Scotts’ Greenmaster Pro-Lite is a favourite for autumn renovations

Fine turf maintenance and renovation specialist, Avon Sportsground Maintenance, will be relying once again this year on Scotts' Greenmaster Pro-Lite Autumn micro-granular fertilizer to promote strong, healthy establishment of overseeded grasses on bowling greens across the south-west of England and south Wales.

Used by the firm for the past four years as the primary fertilizer within its autumn fine turf renovation programmes, Greenmaster Pro-Lite Autumn has proved more than equal to the task, promoting sustained optimum grass growth, health and appearance, according to company founder, Terry Phillips.

"We were looking for a high-quality autumn fertilizer and were introduced to Greenmaster Pro-Lite Autumn by Scotts' area technical advisor, Michael Fance," explained Terry. "With its analysis of 6+5+10+6 percent iron, the product provides excellent moss control while helping to strengthen the sward ahead of the winter months. Having a low nitrogen content, it does not encourage diseases such as Fusarium Patch, ensuring that new grasses get off to the best possible start."

Applied to renovated turf by hand-operated spreader at the recommended rate of 35 gms/sq metre, Greenmaster Pro-Lite is used by Avon Sportsground Maintenance during the autumn renovation period on more than 70 bowling greens, a client list built up over the 30 years since the business was founded by Terry Phillips at Pensford, between Bristol and Bath.

Scotts customers for over a decade, Avon are recognised as one of the largest bowling green contractors in the country, specialising in year-round full and part maintenance contracts of bowling greens and other fine turf areas, including advisory visits.

Another long-term Scotts customer delighted with results achieved using Greenmaster is Alan Smith, head greenkeeper at Clacton-on-Sea Golf Club in Essex.

Described by Alan as combining traditional links and parkland styles, the course covers 45 hectares of partly wooded and partly open flattish land.

The club has carried out extensive course work over the past 10 years to improve the condition and appearance of its playing surfaces, in particular the greens, their surrounds and the tees.

In addition to completing a series of major drainage projects, Alan and his team have embarked on a planned programme of deep and shallow aeration and scarification throughout the growing season.

While looking to achieve maximum results from mechanical treatments, Alan has worked closely with Scotts to maximise the benefits of a low fertility programme introduced some four to five years ago.

"The use of Greenmaster Pro-Lite Autumn is an important part of that programme," explained Alan. "Applied at the recommended rate to all greens following scarifying and top dressing, the product has helped to reduce disease while improving the winter hardiness of fine turf."

"We're very pleased with the results, as are the golfers who are benefiting from better greens both over the winter months and into the new growing season due to the positive knock-on effect produced by the treatment."

Technology that has remained ahead of its time

When Greenmaster fertilizers were launched in the mid-'80s, they featured cutting-edge technology to help sports turf managers deliver the exact nutritional requirements for their turf. Innovation moved on, and thanks to Scotts' world-leading Research & Development Programme, Greenmaster Pro-Lite is still the most advanced granular fertilizer available, nearly a quarter of a century later.

Pro-Lite is micro granule technology that contains Zeolite in a homogeneous form. Zeolite's molecular structure is a 3D cage-like framework of silica and alumina molecules. The spaces and channels in each molecule means it acts like a microscopic sponge. Excess oxygen is kept within the framework and creates a negative charge, holding cations and water molecules until they're needed by the plant.

Because each ultra-fine Greenmaster granule contains the same ratio of superior-quality nutrients, they disperse rapidly, produce a fast, even turf response, and the results last even longer.

Further information about the full range of Greenmaster fertilizers can be found at www.scottsprofessional.co.uk