Sports Turf Agronomy Advice - March 2026
Last month we talked about February often representing a transitional month for turf managers, sitting between the challenges of wet conditions and the closeness of spring.
Meadow Flowers on Banchory Golf Course, Aberdeenshire
Well for the time being, Spring couldn’t seem any further away! It has been a torrid start to 2026 where weather is concerned. Usually we experience a false spring, which brings with it an opportunity to get started on any planned maintenance early. But we have experienced an extraordinarily wet start to 2026.
By early February, many locations had already exceeded average winter rainfall totals, leaving ground saturated. Rainfall from 1 December to 9 February exceeded the whole winter average in a broad swathe of locations. In some regions of southwest England and South Wales, totals were about 50% above normal for early 2026. Parts of the UK saw rain on almost every day since early January. At the University of Reading, 25 consecutive rainy days were logged - the longest such spell there since records began in 1908.
Across sites visited during the month ground conditions have been the restricting factor. Towards the end of the month when temperatures were in the early teens and favourable for growth, unfortunately for many, it just wasn’t suitable to get out onto the surfaces for cutting. Invariably in these situations there is a presence of pressure, to still get out onto the ground. However, it can lead to putting surface conditions back, and although difficult, it can often be best to wait, until the ground conditions improve. Where the plant has been put under stress extra work and inputs may be required to counteract the setback in plant health.
The forecast for early March looks to be fairly settled overall and typical for this month. The cold temperatures seem to have passed and importantly there are no extremely low night-time temperatures being predicted. This will help soil temperatures to rise, especially with their being over 18 days forecast with max temperatures being over 10°C. This gradual rise will influence the plant growth rate. This does not mean that growth will race away but that there should start to be some recovery and response from any nutrient applications.
Nutrition
Nitrate and ammonium are both forms of nitrogen that plants can readily absorb. Because nitrate is immediately available, it can encourage growth in cooler conditions more effectively than less available nitrogen sources. It is also highly mobile in the soil, allowing it to reach plant roots quickly and deliver a rapid nutrient response. However, due to this mobility, care should be taken when heavy rainfall is forecast, as nitrate is more prone to leaching. Matching nitrogen inputs to growth potential and prevailing conditions will help maximise efficiency and minimise environmental loss.
Ammonium is likewise plant-available and is often well suited to early-season use, as its positive charge allows it to bind to soil exchange sites, making it less susceptible to leaching than nitrate. As soil temperatures rise, soil microbes increasingly convert ammonium into nitrate through the nitrification process, which typically begins to increase above soil temperatures of around 5-6 °C and becomes more active above 8-10 °C. Nitrogen sources that are not readily available may fail to produce the desired level of growth and response.
Methylene urea (MU) is an example of a slow-release urea-based fertiliser. Its breakdown depends on naturally occurring soil microbes, meaning the rate of nitrogen release is closely linked to temperature. Organic fertilisers, derived from plant and animal materials, also rely on natural biological and chemical processes. As a result, their nutrient content is typically lower, less precise, and released more slowly than that of conventional fertilisers, producing a more gradual turf response.
Where recovery from disruptive maintenance is not required, light liquid fertiliser applications timed with rising temperatures can be sufficient to gently stimulate turf growth ahead of heavier granular applications later in the spring. Early season nitrogen inputs should remain modest to avoid promoting soft growth or increasing disease susceptibility. Application timing should always be guided by soil temperature, growth potential and rainfall risk to maximise nutrient efficiency and minimise environmental loss.
Biostimulants
Biostimulant applications can support both plant and soil health. As daylight hours increase, photosynthesis accelerates and the plant’s energy demand rises. Supplying carbon in the form of simple and complex sugars provides an immediately available energy source, helping the plant cope with stress associated with maintenance operations.
With warming soils increasing biological activity, this added carbon also feeds soil microbes, encouraging greater microbial activity and aiding the breakdown of organic matter. While biostimulants can support plant function and soil biology, they should be viewed as complementary tools and not a substitute for sound nutrition and cultural management practices.
Plant Growth Regulation
Seed head development in Poa annua can begin early in the season and places a significant demand on the plant’s energy reserves. Applying a plant growth regulator designed to function in cooler conditions, such as prohexadione calcium, can suppress reproductive development when applied preventatively ahead of visible seed head emergence. Sequential applications may be required where prolonged seedhead pressure is expected.
This approach helps redirect energy away from seed production and toward vegetative growth and overall plant health during periods of stress. Plant growth regulator uptake and performance will improve once consistent plant growth is evident.
Ecology
As spring approaches and we move toward summer, the familiar buzz of bees becomes more noticeable. These pollinators are critically important, and numerous national initiatives aim to support their populations. Creating environments where bees can thrive helps safeguard their future and, ultimately, our own.
Wildflower mixes are an excellent way to enhance biodiversity, add visual interest and support pollinators, with spring being an ideal time to sow many available mixes. Where possible, consider establishing these areas in out-of-play zones, rough margins or dedicated habitat areas to integrate ecological value alongside managed turf performance.
Hopefully, spring is just around the corner!
Tom Wood
B.Sc (Hons) | MBPR | FQA