Author: John

Master Greenkeeper John Quinn is the author of Performance Bowling Greens, and several other titles on Greenkeeping, Club and Business Management.

April 24, 2026

Greens Soil Analysis Reports and how to read them

Understanding your greens soil analysis report isn't always at the forefront of thought of those who instigate the soil test. Too often it is merely a fertiliser sales tool with the advice given taking very little notice of the results received.
Greens soil analysis results are often confusing and use terms that are not easily understood in relation to greenkeeping practice. In this article, John sets out to change that by taking apart a typical greens soil analysis report and explaining it in terms we can all understand. More importantly it relates the results to maintenance.

April 24, 2026

Bowls green performance and Organic Matter

Bowls green performance and organic matter go hand in hand. In this article we continue to test our hypothesis about the effect Organic Matter has to bowls green surface performance. John compares the different kinds of organic matter in greens and shows how we can measure these to direct us to a better maintenance regime that focusses on performance and produces healthier greens and greens that are more economical to maintain.

April 20, 2026

What is the The Soil Food Web?

Each individual grass plant releases sugars through its roots to attract beneficial microbes. In return, those microbes mine nutrients from the soil, cycle organic matter, suppress disease, and improve soil structure. This is so important to the health of plants that they give up around 50% of the sugar they produce during photosynthesis as root exudates.

April 14, 2026

Recuperative Potential in Fine Turf, essential Spring greenkeeping knowledge

Recuperative potential is, in simple terms, the green’s ability to recover from stress, wear, disturbance or damage. It is the green eco-system’s capacity to bounce back. The higher the recuperative potential, the more confidently the green can cope with maintenance operations, play, environmental stress and general pressure. The lower it is, the more likely it is that even sensible work can push the turf backwards rather than forwards.

April 12, 2026

Turfgrass Physiology; Diffusion, Transpiration & Osmosis

Today, we will look at two mechanisms of turfgrass physiology that are active in our grass plants and soil and that follow this tendency towards equilibrium, without which our turf wouldn't be able to grow and thrive.