Wildflowers on the Golf Course
Introduction
By Introducing wildflowers onto the golf course, you will provide valuable food sources for wildlife, attract pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, and other insects, and enhance biodiversity whilst giving pleasure to the onlooker.
Instant wildflowers
The wildflower mat has been designed to create a beautiful natural meadow alongside optimum establishment, providing an instant meadow with prolonged flowering, typically from March to October.
The soil type that the meadow is established in will determine the type of flowers that grow best in the environment, and the mixture will also adapt according to rainfall and temperature during different seasons.
Choose 100% wildflowers or 80% wildflowers and 20% attractive complimentary grasses; typical Flowering height is 40–80cm. The wildflower species sown into the Wildflower Turf have been chosen so that different plants flower at different times, providing a dynamic and ever-changing display.
To prepare an area for wildflower turf, all existing vegetation should be killed and removed. If the area is very overgrown, let any new weed come back up and spray off again.
Dig over the area to approx. 100mm and rake over, removing large stones or clods of earth. You don’t need the area to be particularly level, but when laying the turf, ensure the roots of the plants are all in contact with the soil for good establishment. The soil should be free-draining and not compacted.
Once laid, water the turf thoroughly. Do not allow the turf to dry out during the time it establishes, approximately 2 -3 weeks, and If water is not easily available, plan to lay the turf during cooler periods when rain is forecast. For the first growing season, it is important to water the turf occasionally. Once well established, the wildflower turf will tend to cope with most circumstances; however, the flowers will continue to benefit from water during very dry periods.
Wildflower turf requires very little maintenance; there is one important task to carry out each autumn: to cut the plants and remove these cuttings. This can be done by strimming and raking or using a mower and collecting the cuttings. Ideally, do this after the plants have set and shed their seed; not only does this tidy up the area for the winter, but it also stops the summer growth from covering the growing plant in a layer of rotting plant material.
Cutting the plants back to 2 to 3 inches (50 to 75mm) in length is a vital part of their lifecycle and ensures that re-growth will continue year on year.
An open sward over the winter ensures healthy, disease-free plants that can benefit from what light is available to them during these months. As spring approaches, the wildflowers and grasses are in the perfect position to develop flowers and seed heads quickly to repeat their perennial cycle, thus guaranteeing a wildflower meadow year after year. There may need to be an extra cut in early spring to knock back any dominant species; this will allow the smaller, more delicate plants to come through and compete to create a more uniform appearance.
Other ways to introduce biodiversity onto the golf course can be achieved through sedum matting or germination-tested wildflower seeds. Both offer ecological benefits of variety and interest.
When planning a wildflower meadow on the golf course, ideally look for open sunny areas, create a central focal point, or consider roughs or semi-roughs, which make ideal wildlife havens. Wildflower areas can also be created around the clubhouse, car parks, or driveways leading up to the club. Aim to avoid high traffic areas from machinery or footfall and heavily shaded areas, which will generally underperform.
If you have a flat roof on the clubhouse or other buildings around the course, consider a green roof, using wildflower turf or even sedums, to create a talking point whilst providing extra food and cover for bumblebees & insects.
Check out our range of wildflower and heather golf course turf products.
Team All Turf.
Dive into the Green!