The estimated number of occasions which each task is planned to be carried out can be presented in the form of a maintenance calendar.
The total number of actual operations will vary according to the prevailing weather conditions, as well as the geographic location of the bowling green; each factor can influence the length of the growing season and grass vigour.
Maintenance calendars can provide a very useful means for forward planning and the information can be converted into a staff profile, indicating workload levels, material requirements or budget flow.
The 'Months' in the Table are given as 4 or 5 week periods for convenience; this still adds up to 13 weeks per quarter. There is no reason why, for example, the January month is given as 5 weeks, so long as each quarterly block is made up of one 5 week period and the other two are 4 week periods, thus giving 13 weeks for each quarter.
It is useful to have April as a 5 week period as it gives some more leeway in planning, although this is probably arbitrary.
Each month could also be the exact number of days in a calendar month. Whichever system works for the user, then this is the one which should be adopted.
Example maintenance calendar
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Other operations which could also be listed include general repairs during the playing season, ditch and bank maintenance, hand watering of localised areas, turfing at the end of the season, putting out and taking in of mats and green side equipment etc.
The application of pesticides can vary considerably, depending upon the existing quality of the bowling green and especially the content of grasses present, as well as the quality of the maintenance practices carried out.
As an example, a green which is predominantly composed of fescue and browntop bent grasses may require no fungicide application throughout the year. This could be contrasted with a predominantly annual meadow grass green might easily require 8 applications. The cost implication of this can be quite considerable.
Note:
In this example, mowing has been estimated as being undertaken on around a minimal basis during the main growing season.