EDGING BUNKERS

Edging bunkers this way is a lot quicker than using edging iron!

Nitrate levels

The almost automatic response to the sight of stressed turf is to apply nitrogen. But sometimes this is exactly the worst thing that you can do. Although nitrogen deficiencies are sometimes the cause of turf quality problems, it turns out that turf damage due to excessive nitrogen.
Once nitrogen levels are high, it takes a long time for turf to recover. It’s clear that avoiding the build-up of soil nitrogen in the first place should be a key goal in all fertility programs.

NITROGEN SOURCES
Nitrogen is delivered to soils in a variety of forms. Nitrate-based fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, etc.) deliver nitrogen to the plant in the form of nitrate (NO3-). On the other hand, ammonium-generating fertilizers such as proteinaceous organic fertilizers, urea products (urea, sulfur coated urea, polymer coated) and ammonia products (ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, mono and di-ammonium phosphates, etc.) release both ammonium and nitrate following their breakdown by nitrification in the soil. Nitrogen may also arrive in the soil more stealthily: through breakdown of soil organic matter or via use of a water source (either well water or reclaimed water) that is high in nitrogen.

DEFINING OPTIMAL NITROGEN LEVELS
The majority of good-performing turf samples had 20 parts per million (ppm) or less of total plant available N.

Nitrogen levels that are too low (less than 3 ppm) can also compromise turf health.

Fairways consistently had higher levels of nitrogen than greens; fairways are consistently over-fertilized and should be managed to have less than 20 ppm total nitrogen in the soil.

THE ROLE OF AMMONIUM-BASED NITROGEN
As we’ve described above, levels of total nitrogen (a sum of nitrate and ammonium nitrogen) that are above 20 ppm can cause damage to turf. But sometimes, even when total nitrogen readings are less than 20 ppm, we see problems that are related to the presence of ammonium in the soil. We have found that even relatively low concentrations of ammonium (7 ppm or more) are related to turf damage. Thus, you could have a soil with 15 ppm total nitrogen: 5 ppm nitrate and 10 ppm ammonium. This would be a problem soil, even though the total values are below 20 ppm.

Under normal conditions, ammonia-based fertilizers should break down in the soil to nitrate, a form of nitrogen that is less toxic to plants than ammonia. However, this break-down process, known as nitrification, can be inhibited if the soil is low in oxygen (due to compaction, black layer, poor drainage, high microbial populations, etc). Accumulation of toxic levels of ammonium is more likely to occur during the summer, when soils are typically more oxygen depleted than usual.

Healthy turf also appears to be correlated with a specific balance between nitrate and ammonium levels. Keeping this balance at three or more times more nitrate than ammonium appears to be optimal for turf health. For example, if nitrate levels are 9 ppm, then ammonium levels shouldn’t be higher than 3 ppm.

SPECIAL PROBLEMS ON FAIRWAYS AND ROUGHS
Fairway and rough turf typically has higher soil nitrogen levels than greens or tees, even when they are all fertilized similarly. How is this possible? The most likely explanation is due to the higher levels of organic matter (in the form of thatch, dead roots or other plant material, such as clippings) in these areas. As the organic matter decays, carbon, nitrogen and water are released into the soil, thus contributing to rising nitrogen concentrations.

How much nitrogen is stored in soil organic matter? The average nitrogen release from organic matter is 680 grams of N per 92.9 square meters for greens, and 1.78kg N per 92.9 square meters for fairways over the course of the year. From these values, you can see that nitrogen release from organic matter can provide significant amounts of nitrogen. Soil reports should provide a rough estimate of nitrogen release from organic matter. If I had fairway soil that contains more than six percent organic matter.
The reason is that a soil containing six percent organic matter will release most of its nitrogen during the warm summer months. The warmer the weather, the more rapid the release. The ideal organic matter content for fairways is below six percent and for greens is below two percent.

HOW WATER CONTRIBUTES
In addition to the role of organic matter in higher nitrogen levels, a high nitrogen water source can also play a role in delivering too much nitrogen. If you use either well water or recycled water with nitrogen levels greater than 8 milligrams per liter, turf may be at risk. need to monitor both soil and water nitrogen levels regularly to avoid toxic build-up.

To keep nitrogen levels By Monitor soil nitrate, ammonium and total plant available nitrogen one to two times per year if soil sampling. If irrigation water is applied is a potential source of nitrogen.

Don’t fertilize unhealthy turf unless you know that low nitrogen is the problem.

When you do apply nitrogen, base your program on low rates of nitrogen, applied more frequently. In areas with high rainfall, slow release fertilizers applied at higher rates of nitrogen may be necessary.

Use of ammonium-based and slow-release fertilizers should be limited in locations that have problems with excess nitrogen.

Maintain soil organic matter levels below six percent for tees, fairways and roughs, and below two percent on greens.

Increase soil aeration (verti draining, hollow-coring, etc) to promote higher oxygen levels and improved nitrification in soil. This is particularly important before and during hot weather, and can help to prevent build-up of excessive ammonia in the soil.

low levels of soil nitrogen (less than 3 ppm) can also cause turf stress.

Aeration

Aeration is the most important turf management operation to undertake. The correct balance of aeration treatments will alleviate compaction, there by improving drainage & ensuring deep root development . The surfaces will become firm during periods of wet weather & turf will be more tolerant of drought in dry weather.
Aeration also effects of other maintenance tasks, e.g. Fertiliser & water applications. Regular summer aeration will ensure that water will be able to penetrate into the soil better, this way, water is more likely to reach the Turfgrass roots & less is wasted in run off or evaporation.
Increasing the air in the soil profile increases the amount of beneficial soil microbes, which are important in nutrient cycling ( I.e. the nitrogen cycle) & the digestion of thatch. As for an inland course based on heavy soil which should average of 50,000 rounds of golf per year require more aeration.

THE POSITIVE EFFECT AERATION HAS ON PLAYING QUALITY

• promotes firmer surfaces
• promotes greater uniformity
• reduces disease scarring
• improves drainage
• extends playing season

AGRONOMIC EFFECT

• relieves compaction
• promotes deep root development
• promotes strong healthy turf
• increase microbial activity, helping to digest thatch
• promotes finer grasses
• reduces fertiliser & irrigation input
• increases infiltration of rain & irrigation
• minimises thatch accumulation

Aeration seen as a package of treatments i.e scarification, hollow core, spiking followed by top dressing.
Program’s are to improve the oxygen balance of the root zone, to optimise sward health & improve drainage, different forms of aeration will be required at various depths to achieve these objectives,
Aeration must be considered a all year round operation, with some minimally disruptive aeration being achieved during playing season. The correct timing of aeration will ensure the maximum benefits of the aeration are achieved, at the same time least disruption to golf.

TOP DRESSING
Top dressing should be undertaken in conjunction with aeration, scarification or verticutting to ensure the fresh material is intergrated into the soil profile. Failure to do this may result in layering the soil profile. Which affects moisture movement & root development .

Thatch

THATCH is problem on a golf course greens, fairways, tees rough, so what is thatch is an intermingled organic layer of dead & living shoots & stems. the roots of grasses that develops between the turf surface  (leaf) & soil surface were grass is growing faster than the clipping can decompose. natural microbial action breaks down the organic litter, but when dead plat tissue (clippings) production exceeds microbial digestion, increased turf growth & excessive moisture can lead  to the production of thatch in turf. environmental conditions in turfgrass species as well as nitrogen are some factors that impact the rate of which grass grows. excessive moisture is caused by over-irrigating, poor subsurface or surface drainage & shade.

Thatch has very little structure & when wet it results in soft playing surface, thatch is like a sponge it can absorb water & holds onto water. If it dries out the fact that it could become very difficult to re-moisten. Grass roots growing in thick layers of thatch more or less don’t penetrate into the soil (shallow rooting).this becomes a problem in the summer months as difficult to evenly irrigate in summer resulting in patchy brown spots.

The importance of deeper the roots the better due to water restriction in summer thatch turf suffered the most, & turf with less thatch & with deeper roots survived very well.

• soft spongy turf
• poor root development
• moss invasion
• poor drainage surface
• low disease resistance
• insect infestation
• decreased heat, cold & drought tolerances

so with thatch provides an ideal environment for some pathogens to develop disease in sort grass dying out/thinning out causing uneven ball roll.

soft surfaces have several effects on grass sward on greens quality.

1. scalping
2. uneven mowing height
3. damage to grass plant
4. footprint visible in green
5. affecting ball roll

high levels of thatch will lead to poorer playing surface either  directly through the playing surface becoming soft, or perhaps stressed the grass plant which is less able to deal with environmental factors & causes decline in grass cover.

Decline in grass cover can be address with overseeding but seedlings that develop in thatch are more prone to disease,weather,traffic conditions, producing a weak sward already in a weak sward. It is vital to realise that there is a relationship between thatch accumulation & turf surface.

Thatch can be kept under control with a good maintenance program.

mechanical methods

• scarification
• verticutting
• grooming
• brushing

then there’s aeration

• hollow coring (hollow tine)
• vertidrianing (solid tine)
• slit tining
• mole plough
• shockwave
• hydrojetting
• air injection

this aeration can disrupt playing surface to a greater or lesser extent, disruption to the playing surface  will affect the playing surface, sand top-dressing after aeration for control of thatch through dilution & increased microbial degradation. through light & frequent applications to uniformly dilute thatch accumulation, which is based on turf growth rate during the growing season, heavy infrequent topdressing applications to the turf will create many layers in the soil profile, which reduces the benefits of the program these operation should be carried out when conditions are suitable. we may find ourselves in a no win situation, were the club don’t want the work carry out, due to disruption to play whether its members or visiting parties.

thatch will continue to get worse & putting surface will decline, if thatch is a problem then there needs to be action.

Machinery

The articulator (for cutting rough) I've replace few bearings, strip down painted it, replaced a tensioner pulley wheel & replace a lift arm, just need new blades to put onto it. 

Also have painted the tee marker, all markers are done they are looking good, ready for the start of the season.