It's been a tough couple of weeks and things will only to get tougher for all of us and our families. It's important to remember our priorities at times like this and first and foremost ours and our loved ones health comes top of that list.
Once we're past the immediate challenge, it's inevitable that our minds begin to focus on how this will pan out for us, any time we dwell to much in the future anxiety inevitably appears particularly with the uncertainty were currently facing.
There are some positives though, we're in a cool spring and the ground conditions are at last drying out. The situation is clear now that golf courses should close and over a short period of time the dust will settle and clubs maintenance plans will become clear.
Some levels of maintenance will be required to ensure the golf clubs and sporting facilities come through this period ready to give their customers the facilities that they'll be sat at home dreaming about.
I wrote a couple of weeks back about a projected dry down and whilst I thought it would a risky blog to write as this winter had been so tough I could never have imagined what the next couple of weeks had install for us!
Sure enough the ground conditions have definitely changed, as I was stood on my Mum and Dads front Lawn this Mothering sunday stood amongst the daffodils, shouting at them as they shouted back from their bedroom window (any other time and that would seem like a strange thing to say), I noticed some significant cracking in the bare areas of Dads lawn! Surely not, after this winter??
Anyway it was a stark reminder that now we are into spring we are definitely in position to dry down quicker than we expect. Dry down during this period of the year is rarely accompanied by visual signs of stress. The day lengths are still comparatively short, no intense heat, light and with no golfing stresses there is a really good chance that drought stress will sneak up on us silently.
With a serious lack of eyes on the ground as well there is every chance it will get missed leading to longer term challenges.
I've had a few chats with course managers over the last few days and there has been lots of talk about PGR's and Fertility programs but I'd start with a well watered in premium wetting agent. This is not the year to experiment with cheaper products, start early make sure it's applied to a well hydrated rootzone and watered in well. Good investment now will pay dividends longer term.
Keep your surfaces in a good range of moisture and any time you have available - it's probably worth in your irrigation system and ensuring it's primed and good to go. Even if things dry down quicker than expected a good wetting agent program will help you rewet dry surfaces.
Whilst talking about irrigation - it's worth having a look at some remote desktop access so if you are isolated at least you can control. I'll try and take a look at them soon and post something that may help.
Stay Safe
