There has been some conifer damage showing up on the golf course. Most of the damage has appeared as tip burn, although there are a few trees that have more extensive damage. The Colorado Spruce on #13 tee (photo on right) shows the typical injury we are seeing, where at the end of the tips are wilted and appear a reddish colour. The Norway Spruce on #18 (photo left) has more extensive injury, where most of the tree needles have been effected. The Evergreen hedge at #1 tee also seems to be showing similar effects.
There has been many recent publications on a new herbicide called "Imprelis", that is available to golf courses and commercial turf markets. We used this product this year to spray the weeds in the roughs at Forest Lake C.C.. It now has been linked to potentially causing damage to Conifer trees, with Norway Spruce and White Pine sited as being most susceptible. This herbicide is absorbed through the shoots and roots of weeds, and is believed to be absorbed by surface roots of these conifers triggering the same kill effect. Not all of our trees have showed signs of injury, and we will be monitoring this situation. The advice from many university and industry professionals is to let the trees try to grow through these symptoms before more permanent action is taken.
Attached below is a link to a published article on "Imprelis".
