bent/poa and legacy Cancel The title field is required!

1. Jeremy Hreben

   

   0 posts
   
   6/8/2016 8:06 AM

   I have oldish bent/poa greens. Last year I started using Legacy growth regulator instead of just Primo. I made the change for several reasons. One was to increase my regulation effects. The other was to slightly weaken the Poa in hopes I could slowly increase bent populations. I know there are other ways of conversion but all seem to speedy for my likes.
   
   I've noticed the bentgrass is starting to get very leggy. By that I mean the blades of the bent are getting very long. I guess this is one of the effects of using Legacy. Do others guys see the same results?
   
   To combat that, I was thinking of adding motorized brushes to the front of my triplexes. Hoping this would stand up the blades to get a better cut. Or would this be counter intuitive to what I am trying to do with the Legacy?

   
   
   
   
2. Keith Fellenstein

   

   0 posts
   
   6/8/2016 10:06 AM

   That doesn't sound like something you would expect from that growth regulator. I don't use Legacy, but have used individual components and never seen anything like what you're describing. Not to sow any panic, but honestly sounds more like symptoms related to bacterial wilt. You may want to investigate a little more before investing in the brushes...they'll be a good investment regardless, but may not be what you need right now.

   
   
   
   
3. Michael Rogers

   

   2 posts
   
   6/9/2016 1:06 PM

   I second the bacterial wilt possibility
   
   Michael Rogers
   Marbella Golf CC

   
   
   
   
4. Jeremy Hreben

   

   0 posts
   
   6/11/2016 4:06 PM

   I may have not explained myself correctly. I am not experiencing elongation of the plant. I know what that is and what t looks like. I am getting longer leaves, like they are not getting cut. Rather the leaves blades are laying down. The bentgrass seems to be spreading, which I want. But now it is causing some grain issues. Thus the thought of brushes.

   
   
   
   
5. Keith Fellenstein

   

   0 posts
   
   6/14/2016 10:06 AM

   Then yes, brushes and or groomers would help that situation as well as possibly adjusting HOC. Just be careful how much stress you put on the plant at the beginning of the summer. Might want to ride it out and address things when conditions allow for more aggressive practices.

   
   
   
   
6. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   6/14/2016 11:06 AM

   Jeremy,
   
   If your goal is to convert as much as possible to bent what you are seeing is exactly what you want. My verti-cut unit is now fish habitat. I never could understand the want to stop the bent's mechanism for taking over space and thus Poa. I guess I always did it because everyone else was but instinctually I wondered why and all the while seeing Poa populations increase.
   
   Brushing, rolling, and topdressing are the best tools take care of whatever "grain" you are dealing with, although I've never found it to be too much of an issue with ball roll other than maybe early in the spring. Keep rolling the runners and allow the plant to do what it does best....creep.

   
   
   
   
7. Christopher Thuer

   

   101 posts
   
   6/14/2016 7:06 PM

   We mow with the groomers turned on every day. Greatly reduces how much the leaves lay down.

   
   Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN