Tag Archive for: resistance

Suståne improving disease resistance from the ground up

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Suståne improving disease resistance from the ground up: The combination of Suståne 5-2-4 and 5-2-10+Fe is providing the perfect platform for a switch to finer grass species at Ely City Golf Club.

Looking to improve disease resistance from the ground up is Course Manager Alan Magee, who explains how the tried and tested programme from Suståne is the ideal base feed for encouraging bent grass to flourish on the greens at the parkland club.

Suståne improving disease resistance from the ground up

Suståne improving disease resistance from the ground up

Ely City is regarded as one of the finest courses in East Anglia, located on the outskirts of Cambridge and delivering a challenging but picturesque 18-holes of mature parkland. Assisted by a team of five, Alan has been at the club for the last two and a half years. “With the ongoing reduction in chemicals and the drive towards more sustainable practices, as greenkeepers, we’re having to tackle the issue of disease management in new ways – for me, that’s looking at how we can increase our tolerance with better, more resilient, grass species” he explains.

No stranger to Suståne, Alan has been a longstanding user of their 5-2-4 all natural slow-release nitrogen fertiliser at his previous club in Dorset. “The 5-2-4 is really the building block for the rest of our inputs. We apply this at eight-week intervals from the spring onwards, with complimentary liquid feeds put down as and when required.”

The original Suståne formula, 5-2-4 promotes enhanced disease suppression and quick green up, without excessive growth. Suitable for most turfgrass environments, Suståne 5-2-4 increases the soils’ ability to hold water and nutrients, improving suppression of plant pathogens and strengthening the plant’s tolerance again heat, drought and other environmental stress factors. “This product is a fantastic spring starter, getting us moving and providing all the nutrients we need to support bentgrass and strengthen our greens ahead of a busy playing season.”

“For some extra oomph, we use the 5-2-10+Fe every eight weeks from July onwards as we begin to prepare the surfaces for winter” Alan adds. With its 1:2 N to K ratio, Suståne 5-2-10+Fe aids plant hydration and disease suppression, also enhancing chlorophyll production for outstanding turf colour without excessive top growth.

“This combination gives us great consistency and the versatility to adapt to surface requirements depending on the weather.” He continues, “As we pursue a bigger bent population in our greens, I’m a firm believer that if we get the biology right in the soil, the rest of our programme will fall into place. Both the surfaces and the players will hopefully be thanking us as a result!”

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Maximise disease resistance this autumn

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Maximise disease resistance this autumn: Greenkeepers, groundsmen and amenity space managers should apply more than just nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to their green areas this autumn, with magnesium and iron essential to maintaining healthy, disease free grass throughout the winter.

That is the latest advice from Richard Brown, Amenity Sales Manager for Germinal GB, who, speaking at the SALTEX show on 30th October, recommends the application of specialist fertilisers to ensure grassed areas remain healthy as the weather turns cooler.

Maximise disease resistance this autumn

“No matter how naturally resistant a grass cultivar is to diseases such as fusarium, an unhealthy or nutrient deficient sward won’t be able to withstand the disease pressures associated with the onset of wetter and colder autumn conditions,” Mr Brown explains. “Greenkeepers, groundsmen and amenity space managers must therefore remember that feeding the sward goes beyond applying the main three macro-nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, and should apply additional micro-nutrients, namely magnesium and iron, to bolster tolerance to disease and cold conditions.”

Germinal’s specialist G13 Protekt and G14 Alleviate Fe fertilisers are formulated to provide the necessary nutrients to protect grass swards at crucial times such as during the onset of cooler autumn and winter conditions.

G13 ProteKt is a 3-0-22 (+3% Fe) anti-stress fertiliser. Containing 22% potash and 3% iron, it can be used during the autumn and winter to harden turf, heighten sward colour and prevent disease attack. Used at this time of year, G13 ProteKt enhances wear tolerance, protects the sward from frost damage and enables quicker recovery in the subsequent spring.

G13 ProteKt can also be applied in the spring and summer when its high potassium content aids transpiration control in dry periods and fortifies the drought tolerance of grass plants.

G14 Alleviate Fe is a 4-0-10 (+8% Fe) fertiliser which is ideal for protecting high value turf areas such as sports fields, golf greens and tees and bowling greens throughout the growing season, but especially during the autumn and winter months. G14 Alleviate Fe contains magnesium, a vital component of chlorophyll, which helps to maintain good metabolism of energy for healthy plant growth. Its high iron content improves resistance to disease and ensures quick greening throughout the growing season without causing any intense flushes of growth. G14 Alleviate Fe also helps to control and inhibit moss.

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