1/5/2014 9:01 AM
Patrick, I am woefully ignorant of the practice of covering bermudagrass greens with ice...it makes me nervous thinking about it. In the citrus industry they have success with 'ice covers', but they make near constant applications of water. I think it works for them, because they are almost always forming an ice layer. The formation of ice is an exothermic reaction; meaning, it gives off a small degree of heat. This is the opposite of water evaporating, which absorbs heat and cools the surrounding air (endothermic). In the citrus industry, I think the practice can modify surface temperature one to two degrees and has a relatively short benefit (a couple of days). In this regard, it seems unreasonable to incorporate the practice from the citrus industry into to golf industry--our 'fruit' is not hanging in the air and we can not make near constant applications of water. Thus, the question remains, "Does an existing layer of ice on a bermudagrass green protect or insulate the plant?"...again, I am woefully ignorant. Good luck...sometimes we need it, Darryl