Message Board - Natural Turf: quickest way of getting grass cover
30 Mar 2010 by has 2 mow
Well not sure where to start with this one .
I have a green on our books, that is very clay based, and no drains it has been described as trying to grow a green on a pond and to just dig it up , but the funds are not available for it. The green has sat very wet all winter and mostly under water. the smell is divine. it also took quite a hit from snow mould as well.
I am open to posotive suggestions, on the quickest way to get grass cover back on it, that the green can open asap , just like to be ready when the green starts to dry out.
Hope you have some good tips, over to you .
Many thanks mark
30 Mar 2010 by has 2 mow
And if you have a good suggestion please post .
A closer look at the surface, not good i know, but i can not control the weather, have had a robin dagger on it,and also a verti drain, but it has no effect .
Mark
30 Mar 2010 by ticky21
obvious job first is to relieve it of all that wet stuff...lol...if a dagger and verti-drain have been used to no avail, my only thought would be a Roto-Knife or a Twose turf conditioner, and run some ( in effect mole runs)...out to the sides of the green..im not too aufait with greens, but have vertidrained some before now, and have used a Twose on golf greens with much success...
Ticky supports British farmers...!!
30 Mar 2010 by Grassman2011
Best seed for wet clay loam might be dwarf perr rye has 2. It will certainly be up within about three weeks with any luck. Not quite as fine as your bents and fescues but still better than bare soil or annual meadow grass.
31 Mar 2010 by Sumomosr
Contact Barry Pace and ask about the 'GP Air'. That has more effect than the Dagger.
GOGGA
31 Mar 2010 by Neil Dixon
I would go along with bath, some very good Dwarf Rye cultivars, no point sowing fines now as the soil temp is way too low still, so the choice is either dwarf rye or bare areas.
31 Mar 2010 by jlawrence
It doesn't really matter what grass you put on there - no grass likes living underwater. If it's that much underwater at the minute then it will also be underwater in the summer when the ground hardens and the rain continues to fall.
You've got to find a way of shifting that water. Which in turn means you got to find out why it's sitting there and going no where. If the vertidrain didn't help at all then you might need to look at getting further down into the profile, gwazae (spelling ?) might be an option - speak with Barry Pace.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
31 Mar 2010 by has 2 mow
Thank you all for the replies.
Have found out a bit more history, the green was blasted out of a bank and then back filled with foundry sand for start with, the company then went bust, the green was then finished by a garden center so i am told, where the clay comes from i do not know, there are drains in the green, but these are gravel bands that have had all the air and water pockets taken out by the clay, so i think trying to drain the green through the profile may be difficult.
My thoughts is to nurse the green through the season,and spend as little as i can on it for now apart from some seed, and use this money, and the end of season budget towards.
If the green had a twose through it, and then backfilled with 2 ew coarse sand.
Then applied enough root zone so that the green could be re graded with a slight fall on it from the center and then re seeded.
Any thoughts on this will be appreciated .
Ticky not sure how far you travel but any idea on price , pm me if you wish
Bath am i right in thinking that you have a lazer grader ? any idea of costs to grade a green, pm again if you wish
Will have a chat with barry ref the gwazae, and phone a few seed companies
Many thanks mark
31 Mar 2010 by Ken Barber
Why not use a soil penetrator. I have be doing trials with one over the winter. It solved the rootbreak problem in the trial area and today I sprayed all my greens with it.
KB
The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under who’s shade you do not expect to sit.
31 Mar 2010 by has 2 mow
Hi Ken
I have spoken to a few companies today, about drainage which will be out of the question regards costs . And a few other alternative ways to add drainage, all are also along the point of yourself to use a penetrator, have used a good wetter last season ,and with good water management kept the green open , but this winter has been harsh for it .
If the penetrator is going to help, then at least i can give it a go . As regards to reseeding ,if i knew when it was going to dry out at least i could pre chit the seed. some hope
if you cant name the product here , any chance of a pm ?
Thanks again ken .
Mark
31 Mar 2010 by has 2 mow
Hi All
The use of rye grass, is this in any of the mixes you use already ?
If so does this go coarse after a few years as it gets older ?. mind you at least i will have some cover .
Any views on this type of grass in greens ?
Many thanks mark
Back to Top - Go to Next Unread Message
This Message is closed, you may not post a reply at this time
