The application of irrigation during the summer to prevent or control the clay moisture content, and thus minimise settlement, is also an effective way forward
environmentally, and may not be acceptable. The use of rotary decompactors, such as those from Blec, Earthquake, Imants etc., may provide an alternative solution. The principle of these machines is to cut a slit and decompact the soils around the drain. This introduces many fissures in the soil and, as the clay shrinks, reduces the pressure on the drain lines. It also has the benefit of effective summer decompaction. It would probably be best to run the machine parallel with the drain lines as far as possible and to undertake the work when the soils are dry or drying out. This could well help to reduce the severe drain line settlement.
Grass health problems
Drainage is designed to remove excess water from a pitch, although this may cause a pitch to become droughty in the summer. In addition, a pitch may tend to receive a greater number of matches due to better performance in the winter and, hence, become more compact hindering
sward regrowth. A solution is to ensure
renovations are undertaken in a timely manner following the end of the season and whilst the soils are still moist. Seed could be drilled into the surface to prevent excessive desiccation. Thereafter, irrigation may be required during the first four weeks of establishment and, subsequently, if the sward becomes droughted. New constructions also often need higher levels of
Image 1
Drain line settlement; note the good grass cover, however
Image 2 Penalty box damage of a drained heavy clay and sand amelioration. This had de-structured in the top 40mm of the topsoil
nutrition in the early months to ensure ongoing good growth Goalmouths and centre circles are often difficult to re-establish due to drained but very compact soils. The use of turf and/or surface cultivation often fail as there remains a firm base immediately below the treated area. The best way forward is to deep cultivate or
thoroughly break up any compaction pans, possibly incorporating some medium-fine sand and seed. The aim is not to create an excessively sandy profile that may destabilise, but to give a good tilth, especially in clay soils. This may take longer to establish but will improve the chances of keeping the grass cover during long spells of very wet winter weather.
An AFT 45 on a compact tractor has two applications
1 Fitted with its chain and boom for wider and deeper trenches 2 Fitted with its slitting wheel for narrow slit drainage
AFT Trenchers Tel: 01787 311811 email:
info@trenchers.co.uk www.trenchers.co.uk
27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108