Where did i put them sunglasses?

Just a quick update for you all on the maintenance practices that have been happening on the links this week.

The weather plays a big part in when we carry out many of our greenkeeping tasks, for example a nice bit of rain to wash in topdressing and fertilisers etc.This week provided an ideal opportunity to carry out a lot of tasks which we wouldnt normally be able to do such as some localised overseeding work we started on Monday as with above average temperatures and looking like it will remain settled for a while every opportunity to improve the playing surfaces must be grabbed with both hands! 

As previous in overseeding we have used a solid tine to a 8-9mm depth and used a drop spreader to broadcast the seed and then brushed/matted the seed into the holes.

After this we have topdressed the overseeded areas to improve seed and soil contact and improve germination chances, we will also apply seaweed to these areas in a couple of weeks to enhance germination.

The weather being so mild and with heavy rain forecasted for Thursday,which it certainly did! was an ideal opportunity for us to start our top dressing programme which will help keep the greens firm,restore surface levels and smoothness and helps promote a good soil profile as well as improving percloation rates and controlling thatch levels as well as encouraging a healthy dense sward.

Here is a picture of our widespin dresser in action 

Even this liitle fella loved the topdressing so much he wanted to join in!

After the topdressing is broadcast it is matted in to the turf gently with some astroturf on a metal mat.

The opportunity to apply the first fertiliser feed for the year was also taken with a traditional Lawn Sand dresssing being applied which has a little bit of iron to tackle any moss in the base of the turf as well as reducing the pH to encourage the finer grasses and deter worms from casting as well as a little nitrogen to fill any bare areas left by the removal of the moss of which there is very very little but we are aimimg for the very best greens so attention to detail is paramount.

It's very important to have all these tasks done which are an important base and start for the season and is equally pleasing to be ahead of the game through good planning of the links team.

Out of interest the blog is still having many views and we are now over 3,500 views! Fantastic,like ive mentioned before if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Rhys Butler, Links Manager, Royal St Davids Golf Club.