Spring presents a challenging time for us. With the unpredictable weather patterns in April (21 degrees as i'm writing this) we can experience differential growth rates of different grass species causing the greens to be bobbly. There are a number factors that can cause this. As the high temperatures of late start to exert stress on the grass plant the browntop bent grass (Agrostis tenuis) thrives in dry weather chasing its roots down all the aeration holes we have done of late. Where as the growth rate of the annual meadowgrass (poa annua) is held back .There is a marked reluctance to irrigate during the spring, with typical objections being "It’s too early to irrigate" and "It will knock the soil temperature back if I irrigate". The reality is that if irrigation is used early in the morning, the soil temperature is only depressed for about 4 hours before rising to the same daytime high as before. Looking at the weather statistics for April 2009, we can see that the main reason the grass plant is under stress is lack of moisture due to the low rainfall level and the high daily evapotranspiration caused by the warm, windy, daytime conditions. The evapotranspiration (E.T.) rate, measured in mm per day is the amount of water lost from the soil surface to the atmosphere by evaporation. We know that at the beggining of April, the E.T. readings measured at were between 2.0 – 3.7mm per day. This is a high E.T. rate and nearly on a par with the levels measured during the last hot summer, 2006. (They varied between 2.0 and 4.5mm per day then).Another contributing factor to the slow growth rate of the meadowgrass is the warm days and cold nights. We are still experiencing frosts and potentially could do until the end of April. This all related to soil temperature. 8 - 10 degrees is the temperature we are looking at for microbial activity to stimulate growth. Currently we are at 7.
What can we do. There are a number of things we can do to keep the greens smooth.
1) Regular top dressing little and often.
2) Light veticle cutting will help to stand up the grass and give a even cut.
3) Rolling/Turf Ironing.
4) Regular brushing.
5) Irrigate when nessarry.
These should help us get through a potentially tricky April. There are also a number of things we shouldnt do.
1) Reduce the height of cut adding more stress to the plant.
2) Chase the growth by applying a granular fertiliser. This will on exassibate the problem as the plant that thrives in dry conditions ( browntop bent Agrostis tenuis) will take up the and utilise the fertiliser where as the plant that is stressed is unable to take any nutrition up at all.
What can we do. There are a number of things we can do to keep the greens smooth.
1) Regular top dressing little and often.
2) Light veticle cutting will help to stand up the grass and give a even cut.
3) Rolling/Turf Ironing.
4) Regular brushing.
5) Irrigate when nessarry.
These should help us get through a potentially tricky April. There are also a number of things we shouldnt do.
1) Reduce the height of cut adding more stress to the plant.
2) Chase the growth by applying a granular fertiliser. This will on exassibate the problem as the plant that thrives in dry conditions ( browntop bent Agrostis tenuis) will take up the and utilise the fertiliser where as the plant that is stressed is unable to take any nutrition up at all.
Other News
With our intensive aeration programme over the autumn/winter we have created some good air pockets in the profile for the grass plant roots to explore so you be glad to hear the time has come to back off the aeration a little to let nature do its thing. Early May we will check our organic matter levels (thatch) to see if we need to remove any more before the season really kicks in. If we do need to remove more organic matter it will be with 8mm core which are very sympathetic with the surface and should cause minimal disruption.
We have carried out some major work on the approaches which as you well know have been very wet over the past few years. This has been a combination of years of traffic (see STRI report) from golfers and especially mowers. With the intensive work that has been carried out they are taking a little longer to recover than expected. We have all our nutrition in place to apply but are just waiting for the soil temperatures to rise so we get maximum benefit from our products. A fertiliser applied at the wrong time i.e. when the soil temperature is too low can be up to a 60% less effective than when applied at the correct time. A little patience is required from us to time it correctly.
We are still at our winter cutting heights through out the golf course so surfaces are not lookig as sharp as they should. They will be reduced retrospectively as the season progresses and the night time temperature rises.
We have spent the past week working on the bunkers. Edging, weeding, stone removal, moving sand and adding new sand where needed. Quite a few of the older bunkers required sand, it may take a while for them to settle a little and firm up. I noticed a lot of sand has been accumulating at the back edge of the bunker this is purely down to how the golfer rakes the bunker. We push the sand back to the base of the bunker when required. There is a real knack in raking a bunker. For us we really only try to push the sand where possible it gives a better finish but also allows the sand to be distributed evenly across the bunker. I would be great full if golfers followed this procedure. Place you club out side the bunker and use 2 hands to push the sand away from the back edge. If we do not all follow this where the sand builds up against the back edge we may find we are loosing the edges especially on the new bunkers.
The new Pine trees on the 11th are coming along nicely. It was suggested that beech trees were planted there. As we took away a big feature of the hole i recommended we planted something relatively quick growing so we could restore the feature of the hole. As there are plenty of Scotts Pine in that are and they grow 40cm - 70cm per year i thought they were a good choice. Also Scotts Pine is the only native pine tree to the UK.
The 10th sleeper bunker is fully in play and the sleepers have been treated.
Going forwards a gentle approach to the surfaces is needed as the temperatures rise with the main objective of keeping them as smooth as possible with a focus on smoothness not pace.
Tidying up of some scruffy areas. Divoting of key lay up areas and tees.
The STRI report is on the web site for you to read.
Thank you for reading and your continual support.
Regards
Lee & Greenkeeping team.
We have carried out some major work on the approaches which as you well know have been very wet over the past few years. This has been a combination of years of traffic (see STRI report) from golfers and especially mowers. With the intensive work that has been carried out they are taking a little longer to recover than expected. We have all our nutrition in place to apply but are just waiting for the soil temperatures to rise so we get maximum benefit from our products. A fertiliser applied at the wrong time i.e. when the soil temperature is too low can be up to a 60% less effective than when applied at the correct time. A little patience is required from us to time it correctly.
We are still at our winter cutting heights through out the golf course so surfaces are not lookig as sharp as they should. They will be reduced retrospectively as the season progresses and the night time temperature rises.
We have spent the past week working on the bunkers. Edging, weeding, stone removal, moving sand and adding new sand where needed. Quite a few of the older bunkers required sand, it may take a while for them to settle a little and firm up. I noticed a lot of sand has been accumulating at the back edge of the bunker this is purely down to how the golfer rakes the bunker. We push the sand back to the base of the bunker when required. There is a real knack in raking a bunker. For us we really only try to push the sand where possible it gives a better finish but also allows the sand to be distributed evenly across the bunker. I would be great full if golfers followed this procedure. Place you club out side the bunker and use 2 hands to push the sand away from the back edge. If we do not all follow this where the sand builds up against the back edge we may find we are loosing the edges especially on the new bunkers.
The new Pine trees on the 11th are coming along nicely. It was suggested that beech trees were planted there. As we took away a big feature of the hole i recommended we planted something relatively quick growing so we could restore the feature of the hole. As there are plenty of Scotts Pine in that are and they grow 40cm - 70cm per year i thought they were a good choice. Also Scotts Pine is the only native pine tree to the UK.
The 10th sleeper bunker is fully in play and the sleepers have been treated.
Going forwards a gentle approach to the surfaces is needed as the temperatures rise with the main objective of keeping them as smooth as possible with a focus on smoothness not pace.
Tidying up of some scruffy areas. Divoting of key lay up areas and tees.
The STRI report is on the web site for you to read.
Thank you for reading and your continual support.
Regards
Lee & Greenkeeping team.