Sand Top Dressing - that ubiquitous and apparently simple greenkeeping operation indulged in by most clubs annually is actually a much more complex operation than most give it credit for. In this article John Quinn explains the mechanics of top-dressing. He explains what it can and can't do and why you must understand some soil science before top-dressing is considered.
Recent summers have seen a lot of greens devastated by Localised Dry Patch a disorder that is rapidly becoming the scourge of Bowling Green Maintenance Specialists and Club Greenkeepers a like. I make no apology for writing about this once again, because in my opinion this issue has the ability to accelerate the decline of …
I’ve had a couple of enquiries asking about the correct methods, quantities and materials for Spring (pre-season) over seeding and top dressing of bowling and golf greens. This is easy; the correct thing to do in this respect is…Nothing! Over-seeding into a sward that is about to become very vigorous as spring progresses is futile. …
Top dressing with high sand content composts has become a tradition in bowling green maintenance but it is far from beneficial. After 3 decades of routine top-dressing most greens are “inert” and can’t support a population of beneficial soil microbes. Soil microbes break down thatch and release nutrition to the turf. High sand and thick …
In spite of the common misconception that it does a lot of good and that it is an essential part of annual bowling green maintenance, in broad terms it does very little of good towards levelling the surface, drains club’s of much needed cash and actually causes untold damage to the green eco-system over time. …
