A Quick Season

It's been a while since I've written anything on this blog...eight months to be exact.  I thought I would take the time to reflect on this year so far.  First things first - what a great Summer!!! I feel like everyone's Vitamin D has been replenished and they may be emotionally prepared to say goodbye to Summer soon. I can feel the season coming to a close when the school supply flyers make an appearance on my doorstep and the days grow shorter.  It's been a short season. I came back to work in May after a brief hiatus. My previous work was visibly undone from the year before. The gardens were lush with weeds and the shrubs were looking pretty shaggy. But, it was a quick fix with the appearance of  an Assistant Gardener.  Natasha has gone back to school now, but she worked by my side up until last week. And of course, Sharon helped out when she wasn't needed in the Turf department. We made short work of weeding, pruning, planting and watering the gardens to bring them back to a presentable state. There was a few more plant enhancements at the number 18 bed, iris's surrounding the pond, and lavender near the gazebo.  But for the most part it was a time of general maintenance and a new application of soil throughout.  I haven't had much of an opportunity to come into the office and dream up new designs this year until now. There are a few exciting ideas running through my head.  I'll post information as soon as I finalize the designs and get the go-ahead. Fall clean up should be starting any day now (depending on what the weather wants to do..!?).  It's almost time to harvest those pumpkins, make a batch of pipping hot apple cider and start putting those plants to bed for the year.

A Serengeti Sunrise Subzero Style

Here is the gorgeous view from the South East corner of the golf course this morning.  The sun started peaking out of the horizon in subtle shades of pink and blue. A few minutes later the horizon started to erupt into vibrant shades of orange and yellow.  The sky became so intense at one moment that it started to resemble the Serengeti expanse.  This is about the moment that Josh started to belt out the chorus of The Lion King and resembling Simba running to the top of Pride Rock, Josh ran onto the berm near the Turf Care Centre to snap this shot.   Perhaps, we're all a little sun deprived here but this seemed like a moment worth encapsulating.  I hope you were all able to enjoy this sunsrise from a window near you.  

Haggard Hedge Be Gone

Yesterday, was a banner day for the Horticulture department.  The hedge bordering the 18th hole was removed with the help from Dan, Kevin and Jason.  I couldn't be more happy with the results.  It's open, clean and has allowed room to reinvent that space.  I know, I know....the west side of the parking lot is starting to look like my personal playpen these days but these tasks will be completed for Spring and I'm optimistic everyone will be pleased with the results.  Design aesthetics aside, the hedge had unfortunately become overgrown and anemic over the years and had also received injury from passing carts so the removal was imminent. I'm working on some strategies to make that area more attractive right now.

As for the progress of the other visible projects, we are experiencing some logistical weather issues. The river rock bed has been put on hold because the ground is frozen and it's making it pretty difficult for excavation.  When the weather warms up we can return to that project.   As for the pond, the temporary plan is quite simple at the moment. It will be turf right up to the edge of the pond until the budget expands for that area in the future.  I've also purchased some Iris and ornamental grass plugs to border the pond once they mature in size.   Unfortunately, the current situation is the ground has become wet, soft and frosty surrounding the pond making it senseless to cart the turf soil there until the weather changes to avoid any potential damage to the turf.  (Side note: Jason checked the weather forecast today and it is currently freezing fog.  I don't think I've ever heard that description before but we've decided that Freezing Fog would make an excellent band name).  I've also purchased three juvenile creamy yellow blooming magnolia trees to berm and plant strategically around the pond.  The future goal is inspired by the French impressionist painter Monet.  Magnolia trees reflecting on the water's edge with mass plantings of purple blooming iris's and flowering water lilies throughout the pond.  Currently, the swan and her mallard friends seem to be enjoying wading in the flooded pools.

Snow Geese

Okay, I recognize Snow Geese can be a bit of a hot topic in Richmond.  These infamous birds travel in large groups for long distances and inevitably arrive hungry.  Richmond is one of their layovers along the way. The flocks land on large areas of green space and even people's lawns to feed on grains and seed.  As you can imagine Snow Geese are especially detrimental to golf course's because the entire economy of a golf course is dependent on having beautiful pastural green space.  Some of the biggest opponents to these feathery pests are Superintendents, Jason and Josh. You very well may have been startled by the sound of Jason or Josh shooting off starter pistols to detract the snow geese from landing on the turf. They are very vigilant at protecting the course. Not the most calming noise though when you're attempting a particularly tricky golf shot but necessary in keeping the greens pristine.

Since no story is one sided, I wanted to learn a bit more about the Snow Geese.  I don't think anyone can argue how impressive the visual of a massive flock of brilliant white birds flying harmoniously through the grey Lower Mainland sky's can be.  The contrast of colours is beautiful and the the sound and scale of birds is outrageous.  It's truly a natural phenomenon at it's grandest and I can't help but stop what I'm doing and stare into the sky when they pass. Okay, you got my attention geese....now what do you have to say for yourself?

It seems that Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens) say a lot and loudly.  There calls can be heard as far as a mile away, sometimes further. The snow geese that travel through Richmond are a flock of Lesser Snow Geese.  The Lesser Snow Geese stand 25-31" high and weigh between 4-6 pounds.   They are the smallest of the two subspecies of Snow Geese.  The specific flock that fly's over Quilchena is called Fraser-Skagit and has numbers of 50,000-100,000.

This flock starts its journey at it's nesting place in Wrangel Island, which is an island just below Helsinki, Finland and above Estonia. I suppose this massive commute across some of the most expansive pieces of land is a true testimony to the quality of the grass here (insert joke here). They arrive in October and populate areas around the Fraser River and the Skagit River Estuary in Washington state, hence the name the Fraser-Skagit flock.  Fortunately for Richmond land owners, they do depart to their Northern home in April.

Much like other birds, Snow Geese seem to be quite loyal.  They return to the place they were hatched to breed and they have the same partner for life.  Each year, the populations of these Snow Geese keep increasing.  So, it's safe to say, you'll be seeing more of these white feathery friends.

Mulching

Over the last month I've been applying a thin layer of bark mulch to the majority of the garden beds.  I'm a huge fan of regularly mulching your beds throughout the season.  It doesn't have to be bark mulch.  It can be any loose material placed on top of your growing medium.  The benefits of this practice are immense.  Here is a list that I grabbed directly off of www.gardenstew.com,  because I honestly could not word it better myself.

Benefits of Mulching

Let us explore some benefits of mulching: 

Prevents soil erosion - Soil erosion happens when winds or water slowly wear away the surface of soil and remove it. Mulching your soil will prevent this as there is now a protective, replaceable layer.that comes between the surface of the soil and the forces of nature above it. 

Insulates the soil in winter - The harsh temperatures of winter can be unkind. Mulching the soil in winter will insulate the soil preventing it from repeated patterns of freezing and thawing and will insulate plant roots. It prevents heaving (buckling upward) of soil in spring. Mulch should be applied to the soil when it has frozen and removed in spring only when there is no danger of further frosts. Winter-mulched soil thaws out more quickly in the spring. 

Cools down soil in summer - A layer of mulch in summer protects the soil beneath from the extreme heats of summer and reduces the need for constant watering i.e. water retention is improved. 

Helps against soil compaction - The layer of mulch acts as a buffer or extra layer between entities that can cause compaction on the soil below e.g. people, equipment, heavy rains. 

Improves appearance - A mulch applied to your bed can make it look more complete and attractive. This varies from mulch to mulch as some are more attractive and natural looking than others. 

Prevents weed growth - One of the more useful benefits of mulching is in weed prevention. While the mulch itself will not stop weeds from germinating it serves to act as a barrier between the weeds and the outside world above. When a weed reaches the mulch layer it will not be able to break above it and it will eventually die back. Some mulches perform this weed prevention feature better than others. Depth of mulch is also a contributing factor. Care should be taken however when selecting mulches as some mulches like grass clippings and straw may actually contain weed seeds. 

It's a Winter Wonder-What!?!

I can hardly believe my eyes.  The entire golf course has been blanketed in the white stuff and it's absolutely blizzard conditions out right now.  It's honestly the most perfect consistency for a bruiser of a snowball.   My damp Westcoast heart absolutely warms up at the very sight of snow falling.  This morning has been a pretty euphoric sight around here.  I've asked to use some of Josh's photographs of the golf course if you didn't get a chance to see it with your own eyes.

Dan and Kevin have spent the morning clearing the parking lot and walkways for clubhouse guests.

As you can imagine, the golf course is closed. Although, if you're a sucker for punishment you could ask the Pro Shop if you could play the most annoying game of "Where's my golf ball?".  Another past time that is just about as absurd as golfing in the snow is weeding in the snow. Fortunately, I have projects around the shop to contend with.  I'm currently warming up from my excursion of helping Josh claim his workman vehicle out of a particularly soft area of turf.

I hope you are all enjoying a similar snowscape outside your own windows!  Happy Holidays!

Turn your Trash into Treasure

We got a new addition to the Turf Care Centre.  I'll give you a hint...It's 6' x 6' and smells like wet leaves. Yep, you guessed it (or not)...it's a shiny new leaf compost bin.  I found an easy design off the internet and with a little help from my friends installed it in just a day.  Mike C and I cleared and flattened out the area in preparation. Ryan and I put down a subgrade of compost, pounded four 4" x 4" posts into the ground at 6' apart and installed a small retaining wall along the back to eliminate the bank behind it from eroding. I later used chicken wire to house the unit and installed a pathway around the compost bin to discourage weeds from weaving there way in. Our departments Resident Artist, Chris, beautified the project by decorating the back retaining wall with felled birch limbs. Yeah Team!!!

I was shocked at how many loads of leaves we brought in without even visibly filling it up.  I think we fit almost 20 yards in this bin and there is still room. And each time it rains, it compacts even further.  I can't wait to see the results in the Spring and topdress the beds and tree wells with the mulch.

You might be wondering why we would go to the trouble of corraling the properties leaves into this bin. Well, those papery leaves rattling against your doorways and throughout your yard can be a nuisance, but they are  also incredibly valuable.  Leaves help build up the structure of the soil, aerate clay soils, and provide an immense amount of nutrients back to the earth, for free even.  A healthy substrate layer is quite a complex system of minerals, water and live and dead insects. Unfortunately, this system can become quite anemic with improper stewardship.  If beds are to be raked repeatedly clean of leaves and natural debris, and replaced with nothing in return, then your soil will have very little in the way of nutrients to provide back to the plants.  Quite simply, leaves fall from the trees to feed the soil. Why not take advantage of this gift?  I understand that leaves in garden beds can be perceived as unsightly.  In this case, leaves can be raked up and used in a leaf compost bin, like ours, to be re-applied back to the beds in 6 months time when they have decayed to a humus rich material.  Any mulch is valuable to a garden bed, but leaf mulch is King. After doing a little research, I found out that leaves, pound for pound, contain twice as many nutrients as manure. That's quite the power-packed meal.