Question for you green fingered types

[piperboy84]

As we're starting to get into the colder weather with a bit frost in the morning, and it gets close to the last cut of the strip for the year, am I better to leave a bit length on the grass over the winter or does a real short cut leave it better to handle the frost and minus temps?

[Whopity]

Grass grows as a function of temperature. However short you cut it now, there will be days when it is warm enough to grow a little before the really cold weather arrives. Grass is a pretty hard crop which survives low and high temperatures.

[piperboy84]

Thanks Whopity , but once the cold is here for good and I do a lot of cold weather Strip use in hard frost, is it better for the grass to be short I.e. cut right down or left with 3+ inches or does it not matter from a grass care/health point

[cats_five]

THink you need to leave it a bit longer, not give it a short back & sides. If you use it when it's frosted it will damage the grass.

[IO550]

It's still only September FFS.

You can cut it right up till end Oct and it will still grow a little after that

[Whopity]

That was my original point, cut it short now and the small amount of growth will leave it in good condition for the winter.

[rogcal]

Never be frightened to cut grass right up to the end of November even up north where you are.

It still amazes me that when I sowed my strip ten years ago in early November I had a sward of grass fit for use by January.

It wouldn't hurt to give your strip a last blast of weed killer in early November just to knock out those persistent weeds that will most probably survive the winter and be just that little bit tougher to deal with come spring and to give the grass a better chance of coming through the winter in good condition an application of an autumn fertiliser mix (NPK 10-10-20 should do) wouldn't be a bad idea.

[Cusco]

We cut our strip regularly right up until the point it no longer seems to be growing (end October ish).

We use the strip all year round as it's on highish ground, sandy/gravel soil and drains very well: only thick snow stops us.

Farmer rolls it Feb/ March after the frosts have gone with a massive roller and that sets us up for the year.

We've never used weedkiller and the strip's been down for 40 years but we are prone to mole attack.

Cusco

[Monocock]

I normally stop cutting in early October which allows a bit of a sward to develop ready for winter. It is a toss up between having decent grass cover, and having too much that affects your acceleration. A good low cut now will probably see you through.

As for putting compound fertiliser on, don't. It's only needed for grass that is intended for high yield crop offtake situations such as hay, haylage, grazing or silage. Applying it to an airstrip is purely recreational, and the nitrogenous element will just mean you'll be cutting it twice as much next year to keep on top of the unnecessary additional growth.

Returning the cuttings to the soil after each cut will be providing sufficient potash and phosphate for maintenance level for what you need. Bear in mind your crop offtake is zero.

Herbicides? Don't do that either. Weeds won't get the chance to seed with the regular cutting that strips get and it is a waste of money to apply chemicals in this situation. The kind of product you'd need to use would be a chlorpyrilid based compound and they're expensive. Fair enough if you have very little grass and a bad problem with suppressive broad leaved weeds, but for bog standard intermittent weeds, just leave them. The frequent Spring/Summer topping will keep them in check.

As for the concept of damaging the grass when driving on it when it's frosty... :rolleyes: You won't. Yes, it'll go a it yellow, but you can't kill grass this way and it soon recovers. .

[piperboy84]

Thanks to all for the advice and tips, its very much appreciated, trying not to be obsessive about the issue but after all the hard work and expense in leveling draining, preparation, sowing and equipment purchases etc i don't want to blow it by bollocking up the final product.

[Maoraigh1]

There appear to be no local replies. You could phone the PPR numbers for Knockbain, Insch, Easter, Easterton, Shempston, Whiterashes, Lambholm, and maybe Feshie Gliders, and ask for someone who cares for the strip. Or even A&B at Glenforsa.

[mad_jock]

Dinna be daft just ask the local green keeper at the golf course.

By far the best bit of grass I have ever landed on is maintained by these people.

Welcome to Royal Dornoch Golf Club | Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Championship and Struie course, Dornoch 01862 810219, Scotland (http://www.royaldornoch.com/)

[xrayalpha]

At Strathaven - north of Moscow and 847ft above sea level - we didn't cut the grass for seven and a half months last winter!

(Was too wet to grow in mid-Sept and there was snow in April!)

We just keep cutting - and keep it short - until it stops growing. It gets a bit tired by Spring, but as soon as it starts growing again it is lovely.

No fertiliser, cuttings left to blow away in the wind and no weeds - on the runway - because of once a week (sometimes three times a fortnight) cutting.