Optimal fertiliser strategies for early spring growth on golf greens

Initiating early spring growth is crucial for golf courses. It’s also relevant for other turf areas, such as sports fields and stadium pitches, which need to recover from wear, tear, and disease damage.

Ensuring healthy spring growth is essential for maintaining high-quality playing surfaces.

The Role of Nitrogen in Spring Growth

Nitrogen is a key nutrient for promoting growth, even in cooler conditions.

Grass plants can absorb nitrogen in various forms, including nitrate (NO₃⁻) and ammonium (NH₄⁺).

While nitrate is often considered the dominant form due to its prevalence in healthy soils, ammonium can also be effectively absorbed by plants.

Comparing Nitrate and Ammonium

1. Nitrate (NO₃⁻):
   • Efficiency Issues: Nitrate is soluble and can easily leach from the soil, especially during heavy rainfall. This reduces its effectiveness, as it may move below the rooting zone.
   • Denitrification: In soils with high organic matter and moisture, nitrate can denitrify under anaerobic conditions, leading to nitrogen loss as gas.
   • Energy Consumption: Plants convert nitrate to ammonium before synthesising amino acids, which requires energy. This can be a drawback in low-carbohydrate, low-photosynthesis conditions.
2. Ammonium (NH₄⁺):
   • Direct Uptake: Ammonium can be directly absorbed and used by plants to form amino acids, making it potentially more efficient, particularly in early spring.
   • Less Leaching: Ammonium tends to be held better in the soil compared to nitrate, reducing nutrient loss.
   • Cold Start Studies: Trials with Greenmaster Pro-Lite Cold Start, an ammonium-based fertiliser, have shown excellent early-season growth and recovery from diseases like Microdochium, without the inefficiencies of nitrate.

Practical Applications and Trials

Research and trials support the effectiveness of ammonium-based fertilisers for early spring growth.

For instance, applications of Invigorator Plus (part of the Greenmaster Pro-Lite range) have demonstrated significant recovery and quality improvement in turf, even when applied early in the season.

This formulation, which includes ammonium nitrogen, promotes robust growth and recovery, essential for preparing golf greens for the spring season.

Key Considerations for Fertiliser Use

1. Monitor Soil Temperature: Effective fertiliser application requires soil temperatures of at least 5-7°C to ensure proper nutrient uptake by turfgrass.
2. Adjust for Soil pH: High soil pH can affect the efficiency of ammonium-based fertilisers due to volatilisation. Ensure ammonium moves into the root zone quickly to minimise nitrogen loss.
3. Avoid Over-Application: While nitrogen is crucial, over-application can deplete carbohydrate reserves in plants, especially under low photosynthesis conditions. Use balanced applications to avoid stressing the turf.

Tips for Early Spring Fertilisation

• Choose Ammonium-Based Fertilisers: These are more efficient in early spring and less prone to leaching and denitrification.
• Apply at the Right Time: Ensure soil temperatures are suitable (5-7°C) before applying fertiliser.
• Use Controlled Release Fertilisers: These can provide a steady supply of nitrogen, reducing the risk of nutrient loss and over-application.
• Monitor Soil pH: Adjust your fertilisation strategy if your soil has a high pH to prevent volatilisation of ammonium.

Conclusion

For initiating early spring growth on golf greens, ammonium-based fertilisers offer a more efficient alternative to nitrate, especially under cool conditions.

Their ability to be absorbed directly and their reduced risk of leaching make them ideal for promoting healthy turf growth and recovery.