Arctic Blast

It appears that we are going to have a true winter this year. Looking at the forecast, we are in for quite a shock later this week, with an approaching arctic front that is expected to bring in some temperatures that this part of Texas has not seen in more than a decade. The changes will be felt beginning Wednesday evening with north winds reaching 20-30 mph coupled with temperatures in the 40's which will bring wind chills in the upper teens by Thursday afternoon. The only bright spot is that the wind will die down once the frontal boundary moves off the coast, however we could experience temperatures at or below freezing for 48-60 hours.

One major precautionary step we are putting into place is covering the greens with turf covers. This is only the third time in 5 years that we have had to cover the greens, but this is the first time we will be experiencing the extended freezing time that is forecasted. The covers will help to protect the turfgrass crowns and stolons from direct low winter temperatures and dessication, by trapping heat under them. Research has shown that covers have the ability of raising the soil temperature 10-15 degrees above actual air temperature. The covers will also prevent moisture loss, which will keep the turfgrass plants from drying out and becoming susceptible to dessication. Dessication is caused by high winds in combination with low humidity, which are both elements we will be facing with this arctic storm.

As of right now, we are scheduled to begin installing the greens covers sometime midday Wednesday and do not expect to remove them until, at the earliest, midday Sunday. This means there will be no play allowed on the golf course. We will attempt to control all traffic on the entire golf course because major turfgrass injury is possible when temperatures stay below freezing for an extended period of time.

As always with freezing temperatures, keep in mind the 3 P's, Plants, Pipes, and Pets. Make sure to protect pipes that are along the exterior of the house and disconnect any outside water hoses and remember to cover the faucets. As far as plants go, the best bet is to bring anything you can, inside the house. For those plants in the ground, hydrate today and tomorrow and cover with multiple layers of cover, if possible. The bad news is that the forecasted temperatures are below the cold hardiness of most tropical plants, so most of these will probably be lost. Last but not least, don't forget to bring Fido in from the back yard, I am sure he would love to curl up next to the fireplace instead of becoming frozen yard art.