Autumn Maintenance on the Bowling Green

Autumn Bowling Green renovation days proved hugely popular once again, with more than one hundred and fifty attending the three days organized by SISIS, in conjunction with Avoncrop Amenity Products, Scotts UK, Syngenta and Barenbrug.

The first event was on 25th September at UK Paper in Sittingbourne, Kent followed by The Royal British Legion Club at Cranleigh, Surrey and finishing at Buxted Park nr Uckfield in East Sussex.

The days started with a morning out door demonstration of SISIS equipment on the bowling green, featuring the Dart Pedestrian Vertical Aerator and the new Auto Rotarake Mk 5, incorporating a safety brake to the reel and tipped blades increasing their life.

Following lunch there were technical seminars, the first given by John Noyce of Scotts UK on fine turf nutrition and the importance of correct product selection. The talk covered soil analysis and macronutrients, not forgetting trace elements and bio stimulants, which play a major roll in both plant health and beneficial micro organisms in the root zone.

Simon Barnaby from Syngenta covered pests and diseases associated with fine turf, showing how many diseases are associated with incorrect nutrition. Not only too much, which can cause fusarium, but also too little, linked to anthracnose disease. He also covered the advances in the use of the very successful PrimoMAXX growth regulator on fine turf such as bowls, encouraging thicker, deeper-rooted swards.

Chris Briggs of Avoncrop Amenity covered top dressings. Explaining the principles of what makes a good dressing and how to avoid dressings with too many fines, which can cap of the surface and will reduce drainage of the root zone.

Barenbrug presented the attributes of fine turf species and some principles for best establishment highlighting how important sowing depths are for different species, Brown top bent seed wanting surface contact with the rootzone whilst fescues need to be sown at 4 - 6 mm below. Some alternative species such as Crested Hair Grass is suited to fine turf and is the ultimate low maintenance species. Dwarf Rye such as Bargold, the finest leaf perennial rye, could offer potential for increased wear tolerance on the edges of the green.

For further details contact Chris Briggs Avoncrop Amenity Products Ltd 07775 726667