going to get down in the teens for one night, then i may cover them just as a precaution. I've found that my greens that sit in mostly shade all day may need to be covered more often than the others because they just don't warm up as fast during the day.

   
   
   
   
4. Andy Scott

   

   0 posts
   
   1/17/2013 5:01 PM

   I've always considered 25 degrees as the temp to cover or not. If the daytime temp was 58 degrees and dropped to 25 at night, but the next days high is 55, then I don't worry about covering. If that was my low but was not getting out of the 30's the next day I cover. Like Jason said, there are many other variables that factor in my decision.

   
   
   
   
5. Smith Kerry L

   
   1/18/2013 11:01 AM

   If forecast call for temps to be below freezing for more than 24 hrs. Ex: 22 tonight 28 tomorrow and 23 tomorrow night we cover. 24 tonight 39 tomorrow and 27 tomorrow night no covers. There is no perfect answer here. They are an insurance policy only and not a guarantee. Better to cover and not need than to need and not have covered.
   I seem to remember reading that they only keep temps 12-14 degrees warmer than ambient temps anyway so in the right situation you have done all you could have done to protect your turf and could still get popped.