Tuesday, May 18, 2021

KILLING KYLLINGA - HERBICIDE APPLICATIONS PLANNED THIS WEEK

What is Green Kyllinga?

Green Kyllinga is a perennial sedge native to Asia. It spreads both by seed and underground rhizomes forming dense mats that overtake desirable turfgrass. Under golf course management, it can look very much like turfgrass but is often darker in color and has an almost “waxy” appearance.

Kyllinga is a relatively new weed problem at Chantilly and until just a few years ago, we were fortunate to not have any on the property (or at least not enough to grab my attention). Today Kyllinga is rapidly encroaching on many of the tees, fairways, and roughs but, until last summer, was most severe on the collars.

 

What are we doing about it?

Chemical controls have been applied repeatedly in the past with little success as the Kyllinga just keeps popping back up. That is until Spring of 2020, when a new herbicide was first tested on the collars and select areas around the golf course. The testing was extremely successful and, as of today, every test plot is completely Kyllinga free.

So, after the very successful test last spring, the plan is to treat all collars, tees, fairways, 1st cut rough, and select areas in roughs this week.  

 

What should you expect to see?

Not much really, at least nothing drastic very quickly. The herbicide is very slow taking up to 6 weeks to kill the Kyllinga (which is one of the reasons it is so safe on the desired turfgrass). In most areas, the Kyllinga will slowly discolor and just sort of "melt" away and the desirable turfgrass will fill in the voids much like a divot.  There may be some areas that will require sand/seed divot mix, and maybe even a few larger areas that may require sod. 


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