These include the creation of muddy conditions brought about by casts being smeared on the playing surface. This can cause smothering of fine grasses as well as sealing of the surface to ultimately reduce surface drainage. In particular, worm casting can have a very significant impact on newly installed slit drains that can soon become capped over and ineffective if worm casting is not controlled.
Additionally, the production of casts can bring dormant weed seeds to the surface, and the casts themselves provide a perfect seedbed for germination and establishment, especially as they are rich in nutrients and have higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium than the surrounding soil. Furthermore, earthworms may encourage other pests, as they are a rich food source for creatures such as moles.
Cultural control
The presence of casting worms should be minimised by cultural control methods, thus reducing the need for chemical control. In recent years such measures have become more and more important as the range of available chemicals has slowly been eroded. Greenkeepers and groundsmen alike can no longer rely on a single application of a wormkiller or lumbricide to eliminate the problem for protracted periods. In the first instance, we should be looking to control the level of sub-surface thatch that provides a rich source of food to worms. Thatch is also, of course, an undesirable feature on most sports turf surfaces for other reasons. Similarly, clippings should be boxed off where possible, as these too provide a constant source of nutrient and could also increase thatch levels in the upper profile. Understandably, this may not always be practical on all areas such as a golf course, but it should, at least, always be done on greens and tees. Excessively organic topdressing materials should also be avoided, and the use of organic based fertilisers limited for the same reasons. Worms do not like acid conditions and much prefer neutral or alkaline soils. This is most useful from a fine turf point of view as acidic soil conditions also favour the desirable bent and fescue species. Therefore, always try and use acidic-reacting materials as opposed to alkaline ones. For example, lime in any form is a definite no no - worms just love it! Lime can come in various disguises and care should be taken when selecting sands, especially for topdressing. Always ensure that the material used contains no more than 0.5% lime - a fact that you should make your supplier aware of. Similarly, using limestone to backfill drain trenches is not a good idea, even if it is often cheaper than other materials. With very high lime content,
limestone can often be readily broken down, especially in acid soils. Not only will the use of limestone in this manner attract earthworms, but the presence of casting worms will also lead to a deterioration in the effectiveness of the drain, as they will cast into the stone backfill, contaminating it with soil. Similarly, irrigation water should
be tested for pH, alkalinity and salinity on a routine basis to ensure that it will not influence the alkalinity of the soil. Modifying soil pH to create more acid conditions has become one of the more effective lines of control. Sulphur and sulphur-based products oxidise in moist soil to form sulphuric acid, which lowers the pH. Additional benefits of sulphur can include flocculation of the fine clay particles into larger ones, increasing pore spaces and improving soil structure and drainage. To help acidify turf the regular use of ammonium sulphate based fertilisers is recommended, especially as research has shown acidifying fertilisers have the added benefit of favouring the development of the finer grasses. Similarly, applications of iron sulphate will have a comparable acidifying effect and, in this instance, will also help control moss and harden the sward against disease. Of course, this process should not be taken too far - if acidity levels were allowed to drop as low as pH 4.0, for example, then there would be very little earthworm activity, but the fine turfgrasses would also be thin, weak and prone to moss invasion. For many fine turf situations the desired level should be a pH of about 5.0-5.5, although this will vary in the case of golf depending on the type of course. A pH of this level should have a significant impact on earthworm populations and is also perfect for the development of browntop bent grasses. With regard to cricket tables and tennis courts, where ryegrass can be a significant sward component, care should be taken when amending the pH as ryegrass does best in soil conditions around neutral pH. On golf courses, a further
technique that has been used successfully to reduce worm populations is to apply sand topdressing to an area, as the sand irritates the worm’s skin. However, this again would not be possible on a cricket square (but perhaps the outfield), nor on tennis courts.
Chemical control
There is now only one active ingredient available for controlling worm casting in amenity turf, and that is carbendazim. Thiophanate- methyl (Mildothane Turf Liquid and Snare) had an approval expiry date of 31st August 2008, that means it is now illegal to apply any products containing this active ingredient for the purpose of controlling worms. Carbendazim is a systemic benzimidazole fungicide that has wormkilling side effects which acts by disrupting the worm’s feeding. Products are best sprayed when worms are near the surface, usually in spring or autumn, but control is invariably short-lived and treatment may need to be repeated one to two times each year. Applications should be avoided in drought or when the ground is frozen. To help maximise effectiveness the surface should be aerated prior to application. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions. It may be that we see
developments in more effective chemical control in the future but, with a small and specialised market, do not hold your breath - it is more likely a discovery will be made by accident!
To advertise in this section contact Classifieds
Peter Britton on 01747 855335 email:
peter@pitchcare.com
SEED SUPPLIERS SPARE PARTS Sportsground Mixtures
• Next day delivery • Technical advice
Tel: 01522 868714 Fax: 01522 868095
seeds@bshlincoln.co.uk
www.bshamenity.com Order online at Tines
Slitters Scarifiers
for turf maintenance machinery
Tel: (0044) 0114 251 3344 Email:
sales@tines.co.uk
Fax: (0044) 0114 251 3000 Scotland’s leading grass seed specialist
LANDSCAPING • SPORT • GOLF TURF SEED •WILD FLOWERS • FERTILISERS
Email:
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TELEPHONE: 01968 661705 FAX: 01968 660087
TELEPHONE: 01968 661705 FAX: 01968 660087
WEST LINTON SCOTLAND EH46 7AZ
design, manufacture and distribution of turf aeration solutions for the past 20 years
Cricket Renovation Seed Mixes CR1 & CR2 WASP coated seed also available 24 hour delivery
Hurrells Specialist Seeds, Beverley Road Cranswick Driffield East Yorkshire YO25 9PF Tel: 01377 271400 Fax: 01377 271500 Email:
nick@hmseeds.com
www.hmseeds.com SOIL ANALYSIS
Blair Precision Engineering Ltd began
manufacturing tines in1987 after Carnoustie Golf Links approached the company looking for
custom shapes and sizes of tines to fit their aeration machines. More than 20 years later, Steelmaster Tines are used by greenkeepers and groundsman all over Europe.
Tel: +44 (0)1241 853639
www.steelmaster.co.uk E:
sales@steelmaster.co.uk
www.tines.co.uk
THE UK’s PREMIER SUPPLIER FOR ALL YOUR GOLF AND TURF MACHINERY SPARES
INTERNATIONAL LTD
A2LA Accredited & USGA Approved physical soil testing laboratory for the analysis of construction materials for the sportsturf industry
Contact ETL on 01786 449195 email:
europeanturf@aol.com www.etl-ltd.com
SOIL SCREENERS
ULTRA T1500 - TROMMEL SCREEN HIRE AND SALES
Produce high quality topsoil from recycled soil/green waste
Contact Synergy Products on 01380 828337
Dave on mobile: 07971 843802 Email:
sales@synergyproducts.co.uk www.synergyproducts.co.uk
Established 1998
Replacement Tines
Hollow, Solid and Cross - specialising in carbide tipped technology. Verticut and scarifier blades.
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VERTI-DRAIN WEIDENMANN JOHN DEERE RYAN
THATCHAWAY TORO GRADEN RANSOMES/JAC
Fast efficient service from our extensive stock.
0800 083 0216 Division of Campey Turf Care Systems Ltd
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121
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