Benefits of Infrared Temperature Sensors to Avoid Overheated Turf
Benefits of Infrared Temperature Sensors to Avoid Overheated Turf
Most golf course superintendents know that one of the leading causes of unhealthy turf is excess heat, especially when it reaches the root zone. What many do not know is that the canopy of your turf is often significantly hotter than the air temperature, which directly influences the temperature of shallow root systems.
Measuring Turf Heat with Infrared Temperature Sensors
As with most things in turf management, measurement is key. If you don’t know whether your turf is overheating or not, it’s difficult to apply the right treatments. And to make matters worse, it’s not as simple as measuring the outdoor air temperature. Turf heat is impacted by direct sunlight, wind, and other factors, so overheating can be a possibility even when the outdoor air temperature is not excessively hot. As a result, measuring tools are critical for superintendents wanting healthy turf.
At Spectrum Technologies, we advocate for using tools such as our IR Temp Meter for quick canopy heat measurements, or our IR Temp Meter/External Temp Meter for canopy and soil measurements. Alternatively, one of the most popular solutions is to purchase the add-on Infrared Temperature Sensor for the TDR 350 Soil Moisture Meter.
Avoiding Overheated Turf
During scorching summer days, turf measurement tools can identify when and where turf is overheating. If it is in stress due to hot temperatures for too long of a time, it may be difficult to get the turf to recover. Additionally, it’s not just heat that causes problems. Arid conditions combined with high heat prevents the turf from being able to use moisture to cool itself.
As one might guess, the common solution for turf that is close to overheating is irrigation. This helps in two ways — it cools down the turf directly as the water evaporates and also allows the turf to cool itself by a process known as transpiration. Additionally, there are other treatments that are practiced by superintendents such as using fans where possible, raising mowing heights, or strategically adding shade in areas that are prone to overheating.
If you’re interested in improving the resilience and play of your greens, contact Spectrum Technologies® today to learn how our measurement tools can help improve your turf.
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