The International hub for greenkeepers, groundstaff, turf managers and volunteers
The International hub for greenkeepers, groundstaff, turf managers and volunteers
We all know of the numerous myths and tricks about at the moment on ‘how to properly sterilise equipment’. Some are pretty solid, while others are outright hazardous to health or inflict damage to the surfaces they are used on. What is sanitising? In short, it means to ‘make clean and hygienic’. There’s a common …
Now this is one of those topics in greenkeeping that is site-specific due to the large amount of variables, including grass type, weather, region, budget, staff and everything in between. However there are some important rules of thumb to keep in mind, the biggest one being to avoid cutting off more than one third or …
Despite being the fundamental basis of some sports, parks, and lawns, the meaning of the word ‘grass’ never really gets much thought. Even by qualified turf managers! So what is grass? ‘Grass is a monocotyledon plant, herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base.’ Vague, right? That’s because grass actually has many different species, …
Poa Annua (Annual meadow grass) is a common grass that is part of the Poaceae family. This family of grass provides staple foods, from domesticated cereal crops such as maize, wheat, rice, barley, and millet, to feed for animals. For some, Poa is a turf manager’s daily grass; for others it may be their enemy. …
Improving soil aeration and decompaction is a huge part of maintaining any turf surface, but especially sports turf surfaces. This can be achieved using a variety of methods including slit or knife tines, soild or spike tines, or hollow tines. Today’s topic is hollow tining (coring). These tines physically remove a core of soil from …
Its no hidden fact that to achieve the highest possible mowing quality, a cylinder mower is the best. Their clean scissor-like cut makes them the perfect choice for sports turf surfaces, high-quality lawns and recreational areas. The basic design hasn’t changed since Edwin Budding developed the first machine in 1830. The point of cutting is …
Evapotranspiration is a term used to describe the water consumed by plants over a period of time. Evepotranpiration is the water loss occurring from the process of evaporation and transpiration. Evaporation occurs when water changes to vapor on either soil or plant surfaces. Transpiration refers to the water loss through the leaves of plants. Evapotranspiration is …
Understanding plant water use – Evapotranspiration Read More »
The information in this article was provided by Gilba Solutions After the summer the following 3 practices are NOT a good idea if you are overseeding in the autumn. 1. Aggressive scarification – when this is carried out stolons are removed. These act as subsequent ‘’growing points’ when you transition the ryegrass out in …
It’s no secret that preparing a cricket wicket can be classed as an art. A lot of knowledge and skill goes into preparing a top grade wicket, as anyone who has attempted it will know. Before you can even start any work, the most important part is ensuring you have suitable loam or clay. What …
Why is it important to use loam/clay over native soil on a cricket wicket? Read More »
Growth regulators are used in sports turf primarily to regulate and suppress grass growth. That has advantages for time and cost savings, but also some real advantages for maintaining consistent surface playability. You can vary the amount of suppression by increasing the application rate. Essentially, the higher the rate, the less the turf will grow …