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SUPER tips |
Up the creek
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Illustration by Kelly Neis |
I have a small creek that runs through most of the course. When we have any substantial rain, this creek will bring silt, weed seeds, trash receptacles, etc. I welcome all suggestions for (pre- or post-emergence) weed control. A crew with string trimmers is out of the question.
— Ron Cline, superintendent
Hawks Creek GC
Fort Worth, Texas
13-year GCSAA member
If you don’t mind the burned-out look, treat on a regular basis with Reward only after the plants have had a chance to secure themselves into the bank. That way, the remaining roots help hold the soil during periods of high water. Please don’t treat with a glyphosate product, as you can incur severe erosion along the banks because of nothing holding the soil in place. I wouldn’t use a pre-emergent either, for the same reason.
— Andy Jorgensen, superintendent
Sugarmill Woods CC
Homosassa Springs, Fla.
five-year GCSAA member
We have a creek that runs through our entire course. What we do is burn it out in the early spring. This cleans out a lot of the weed seeds, and the switch grass, etc., comes back better than before. We notify the local fire authorities the day we are going to burn. We also wait for the right wind direction. It takes us about three-fourths of a day. Not sure if you can do this in Texas, but it is OK in South Dakota. Good luck.
— Wayne Bertrand, superintendent
Dawson Creek GC
Scotland, S.D.
eight-year GCSAA member
I have the same situation at my course. The creek was dredged about eight years ago, and the “dirt” was piled on the driving range side of the bank. This makes it almost impossible to get close enough with a deck mower to keep the weeds down to an acceptable height. My solution is a PTO-driven sickle-bar mower. I’m in the process of purchasing one we tried from a local farmer. The mower hooks on the back of the tractor and raises up and down on the right side. All we have to do is drive along the bank with the bar hanging down over the edge, and we’re done for a few weeks.
— Don Gelwick, superintendent
Blackwell (Okla.) GC
five-year GCSAA member
Lesco sells a hand wand that looks like a hockey stick with a wick on the end. Fill the plastic stick with a herbicide of your choice and wick the weeds as they grow. You can spot treat fast and only on the unwanted weeds.
— John Nowakowski, superintendent
Port Huron GC
Fort Gratiot, Mich.
18-year GCSAA member
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