The sports turf industry are demanding more resilient natural swards
Micro clover being trialled
wild flower seed mixtures and DLF now offers twelve different mixtures for various soil conditions. The trial plots take up the most of the site. All the main amenity grass species were being trialled, bents, fescues, perennial ryegrasses etc. Currently, they are all maintained at the same cutting height of 20mm, however, DLF are planning a series of trials that will monitor grass performance under different mowing regimes and feeding programmes.
The wild flower plots are monitored for colour, vigour and consistency. The plots are sown in the spring, kept mown at 100mm in the first growing season and then, in subsequent years, managed as wild meadows i.e. mowed in the spring, left to flower, and cut and collected in late August.
Mowing the grass plots
One particularly interesting trial underway involves micro clover. It is tolerant to close mowing, remains greener in dry periods, does not require high doses of feed and is more disease resistant. This mixture is particularly suitable for local authorities, who have to manage with little in the way of maintenance budgets but want to achieve an attractive grass colour and aesthetic appearance.
A further 10,000 sq ft of storage will be added
bays ready for dispatch to the customer. The whole process can be completed in a day, depending on the amount required. Over a year around 6,000 tonnes of seed are bagged and dispatched. DLF monitor the seed
market closely, and often buy the rights to various seed productions, as is the case of Yorktown III, a perennial ryegrass species developed and grown in the USA. The market is ever changing. For instance there is an increased demand for
On the plots the clover clearly stood out, and compared favourably to some of the finer, more expensive and more difficult to establish grasses such as bents. It could well become an attractive alternative for many Groundsman and Greenkeepers.
The sports turf industry are demanding more resilient natural swards that can also cope with less and less input. The challenge is the ongoing search to find better and more adaptable seed varieties that perform, look good and can be managed easily at lower costs.
Only seed companies with the commitment, skills and resources such as those in evidence at DLF will be able to take this on.
23
www.pitchcare.com/re 59 22
www.pitchcare.com/re
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80