Message Board - Bowls: Help and Advice please
2 Sep 2010 by Andy Matthews
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I was asked to go and look at a bowling green today which the members look after themselves, they reported that they had many areas on the green that were dead. I looked at the green but only got a couple of pictures on the phone because the camera wouldn't work. The first picture shows how some areas are good and healthy and others are basically dead, i dug out some cores from both areas and the dead areas are extremely dry even down at 3 inches or so, the living areas have good water retention at the same depth. There is evidence of layering in the profile, where they have topdressed over the years, but I can't see any root breaks or black layers, the thatch seems to be about an inch thick and not excessive, when I dug cores out I can't see any insect infestation either. The one thing they did tell me was that when this happened before the actually dug sections of the green up and relaid them, these are the sections that now seem to be better, from what I could gather they haven't excessively watered or over fertilised.
So any ideas or help would be much appreciated and I thank you for any responses in advance.
2 Sep 2010 by Andy Matthews
Here is a core a dug out across the good and bad areas the subsoil look the same, sorry the pictures aren't great.
2 Sep 2010 by has 2 mow
Dry patch, hydrophobic soil.
2 Sep 2010 by Andy Matthews
Thanks has to mow and if that was the problem what would be a long term remedy
2 Sep 2010 by has 2 mow
Hi Andy
A good quality wetting agent is your first port of call, followed up with some good thatch removal at the end of the season, 1 inch is quite a lot,and probably the reason why they have dry patch.
A simple test to see if it is dry patch, is to take a core sample from the infected area, and allow water to drop onto the core sample from your fingers, if it is hydrophobic the water will sit on the plug , like a well waxed bonnet of a car, could also repeat the test on an area not infected, and see the difference.
Mark
And photos are fine.
2 Sep 2010 by Mark Frever
Also, check for clogged irrigation nozzles or irrigation heads not rotating. I had RainBird heads with a tiny back spray nozzle that would clog with small amounts of sediment or mineral build-up.
2 Sep 2010 by lee@standish
Hello,
A good aeration programme will help against dry patch.
Andy,
You mentioned that you couldn't see any root break but did you notice if length of the roots?
Cheers
L.K.B
2 Sep 2010 by Andy Matthews
lee the samples I dug out were about 3 inches deep and the roots went beyond this depth, if I was asked to carry out the renovation work and also to provide a maintenance plan then regular aeration would be part of it.
3 Sep 2010 by lee@standish
Good Morning,
Thanks for the answer.
Cheers
L.K.B
3 Sep 2010 by vid Last edited 3 Sep 2010
Hi Andy this looks like thatch all the way through this profile - certainly excessive organic matter. The soil has gone hydrophobic due to the action of dry patch fungus which is similar to the fairy ring fungus. It is living within and feeding on this organic matter and the mycellia shed water. The solution in the short term is to use a wetting agent and lightly spike (if they are still playing) to get water into these areas - once dry patch has set in it will shed water to those areas that are not affected, the increased biomass caused by the thatch will tend to leave these areas slightly raised which will also add to the problem. In the winter spike often and deeply as you can, if you can afford it hollow core and deep scarify thoroughly at renovation and add extra soil to fill the core holes and use a thatch eating product that adds bugs to the profile that will eat away this excess organic matter. During the winter avoid using pesticides and use microbe enhancing products that will keep the bugs feeding . All this activity in the profile will more than adequately feed the grass - I wouldnt worry about fertilser until the spring, but to make sure have a health ckeck done on your soil profile to ascertain the pH and if there are any major deficiencies that need addressing
BTW digging the green up will lead to loss of levels unless the whole green is relaid. This would imply that something is wrong with the soil in patches - very unlikely. But by digging out patches these will always be different to those areas that were left alone - a really, really bad idea on a bowling green. The solution lies in cultural practise and patience
3 Sep 2010 by Andy Matthews
vid thanks for the info it sounds like we are coming to a consistant diagnosis, I am told that the digging out was done by a member at the time who was looking after the green and the people now in charge see what a bad idea that was. Their season has finished and they are all off on a tour for a fortnight so I have a little time to formulate a plan of action.
Once again thanks for the responses so far and if anyone else wants to offer their twopennyworth you are very welcome.
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