Disease Pressure

October 2018

Disease pressure

Now the days are getting shorter, it's getting cooler and a lot more moisture hanging around the turf.  We aim to avoid disease outbreaks in the plant at this time of year to prevent needing to spray chemicals to control it.

knocking the dew off the turf first thing in the morning is a must. This is done with a 2.5 meter dew brush on the stadium pitch and by either a tractor mounted brush or by pulling a rope across the pitches at the training ground. if dew is left, then it creates warm, moist conditions for disease to break out.
We have had disease (Microdochium patch) outbreaks on four pitches so far during October. It is expected, but we are working towards minimising them as much as possible. three of the pitches were sprayed with fungicide and the other with nutrients to help the plant fight the disease on its own. This pitch (pitch 4) has been chemical free since March 2017. The hope is we will learn to deal with disease attacks without reaching for the chemical bottle across the whole site. This might mean we have to be tolerant to some disease scarring on the turf at times but it's weighing up the negatives and the benefits.
We are also sharpening our own mower blades using Bernhard grinders and we do this as often as necessary to keep a clean cut. Mowing with dull blades tears at the plant leaf and leaves it vulnerable to infection.

An advanced attack of Microdchium patch from back in 2012

Off pitch area of pitch 2 (2018)

Annual Meadow Grass (Poa annua) showing up on pitch 6. 

We are suffering more the average with the grass species Poa annua on one of our pitches this year. I'm sure it isn't a coincidence that this pitch wasn't sprayed off with glyphosate before renovation. It was also heavily watered during the summer heat, encouraging the Poa annua species. It can stand out by being a lighter shade of green and shows up clearly in the morning dew...

We are still continuing with the aeration. The stadium pitch has been aerated twice this mont, once with the verti drain with 3/4 inch tines and also with the weidenmann G8xi with 12mm tines. the only difference to the aeration program from the stadium to the training ground is the addition of groundbreaking in season is not carried out at the stadium. Although it would be beneficial, our old Blec Groundbreaker we have leaves lines which is not acceptable for the stadium pitch. 

We have probably made the last Primo Maxx application as we will spray up until the temperatures start to drop below double figures. Growth has slowed considerably in the last couple of weeks as we head towards winter. We will continue with our bio sprays of sugars/carbs and seaweed every other week.

We are also spraying Clear cast, which is a sulphur based product to deter the worms from surfacing,thus creating a cast. We have had mixed results, but since carbendazim was banned last year our options are limited. We will also be adding a little penetrant wetting agent to help pull the water through the profile. We have used this before with unexpectedly effective results but drying the surface out too much. This time a quarter rate will be applied and it will be monitored from there.

The last U23 game to take place at the stadium is at the beginning of November, then except for the U18 cup games, it will be clear for first team use only.

We have been very lucky so far with the weather going through autumn and keeping our fingers crossed we get into the new year without any weather which is too harsh.