Bowling Green Maintenance: 38h. Minimal Resources and Low Club Membership

Moss: Over the autumn and winter months the encroachment and spread of moss is often a problem on many bowling greens.

Moss will spread by spores which requires moisture, so removing dew is a key action which can help reduce moss spread. Keeping the surface by regular aeration and brushing of the green will aid air flow producing a less humid surface environment for moss to develop.

The use of sulphate of iron can help acidify the surface and produce a less attractive surface for moss development but be careful not to apply too much and create excessively acidic conditions.

Mosses grow over a range of soil pH values, but a more acidic surface can help to deter many and another benefit is that many turfgrasses disease are less prevalent in more acidic conditions. Sulphate of iron is not, however, approved for the control of moss as a pesticide, although it can be used to amend soil conditions to make them more favourable for the finer turfgrasses, which has the added beneficial side-effect of being generally less conducive for moss establishment.

Weeds, pests and disease: With the cost of materials and applications we will not be applying any pesticides and will be accepting that blemishes on the green are acceptable, with occasions when the surface might have significant thin and bare areas due to damage caused, but they will recover over time. Any surface unevenness and holes will be readily smoothed out by a light sandy top-dressing. Correct mowing practices, regular aeration, scarification, minimal watering, minimal fertiliser, acidifying the surface layer, regular dew removal, dragbrushing, and selected overseeding and top-dressing will be the focus to contain any damage to provide a fit for purpose surface.

If there was a need to apply a pesticide, then the user must have achieved a certificate of competence in the safe use of pesticides. It might be more appropriate to obtain the services of a qualified contractor to apply a pesticide rather than train up a club member.

Turf tonic applications: To help the sward be more resilient to potential disease attack or moss encroachment the use of sulphate of iron on several occasions per year can be beneficial. An application rate of 2-4g/m2 as a turf tonic (being mostly dissolved in slightly warm water (~12 – 16C) to allow it to be applied as a liquid solution) would be appropriate at certain times of the year, with the lighter rate being more so in the typically drier summertime. A 25kg bag costs about £25-£30, with this being split over four to six applications over a 12-month period for the first year, having applied the equivalent of 17 g/m2 onto the green. After the first year, review the sward and soil conditions to help determine if the frequency and quantity should be reduced or stay the same for each subsequent year of use; be careful not to create excessively acidic surface conditions.

A turf tonic programme might be as follows:
• May: 3 g/m2
• October: 4 g/m2
• December: 4 g/m2
• February: 4 g/m2

If an estimated time to mix, apply and wash out a knapsack sprayer is 1½ hours, then this activity will be a total of 6 hours.