APRIL 2014
Well Easter is here, the weather has been more favourable than last year, and the grass has started to grow., but night time temps have been bordering on frosts of late and grass growth is very slow on the low lying Iford Bridge green.
I have started working on improving the soil biology and have applied the first application of a cocktail of compost tea, some soil conditioners such as amino acids, fulvic and humic acids, molasses, seaweeds and various minerals, an organic penetrant and finally an organic compound that boosts the oxygen available to the root zone. The effect of this will be for about a month, but I will make a second application earlier to give another boost. I am also waiting for some rain or the irrigation to be up and running to apply a further soil conditioner that needs to be washed in.
If the weather stays dry I will start light verticutting this coming week. This will start to thin out some of the thatch, will create just enough disturbance to encourage grasses to fill in some of the weaker patches, and hopefully out compete the moss. Oh yes the moss is a problem and after chatting with Alan D it seems it has always been so. I know the conditions are good for moss, low lying and generally on the damp side, but I do not accept the current levels. I am expecting as the root zone is stimulated back into life, the levels of moss will reduce and maybe even disappear. Well it is my job to be optimistic!!
Lastly I hope all the members, both new and old, enjoyed a bowl on opening day? I am hoping that I will get some constructive feedback, and undoubtedly some criticism. I realise that I am employed by the members to improve your green; to take it onto the next level. This will not happen over night, and I expect that progress will be slow to start with, but if all goes according to plan, the rate of improvements will increase, and in my year two (well here's hoping), that I will have brought smiles to most members faces.
Happy Easter to you all and hope you all have a successful and enjoyable season in 2014.
