As Temperatures Rise, So Does Olympic Fever

The lowest daily temperature over the last week was 86 degrees F and the forecast calls for a high of 95 degrees F or warmer for this whole week.

A low mowing height makes for a very dense and uniform turfgrass stand, but it adds another stress to an already stressed plant, making management this time of year even more difficult.

As Mother Nature dries out the surrounding landscape, we're battling to keep the grass green and disease-free. The Olympic Games require the turf to be mowed at a very short height, which makes keeping the grass healthy and green during these extreme temperatures even more difficult. A short mowing height gives the athletes a very dense and uniform turfgrass surface. With these extreme temperatures, it's important to irrigate to keep the grass healthy, but too much water creates the ideal conditions for diseases to develop. So we have to make our irrigation light and as uniform as possible.


Frequent, light and uniform irrigation is needed to stop the grass from going into summer dormancy, but too much water increases the potential for diseases to develop.

Fungicides must be regularly applied to prevent this cool-season grass from being overtaken by disease in the hot and humid Chinese climate.


Olympic fever is sweeping across Beijing. Decorations, billboards and signs with Olympic rings, athletes and symbols are popping up everywhere -- sometimes overnight. Subway stops and street corners are now home to Olympic volunteers eager to direct tourists. Security across the city is tightening; subway gates are now equipped with x-ray equipment and metal detectors. The number of people using the subway and bus systems has gone up dramatically because of a temporary traffic law designed to improve air quality for the Olympic games. The law says that drivers with even license plate numbers can drive only on even days and drivers with odd license plate numbers can drive only on odd days. We're wondering how this will be enforced in a area with a population of 17 million people. I'm leaving these problems to the police and focusing on the grass.

-- Alec Kowalewski

July 2008 -- Keeping the Turf Disease-free

Beijing is very hot in July -- temperatures are regularly higher than 90⁰ F every day (the warmest day so far was 107⁰ F). We're also having regular thunderstorms.

The combination of high temperatures and wet soil are perfect conditions for disease to develop. The modular field is made up of Kentucky bluegrass, which does great in a cool-season environment like Michigan. Beijing's hot temperatures and the low mowing height we're using puts the grass under a lot of stress, which makes it even more susceptible to disease.

We're using an integrated disease management program to keep the turf healthy. This includes fungicides and light but regular fertilization. The root zone of the turf is sand-based, which prevents the soil from holding extra water. This also helps reduce the risk of disease.

At 6 a.m. every morning I inspect the field for disease. I've also been in contact with local golf course superintendents and several Michigan State faculty members and alumni who are pathology experts to ensure that the field is in the best possible conditions for the Olympics.

-- Alec Kowalewski

June 2008 -- A Few Small Repairs

After the Good Luck Beijing Open competition, the field required some minor repairs to get it back in shape. We did this after the field was moved back to the nursery site. We used cup cutters (tools used to make putting green holes) to replace the spots that were damaged by the shot-put, javelin and hammer-throw. We also had to use a number of cultural practices to get the field back into tip-top shape for the Olympics. We sliced the turf to disrupt the thatch layer and improve drainage, and topdressed and rolled it to smooth the playing surface. We also regularly fertilize, irrigate and mow the turf to keep the grass looking good.

-- Alec Kowalewski

May 2008 -- Modular Field Moves

On May 13, the modular field was moved into the National Stadium (aka the Bird's Nest) for about 10 days so it could be used for a trial event, the Good Luck Beijing Open. It took the construction company, as well as the Chinese Army and Navy, which provided trucks and drivers for the moving process, only 24 hours to move the entire field.

In the photo above, taken by Heidi Kowalewski, Alec stands in front of the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest because of its unique exterior.

One army truck can hold 10 modules. It took more than 500 trips from the nursery, which is about 5 miles from the stadium, to move the entire field. The move wasn't only a practice run for the module movers and field crew, but also gave local Chinese, who may not be able to afford tickets to the Olympics, a chance to check out the National Stadium.

At the Good Luck Beijing Open, athletes from around the world competed in track and field events in the stadium. During the competition, field work, mowing, irrigation and divot repair had to be done at night. We started at 11 p.m. and worked until the job was done, sometimes until 4 a.m.

After the competition was over, the field was moved back to the site where it was constructed. It will stay there until after the opening ceremony. The move back also was completed within 24 hours.

-- Alec Kowalewski