Where do flowers come from and other things.

Spring is here (although you wouldn't know it to look outside) and it is time to begin thinking of flowers.  I paid a visit to our flower grower's greenhouse and took a couple of photos you might find interesting.

That's LOTS of flowers, huh?

Some more

Our grower begins ordering cuttings and seeds to grow the order in December and plants all the way through March.  The idea being that by the time the middle of May rolls around the flowers are fully-grown, show great color and are ready for transplant.  We at ILR switched to a new grower this year and I am excited about the plan they have put together for us.

Remember this?

And this?

The above photos were taken in the middle part of February illustrating one of our kind neighbors exiting his sump pump out on to our golf course on the Island nine.  Is this such a big deal?  Probably not but when we flood enough over there as it is we certainly don't need the help of our neighbors in making it even wetter.  The homeowner did move the exit to the street along Cardinal Drive so it won't be a problem moving forward.  Have a look at the photo below, though:

The same area yesterday, 3/29/2011

The grass will grow back but you can see that the freezing of that water certainly set the grass' growth back a little bit in comparison to the surrounding turf that remained unfrozen and snow covered.  I am afeared that tree won't survive, though.  Time will tell.

It's been cold, as evidenced by ice on the pond (Follow the line)

Again, some ice on the pond and the circle indicates the top of a hockey goal left on the ice.  

Don't worry, I'll get it out.  I just hope the goalie isn't down there!

This picture is for my Turf Nerd, Golf Course Superintendent Colleagues.  The strip of intermediate cut on the right was sodded at the exact same time as the sod on the left.  Can any of you guess which sod supplier provided which sod in this photo?  Extra credit if you can name the bluegrass varieties.

Getting some fertilizer out

I put some fertilizer out yesterday on our driving range tees, target greens and chipping fairway.  It was overstock inventory from some of my colleagues.  Thank you, very much, you guys!  For those of you at home you can start putting out preventive grassy weed control products out in the first couple weeks of April.  Look for fertilizers containing pendamethlin, dithiopyr and prodiamine among others.  They will be labeled as 'grassy weed' plus fertilizer.  If crabgrass has been a problem in the past that is your best option.  If not in mid-summer post emergent, sprayable herbicides are a potential solution to small problems. 

Dale cleaning up #2 tee complex on the Island nine

Our seasonal staff begins on Monday, April 4th and it will be good to see our returning staff.  For the 4th year in a row we will have over 90% retention with our grounds associates and they are good guys, one and all.  We look forward to another season in the sun in 2011.  I hope we don't flood as much as last year.