Impact of mowing height and late autumn fertilization on winter survival and spring performance of golf greens in the Nordic countries

Figures & data

Table I. Overview of experiments included in project.

Golf course, town (Country)	Latitude/ longitude/ altitude (m a.s.l.)	Turf grass species	Mowing heights (mm)	Fertilizer application dates in 2008/2009
Messilä Golf, Lahti (FIN)	61° 00′ 37″ N, 25° 32′ 46″ E, 154	A. stolonifera (> 70%)	4.0/6.0	2009 (Date missing)
Keri Golf, Savolinna (FIN)	61° 53′ 3″ N, 29° 09′ 70″ E, 98	P. annua (> 70%)	5.0/7.5	31 Oct. 2008 31 Oct. 2009
Peuramaa Golf, Helsinki (FIN)	60° 05′ 55″ N, 24° 28′ 17″ E, 4	A. canina	3.5/6.0	19 Nov. 2008 02 Nov. 2009
Saltsjöbaden GC, Stockholm (SE)	59° 16′ 89″ N, 18° 15′ 59″ E, 31	P. annua (> 80%)	4.0/6.0	09.Dec. 2009
Royal Drottningholm GC, Stockholm (SE)	59° 19′ 12″ N, 17° 51′ 19″ E, 21	P. annua (> 90%)	4.6/6.9	14 Nov. 2008
Fullerö GC, Västerås(SE)	59° 34′ 03″ N, 16° 30′ 07″ E, 13	P. annua (50%)	3.0/4.6	2008
Mørk golf, Spydeberg (NO)	59° 31′ 54″ N, 11° 00′ 00″ E, 125	A. stolonifera	4.0/5.5	22 Oct. 2009 27 Nov. 2009
Vestfold GC, Tønsberg (NO)	59° 11′ 37″ N, 10° 21′ 14″ E, 48	F. rubra/A. capillaris	6.0/9.0	08 Nov. 2008 10 Nov. 2009
Bjaavann GC, Kristiansand (NO)	58° 14′ 30″ N, 8° 03′ 03″ E, 22	A. stolonifera	4.0/6.0	28 Oct. 2008
Trones GC, Levanger (NO)	63° 49′ 91″ N, 11° 24′ 38″ E, 25	A. stolonifera	4.5/6.7	03 Nov. 2008
Bioforsk Landvik, Grimstad (NO)	58° 20′ 25″ N, 8° 31′ 26″ E, 9	A. stolonifera	3.0/4.5	27 Oct. 2008 10 Nov. 2009
Bioforsk Landvik, Grimstad (NO)	58° 20′ 26″ N, 8° 31′ 26″ E, 9	F. rubra	4.5/6.0	27 Nov. 2008 10 Nov. 2009
Bioforsk Apelsvoll, Gjøvik (NO)	60° 42′ 04″ N, 10° 52′ 11″ E, 265	A. canina	3.0/4.5	21 Oct. 2009

Figure 1.  Main effects of late autumn fertilization (LAF) (2 g m⁻²), and increased mowing height (+50%), on greens dominated by (a) red fescue, (b) creeping bent grass, (c) velvet bent grass and (d) annual meadow grass. The average of 4, 6, 3 and 5 experiments respectively.

Table II. Main effects of mowing height in the autumn and late autumn fertilization on red fescue greens. Results from 2 experimental years.

	Overall winter damage, %	Winter diseases %	Live turf coverage, %		Overall impression (1–9)
			First spring observation	Mean of observations	First spring observation	Mean of observations
No of trials	4	2	4	4	4	4
Mowing height
Control	11	10	71	81	4.4	5.0
+ 50%	11	12	71	82	4.6	5.4
p value	> 0.15	0.06	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	0.12
Late autumn fertilization
Control	13	10	69	79	4.1	4.7
+ 2 g N m^−2	9	11	73	83	4.8	5.6
p value	0.09	> 0.15	0.04	0.14	0.04	0.004
Interaction	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15
p value

Table III. Main effects of mowing height in the autumn and late autumn fertilization on creeping bent grass greens. Results from 2 experimental years.

	Overall winter damage, %	Winter diseases, %	Live turf coverage,%		Overall impression (1–9)
			First spring observation	Mean of observations	First spring observation	Mean of observations
No. of trials	6	3	6	6	6	6
Mowing height
Control	21	14	81	86	6.0	5.9
+ 50%	20	13	81	86	6.2	6.1
p value	0.09	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15
Late autumn fertilization
Control	13	10	79	69	4.7	4.1
+ 2 g N m^−2	9	11	83	73	5.6	4.8
p value	0.09	> 0.15	0.14	0.04	0.004	0.04
Interaction	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15
p value

Table IV. Main effects of mowing height in the autumn and late autumn fertilization on velvet bent grass greens. Results from 2 experimental years.

	Overall winter damage,%	Winter diseases, %	Live turf coverage,%		Overall impression (1–9)
			First spring observation	Mean of observations	First spring observation	Mean of observations
No. of trials	3	1	3	3	3	3
Mowing height
Control	15	1	86	84	5.2	5.4
+ 50%	16	3	84	82	5.1	5.4
p value	> 0.15	–	0.13	0.14	> 0.15	> 0.15
Late autumn fertilization
Control	17	2	85	83	5.0	5.2
+ 2 g N m^−2	14	3	85	83	5.3	5.6
p value	0.11	–	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	0.11
Interaction	> 0.15	–	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15
p value

Table V. Main effects of mowing height in the autumn and late autumn fertilization on annual meadow grass greens. Results from 2 experimental years.

	Overall winter damage,%	Winter diseases, %	Live turf coverage,%		Overall impression (1–9)
			First spring observation	Mean of observations	First spring observation	Mean of observations
No of trials	5	2	5	5	5	5
Mowing height
Control	48	6	67	59	3.8	3.2
+ 50%	47	6	73	63	4.3	3.5
p value	> 0.15	> 0.15	0.03	0.03	0.11	0.15
Late autumn fertilization
Control	46	6	70	61	4.2	3.4
+ 2 g N m^−2	49	5	71	61	3.9	3.2
p value	0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	0.15
Interaction	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15	> 0.15
p value