reconstruction projects by the total lack of understanding on the need for timely fertiliser input in spring on newly constructed sand dominant pitches. The pictures on the following page shows a pitch in late spring following construction and seeding the previous autumn. The symptoms are of classic nitrogen deficiency with large clumps of vigorous clover and scant yellow grass.
I have been dismayed in a number of
The explanation of course is that clover seed was carried over from the native soil into the rootzone mix, available phosphorus was adequate from preseeding fertiliser. Clover fixes its own nitrogen but ryegrass hasn’t learned the trick!
It is worth recording that vigorous turf, with all clippings collected, will remove about 30kg/ha of P2O5 and 150kg/ha of K2O per year. If clippings are allowed to
fly, losses from soil of these nutrients decrease to less than a third of these values. In essence therefore, in many situations, modest applications of P and K will sustain adequate levels in soil, and N fertiliser input can be used to manage turfgrass growth.
Weed control
There are several components to good timing of weed control but the key one is that the broadleaved weeds should have developed a good leaf area and are growing quickly. The main weeds of sportsfields, plantain, knotgrass and clover die back in winter and are slower to get moving than turfgrasses in spring. The ‘weed and feed’ formulations are logical in that grass is stimulated to grow to fill in gaps left by weeds but, weed kill is best if fertiliser is applied a fortnight or so before spraying with herbicide. Typically the best conditions occur in late April or May with moist soil conditions but not rainy weather and, of course, with no wind.
Topdressing
Annual topdressing of 50 tonnes/pitch of a uniform medium/fine sand is the single most valuable maintenance procedure to sustain sand dominant pitches and upgrade pitches on loamier soils. The technical basis is that the sand in this level of topdressing will be enough to dominate the fine fractions of mineral and organic matter brought to the surface by earthworms and through play itself. The essential point on timing is that the topdressing should be applied as soon as total grass cover has been restored. This provides sufficient time for the roots and basal stems of the turf to integrate the topdressing into the rootzone surface. Applying sand topdressing on to wet mud during the playing season reflects desperation not good maintenance.
Aeration
In commenting on aeration I shall restrict consideration to spiking or slitting procedures that cause little turf and rootzone disturbance and can be carried out during the playing season. Play in wet weather, and even intense rainfall alone, can cap the surface of a soccer or rugby pitch, and spiking to a fairly shallow depth in the right conditions facilitates the entry of air and water.
Good timing is governed by soil conditions and weather, and it is a classic example of a procedure that can exacerbate surface wetness problems if carried out when the soil is too wet. Good timing is when tractor tyres don’t smear and rut the surface and when it is
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