United Kingdom
September 1, 2016
If you’re a golf greenkeeper or other turf professional, finding a way to get greater returns for those overseeding efforts is always on your mind. The cost of seed, machinery and the man hours involved are certainly significant chunks in a maintenance budget. Fortunately, following a few simple suggestions from Barenbrug, the UK grass expert, could result in helping you get a whole lot more grass for your buck.
Go for the Goal!
Before you set out to overseed any grass surface, it’s important to decide what you really want to get out of the entire process. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have a great deal of the grass species you prefer. If this is the case, your focus may be on merely maintaining this balance so surfaces stay consistent, and one or two applications during your yearly maintenance sessions should do the trick. If exchanging species is your intent, consider seeding as often as once a month during the growing season, so new grasses have a better chance of gaining the upper hand. Replacing a dominant species takes time, so plan on keeping overseeding efforts consistent over the course of several years.
Conditions, Conditions...
Without the right growing environment, overseeding simply won’t yield the results you’re searching for. Finer grasses require good surface and subsurface drainage. A minimal, organic thatch layer (20mm or less) allows water to seep down to (leveled) subsurface drains where it prevents surfaces from becoming waterlogged. Ample sunlight and airflow are also considerations to bear in mind. Seeding at the right soil temperature for your chosen grass species is another necessity – above 14°C for bent grass, 10°C for fine fescue, and 8°C for perennial ryegrass is recommended.
Room to Move
Just as growing children, grass seedlings need adequate space to thrive. Proper surface preparation is the key to giving young grasses room to take root. Mechanical preparation wil make all the difference in helping seedlings make contact with the rootzone, as well as providing drainage and aeration. Chemical application can also give overseeding efforts a boost by removing unwanted grasses or weeds so desired species have a chance to dominate.
Sowing Class
If seeds can’t make contact with the rootzone below the organic thatch layer, the odds of successful establishment are slim. Be sure that sowing depths fall below the thatch- meaning that a six mm sow depth translates to 21mm when you figure in a 15mm layer of thatch. Because sowing rates are calculated in terms of weight per unit area, the quantity you need to sow is directly related to seed size. When aiming for species exchange, you’ll need to multiply quantities by four to five times for an annual requirement.
Keeping up Appearances
Once you’ve got a good grasp on the ins and outs of overseeding, it’s all about proper maintenance. Take fertilisers for example. Waiting to apply nutrients until after seedlings germinate reduces competition with grasses you already have. Top dressing should be relaxed during seeding establishment or applied little and often, avoiding dragging and brushing of abrasive sands, which can easily uproot fragile seedlings. Simply raising moving heights by a millimeter or two can help seedlings flourish, as it reduces stress and allows for increased photosynthesis.
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