E maintaining healthy soil . By continuously moving soil , worms loosen and aerate it , aiding water infiltration . And , when earthworms feed on nutrients in the soil , the waste products they leave provide valuable fertilisation .
GREENSKEEPING
Worm casts causing you a problem ?
arthworms are vital for
E maintaining healthy soil . By continuously moving soil , worms loosen and aerate it , aiding water infiltration . And , when earthworms feed on nutrients in the soil , the waste products they leave provide valuable fertilisation .
But despite the benefits , earthworms create big problems for greenkeepers .
As they expel waste , earthworms leave small worm casts on the soil ’ s surface . These tiny mounds affect ball movement on golf courses and look unsightly . During milder months , worms are more active near the surface , and these soil casts can mount up , creating more work for greenkeepers .
Up until 2019 , greenkeepers had a simple way to tackle worm casts . However , since Carbendazim was banned due to the potentially toxic effects it has on the human reproductive system , no clear chemical solution has emerged to replace it .
How Worm Casts Affect Cylinder Mowers
Worm casts are not just an inconvenience . As a greenkeeper , worm casts cause several other issues , particularly when using cylinder mowers .
Due to their wet , sticky nature , worm casts clog mower rollers , eventually causing them to lock up . When this happens , the mower skids over the turf causing costly damage to both the turf and the machine .
Additionally , worm casts cause an abrasive grinding paste to form between the bottom blade and cylinder . This blunts the cylinders so that regular and costly sharpening is required . If the sharpening is not completed the blunt cylinders affect the overall cut quality and presentation of the course . For many Greenkeepers , this means their cylinder mowers spend more time in the workshop than out on the course .
While strategies like delaying the cut until the middle of the day to reduce stickiness , brushing the turf prior to cutting , or using an older mower when cast levels are high can help , these are not practical solutions as they add time and expense to the ongoing task of turf maintenance .
22 GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | March / April 2024