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

Fertiliser application: This will be kept to a minimum, only applying it to encourage early sward thickening, so typically around mid-April, and to maintain resilience from wear in Mid-June and then mid-end August.

Typically, these applications will be lighter than usual, so the grass will be provided with a lean feed throughout the season but supplied in 3 applications to maintain appropriate (fit for purpose) sward development. Reduced fertiliser application will reduce the amount of growth often desired to help counter medium to high usage and the effects of its wear, and also the volume of leaf to remove when cutting.

A low annual figure suggested by the STRI is 8 g/N/m2, so we will be looking at slightly under this rate for the following regime (i.e. 6.5 to 5.9 g/N/m2), costing £145 - £185, depending on the option for the August feed.

• Mid-April: 2.72 g/N/m2. 2 x 25kg bags of ICL Greenmaster Pro-Lite Turf Tonic; 8:0:0, inc. 3% Fe, 1.8% Mg, applied at 34g/m2, costing about £30 per bag.

• Mid-June: 1.03g/N/m2; a liquid spray of dissolved ammonium sulphate (20.5£ N), with 5g of fertiliser per m2, therefore requiring 7.5kg and costing about £8. (It would be appropriate to purchase a full 25kg bag (c. £25), so that up to 2 additional light applications of about 1g/N/m² each could be given over the growing season if required).

• Mid-End August: 2.72 g/N/m2. 2 x 25kg bags of ICL Greenmaster Pro-Lite Turf Tonic; 8:0:0, inc. 3% Fe, 1.8% Mg, applied at 34g/m2, costing about £30 per bag. Or if P and K are required then 2.1 g/N/m2. 2 x 25kg bags of ICL Greenmaster Pro-Lite Autumn; 6:5:10, inc. 6% Fe, applied at 34g/m2, costing about £50 per bag.

The phosphorus and potassium inputs would depend upon soil analysis and also the current conditions of the green. The actual product can vary quite a bit, but the aim will be to be close to the nitrogen percentage for each application.

Application timing will vary depending on equipment and calibration required, but a general time of 1½-hours per application might be considered appropriate, to include wash out of the equipment.

Wetting agents: The same approach as for pesticides; these will not be planned for use and reliance will be made on promoting a deep root system and reducing / controlling thatch, over time of course. Dry patches will no doubt be present, but the surface will be playable (achieving the fit for purpose outcome) but there will be a patchy appearance during prolonged dry spells.