Less area treated is more work

One of our late fall/early winter tasks we do, is making an application of pre-emergent herbicide for Crabgrass control next year.  While we use the same product in the rough each year, we alternate active ingredients used on the fairways from year to year.  Depending on the product used on fairways, the application timing can range from December to May.

The fact that we did not treat the 34 acres of fairways this fall, might make you think that the process was faster and easier than in years when we apply the same product wall to wall.  However, in reality, what this meant was that much less work could be done with a tractor, and much more had to be done with the guys pushing spreaders.

Not treating fairways led to little tractor work, and much more hand spreader work.

This may make more sense when viewed from above.  For example, while #9 has a whole lot of acreage, when we are only treating the Primary Rough and Fescue on the hole, there is little that can be done by tractor.  The entire outline of the hole was covered by hand spreaders, in order to avoid getting product on fairways or in the lakes.

The fairways will receive their pre-emergent herbicide next spring with a sprayable formulation.  With so much work in the spring, getting the rough taken care of now, will mean one less thing on the to-do list then.