“I do not believe in ‘blue prints’ for golf green maintenance. There are far too many differing environmental, political, financial, practical, and theoretical factors out there within our 3,000 golf clubs, to shoehorn in ‘one way’ thinking and practice”
Nutrition
This is the real balancing act for the healthy conditioning of ‘greens type’ Poa annua. Regular nitrogen feeding is the main nutritional requirement during the season, with rates of between 170 and 250kg/Ha required. This will depend on many interrelated factors, such as irrigation levels, rootzone, permeability, and
evapotransporation rates. This is no different to any other grass type for greens, except that it is probably more critical in its timing and rate of application.
Urea is often described as food for Meadow Grass and there is good reason for this. However, this does not necessarily mean that our reptans types will do better on urea based forms.
What is more important with fine Poa is the style of nutrient application. Liquid feeding seems to have a better response and control rate on Poa than granular - no matter how fine the granules, we often see dark green spotty surfaces after solid material applications. This cannot just be put down to poor application or badly manufactured material, as I have seen it at many Poa dominated courses using different materials. The finer leaf, higher shoot density and greater requirement for N in Poa annua ssp. reptans all have something to do with this. One side effect of fining down Poa in this way is the formation of clumps or ‘puffy’ colonies. Due to shallow rooting depth these can be plucked from the sward between finger and thumb. This growth habit is not thatch related and is, again, more to do with high shoot density, which is induced by too higher rate of
nitrogen while low mowing. As you move into the late summer months, at times of stress, nitrogen should also be used to stave off Anthracnose. Into the autumn the rates of nitrogen should be lowered and used in combination with higher rates of potassium, magnesium and iron to strengthen the plant against disease attack. Just like humans, if you want it to live longer don’t make it fat or stressed, but then that applies to any other grass in your greens anyway.
Irrigation
Ask a Fescue grower what to do, and do the opposite! Basically, all the rules of not over-watering apply, we are not trying to drown any of our grasses. However, frequent light irrigation is required due to the shallow rooting habit of the reptans type composition
Disease
Get a budget. There is no denying that you will be applying more fungicide than if you had pure fescue greens. But, remember this, MPGC is not Festuca-on-Sea GC. You will apply less fungicide to a green dominated by reptans type Poa than you would if you are dealing with the true type Poa annua. Ironically, many are applying more fungicide due to the stress being placed on the AMG as they try to manage a route away from it.
Poa annua is the easiest grass to establish in your greens, the down side is that to consistently produce the finest quality AMG takes the highest level of greenkeeping skill.
KMgc - Kevin Munt Golf Consultants
Telephone: 07810 473623
www.kmgcgolfconsultancy.com
Tel: +44 (0)1462 683031
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