Think about it and then do it, but keep your head on. This is where the fun is!
bentgrass dominant and you will have appreciated its strengths and are very happy with them. The need to build-in fescues at this point will depend on the style and set-up of your course.
Mind the gap
Another starting point might be a new construction with a pure bent and fescue blend on a sand based rootzone, but how do you maintain it? First of all, beware of the gap, as it is the main strength of the annual meadow-grass. Poa annua sets seed to live and they are many and widespread. Maintain turf health to promote the development of a dense sward to close down the gaps. For goodness sake don’t start starving the situation. Constantly overseed to fill the gaps with better and better varieties. Maybe consider the use of plant growth regulators. Keep damaging treatments to a minimum to retain a dense and healthy sward without too many gaps. Again, topdress, brush and roll for playing quality because this doesn’t inflict damage. Leave the height of cut slightly higher on these greens to absorb the top dressing and to improve increased wear tolerance. You can achieve serious speed and trueness with
bents and fescues at 4.5-5mm. Educate the perpetrators of unrepaired pitch marks and clear up after them. Close down the gaps. Seriously consider protecting the surfaces from winter damage in the early years. Stipulate specific non-damaging soft spikes. Certainly, don’t force-in any large gaps at the wrong time to allow the annual meadow-grass to take advantage. Sarel roll and micro solid tine during the summer to keep the surfaces open and receptive to effective watering. Big holes or scarification tracks should be well timed and quickly filled with topdressing and quality seed to take better advantage of the situation. Invoke drought stress with care at opportune moments to get rid of the annual meadow-grass before it starts. Let’s hope that you have a rootzone that you can squeeze a bit occasionally.
Turn The World Around To favour the finer grasses you need to appreciate their strengths and place your emphasis on them. They will overtake a settled environment with encouragement. Annual meadow-grass also has strengths and weaknesses that need to be understood and used given
the chance. You certainly have to minimise the creation of gaps in new greens to prevent invasion. Stress can be used but it should be taken as an opportunity rather than a governing factor. Create an environment that the finer grasses love above all else and play on the weakness of the annual meadow- grass occasionally if you want to. If you create your high quality putting surfaces without getting too aggressive and overseed at every opportunity then the bents and fescues will come. You don’t have to compromise on playing quality; you just have to commit to it. Putting surfaces with better playing qualities for longer in the year, and reduced vulnerabilities, isn't really a choice. Think about it and then do it, but keep your head on. This is where the fun is.
About the author: Henry Bechelet is the STRI Turfgrass Agronomist covering North and Eastern England. Henry may be contacted by email at
henry.bechelet@
stri.co.uk or via
www.stri.co.uk
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