Mark Hunt’s Weather Assessment
12th – 19th July 2010

A different feel to the weather this week, and this started yesterday afternoon with a noticeable drop in temperatures from high twenties to low twenties, pre-empted by a change in the wind direction from south-westerly to north-easterly. Temperatures will remain lower this week, with low twenties the norm, so at least this will cut down the amount of water lost by evapo-transpiration (E.T.) and reduce the need for so much hand-watering and it should also make it easier to get good nights kip as well.

Weather-wise, we have a week of sunshine and showers to look forward to as our weather this week is dominated by low pressure. The first rain is already moving up the South-East coast, arriving in the early hours of this morning (Monday) and another front is moving up the eastern-Irish coast from Wicklow north and this should give Wales and the north Midlands a fair drop through the day.Wednesday and Thursday are likely to be the wettest days of the week for Ireland and the U.K, so let's hope we all get a bit because it's long overdue. Once this low pressure moves away at the end of the week, I think we'll see a return to high temperatures, but showers should never be far away, the trouble here is that some people get the rain and some don't and it can be highly frustrating staring at the sky and willing it your way.

Agronomically, the main issues are obviously stress suppression at present and I've been really heartened to see how good greens are holding up with sensible management (rolling rather than cutting some days), lots of hand watering and sensible amounts of nutrition. The latter is particularly important as we edge closer to August and the traditional month in the calendar for Anthracnose. Disease-wise, Fairy Ring, Thatch Fungus are doing to rounds and have been for awhile now. If we do get rainfall then expect to see an increase in their activity along with Red Thread and perhaps a bit of summer Fusarium, but hopefully not enough to keep you awake at night.

Mark Hunt
Technical Director
Headland Amenity Ltd

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