Michigan, Illinois and Indiana
As of 12:01 AM, July 2nd, 2009
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Latest Updates & Notes
March 31st, 2009Where to the models come from?
The growing degree day models used at GDDTracker have been developed by various university researchers. Check out the About section of the web site to learn more about individual models.
March 26th, 2009Tell Me More About Poa annua Seedheads
Many golf course superintendents try to manage Poa annua, annual bluegrass seedheads in the spring. One of the main objections to 'Poa' is the prolific seedhead production in the spring that interferes with surface uniformity and limits root production. A thorough explanation of the seedhead model is provided in the About section of the GDDTracker web site.
March 19th, 2009What is a base temperature?
Growing degree day models use a base temperature for calculating biological activity on a given day. Base temperatures are related to the organism being tracked. For instance, insects are cold-blooded and the base temperature for most insect models is 55 degrees F. The base temperature will vary depending on the organism.
Example Calculations: One way to calculate growing degree days (GDD) is to use a simple average. In this method you take the average temperature from a given day (low temp + high temp / 2) and subtract the base temperature for the model you are tracking. If the result is less than zero then the GDD total for that day is zero. If the result is greater than zero then the result of the formula is your GDD total for that day. The models use cumulative totals to predict their target ranges. The GDDTracker site starts recording on March 1st of each year. The GDD totals displayed for a given location will vary depending on the base temperature for each model and the target ranges for that model.
March 1st, 2009Introducing GDDTracker 3.0
We are thrilled to announce a significant expansion to GDDTracker for 2009. With support from Purdue University, the Chicago District Golf Association, the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation, and the Illinois Turfgrass Foundation we have expanded to include Indiana and Illinois. We look forward to growing together.
