H2Pro Solves Dry Patch At Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle Golf Club, in Kent, has successfully overcome a serious dry patch problem on its nine-hole course this summer with Scotts H2Pro wetting agent.

Recently appointed head greenkeeper James Smith takes up the story. “I inherited a major hydrophobic dry patch problem on the ninth green, particularly the right hand side, which was proving to be very difficult to solve using the wetting agents we had in stock.”

The hydrophobic layer is caused by organic hydrophobins excreted by fungi that coat the soil particles. This weakens grass and makes it susceptible to disease and wear that many wetting agents cannot reach.

“Scotts was confident that a programme of H2Pro would solve the problem, so their area sales manager John Noyce set up a trials site,” adds James. “The right side of the green was the affected area, the left was used as a control area. The first application was made on 6 August this year using H2Pro granules at 20g/m², through a Scotts AcuPro 2000 spreader. The granular product was chosen because our tractor-mounted sprayer was awaiting repair. Subsequent fortnightly top-up applications were made to the affected area using H2Pro tablets, with the final application on 3 October.

Picture taken in July before H2Pro applications  were made, which shows the dry patch problem on the green.		The affected green three weeks after the final application of H2Pro, with significant improvements.

“We saw a great improvement in sward quality and vigour. I was very impressed with the performance of not only the granular product but also the tablets. Because they are a 100 per cent active ingredient and carrier free, they dissolved quickly and evenly with no inert carrier material blocking up the hose end applicator – a common occurrence with other products. I will definitely be using H2Pro wetting agents again in 2008.”