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December 2020 Maintenance

December 2020 Maintenance

7th December 2020

Aeration with solid or knife tines to 100mm minimum depth can continue through November to prevent soil pan development and provide air space for roots to breathe and colonise. Aeration facilitates the activity of soil microbes in the cooling December soil helping with nutrient availability, thatch decomposition and root disease suppression. Keep off the pitch if it is frozen or saturated.

In dryer conditions harrowing and raking will also aerate the surface and help restore levels. Brushing to remove dew and debris will reduce disease development. Brushing helps restore levels and gives a good banded look to the pitch. Do not work on wet soil as surface compaction and smearing will be the result.

Maintain mowing height between 25mm and 35mm.

Worm casts can be reduced by supressing surface activity of worms by applying Sulphur 95 to acidify the surface. This also reduces meadow grass growth. 50-50 liquid iron applied to firm the turf will also acidify the surface and reduce worm casts. Silicon and plant oil extracts are also unattractive to worms at the soil surface.

Vitax Enhance 5+0+10+4MgO+TE (mini granules) can be applied in December to gently feed the turf with N, K, Mg and all essential micro nutrients with high Fe and Zn content plus beneficial microbes and Amino-sorb R all in the one product, for turf health and winter stress resistance.

Watch out for diseases such as Pink Snow Mould and Fusarium, apply a suitable fungicide at first sign of attack.

December Summary:

  • Brush to remove dew and help even out minor irregularities in the surface.
  • Continue with aeration actions.
  • If worm casts are a problem, limit worm surface activity with Sulphur 95 and 50-50 iron.
  • Apply Enhance 5+0+10+4MgO + TE + Microbes + Amino-sorb R.
  • Disease vigilance.
  • Keep off the pitch if wet or frozen.

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