Early season recovery #3

Comparing Greenmaster Pro-Lite Cold Start, Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator and Potassium Nitrate

Harrogate
2016

Key Conclusions

Despite the cold spring conditions, all fertiliser treatments initiated a turf response; Cold Start, applied once, and Invigorator, applied twice, led to recovery within 9 days. Cold Start promoting significantly more growth than others, whereas the Potassium Nitrate formulation was the least effective.

 

Summary:

  • The fertiliser treatments all initiated a turf response despite the cold spring conditions
  • The amount of Nitrogen was equalised with different application rates and frequency (Cold Start was applied once whilst the others were applied twice)
  • The Cold Start and Invigorator plots had recovered through the heavy early season top dressing within 9 days
  • The Cold Start initiated significantly more growth than the other fertiliser treatments
  • The Potassium Nitrate formulation was found to be the least effective of the fertilisers applied

Objective

A trial to determine the level of recovery through early season top dressing using various different spring fertilisers.

Trial Details

Trial station

Harrogate

Product

Greenmaster Pro-Lite

Assessments

Height, quality and growth rate

Treatments

Treatment NoProduct
1Control
2Greenmaster Pro-Lite Cold Start
3Potassium Nitrate 15-0-43
4Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator

All treatments applied to supply 33 Kg of N during the course of the trial.

 

Heavy dressing

 

“Heavy” top dressing (2 kg/m2) was applied to each plot 6 days after fertiliser application.

 

 

9 days after Heavy top dressing “Heavy” top dressing disappeared in Cold Start and Invigorator plots but still affecting liquids and untreated.

Treatments

Treatment NoProduct
1Control
2Greenmaster Pro-Lite Cold Start
3Potassium Nitrate 15-0-43
4Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator

All treatments applied to supply 33 Kg of N during the course of the trial.

 

Heavy dressing

 

“Heavy” top dressing (2 kg/m2) was applied to each plot 6 days after fertiliser application.

 

 

9 days after Heavy top dressing “Heavy” top dressing disappeared in Cold Start and Invigorator plots but still affecting liquids and untreated.

Results

Grass height

 

Greenmaster Pro-Lite Cold Start produced a significantly better growth response than the Potassium Nitrate formulation.

 

Grass height – 15 days after treatment

 

Turf quality

 

Greenmaster Pro-Lite Cold Start produced the strongest colour response and lasted for the 8 week duration of the trial

Turf quality

 

Growth rate

 

27 days after treatment

 

Related trials

Early season recovery #1
STRI, Bingley, 2013
Early season recovery #2
Leeds, 2015
Golf green establishment
NIBIO institute