Winter plant protection: Expert tips on safeguarding greens with snow cover

As superintendents determine how much snow should cover their golf course’s greens this winter, they must first learn which type of snow has fallen.

Fluffy, aerated snow is the most ideal for snow cover, according to E.J. Chea, superintendent of Portsmouth, N.H.’s Pease Golf Course. After all, once snow compacts, it can become an ice layer, which may lead to winterkill.

Carey Hofner, a Big Sky, Mont.-based superintendent, agrees that her region’s snowfall tends to be light, airy and fluffy compared to the Midwest’s and East Coast’s heavy, wet snowfalls. Therefore, the likelihood of ice layers is lower in the Rockies.

Nonetheless, she stresses that superintendents must monitor their course’s snow coverage carefully, regardless of their locations. While striving to ensure there aren’t any ice layers, they should decide whether they’ll remove snow manually or let Mother Nature “take its course” instead.

“Superintendents should find the right fungicide program for snow mold, use moisture sensors like Spiio and have backup plans for their snow removal,” she says. “If a green is prone to snow mold, snow should be removed before a normal melt occurs. From there, a fungicide should be applied for additional protection.”

Chea advises superintendents to have anywhere from 6 inches to 3 feet of snow cover at a time, depending on superintendents’ situations. Greens should also be covered throughout most of winter, as the length of snow cover is just as important as the amount.

“They should avoid mistaking snow cover for ice cover too,” he says. “Even if there is 3 feet of snow, there could be an ice layer at the bottom.”

To determine exactly what’s occurring, superintendents can acquire a test plug of turf underneath the snow, bring it inside and observe what grows. According to Chea, they’ll not only learn how much their greens have been damaged but also have enough time to create a proper recovery plan.

Additionally, superintendents based in regions with inconsistent snow cover can purchase green covers. Pease GC has utilized covers on some greens while enabling Mother Nature to take its course on others.

No matter what happens this winter, Hofner thinks superintendents should communicate any issues and plans with their board and club members.

“Mother Nature has a mind of her own,” she adds. “Open dialogue will help any winter-related situations ultimately end on good terms.”

Envu

Zac Reicher, Ph.D.

Team Manager, Green Solutions Team, West Region

Winter damage can be caused by a number of factors, including animals, desiccation, golfer traffic and temperature swings. Thankfully, snow cover, especially when it’s moderate, will protect courses from many of these factors. Moderate snow cover (of a foot or so) over frozen soil is perfect for turfgrass survival through the winter. Conversely, deep, wet snow cover — particularly over unfrozen soil for 100-plus days — will create an ideal environment for snow molds.

On the other extreme, winters with no snow cover will enhance desiccation but limit snow molds and vole damage. Then there’s the chance for mid-winter rain or snow melt, which will create an ice layer, leading to a buildup of toxic gases and turf damage after 60 days or so. If a substantial ice layer forms, superintendents will need to either aerify or implement another type of intervention to break up the ice.

Nufarm

Rick Fletcher

Technical Services Manager, Turf and Ornamentals

When it comes to snow cover and golf course protection during the winter, superintendents must focus on two aspects in particular. First, they need to guard their courses against desiccation-related turf damage. Second, they must protect them from any potential for suffocation related to ice formation. These are more often green/tees concerns versus fairways — and variable threats, based upon course turf species. For example, higher levels of Poa annua are especially at a greater risk.

A consistent snow cover has the effect of insulation, keeping the temperature under the snow more consistent while also providing protection by shielding against winter wind desiccation and ice suffocation. Superintendents may not be able to have consistent snow cover, depending on their region. Whenever a consistent snow cover is not reliable, many superintendents can rely on man-made turf covers for vulnerable areas instead to achieve similar protection against these two winter-related problems.

Quali-Pro

Bobby Kerr, Ph.D.

Technical Services Manager

There’s no set amount of snow cover required. In fact, a lot of superintendents are now removing snow cover from the greens as it falls over the winter months. The primary reason? It reduces the chances of ice during springtime thaw-refreeze events, which can be detrimental to courses with a large percentage of Poa annua greens.

During the spring, Poa comes out of winter dormancy quicker than creeping bentgrass. As a result, the crowns rehydrate; when temperatures decrease and a refreeze event happens, Poa is then killed. Meanwhile, creeping bentgrass is still dormant and unharmed by the event.

There are situations where snow cover can’t be removed as it falls. In these circumstances, it offers protection from desiccation. Historically, superintendents have thought that a small amount of snow helps insulate turf in the winter. In my opinion, this is changing, especially with fungicides like Enclave.

Syngenta

Matt Giese

Technical Services Manager

Because depth and duration are highly dependent on golf course’s local weather conditions, elevations, orientations and prevailing winds, it’s challenging to determine the ideal amount of snow cover.

From an abiotic perspective, snow cover acts as an insulating layer in freezing or sub-zero temperatures. Without snow cover, freezing conditions can result in various levels of turf loss, ranging from low-temperature kill to desiccation injury. Poa annua’s early emergence from dormancy, followed by refreezing events, can lead to damaged crowns from ice crystal formation within the plant cells. Snow cover does not prevent these from completely occurring, but may reduce injury.

Courses in climates that receive “feet” of snowfall — with snow cover for 150-plus days — are not exempt from winter injury. Warm winter days or spring melt provide plenty of moisture in poorly drained areas, contributing to crown hydration injury. Moisture under snow cover can also be conducive to pathogens, like gray or pink snow mold.

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