Planning ahead

This is probably the first time in two years when I won’t complain about the weather, in fact for the past 9 days it has been perfect for recovery and growing grass. over the past 8 days we’ve had a day time avg temp of 19 deg with rain in 6 of those days, absolutely perfect.

I told you in a earlier blog that we had changed our plan on the greens this season. We decided that we would go with a plan from a company called Terralift. We decided this because every time we used one of their products we got cracking results. Last year I felt like we was always on the back foot and more reactive to a problem, by having this plan we this season have been more proactive. The plan is only a very loose guide line, and if you was to look at ours we have hardly done anything when planned. Although we have done everything on it when the weather was right, usually a week before or after when we planned.

Last season we struggled with shallow rooting, as you can see in the picture we have overcome that problem, these roots were 200mm (8″) down, with the putting surface as good as it’s ever been.

Now the part that you won’t like, Renovation week plans!!!!!!!

The plan is to start on Monday 3rd Sept. On this day we are going to verti-drain with 12mm tines down 300mm, this will be followed by a scarify at -10mm. We will then clean up the green with a cut, then heavily top dress and use our new sweep’n’fill brush to get all the sand in the holes and grooves.

Wednesday 5th we will be hollow tining with 10mm tines. This will be followed again with a heavy top dress.

Thursday 6th we will be over seeding using a disc seeder, applying 60kg of Bent grass seed, this will be followed by a light dressing.

Please be aware there will be major disruption during the week, and we will have priority at all times.

Also be aware that Dixon’s drainage are booked in also the 1st week of September to complete 400m of drainage on the 2nd hole. The hole will be shut whilst they are working on site, The job is expected to take 3 days.

Thanks for reading, please follow us on twitter @ashtonleagreens, this will give you daily reports on the state of the course and updates of what we are doing.

We also have a facebook page, search for Ashton and Lea greens. Please like the page and ask your golfing friends to like the page, make them aware of the good things we are doing and producing.

We are now also posting pictures on Instagram, search for ashtonleagreens, you should find us.

Any concerns or opinions on what we are doing please contact us directly on greens-ashtonlea@hotmail.com.

Thanks, Mark Shuttleworth ,(Deputy Head Greenkeeper)