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Maintenance of Bowling Greens
We intend to create a resource for those
interested in the Maintenance of Bowling Greens on
this page. Much of the information will be provided byLaurence
Gale and others from the excellent Pitchcare website, which you
can visit at http://www.pitchcare.com/.
This is an excellent resource for anyone involved in the maintenance
of their bowling green and they have kindly agreed to let me use
some of the information from their website.
Pitchcare was conceived by a Professional Groundsman
to provide an independent website to pass on information in an
educational way. They have enrolled some of the top groundsmen
in the country to pass on their intellectual wealth of Groundsmanship
knowledge. Anyone can register to join this site for which there
is no charge.
Read the sample articles below or follow the link to all of the articles on lawn bowling and bowling green maintenance on the Pitchcare website.
November 2005
Pitchcare November Newsletter.
See the article about maintenance of Bowling greens in Bournemouth.
September 2005
Pitchcare September Newsletter
June 2005
For our greenkeeper visitors I thought it was worth mentioning that Pitchcare are now producing a magazine that you can have by subscription.
Details here: http://www.pitchcare.com/pitchcare/magazine.php?pitchcare=pitchcare
January Bowls Diary (By Laurence Gale of Pitchcare)
Happy new year to you all. With all the variable weather we have
been having during the festive season it is important to keep
an eye out for disease. Diseases have been quite prevalent
in recent weeks. It is important to keep surface dew off the
greens and try to keep the sward dry. Also, depending on the
surface conditions, you may be able to sarrel roll to punch
some small aeration holes into the green to aid the draining
of surface water.
On your return after the festive holidays you are likely to find
some accumulated some surface debris (leaves, litter etc.) on the
green. It is important to clear it up. Also, the occasional brushing
of the green will help the sward stand upright allowing good air
movement around the grass plant.
January is a good time, whilst it is quiet, to plan and get yourself
organised. What are your targets for this year? What do you want
to achieve? Have you organised your spring renovation works? Have
you ordered materials and machinery for the forthcoming season?
Most of the tasks detailed can be undertaken within a limited
budget. Local conditions and circumstances will need to be taken
into account. If any members are undertaking any specific work
not detailed, please let us know by adding a comment in the section
below the diary.
Task |
Frequency |
Reason |
Aeration |
When conditions allow |
Aeration should be continued throughout the
winter when conditions allow, the use of a sarrel roller
will be beneficial in keeping the surface open. |
Brushing/switching
|
Daily or as required |
Brushing/switching of the playing surface
keeps the green clean and removes any dew or surface water.
Keeping the surface dry will aid resistance to disease. |
Disease
|
Daily |
Diseases are fairly prominent at this time
of the year. Keep an eye on fungal disease attack and use
approved fungicides to treat infected areas. |
Fertilising |
When required |
Generally, no fertiliser applications are
made during the winter months, as plant growth has slowed
down. However, some groundstaff may apply a dose of liquid
iron to colour up and provide some strength to the grass
plant during the winter months. |
Litter pick
|
Weekly or as required |
Inspect and clear away litter or debris. |
Machinery |
Daily/Weekly |
Keep machines overhauled and clean. Arrange
the servicing of your machines ready for the new season. |
Materials |
Monthly |
Keep an eye on your material stocks, (seed,
top dressing, petrol, oil )remembering to replenish as required. |
Mowing
|
As required |
With the season finished and the green closed
down for the winter, mowing will only be required to maintain
a winter height of cut at 10-12mm. |
Perimeter fences and hedges
|
As required |
Most bowling green facilities are enclosed
by fences or hedges.
You may even have some favourable weather in January when
you may be able to wash/ paint/refurbish structures and
features around your ground. (seats, green surrounds, footpaths
and fences and building structures). |
Pests
|
As required |
Increased soil moisture can often lead to
an increase in worm activity. Regular switching of the greens
will help disperse their casts. However, if the infestation
is large, you may need to apply some Carbendazim to control
the worm populations.
Some Groundsmen and Greenkeepers use brushes to remove
casts but, in wet conditions, this can lead to smearing. |
Repairs
|
As required |
Carry out any repairs to ditches, paths, gates,
floodlights and other building features. |
Soil tests |
Ideally once or twice a year, or as required. |
Soil sampling is an important part of groundmanship.
The results will enable the manager to have a better understanding
of the current status of his soil and turf. There are many
tests that can be undertaken, but usually the main tests
to consider are:
-
Particle Size Distribution (PSD) this will give you
accurate information on the soil type and it's particle
make up, enabling you to match up with appropriate
top dressing materials and ensuring you are able to
maintain a consistent hydraulic conductivity (drainage
rate) of your soil profile.
-
Soil pH, it is important to keep the soil at a pH
of 5.5-6.5, a suitable level for most grass plants.
-
Organic matter content, it is important to keep a
balanced level of organic matter content in the soil
profile.
-
Nutrient Levels. Keeping a balance of N P K nutrients
within the soil profile is essential for healthy plant
growth.
Once you have this information you will be in a better
position to plan your season's feeding and maintenance
programmes. |
November Bowls Diary 2004 (By Laurence Gale of Pitchcare)
All Bowling green autumn renovations should have now been completed.
The weather during November is not usually conducive to renovations
as the soil and air temperatures are beginning to drop, resulting
in the slowing down of seed germination rates which, in turn, reduces
the opportunity of increasing new grass populations into the green.
November sees the beginning of leaf fall from trees. This leaf
debris can be problematic especially when the they are left to
accumulate on the playing surface for a period of time. Lack of
air and light to the grass plant will invariably cause the grass
to discolour (turn yellow) and even decay. This leaf matter could
also initiate diseases onto the green. Regular brushing with a
cane or brush will keep the surface clean and tidy and free from
debris.
Diseases, particularly Fusarium are often prevalent during the
autumn, mainly due to the heavy dews that are present at this time
of the year. Moisture on the leaf will allow diseases to move and
spread easily. Regular brushing in the mornings to remove the moisture
from the leaf is an important maintenance regime to deter an attack
of disease.
Most of the tasks detailed can be undertaken
within a limited budget. Local conditions and circumstances will
need to be taken into account. If any club members from other
clubs are undertaking any specific work not detailed, please
let us know.
Task |
Frequency |
Reason |
Aeration |
When conditions allow |
Aeration should be continued throughout the
autumn when conditions allow, the use of a sarrell roller
will be beneficial in keeping the surface open. |
Brushing/switching
|
Daily or as required |
Brushing/switching of the playing surface
keeps the green clean and removes any dew or surface water.
Keeping the surface dry will aid resistance to disease. |
Disease
|
Daily |
Diseases are fairly prominent during November.
Keep an eye on fungal disease attack and use approved fungicides
to treat infected areas. Fusarium can be very prominent at
this time of the season. Good cultural practices generally
reduces the likelihood of disease outbreaks. See article
on diseases for further information. Pest & Diseases |
Litter pick |
Weekly or as required |
Inspect and clear away litter or debris. |
Machinery |
Daily/Weekly |
Keep machines overhauled and clean. Arrange
the servicing of your machines ready for the new season. |
Materials |
Monthly |
Keep an eye on your material
stocks, (seed, top dressing, petrol, oil) remembering to
replenish as required. |
Mowing
|
As required |
With the season finished and the green closed
down for the winter, mowing will only be required to maintain
a winter height of cut at 10-12mm. |
Perimeter fences and hedges
|
As required |
Most bowling green facilities are enclosed
by fences or hedges. November is a good time to complete
any tidying up of these features. Hedges can be pruned and
cut to maintain their shape and form. |
Pests |
As required |
Increased soil moisture, usually seen in the
greens during November can often lead to an increase in worm
activity. Regular brushing of the greens will help disperse
their casts. However, if the infestation is large, you may
need to apply some Carbendazim to control the worm populations. |
Repairs |
As required |
Carry out any repairs to ditches, paths, gates,
floodlights and other building features. |
Soil tests |
Ideally once or twice a year, or as required. |
Soil sampling is an important part of groundmanship.
The results will enable the manager to have a better understanding
of the current status of his soil and turf. There are many
tests that can be undertaken, but usually the main tests
to consider are:
-
Particle Size Distribution (PSD) this will give you
accurate information on the soil type and it's particle
make up, enabling you to match up with appropriate
top dressing materials and ensuring you are able to
maintain a consistent hydraulic conductivity (drainage
rate) of your soil profile.
-
Soil pH, it is important to keep the soil at a pH
of 5.5-6.5, a suitable level for most grass plants.
-
Organic matter content, it is important to keep a
balanced level of organic matter content in the soil
profile.
-
Nutrient Levels. Keeping a balance of N P K nutrients
within the soil profile is essential for healthy plant
growth.
Once you have this information you will be in a better
position to plan your season's feeding and maintenance
programmes. |
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