Sports Turf Agronomy Advice - February 2024
Frustratingly, the poor weather has continued through January making working conditions very difficult. There have been some breaks in the weather which has allowed progress to be made, but then this has been followed by a spell of more bad weather which has led to further setbacks.
The end of January brought BTME week, which was filled with optimism. The halls were packed with turf professionals and volunteers alike, looking at the latest developments in products, machinery and technology etc… alongside fully booked education seminars and classrooms which made for an excellent exhibition overall. I’m sure everyone who attended had their own highlights from the week, and for anyone who has not yet attended it is definitely worth a trip to Harrogate.
Before we look ahead to the forecasted weather for February, let’s look back at January’s average figures. The rainfall figures highlight just how much the rain has continued to fall. Temperatures at the start of the month were low, with some frost, which obviously had a big impact on any growth. Towards the end of January, temperatures started to rise to what is more typical for the month, around 9°C. One of the main issues faced by many is that conditions aren’t suitable for mowing. In terms of plant required nitrogen to support growth, this has been minimal, with a total of only 2.1kg of N for the whole of January.
Click here if you want to review weather data in your region for January. To keep up to date with the weather throughout February, visit https://academy.agrovista.co.uk/category/weather
The forecast for early February is a continuation of the wet weather from January, which will mean a prolongation of the challenging ground conditions. By the mid-way point, there is a break in the weather forecast, with cool day temperatures and cold night temperatures, with a possibility of frosts; this will restrict any early season growth and any renovation work should be planned accordingly. Towards the end of the month, the temperatures start to rise, but with it comes more variability and rain showers. The breaks may allow for some windows to get onto the turf, depending on your local environmental weather and ground conditions. Although not always the easiest decision, waiting for the opportune moment, when conditions are best to carry out any maintenance works, is essential.
February is a month where it feels that spring will soon be upon us, with so many things still to do in such a small amount of time. Day length on the 1st February will be 8 hours 54 minutes and the sun’s altitude from the horizon will be 11.65°. At the end of February, this changes to around 10 hours 47 minutes and the sun’s altitude from the horizon will then be 20.46°. That’s a difference of 1 hour 53 minutes and an altitude difference of 8.81°. This means from the start to the end of the month you gain approximately 2 hours of sunlight and a large increase (around 57%) in the height of the sun at mid-day, which is vital for gains in photosynthetic rates.
It is important to remember that unless you have the means to artificially stimulate growth via grow lights, under soil heating etc… it can’t be forced if the right environmental conditions aren’t present. Data is ever increasingly being used within our industry as a predictor of what is to come, and it is an excellent tool alongside practical experience to help us make more informed choices around when and what tasks to carry out.
If soil samples were taken at the end of 2023 or in January, it is a good time to sit down and go through the results, making comparisons to previous years and track progress. The results can be used to inform decisions around what inputs to use for the year ahead. When making plans, it is essential to retain a degree of flexibility in relation to applications and overall input requirements. As so much is dependent on weather conditions, and ultimately it is only a plan and the weather is now so unpredictable, it may need to be adapted to get the best performing turf.
Nutritional inputs
Input requirements for this month should be in line with desired outcomes. An application of early season nutrition that is plant available can assist plant growth and recovery when conditions allow. It is important to be aware of the base nitrogen requirement of the plant and where this is low; higher applications of nitrogen will not be needed, as such any applications may be wasted resources.
In some situations where maintenance work has been undertaken, extra nutrition may be needed to boost recovery of the turf. In situations where there are artificial growing conditions, there are more options in relation to nutritional applications, and these can assist in achieving early season recovery where it is not possible under ‘normal’ conditions. In either scenario, ensuring the right nitrogen source is applied will give the best results. If conditions allow, liquid applications can be utilised for quick plant uptake and an immediate response. The addition of Iron may be beneficial if there has been any moss ingress over the winter months, where there has been low light and swards have thinned.
Tom Wood
B.Sc (Hons) | BASIS | FACTS