Pink Shoots Hooray!

Now this post is the one you will really think I have lost it. 

Spent the afternoon down at the ground, met with Simon Hardcastle from Everris. Then later in the day with the police after a spate vandalism at the ground.

While I was with Simon we took a close look at the square especially the weak pitch ends and guess what I can just see germination taking place those little pink shoots so characteristic of Perennial Rye Grass. I have even take some photos for you, see below.

Technical point these photo were taken with my camera on Super Macro setting the shoots are tiny but they are there.

The Seed is Hurrells "Coldstart" Colosseum and Topgun or Carnac  I have sown both mixes at different times.

I keep getting people say to me that this mix is course leafed but if you look back on my trials shown on this blog you will see that this is not the case. I have also had the comment that these grasses are not Summer active but I have now been growing them for over 12 months including throughout last summer and I can say that this also is not true. 

You can all be none believers but the only way to find out is to do what I have done and try it for yourself.

I have stocks.

With some rain forecast for Thursday and Friday along with warmer temperatures I am hopeful of having a green square for the start of the season.

While I was down I did some work on the net area which I had not been able to get on to all Autumn and winter so it is in a right state.

I cut it and raked it the blow as many of the leafs off as I could.

Photos below.

 I fertilised with some 11-5-5 spring and summer to try stimulate some growth, next I want to treat for worms and get some seed in. We are looking to replace two of them with plastic as they are unworkable most of the year wet and shaded so I get "squidge", moss and any other thing that likes a saturated surface.

Above show the square not looking too bad now considering, that is apart from the bare ends that are just germinating as seen above.

Groundsmans Tip:- With the rain and milder weather forecast now may be a good time to fertilise your square, not too much nitrogen just yet we can still have a cold spell -winter may not have finished with us yet.

Two posts in two days whats happening I must be going down with something.

Time to see if I can start the old roller up, that will be a task -some serious cranking I suspect.

Hodgy