June Bowls Diary 2011
It has been a tough couple of months for many bowls clubs, with greenkeepers struggling to keep their greens watered due to the prolonged dry period, coupled with drying winds. As fast as water went on, it evaporated from the surface.
For clubs with no irrigation systems, it is always going to be a problem to keep the green adequately watered. Even with some sprinkler systems, quite often the water pressure is insufficient to power the sprinklers properly.
Greens, however, soon recover once adequate watering takes place. The recent heavy downpours will have certainly helped to restore some colour and vigour to the greens.
Continue with your regular maintenance programme of cutting, verticutting, aerating and feeding. Perhaps, during the dry spells, especially if you do not have adequate watering measures in place, it may well be sensible to raise the height of cut by 1-2mm to relieve the stress on the plant.
Always check the greens mower prior to use for sharpness of cut, adjust as necessary. These checks should be done every time you intend to use the mower. Also check for any fluid/oil leaks. The last thing you want is to leave a smear of oil/fluids on your playing surface.
Double cut the green in a diamond formation for tournaments and finals. This type of cut removes more grass from the same area without the need to reduce the cutting height. Most bowling greens tend to suffer dry patches at the edges of the green, generally caused by mowing practices, where you continue to turn. The use of turning boards can help reduce wear on these areas. Some clubs are now raising their height of cut to 7-8mm around the edge of the green to minimise this problem.
The quality of cut is often determined by the choice of mower used. There are plenty of mowers now on the market. You usually get what you pay for! For most clubs it will be the budget available that dictates which mower they can have. There is a wide choice of mower manufacturers who can offer you a suitable mower (new or second hand) to suit your budgets and needs. Check the Used Machinery Section on the Pitchcare website for mowers.
Check grass in times of heat stress; roll, instead of cutting, once in a while to ease pressure. If temperatures remain high, it may well be necessary to syringe the sward with water to cool the surface.
Useful Information for Mowing
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Facts about mowing
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Mowers |
It will be important to check your watering systems, ensuring they work effectively and are watering the green uniformly. Many clubs lack efficient water resources i.e. automated pop up watering systems and, even if they have one, clubs often do not use it properly. Too many greens are either under or over watered, giving rise to further problems, such as dry patch, excessive thatch, shallow root growth, slow pace, inconsistent bowl roll, to name a few.
Watering is all about understanding the grass plant's needs and knowing your soil profile; sandy soils are more free draining than loamy/clay soils. Often, problems can be as a result of low water pressure or an incorrect sprinkler. Watering is all about uniformity. Ideally, you should soak your green (flood it up) and allow it to dry out over a few days. This will ensure you have watered to depth, however, this may not always possible, especially during a busy period of fixtures.
Also, during the day, water pressures may be low due to local consumption; it may be an advantage to water at night, this will also reduce water loss by evaporation. You should also test your water quality and find out its pH level, especially if you are using recycled water. Poor water quality will have a detrimental affect on your sward.
Useful Information for Irrigation
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Irrigation Auditing | Static Sprinklers |
Most Greenkeepers will be applying a summer N P K fertiliser, perhaps something like a 12:0:9, reducing the N and P inputs, trying to maintain a stable balanced growth during June. You could also look to use a slow release fertiliser that will see you through July and August. The choice of material and how well it works will be dependent on factors such as soil type and weather, with moisture and air temperature being the catalyst for growth.
It is essential to ensure there is enough soil moisture present to activate the fertiliser product used. Liquid feeds are more efficient in getting into the plant, especially when used as a foliar feed.
Applying a balanced fertiliser regime will help prevent the plant becoming stressed, especially during drought conditions. The aim is to keep the roots growing. The well-being of the grass plant is influenced by the state and condition of the roots. Most of the plant's nutrient requirements are taken in by the rooting structure.
Useful Information for Feeding
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Plant Nutrition - food for thought | Granular Turf Fertilisers |
Seeding sparse or bare areas can be continued. The higher soil and air temperatures will help germination. Use germination sheets to aid this process, but remove the sheets regularly to check for diseases. Remember that without good seed to soil contact the operation is useless.
It is important that you use a compatible rootzone material for any repairs. These may come in different formulations, generally a 70/30 sand soil mix is the one used by most greenstaff, who usually mix their grass seed into this rootzone medium prior to spreading and integrating into the worn areas. Ensure you use new seed, as old material may not give you the required germination rates.
Useful Information for Overseeding
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Seeding is believing | Bowling Green Grass Seed |
Topdressing is usually carried out in spring and autumn in conjunction with the renovation programmes. However, some bowling clubs have a policy of applying topdressing materials during the season. It is important that an appropriate material is sourced to ensure compatibility with the existing rootzone materials of your green. The last thing you want to encourage are rootbreaks in the green.
Spreading of the materials can be achieved by several methods, utilising pedestrian or ride-on disc or drop action topspreaders, or by hand using a shovel and a barrow. It is important to get an even spread of material, the aim is to put on a very light dressing, followed by brushing in with a lute or drag brush/mat to restore levels.
Useful Information for Topdressing
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Basic principles of topdressing | Topdressing |
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Monitor for disease or pests, prevention is better than cure.
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Many bowling clubs have hedges surrounding their greens. June is a good time to trim and reshape these, thus reducing any potential shading or access problems.
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Check and inspect ditches, floodlights, structures and any site furniture for damage; keep the site clean and maintain a tidy appearance throughout the facility.