2008 Scouting Reports
During the season we write weekly scouting reports of our communication with superintendents. We include pictures, research, and weather data to show what is being encountered or approaching us in the region. These are a great tool to share with assistants and green committee members.
To be included on the mailing list please contact Derek Settle with your name, place of employment, and your e-mail address.
Click a date below for a pdf document of the scouting report for that week. The pdf will open in a new window and you will be able to save a copy of the document to your computer.
January
February
February 29, 2008 - Winter continues in Illinois.
March
March 7, 2008 - Rapid melt, flood, then freeze. Pink snow mold.
March 14, 2008 - Show disappears in Chicago. Pink snow mold and winterkill.
March 28, 2008 - Soil thaws, and more snow. Pink snow mold observations and research on winter injury.
April
April 4, 2008 - A slow warm-up. Winter injury, gray and pink snow mold, and flooding.
April 11, 2008 - Cool, rainy conditions continue. Fairy ring, moss, and winter injury.
April 18, 2008 - Significant warm-up and Forsythia bloom. Residual winter injury, shade influences winterkill, and Poa annua seedhead timing perfect.
April 25, 2008 - Spring has Sprung. Rhizoctonia yellow patch, insect activity begins, crabgrass and dandilions, water quality, and Poa seedheads observed.
May
May 2, 2008 - Trees have leaves. Freezing (again), Rhizoctonia yellow patch only disease, clover appears, and dandilions everywhere.
May 9, 2008 - Crabapples and lilacs flower. Few issues: Moss and Poa annua seedheads.
May 16, 2008 - Offcolor in Chicago: Purple bentgrass, sod webworm, and La Nina winter.
May 21, 2008 - Chicago is cool: Abnormal soil temperatures, fairy ring, grub damage, and some research.
May 30, 2008 - Hints of warming: Localized dry spot, black turfgrass ataenius, Waitea/Rhizoctonia (the transitional disease), and fairy ring research begins.
June
June 6, 2008 - Warm, humid, and windy: Dollar spot appears, a new team member, Waitea/Rhizoctonia peaks, and Peoria's Turfmeister?
June 13, 2008 - Wet and warm: Dollar spot progresses, bentgrass leaf spot, and fairy ring.
June 20, 2008 - Optimal growing conditions: Dollar spot ebbs, Waitea surges, and gypsy moth.
June 27, 2008 - Temperatures shift upwards: Dollar spot hits northern suburbs, summer patch arrives, and japanese beetles eat in Southern IL.
July
July 3, 2008 - Fourth of July weekend: Japanese beetles arrive in Chicago and Central IL, and emerald ash borer question, Bipolaris leaf spot on a fairway, and dollar spot progresses.
July 11, 2008 - A warm week: Anthracnose basal stem rot, fairy ring, summer patch, dollar spot progresses, and red thread.
July 18, 2008 - Summer heat: Brown patch appears, anthracnose basal stem rot, gypsy moths have 1 generation, and Purdue's field day.
July 25, 2008 - Hot humid and peak disease pressure and then a break: First occurrence of Pythium blight, brown patch, dollar spot, and Wisconsin's field day.
August
August 1, 2008 - It's August: Physiological decline reaches Chicago, anthracnose basal stem rot, Pythium blight risk high, and fairy ring begins upswing.
August 8, 2008 - Is it August?: Midsummer heat dissipates, diseases subside, and turfgrass perfectionism turns to weeds/insects.
August 15, 2008 - A dry down!: Fairy ring upsurge, anthracnose basal stem rot of Poa annua threatens, and a case of Bipolaris leaf spot on bentgrass.
August 22, 2008 - Drought stress: Summer patch of Kentucky bluegrass, anthracnose basal stem rot of bentgrass fairways and fairy ring.
August 28, 2008 - Labor Day: Dollar spot surges, and a minor outbreak of brown patch as summer ends.
September
September 5, 2008 - It's September: A final hot, dry period quenched by a long cool rain. Dollar spot, summer patch, Japanese beetles and some research.
September 12, 2008 - Feels like Fall: Cool and Wet: The Illinois turfgrass field day, earthworms, and dollar spot.
September 19, 2008 - Significant flooding.
September 25, 2008 - Fall has arrived!: Dry conditions, dollar spot, Bipolaris leaf spot, watching/waiting for white grub damage.
October
October 3, 2008 - It's October!: First observed frost, core aerification healed quickly, dollar spot update, fairy ring outbreaks, and Poa trivialis stands out.
October 17, 2008 - All is quiet...: Fall's cool-down continues. Dollar spot returned on a warm weekend, grubs went largely missing in action, and a Crop Science meeting.
November
November 18, 2008 - Welcome to winter... It snowed!: A wish comes true, Bentgrass variety research, dollar spot irritates us, and preventative snow mold applications.
December
