Category: Greenkeeping

May 26, 2023

How to painlessly transform greens from Poa annua to bent/fescue

Transitioning your green from Poa annua to bent/fescue is not only critical to achieving a Performance Bowling Green, but is actually a realistic goal. The spongy, soft turf associated with annual meadow grass is less than ideal for bowls. Common wisdom says that this can't be done without major disruption and that even after it is achieved it wont last. This article explains in detail how to undertake the transition of your green from Poa annua to bent/fescue turf and dispels the myths about stressing Poa. This is the way to change your green permanently and without fuss. It will also save your club money on maintenance, so what's not to like?

April 23, 2023

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.

April 23, 2023

Turfgrass Physiology, Respiration

The plant uses a process called Respiration to drive growth and development. In much the same way that we respire, i.e. burning food to grow, develop and keep our bodies healthy, plants burn the food created by photosynthesis to fuel growth and to build and repair all of the component parts of the plant.

April 18, 2023

Easily find out if you are spending too much on greenkeeping

Order this simple test to find out if your green is beyond Peak Sand. This is my description for a green that is now lacking in life due to years of excessive sand top-dressings. It's a cutting edge, but very simple Soil Analysis specifically designed for bowling club greenkeepers who feel they could be doing better, but something unknown is holding their green back. With our unique service, you can now identify the root cause of your greenkeeping problems and receive a tailored plan to improve your green's health and performance.

April 16, 2023

New Excel Range Organic Base Fertilisers added to shop

The Excel Range uses HumberPalmers highly successful ‘unique’ odourless organic base of plant origin, being free from any weeds or pathogens, but high in Humates and organic carbon.
This, in combination with using high quality mineral nutrients, provides a remarkable ‘natural’ phased release and so increases the efficiency of plant food nutrient uptake.

March 30, 2023

Fescue/Bent vs Annual Meadow Grass

The micro-life in the soil makes nutrients, the building blocks of plant tissue, available in plant useable form

March 25, 2023

Cool Season and Warm Season Grasses

The main difference between the two groups is the way in which they photosynthesise or produce food for themselves. The first product of photosynthesis in cool season grasses is a 3 Carbon sugar molecule so these grasses are commonly referred to as C3 grasses. In warm season grasses the first

March 19, 2023

Cytokinins, auxins, and gibberellins

Cytokinins, auxins, and gibberellins are three important plant hormones that play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and overall health.

March 19, 2023

Seaweed and how it benefits your turf

Seaweed extracts have been found to improve the quality of fine turf by increasing turf density, colour, and uniformity. Seaweed extracts contain betaines, which are natural osmoprotectants that help grass plants retain water and maintain turgor pressure, so should be a key component in the management and recovery of LDP affected turf. It's continued use results in a green that becomes increasingly resistant to wear and tear.

March 13, 2023

Get a Brew on for a High Performance Green

On greens that have been managed in the conventional way for any length of time i.e. using pesticides and inorganic fertilisers, it’s likely that the soil microbe population will be significantly depleted. There might also be gaps in the eco-system, essentially “missing microbes”.