TOP DRESSING
Stuart recommended Johnsons J Tee - combining 4Turf ® tetraploid ryegrass along with traditional ryegrass and strong creeping red fescue . The additional inclusion of 5 % Sabrena rough stalked meadow grass makes J Tee truly unique , creating a mixture that delivers exceptional disease resistance , rapid establishment and a hardwearing sward even under heavy shade , making it ideal for golf tees and pathways . The fineness of leaf and shoot density of Sabrena is comparable to a high-quality bent cultivar , while its speed of establishment is akin to that of perennial ryegrass – enhanced further by DLF ’ s Growmax seed coating which enhances overseeding results in difficult conditions . In shade trials , Sabena is amongst the hardest wearing varieties on the market .
We began a programme with J Tee in the spring , which has really come to fruition over the summer . The biggest difference has been the wear tolerance , the team and I have seen a noticeable improvement in sward density which is withstanding and the wear and tear .
“ We began a programme with J Tee
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in the spring , which has really come to fruition over the summer . The biggest difference has been the wear tolerance , the team and I have seen a noticeable improvement in sward density which is withstanding and the wear and tear .” David continues , “ The 4th tee is the most shaded and even here , we ’ ve achieved outstanding coverage .”
The successes of J Tee come alongside three years of fantastic results with Johnsons J All Bent on the greens . “ Our greens are over 100 years old and where other varieties have struggled with the drainage and poor soil profile , the strike we had from the J All Bent made this a no-brainer to continue .” He adds , “ We ’ ve also noticed that we require less water and chemical inputs to maintain the greens , even in the difficult weather conditions we ’ ve all had these last couple of years , while still retaining good plant health and little to no disease .”
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GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | November / December 2023 11