Wednesday 1 May 2013

Poa annua

The Poa annua (Annual Meadow Grass) in the greens is flowering at present and this is having a negative impact on the smoothness and trueness of the putting surfaces.  On most golf greens in the UK, Poa annua is the dominant grass species but at Aldeburgh we have a high percentage of fine Fescue and Bent grasses and aim to keep Poa annua out.  This spring we have more Poa than we would normally have, due the the wet weather in 2012.  Drying the greens out is one of main tools for stressing out Poa and favouring the fescue and in 2012 we didn't have any opportunities to do this.

This season we will be making the most of any rainless periods to dry out the greens, tipping the balance in favour of the finer grasses.  However, over the next few weeks we will retain some moisture in the greens to enable the recently over-seeded Fescue to get established.

Poa annua - arrowed


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