As greenkeepers, we understand the importance of maintaining a healthy, vibrant and resilient green. In over 40 years of greenkeeping, however, I've noticed that a lot of what passes for greenkeeping has actually been very damaging to our soils, making it increasingly difficult to produce a good surface, reliably and economically.
A lot of greens are now difficult to maintain, exhibiting a host of common problems such as Localised Dry Patch, Moss Infestation, Excess Thatch, Disease, Thinning Grass Cover, Puddling, Bumps, Bad Runs and Dips
Understanding these microhabitats and their roles can help us manage our turf more effectively. By fostering beneficial microbial communities in these areas, we can enhance plant health, improve resistance to stresses, and ultimately, maintain healthier turf.
Stronger plant growth, reducing susceptibility to pests and disease
Thicker cell walls increase the grass plant's natural defence mechanisms
Improved leaf erectness which helps with the control of Annual Meadowgrass and improves green speed and smoothness without lowering the height of cut.
Helps control and reduce iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) toxicity, common in sandy rootzones where high salt mineral fertilisers have been deployed in the past.
Reduces susceptibility to attack from fungal pathogens like Fusarium and Dollar Spot
Reduces susceptibility to attack from root herbivores and sucking insects like Leatherjackets and Chafers
Increases resistance to drought, heat and cold stress
BioActive KitoPlusTM Easy is an effective soil improver enabling the growth of healthy, vigorous plants of good colour and with the ability to resist damage from abiotic and biotic stresses, diseases and insect pests. This product can improve both the rhizosphere and phyllosphere, and therefore boost beneficial microorganism populations, including mycorrhizae, enabling improved nutrient assimilation.
If your green maintenance budget was cut in half this year what would you do?
Most clubs when faced with cuts to the greenkeeping budget, will try at all costs to keep the most important work in the plan. Unfortunately, important frequently gets confused with dramatic, which means that the big expense of top-dressing in the spring and autumn usually stays in the plan and I wish it didn’t for all the reasons I’ve explained over many articles.
Meantime, the work deemed less important and which of course is less dramatic is often sidelined or dropped as a result of a fear of what might go wrong if the big, sexy stuff is missed. These big jobs “must be doing a lot of good”, or so the thinking goes, because they’re so expensive and disruptive?
