Nature’s Unwanted Plants!!
May 2019
At BGCC, one of our biggest challenges is the unwanted plants - dandelions, clover and crabgrass. These plants are very aggressive & spread quickly. The process of keeping them at bay, starts in the spring.
We are fortunate to have chemical control still available to golf courses, but as responsible environmental stewards to our property, eradicating every weed chemically is not our mandate. We are closely monitored by the ministry (MOE) regarding our spray programs (Integrated Pest Management). By law, a certain threshold of weeds needs to be present before we can spray.
Weed spraying is also a sensitive subject throughout our community. We stand by provincial regulations to only spray important areas on the golf course. Public access areas are prohibited for spraying (i.e. clubhouse, pro shop grounds, public streets), similar to that of your home lawn, community fields, parks, boulevards, etc. These areas are particularly challenging to keep weeds out, with most being removed by hand.
We do have weather considerations when spraying. The need for clear sunny days and no rain in the forecast is important when weed spraying. The sun helps dry the product more quickly for best results, and less smell.
For anyone interested in our Integrated Pest Management program, all members are welcome to our annual IPM public meeting held in the fall at the club, for an informative presentation on Ontario legislation concerning the strict regulations on the use of chemicals.
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