Not exactly a game-changer

 Winter often provides us with an opportunity to get caught up on the latest turf research, and help to plan for the upcoming season.  With this in mind, a webinar related to weed management in Fine Fescue areas seemed like something worthy of attending. 

So, what did we learn?  Well, not surprisingly, we found out that in most situations, achieving the goals of thin, wispy, penal--but with no weeds--isn't easy:

We were also made aware of the fact that referring to these as "Goldilocks" areas isn't too far from reality.  If you want to discourage weed encroachment, a thick, healthy stand of turf, is among the best options.  However, too thick, also means lost, unplayable balls:

If you go on the thin side, which may help playability, these areas often become a playground for weeds:

The presentation also pointed out that unwanted irrigation water can exacerbate the weed issues:

But how about weed control in Fine Fescue areas?  Well, when the phrase, "Temper expectations" is used under a heading of improving control, it's hard to be encouraged:

While it certainly wasn't the fault of the presenter in this webinar, the information largely acted to confirm much of what we already knew--these areas are far from low maintenance, and there is no silver bullet to get them into the "just right" zone all of the time.