Brew up for better greens with OAS Compost Tea
By Alistair
Related Articles
Polly Gearing, Biological Product Manager for Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS), explores the benefits of using Symbio Compost Tea on golf courses and how it contributes to a robust soil food web, improved root mass, enhanced nutrient uptake, plant tolerance to drought, stress and disease, as well as the ability to degrade thatch.
Golf course maintenance is a balancing act of maintaining truer, firmer and consistent playing surfaces while minimising environmental impact. This delicate balance often necessitates the use of sustainable solutions that can enhance soil health and promote plant growth. Symbio Compost Teas offer a natural sustainable and essential tool for golf course managers, harnessing the power of a thriving soil food web to foster healthier turf.
Wath Golf Club before using Symbio products
After
What is Compost Tea?
A good Compost Tea is all about enhancing the biodiversity of life contained in healthy soil. Compost Tea is created by brewing specially-prepared compost in an aerated solution of water with added nutrients and biostimulants. This biologically rich tea can then be used as a rootzone drench to give your turf all the benefits that beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa and predatory nematodes can bring to improve soil and plant health.
On golf courses, Symbio Compost Tea is used as a natural soil conditioner. When applied to the turf, it introduces beneficial microbes to the soil, which can break down organic matter, improve soil structure, and enhance nutrient availability to the grass roots. This can result in healthier turf, better resistance to disease and improved overall turf quality.
JCB Golf and Country Club, which uses Symbio Compost Teas
Healthy soil food web: The foundation of sustainable turf management
A healthy soil food web forms the foundation of sustainable turf management, promoting the natural processes necessary for vibrant plant growth. Symbio Compost Teas from OAS, contain a diverse array of beneficial microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and (predatory) nematodes, which effectively inoculate the soil with these crucial allies. These microorganisms work symbiotically to create a rich, diverse soil ecosystem, improving nutrient cycling, disease suppression and overall soil structure.
Improving root mass and structure
The application of Symbio Compost Tea can have a profound impact on root mass and structure. The diverse microbial communities, present in the teas, establish symbiotic relationships with plant roots, leading to increased root growth and vigour. These stronger, more extensive root systems enable turf to access soil nutrients more efficiently, resulting in healthier and more resilient grass.
Disease suppression
Certain microorganisms in Compost Tea can suppress the growth of harmful pathogens that cause turf diseases. The microorganisms can also form protective barriers around the roots and stop disease infection. Using Compost Tea can help reduce the incidence of diseases, leading to healthier turf.
Enhanced nutrient uptake and nutrient cycling
Compost Teas play a vital role in enhancing nutrient uptake by golf course turf. The beneficial microorganisms present in the teas contribute to the breakdown of organic matter, releasing essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for improved plant growth. This increased nutrient availability results in healthier, greener turf, greater soil biodiversity and enhanced ecological functioning, reducing the environmental impact of golf course maintenance.
JCB Golf and Country Club, which uses Symbio Compost Teas
Plant tolerance to drought and stress
Incorporating Symbio Compost Tea into golf course management practices can significantly enhance turf resilience to drought and environmental stress. The diverse microbial communities in the teas encourage the development of a robust root system, which enables the turf to access moisture and nutrients more effectively. Additionally, the microbial activity stimulated by Compost Teas aids in the breakdown of certain compounds that can contribute to stress on turf, thereby bolstering the plant’s ability to withstand adverse conditions.
Degrading thatch for improved turf health
Thatch buildup can present a challenge for turf managers, impacting the health and vitality of golf course grasses. Symbio Compost Teas offer a natural solution for degrading thatch, effectively breaking down organic matter to improve soil structure and enhance nutrient availability. The beneficial microorganisms in the teas help to facilitate the decomposition of thatch, reducing the need for disruptive mechanical removal and mitigating potential issues associated with thatch accumulation, as well as keeping golfers happy.
Panshanger Golf Complex
Promoting a sustainable approach to golf course maintenance
By harnessing the power of Symbio Compost Teas, golf course managers can adopt a more sustainable approach to turf maintenance. These teas facilitate the development of a holistic and resilient soil food web, fostering healthier, more resilient turf. Furthermore, the environmental benefits of Compost Teas align with the increasing demand for eco-friendly practices in the golf industry, providing a compelling solution for managing golf courses in harmony with nature.
The results speak for themselves
The benefits of incorporating Symbio Compost Teas into golf course maintenance practices are abundant and OAS is proud of the feedback they receive endorsing their products.
Andrew Carr, head greenkeeper at Panshanger Golf Complex states “We started using Compost Tea and a biological way of managing the greens in 2018, and year by year we have improved their condition. We now have greens that are good throughout the year, and they seem to reach their season standard a lot earlier even with the ups and downs of climate change.”
Panshanger Golf Complex
Compost Teas offer a natural and effective tool for promoting vibrant and sustainable turf, golf course managers are seeing long-term benefits that contribute to both the quality of the course and its environmental impact. Callum Wark, course manager of JCB Golf & Country Club, confirms: “The JCB course is maintained with a vigorous organic and biological programme from OAS. We have four Compost Tea brewers and use Compost Teas every two weeks to feed the soil life and enhance the soil food web. We have fantastic results and the OAS biological products maintain the quality.”
Wath Golf Club, which uses Symbio Compost Teas and ThatchEater
Utilising Symbio Compost Teas represents a proactive step towards sustainable, effective turf management, aligning with the growing emphasis on environmentally conscious practices in the golf industry. In agreement is Wath Golf Club head greenkeeper, Mark Hudson, who describes: “On my first walk around at Wath Golf Club it was clear to see the greens were suffering from problems in the ground. After an in-depth look under the surface, high levels of thatch were the obvious reason for poor turf health. After our first season using ThatchEater and Compost Tea, the difference was amazing. We went from high levels of tight thatch to a reduced amount, and it was a lot easier to pull apart and less dense. The condition of our greens improved massively in the first year and the surfaces already looked better health-wise. We continued using these in the second year, and visible results were there to be seen, with improved turf health. Our bent grasses started to thrive in a healthier environment meaning our playing surfaces are improving all the time.”
Panshanger Golf Complex
To summarise, incorporating Compost Tea into your golf course management practices can lead to healthier turf, improved playability and a more sustainable environment. If you would like advice on incorporating it into your programme, please call OAS on 0800 137 7222
By Alistair
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
