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 Dan McGrath MG, Course Manager atNorth Foreland Golf Club - and winner of the Operation Pollinator Award 2013 - offers his practical advice on what has worked for them in establishing a successful and incredibly valuable ecological asset for wildlife and the club. What site did you choose for the Operation Pollinator areas, and why?The site had previously been unmanaged for 30+yrs, with extensive ground ivy to knee depth that had taken over the chalk grassland rough. Site selection was due to it being largely out of play with limited foot traffic. At the same time it was close enough to have visual value to the golfers and general public. We have selected two sites with different aspects, to determine which conditions favour the target species and our longer term goals.How did you choose the seed mixture?We studied available wildflower mixes with all the main seed breeders, and then sought to match that with what is native to our chalk grassland cliff-top site. This year we have gone for a…

 New electron microscopy has given a fascinating insight into turf disease development and a better understanding of how fungicide activity can tackle pathogens before they cause visible damage. Find out more about DISEASE PROTECTION ON THE OUTSIDE in part 1 of a series of Turf Science in Action technical bulletins...  

How to LabelAll packages containing Primo Maxx II need to be labelled to reflect the reclassification as flammable.5 litre & 10 litre packs: IN ORIGINAL FIBREBOARD BOX: Download the appropriate hazard label below and place over the existing hazard label on the outside of the box. All bottles inside the box must also be relabelled as flammable. There are 2 different hazard labels; for the 5 litre pack use the “5 litre and below” hazard label and for the 10 litre pack use the “over 5 litre” hazard label.5 litre & 10 litre packs: BOTTLES ONLY: Download the appropriate hazard label below and place over the existing hazard label on the bottle. There are 2 different hazard labels; for the 5 litre pack use the “5 litre and below” hazard label and for the 10 litre pack use the “over 5 litre” hazard label.20 litre drums: Download the appropriate hazard label below and place over existing hazard labelIf it is not possible to print out new hazard labels, as a minimum each container must be marked…

 The removal of grass clippings with every cut takes away nutrients that must be replaced to maintain turf health. Therefore, reducing the clipping yield with a growth regulator programme should correspondingly make more efficient use of fertiliser inputs, whilst maintaining turf colour and health.All nutrients are removed in grass clippings - with nitrogen (N) the major nutrient component, along with potassium (K) and, to a lesser extent, phosphorus and calcium.Water and nutrient loss through clippings: The nutrient content equates to around 14kg of N per tonne of fresh grass clippings, along with nine kg of K2O.Regulating turf growth and clipping removal can enable turf managers and agronomists to be more accurate in their use of fertiliser applications that are better matched to growing conditions and the specific requirements of the turf, to maintain high quality playing surfaces.More efficient targeted use of nitrogen will prove to be cost effective and good for the environment.The reduction…

 Although conditions have been unseasonably mild so far this December, long-term weather forecasters are predicting one of the coldest ever winters for the UK this year, with predictions of deep snow and prolonged frosts.A number of weather pattern indicators suggest it will be worse than December 2010, when the UK experienced 23 days with an air frost, an average temperature of -0.9°C and an extreme average minimum of -4.1°C - over five degrees below the norm. Winter 2010 was certainly extreme - with the heaviest and most extensive early snowfall for 45 years. But it was not unprecedented; with similar periods of snow cover recorded the previous year, from late December 2009 into January 2010.And if you look at trends for the past five years, the December temperature has indeed been above the long-term average only once. The prospect of prolonged snow cover and cold induced stress significantly increases the risk of Microdochium (Fusarium) Patch. Whilst air temperatures may be cold, the snow…

 New turf agronomics that utilise exciting combinations of fungicides, growth regulators and wetting agents could alleviate plant stress and enhance turf quality, to produce consistently improved playing conditions right through the year.Essential turf management to meet the increasingly stringent demands of today's golfer, along with tough environmental conditions created by weather extremes and polluted air quality, impose immense stress on turf. The result is turf plant health being constantly assailed by the challenge of free radicals.Free radicals are a by-product of normal cellular metabolism, but during periods of stress their numbers can increase significantly and the antioxidant capacity of the plant overwhelmed. Highly-active free radicals, or Reactive Oxidative Species (ROS), move around within the plant, bombarding healthy cells in an effort to equalize their electron imbalance. In the process, healthy plant tissue can be irrevocably damaged, and consequently turf quality suffers…

 Golf greens currently contain surface thatch levels on average 60% higher than is desirable for optimal turf health and playability, according to the STRI.Click here to download and save a PDF of this E-Tech Bulletin Some parkland courses were reported with more than 25% organic matter in the top 20mm, compared to a target of four to six percent. Even links courses were found to have up to 12% organic matter extending down to 40mm from the surface, with an average 7% in the top 20mm that is still 40% above the target level.STRI agronomists warn excess organic matter retains greater moisture that leads to: High levels of thatch in greens surfaces pose a serious risk of earlier and more severe disease outbreak this season: Targeting spores in the thatch with well-timed proactive Medallion TL applications can help to: The aim is to limit disease pressure as early as possible.Results have clearly shown that going into the winter with clean turf gives the greatest chance of coming out…

 When summer temperatures hot up, the root structures of cool season turf plants can suffer - with significant decline in overall root mass and the root system's efficiency to take up water and nutrients.Summer root mass decline can have serious impacts on plant health and, ultimately, playing surface quality.Root growth is a constantly ongoing cycle in healthy turf; new root material is created, as old root dies and degrades. The rate of decline and replacement is influenced by climatic and soil conditions. Summer root dieback occurs when a plant is still actively respiring, but its photosynthetic activity is restricted by the hotter temperatures. The plant's growth demands more carbohydrate than the leaves can physically produce, which leads to root mass reduction.  Agronomy measures to minimise root loss can help to maintain better summer surface quality - and year round turf health.Root Mass BenefitsRoots also require appropriate conditions to grow, including adequate moisture, oxygen…

 Download the latest version here: Let us know what you would like covered in one of our future E-Tech Bulletins by emailing karen.roberts@syngenta.com or by tweeting us at @GreenCastUK.