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Sherriff tank-mixes a ‘game-changer’ at Sweetwoods Park Allan Tait, Course Manager at Sweetwoods Park Golf Club, in Cowden, Kent, has reported excellent results from using two tank mixes containing a range of Sherriff Amenity products. Situated on the borders of Kent and Sussex in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Sweetwoods Park boasts a fantastic golf experience through its par 72, 18-hole golf course. Widely praised by its 450 members, the Championship course is kept in impeccable condition from season to season thanks to Allan and his greenkeeping team. Allan, who has been the Course Manager at Sweetwoods Park for just over four years, predominantly uses Sherriff Amenity products on key areas of the golf course and has singled out two tank mixes for particular praise. “The majority of products I use on my greens, fairways, tees and approaches are all from Sherriff Amenity and I’ve always had consistently good results. I’m a fan of foliar feeding as I feel I have more control over growth and more flexibility with regards to tank-mixing,” said Allan. Therefore, on his fairways, tees and approaches he relies on a liquid tank mixture which consists of Evolution Xtra 46.0.0 Soluble, Ferromel 20 – a water soluble formulation of iron sulphate hepta-hydrate and Primo Maxx II growth regulator. “I use this mix for recovery in spring; Evolution Xtra encourages steady growth, whilst Ferromel 20 provides colour and discourages moss. The
that soil penetration is fantastic. We’re seeing great results with a number of AQUA-AID products tank-mixed with Worm Power Turf. There’s also work that’s been done with NC State. One of our early recommendations was not to tankmix with fungicides. That becomes a labour issue for superintendents, if it requires another pass. Over multiple facilities throughout the US over the past two years, Agronomic programs have mixed fungicides with Worm Power and have seen zero negative effect ... this real-world research
Evolution Xtra provides rapid greening, while the iron in the Ferromel 20 discourages the moss and the Primo Maxx II keeps control of the growth. “For fairways I normally budget for two applications per year of this mix and that is more than enough because it has great longevity. It is nice and controlled and you don’t get a flush from it. I also like how soluble the product is. With some solubles you really have to grind them down but with the Evolution Xtra 46.0.0 Soluble, you simply run a hose over it and it disperses perfectly into the tank. I never get any blockages either. For me, it’s been a game changer.” Allan admits that he prefers the preventative route, but most recently, following a prolonged dry spell, he turned to a tank-mix containing Aqua-Zorb 45 wetting agent, Rootmass Plus soil and plant conditioner and Amino Turf – a bio-stimulant. “I’ve experimented with wetting agents before but for the past couple of years I’ve not really touched them – I’ve mainly used penetrants. However, after the recent weather conditions the greens were beginning to show signs of heat stress, drought stress and disease. I had watered them quite heavily and it was clear that it wasn’t enough or that it wasn’t getting into the right places so I decided to look at Aqua-Zorb 45 as a solution. I had heard of numerous golf clubs reporting great results from it so thought I would give it a go. With the seaweeds and amino acids in the mixture, which have been proven to reduce the stress and
along with the statistical counts we have proven through university research in multiple trials ... we are confident that Worm Power Turf can be mixed with any products that have to be incorporated into a soil-drench program.
What should greenkeepers keep in mind when using it? In the summer of 2015, I was responsible for traveling to golf courses in our course trials, and interestingly, as I was following up with them, I heard, “I’m not seeing
lessen the chance of getting disease, it seemed like a perfect tank-mix. “We applied it down and the next day, literally within 24 hours, the greens had a completely different look to them – they were so much healthier. I will continue to apply that mixture every four to five weeks right through until the end of the season. It has made a huge difference to the greens and it means that I could sleep easy at night!” Ever the perfectionist, Allan is always looking at ways in which he can take the course to another level and he believes that the technical support he receives from Amenity Specialist Joseph Dormer is another benefit in his decision to work with Sherriff Amenity. “I like to think I’m quite technically minded and I like to know every product inside out – Joseph is exactly the same and we are quite often having discussions about the technical aspects of greenkeeping. It’s great to be able to bounce ideas off one another.”
anything. Nothing’s happening.” And I knew why they were saying that, because they weren’t looking below the surface. Anyone who tries this, if they don’t do a cup cut and pull some plugs, they’re not going to see what’s happening. Look below the surface and you’ll find the benefits. Don’t think you’re going to see it manifest itself in a physical plant response above the surface. The top growth is not going to change a lot. You’ll find that the top growth responds over time by being more drought-tolerant and standing up to traffic better and things like
that, but you just don’t get that visible response on the top growth. The main thing is that you want it to be used as a soil spray. It can be effective as a foliar application, but it works in the root zone. We want it working in the soil. Watch the root zone. That’s where you’re going to see the benefits, and over time you’ll realise the benefits of a healthier root zone. Don’t expect to see a growth explosion right under your eyes. Get a cup cutter out there and start taking some cuts, you’ll see the benefits pretty quickly.
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 71