TOOLS & GUIDANCE
W E AT H E R
NOVEMBER TOP TIPS • Watch out for risk of Fusarium patch infection • Use ITM practices and fungicide treatments to reduce disease risk • Cold nights after warm and bright days can put extra stress on turf plants • Be prepared to change strategies if conditions dictate Surface moisture creates conditions for disease to thrive. Cooling wet weather in November makes it a challenge to dry surfaces quickly
O
O G O
N
ovember ought to see the onset of winter but, with the exception of last year, we’ve become accustomed to weather that is more like early autumn. This season conditions stayed relatively mild through October, with continued growth. The prolonged extension of autumn has frequently remained through to Christmas, helping to retain good surfaces.
O
NOVEMBER HIGHS ‘N’ LOWS
Weather patterns have become more extreme, with November temperatures fluctuating wildly from the average. In 2016, temperatures fell rapidly, particularly under clear night skies – with 14 nights of frost in east Scotland. In 2015, the average minimum temperature was 3.0°C above the long-term norm for England and Wales.
CO Av temp (°C)
O
Sun (hours)
Diff to 30-yr av
C
Rain (mm)
Diff to 30-yr av
2016
4.9
-1.4
75
+31
2015
8.2
+1.9
36
2014
7.6
+1.3
52
O Nights with air frost
Diff to 30-yr av
Diff to 30-yr av
105
-14%
8
+2
-47%
173
+42%
3
-3
-8%
124
+3%
2
-4
2013
5.5
-0.7
71
+24%
91
-25%
7
+1
2012
5.8
-0.5
62
+9%
136
+12%
6
0
2011
8.7
+2.4
59
+1%
101
-15%
1
-5
2010
4.3
-2.0
65
+11%
123
+2%
11
+5
Longterm av
6.3
57
121
6
November 2016 saw temperatures plummet well below the 30-year average, after two years of incredibly mild conditions. Although cold, there were very clear skies and bright days
Also in 2015, the average daily high for the whole of November was a balmy 12.7°C in the south of England. However, as recently as 2010 there was an unprecedented average 11 days of frost for the UK, and overall temperatures 2°C below average; the east coast of Scotland had frost on 50% of nights
WET WEATHER RISK
Temperature variability, shorter days and wet weather all put extra stress on turf, as well as creating conditions conducive to disease. Where warmer days initiate growth, any soft leaf tissue can be especially susceptible to infection. In milder periods of intermittent turf growth, mixing actives to include both contact and systemic activity, such as Instrata Elite, will give greater flexibility to target different stages of disease. GreenCast historic disease and weather charts have also shown that where rain falls, with leaf surfaces slow to dry, disease pressure is significantly higher. Integrated Turf Management options to dry surfaces – including drainage and aeration, improving air flow, switchingoff dew and thatch removal – can help minimise the level of disease inoculum in the turf and limit the conditions it needs to develop. Furthermore, applications of Contact+ Medallion TL will target disease pathogens on the leaf and in the thatch to further reduce infection pressure. Improved weather and disease forecasting can help target applications ahead of key risk periods.