The thatch dilution delusion...discuss. Can thatch be diluted? If so, is there any benefit in doing so? As with many aspects of modern greenkeeping that have been accepted as fact without evidence, the claims for top-dressing's ability to dilute thatch fly in the face of the science.
Over the last few decades, routine applications of fungicides, high-salt synthetic fertilisers and ever-increasing topdressings of sand have left many UK greens biologically bankrupt. I see it time and again in soil analysis reports: textural classification coming back as just “Sand”. Very little in the way of silt or clay and sparse organic matter. No biological cushion.
In parts 1 and 2 of this series on how to fix your bowling green, we discussed the process and importance of taking regular soil profile samples and discovered what the soil sample can actually tell us about the condition of the green. In part 3 John links this to demonstrate why each of the visual signals from the soil sample point clearly to one or more of the multitude of issues we experience on poorly performing greens. From disease outbreaks to skinning of heads and bad runs on rinks, the humble soil profile sample can tell us a lot about where we're going wrong and point to the answers that will help us create a performance bowling green in the near future.
In this article we take the soil samples you removed in Fix your bowling green Step1 and look more closely at them to discover what's going on under your green. This is one of the most valuable practices that any greenkeeper can undertake as it can reveal a wealth of information about the condition of your green that you could previously only guess at.
From the very beginnings of the game of bowls, most clubs bowled on a green constructed largely of local top soil, built, prepared and seeded by the club members, perhaps with the help of a local gardener or farmer. Maintenance was largely mowing, turning the rinks on flat greens, keeping the surface clear of debris and worm casts and an occasional roll before a big match. In the autumn, a squad of members would descend on the green with forks to aerate or spike the green, before putting it to bed for the winter with a final cut and perhaps a bag of fertiliser.
