In this episode of Turfgrass Epistemology, I break down the peer-reviewed Crop Science article “Mowing Strategies and Dew Removal to Minimize Dollar Spot on Creeping Bentgrass” by Ellram, Horgan, and Hulke (2007).
This study evaluates how mowing time, dew removal frequency, blade sharpness, and leaf wetness duration (LWD) influence dollar spot severity on creeping bentgrass fairways. I explain why mowing at 4:00 AM consistently reduced dollar spot compared to 10:00 AM, why daily dew removal outperformed alternate-day removal, and why dull mower blades did not increase disease despite common belief. The controlled-environment data also show lesion size increased dramatically as leaf wetness duration extended from 6 to 18 hours.
If you manage creeping bentgrass, battle dollar spot, or want to better understand the role of irrigation timing, dew removal, and cultural disease control, this video connects classic research to modern integrated pest management strategies.
Subscribe for more turfgrass disease management, dollar spot research, and evidence-based golf course agronomy discussions focused on how we know what we know.
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