enough moisture at depth to get full penetration of tines down below 100mm. Ensure ground conditions are favourable i.e. no frost, or too wet. Best results are achieved with a punch tine aerator - something like the Groundsman spiker that offers a wide range of tines sizes. A fifteen-pitch square will take about an hour and half to complete. Winter time is also a good time to obtain soil samples to send away for analysis. The results will enable you to have a better understanding of the current status of the soil and turf. There are many tests that can be undertaken, but usually the main tests to consider are:
• A visual inspection of a core sample taken can reveal a lot of information, thatch and root/fibre depth, root depth and soil condition.
• Particle Size Distribution (PSD) - this will give you accurate information on the soil type and its particle make up, enabling you to match up with appropriate top dressing materials and ensuring you are able to maintain a consistent hydraulic conductivity (drainage rate) of your soil profile.
• Soil pH - it is important to keep the soil at a pH of 5.5-6.5, a suitable level for most grass plants.
• Organic matter content - it is important to keep a balanced level of organic matter content in the soil profile.
• Nutrient Levels - keeping a balance of
N P K nutrients
within the soil profile is essential for healthy plant growth.
Once you have this
information you will be in a better position
the susceptibility of disease attack. Regular brushing in the mornings to
to plan your season’s feeding and maintenance programmes. An application of autumn/winter fertiliser will help the grass plant, something like a NPK 6-0-12 or 5-5-10 +Fe will help promote root growth throughout the winter. Turf disease can occur when soil moisture levels increase, coupled with the presence of early morning dews. The combination of moist soils and surface moisture on the leaf blade can increase
remove the dew from the playing surfaces will reduce the likelihood of disease outbreak. Many turf grass diseases can be active at this time of the year. Systemic, curative and protective fungicides can be used to control diseases; there is a wide range of products on the market. Some cricket grounds may have a number of mature deciduous trees nearby which will inevitably lead to some amounts of leaf debris lying on the square and outfield. It is essential to remove leaves from the square. If left to accumulate these leaves will become a wet mass that, in turn, will restrict light and air being available to the grass plant, thus putting the grass under stress and resulting in it turning yellow and then decaying. Sweep/rake up leaves on a
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