Introduction
Regular maintenance work is the order of the day throughout the playing season. Such work can usually be undertaken on a fairly predictable basis, particularly if the standards of the sward are well defined.
Some common problems which can arise during the playing season can be anticipated and addressed by good maintenance practice. Such problems include:
Spring top-dressing
- having coarse and gritty particles resulting in scratched woods; or
- the material being incorrectly applied and not being worked in properly.
Fertiliser
- not being watered in properly, with the consequences being that the material could stain the woods or affect players hands, especially on hands which are aged.
Drying out on the green
- inadequate irrigation, with spot treatment needed on localised areas;
- constant breaking down of an irrigation system;
- development of dry patch, with a thatch / soil problem.
Wet surfaces in the morning
- irrigation has taken place too near to play commencing;
- too much water has been applied for the conditions (possibly it is being retained by a thatch layer. Consider an improved aeration programme);
- dew left on the green.
Slow greens
- excess thatch;
- grass too long;
- grass wet;
- annual meadow grass dominated green.
Direction of mechanical operations
All mechanical operations should be in a diagonal fashion throughout the playing season. This will ensure minor runs do not develop and play is not influenced by the operations being undertaken in the direction which the bowls are delivered.
Mowing
Maintain the height of cut at 5mm (3/16") throughout the season and raise it slightly if the weather is very dry. Only mow below this height, down to 4mm (5/32") for tournaments and special events and always raise the height immediately afterwards.
During special events and tournaments a double cut will help to improve the speed of the green and is much more beneficial than lowering the height of cut even further as this will inevitably lead to an annual meadow grass dominated sward which is prone to rapid thatch development, drying out and fusarium patch attack - to name but a few disadvantages.
Dragbrushing
This should be done on a daily basis, or thereabouts, to maintain an upright growing grass.
Removal of dew can be carried out by using a switch, however, this does not raise the grass like a dragbrush.
Substituting a switch for a dragbrush, to help save time, on one or two occasions per week should not really pose any problems.
Aeration
To counter the effects of players and machinery on the green, aeration work needs to be carried out on a regular basis throughout the playing season.
Disturbance of the surface should be minimal to non-existent during this period.
Solid tining is the most important aeration procedure during the playing season and would typically be carried out at least monthly if not fortnightly.
Sarel spiked rolling is very beneficial prior to the application of irrigation, as this helps the water to penetrate the surface layer much quicker, resulting in a drier surface which can be played on more quickly.
Weeds, Pests and Disease control
This is usually done as and when required, but a typical time for a selective herbicide application is in May. A second application might also be given later in the season if some weeds continued to pose a problem.
Scarification
Regular light to medium scarification is important to control the build up of thatch throughout the main growing months. A typical frequency would be every two weeks.
Heavy scarification is not carried out until the end of the season as this would disturb the surface too much for bowling.
Rolling
Heavy rolling is not desired on bowling greens.
Regular light rolling is carried out each time the green is cut with a cylinder mower.
To supplement this, especially for important matches and tournaments, a light rolling, particularly with a tandem type roller (dual roller) is used to assist in firming the surface further.
Rolling is only beneficial if the green does not contain a significant amount of soft thatch, otherwise the thatch acts as a sponge and will spring back up following the passage of the roller.
Sarel spiked rolling can also be used to lightly firm the surface, with the added benefit of introducing thousands of tiny holes.
Repairs
As areas wear during the season, it is a good idea to carry out repairs on a regular basis instead of waiting until play finishes towards October.
A typical repair will be to the ends and will consist of light forking, scarifying, overseeding, light top-dressing with a fine sandy material and a watering in of the repair.
As the area will usually only be a few metres square, or less, hand tools are ideal for this type of work.
Wherever any in-season repairs have been carried out, take care when scarifying as part of the regular maintenance programme to ensure the repairs aren't damaged unnecessarily. Consider raising the machine blades or tines whilst travelling over these areas - at least for a few weeks to allow them to become slightly established. There is not much point turning it back into a worn looking area straight away.
Fertiliser
The amount of nitrogen to apply during the year will vary due to quite a number of factors. A typical range of inputs is 8-25g/N/m² per year (this equates to 80-250kg/N/ha), which is quite a variance.
A few of the important factors which influence how much to apply are:
- whether the turf is mature or newly establishing;
- the geographic location of the green;
- how free draining the rootzone material is; and
- the quality of the sward to be achieved.
Phosphorus and potassium are usually determined from soil analysis tests and from an assessment of the sward itself.
As a starting point a useful programme of nitrogen application could be as follows (any phosphorus or potassium has been excluded as these will depend upon the above):
- 'false spring' application: ammonium sulphate @ 6 g/m²
- April: 14% nitrogen fertiliser @ 50 g/m² (combination of inorganic and controlled slow release);
- June: 8% nitrogen fertiliser @ 50 g/m² (combination of inorganic and organic);
- August: 8% nitrogen fertiliser @ 34 g/m² (inorganic only).
This will supply the following amount of nitrogen per m²:
- 20.5% of 6g = 1.23g
- 14% of 50g = 7g
- 8% of 50g = 4g
- 8% of 34g = 2.72g
- Total = 14.95g
12 - 17 g/m² of nitrogen per annum is probably the most common input (within the potential overall range) which is applied to the majority of bowling greens.
Irrigation
The maintenance of grass growth is all that should be required from irrigation. It is not to make the grass grow in a lush manner, like a paddy field.
A sports area typically requires some 25mm of water per m², per week, during the main growing season. Some of this will be provided by rainfall. The remainder will need to be supplied by irrigation.
Two to three applications per week would be a typical frequency, however, a light syringing of the surface may also be required where conditions are excessively hot or prone to drying from strong winds.
Watering to a good depth is more beneficial than just wetting the surface layer, as this latter technique will only encourage shallow rooting and the development of thatch.
If an irrigation system is to apply, say 6.5mm (¼") of water, this will require a system which can deliver the following:
Area of bowling green = 1475 m²;
Area which 1m³ (1000mm³) will cover at 6.5mm application rate = 1000 ÷ 6.5 = 153.85m²;
The total number of m³ required to cover the green at 6.5mm application rate = 1475 ÷ 153.85 = 9.6m³.
There are 220 gallons per m³ , therefore, 220 x 9.6 = 2112 gallons being required to irrigate the green with 6.5mm of water.