With Jon Wyer, Rockliffe hall
As we move into the middle of autumn the weather so far has been very forgiving. We have had some frosty mornings and yet we have still had some very mild, sunny days with very little rainfall for the time of year.
That being said, the turf on the course has started to shut down and become dormant ready for the coming winter months so mowing has become less frequent. Even with this lack of regular growth, it is imperative to maintain the mowing quality of the machines cutting units.
A sharp mower blade will create a clean cut across the leaf blade. This cut aids the grass in healing faster and promotes photosynthesis even with the minimal light for the time of year. A dull blade will tear the grass, often leaving a jagged edge.
These greater surface areas on the leaf cause stress, making it more susceptible to attacks from pests, diseases and fungal activity which can be highly active due to damp, mild days at this time of year.
The operator should be vigilant while mowing as debris build up from worm casts or tree debris can mean a mower soon goes ‘off cut’.
The mowers should then be checked over for both mowing height and quality once cleaned to ensure the machine is ready for the next mowing operation.
If required the mowing units should be reground on the grinding benches to re-sharpen any dull blades.
