Mushrooms and weeds on greens

[taylormade_06]

Hoping some greenkeepers read this.

 

My course cored its greens three months ago. They have since recovered from that, but for the last two months there have been mushrooms and starweeds on the greens. Could it have something to do with the climate or dirty equipment used in the coring process? Could the mushrooms be appearing out of the old core holes? There doesn't seem to be much effort being taken to solve the problem, so does anyone have any advice I can pass on?

 

Thanks.

[Fellaheen51]

Well, ah......Don't eat the mushrooms or smoke the weeds?

[starsail85]

weeds tend to appear whenever there is space within the grass sward, and the core holes obviously provide this space for weed seeds to develop.For all the good hollow coring does, it does have several drawbacks with several things such as disease and weed infestation resulting from the stress factors provided by the coring

The mushrooms you mention are usually resulting from climatic conditions, more common on wet, fertile soils. They are very easy to get rid of, so I can only assume that the greenkeeper in question is either trying to promote some kind of new soil environment or he doesnt care

Im not sure about contamination from equipment, as my expertise on fungal spores is limited. some disease pathogens can remain on equipment and cause issues on turf if used again in a short space of time.

Bottom line is they are easy to remove culturally or chemically, so the GK must have a reason not to sort them

[Parker0065]

[quote name='Fellaheen51' timestamp='1388230426' post='8358425']
Well, ah......Don't eat the mushrooms or smoke the weeds?
[/quote]

Classic!!!!

You beat me to the punch!

[2putttom]

If the aeration (coring) equipment is not cleaned thoroughly then it is possible for cross contamination to take place. Where I work we have three aeration wheels, all three are color coded so that the possibility of cross contamination is greatly reduced.

[highflyer13]

[quote name='Parker0065' timestamp='1388249403' post='8359207']
[quote name='Fellaheen51' timestamp='1388230426' post='8358425']
Well, ah......Don't eat the mushrooms or smoke the weeds?
[/quote]

Classic!!!!

You beat me to the punch!
[/quote]
Saw the thread title and had to check I was on golfwrx still haha.

[502 to Right]

Invite some stoners to play the course. Problem solved. Just make sure the snack shop is well stocked with Doritos and Cheetos.

[ABgolfer2]

I think we're all wondering what effect mushrooms and weed would have on our putting.

[butch33611]

Putting would be like playing pinball. You hit it off this bumper then that one then....ding ding ding....BIRDIE!!!

[FlyFish]

I heard of a company that brings a herd of grazing hippies over to your property to take care these kinds of problems. All that you have to do is supplement their diet with beer and granola. If they start getting lazy, just play some Phish music - that usually gets them moving again.

[sunbeltgolfer]

I asked our course superintendent about what you've described. He said if it started out with the greens having dark green rings or circles in the summer you have what is called Fairy Ring. If it gets out of hand it kills the turf and the mushrooms grow. He also said it is very difficult to get rid of once you get to the stage you are describing.

And no, this is not a joke, it is apparently an actual turf condition.

[HateTheHighDraw]

Great thread title, sounds like a Grateful Dead song.

[Thrillhouse]

Daves not here man.

[farmer]

Mushrooms, fairy rings etc. are fungal infections. They will ruin your greens if left unchecked.

[taylormade_06]

Hey everyone, thanks for all your responses ... and the funny ones!

sunbeltgolfer and farmer - what usually comes first? The mushrooms (puffball fungi?) or fairy rings? What causes what?

Just having a look at the pictures in this presentation - most seem familiar [url="http://www.slideshare.net/turfpathology/fairy-ring-prevention-in-golf-course-putting-greens"]http://www.slideshar...-putting-greens[/url]

The greens in question are on a links and are sand based - are these more prone to these sorts of issues? Thanks.

[360_CS]

How is fairy ring produced after the greens have been cored? I thought coring prevented problems like that?

[farmer]

Fairy rings are a fungus. Where I live, greenskeepers spray fungicide. Mushrooms are also a fungal symptom, also sprayed. Our chemical guy refers to the rule of 100. If you have conditions above 50* and 50% humidity, that is ideal for fungus growth. What we see is tiny little thread-like mushrooms, which alerts the greenskeeper to a problem. Ours checks every morning.

[bdirty]

[quote name='Thrillhouse' timestamp='1388514067' post='8374517']
Daves not here man.
[/quote]

Showing your age, with that one.

[sunbeltgolfer]

[quote name='taylormade_06' timestamp='1388528503' post='8375873']
Hey everyone, thanks for all your responses ... and the funny ones!

sunbeltgolfer and farmer - what usually comes first? The mushrooms (puffball fungi?) or fairy rings? What causes what?

Just having a look at the pictures in this presentation - most seem familiar [url="http://www.slideshare.net/turfpathology/fairy-ring-prevention-in-golf-course-putting-greens"]http://www.slideshar...-putting-greens[/url]

The greens in question are on a links and are sand based - are these more prone to these sorts of issues? Thanks.
[/quote]

Rings or circles would appear first. Left unchecked and treated the mushrooms would follow, and, according to our super, will destry the greens if not properly treated.

[starsail85]

[quote name='sunbeltgolfer' timestamp='1388587492' post='8378461']
[quote name='taylormade_06' timestamp='1388528503' post='8375873']
Hey everyone, thanks for all your responses ... and the funny ones!

sunbeltgolfer and farmer - what usually comes first? The mushrooms (puffball fungi?) or fairy rings? What causes what?

Just having a look at the pictures in this presentation - most seem familiar [url="http://www.slideshare.net/turfpathology/fairy-ring-prevention-in-golf-course-putting-greens"]http://www.slideshar...-putting-greens[/url]

The greens in question are on a links and are sand based - are these more prone to these sorts of issues? Thanks.
[/quote]

Rings or circles would appear first. Left unchecked and treated the mushrooms would follow, and, according to our super, will destry the greens if not properly treated.
[/quote]

there are 3 types of fairy ring, one is superficial, and just leaves a darkened green area of grass, one leaves a ring of mushrooms with lush growth and one actually kills the grass

you can spray a product called heritage to treat them, but its an expensive product. you can also dig out the soil to a depth of 18 inches and you will be fine, but need to re turf

forgive me if the terminology is different here in the UK compared to NZ

[Daniel Noonan]

Q. What did one deadhead say to the other when he ran out of weed?









A. "Hey man, this music sucks!"

[Golf-Junkie]

And I thought this post was about shrooms and weed...

[360_CS]

Well after a couple of weeks after verticutting and sanding the greens mushrooms have started appearing on our greens too. It looks like the greenkeepers just mow over them. I hope it's nothing to serious, the golf season is just starting here.