Sports Turf Agronomy Advice - November 2025
Another October passes by and it has been similar to last year, with the growth season being extended a further month, which has been a huge positive for turf managers.
The weather has been mixed but any rainfall we have had has helped to replace the deficit left by the summer drought. It has been an excellent period for recovery from any maintenance works with high levels of seed germination and establishment. A favourable October keeps the depths of winter at bay for another month and the run into Christmas feels much shorter.
In November, we enter a period where there is a shift towards more undesirable factors mainly because there is less available sunlight for photosynthesis, coupled with lower temperatures creating the reduction in growth rates. There is prolonged leaf wetness because of less dry-down time throughout the day due to typically overcast conditions. The average daylight hours for the month are 8.57 hrs, down from 10.47 hrs in October, with an average of just 65 hours of sunlight for the month. This is before you even consider shade from external factors which add an additional stress to the plant. As well as higher disease pressure this month we also see greater competition from mosses and algae.
Looking at the figures from October, GP started the month at around 80% but by the end of the month was down at just over 50%. Although there are still conditions for growth, there has been a significant shift this month in the amount of available growth. Max temperatures started off in the mid-teens but by the end of October they are hovering just above 10°C, which is still mild in relation to the time of year and as the GP suggests this is still enough to support some growth activity. This will be welcomed for those who have been struck by a disease outbreak and are requiring some recovery.
Later applications of plant growth regulators can play an important role at this stage, supporting lateral growth to provide recovery, opposed to vertical leaf growth. This slower, regulated growth ensures a strong healthy plant. Rainfall was heaviest at the begining and end with a low amount of rainfall in between. This has meant that ground conditions have remined favourable for carrying out essential maintenance operations.
The water deficit was so high from the summer the underlying ground is still remarkably dry. With a softer upper profile this has led to ‘slippery’ surfaces in some circumstances, therefore selecting the right equipment to carry out maintenance works is key. Weekly nitrogen requirements are now just over 1kg, which highlights how important is it to get accurate nutritional inputs at this point in the season, where over application can be a major contributing factor to disease development.
Click here to review weather data in your region for October. To keep up to date with the weather throughout November visit https://academy.agrovista.co.uk/category/weather
The long term predicted forecast for November is typical for this month with daytime highs generally around 10°C to 14°C and overnight lows dropping to around 5°C to 8°C. Frequent cloud cover, with rain or showers expected in many places with breezy/windy conditions. Following on from last month the focus is still disease management as pressure remains high.
Conditions have been the perfect storm for disease development, with most sites being affected through October. With low base nitrogen requirements (table above), aim to promote steady, hardy shoot and leaf growth. The demand for year-round play on quality sports surfaces increases plant stress and the requirement for recovery, putting an increased emphasis on ensuring the right choice of nitrogen source as well as the amount applied.
Water management
A water management strategy plays a major role in maintaining playability through the winter and also in reducing disease development. Maintaining an appropriate water/air ratio is a key factor in reducing turf stress during periods of the year when rainfall increases with reduced drying opportunities. Aeration methods and timings can make all the difference, sarel rolling can aid water infiltration and help surface drying with minimal disruption, with slitting giving contact to a large surface area within the soil for maximum gaseous exchange, again with minimal disruption to the surface.
More heavy-duty aeration such as Verti-Draining can also be carried out as needed, but ideally only when ground conditions are suitable. The use of surface active agents (surfactants) to reduce surface tension and allow water down through the profile, will help to move water away from the playing surface. These should be applied in moderation where drainage is not in place to avoid issues of saturating the profile. Dew dispersants are now commonly applied to aid in the reduction of leaf wetness. This is a bid to minimise any disease outbreaks but also helps maintain a cut clean cut when mowing.
Earthworm casts have been a serious issue for most of October for many and will continue to be so with the current conditions. They are a major factor in the decline of turf quality to playing surfaces, which impacts on playability and visual presentation. Because there are no registered products to offer control of casting worms, damage limitation is the best-case scenario. Cultural management using a variety of methods to reduce the food source and create an unfavourable environment will help minimise activity and disruption to surfaces. Over-application should be avoided when trying to find a solution as it may lead to another problem with negative effects on plant health throughout the rest of the year
Tom Wood
B.Sc (Hons) | MBPR | FQA