monthly. This is carried out by a vertidrain 7316. Both solid and hollow tines are continually rotated as well as varying depths and configurations.
Fertiliser
Our fertiliser regime is based on both granular and liquid feed programmes. Granular feeds throughout summer are generally a 23:1:11 + TE then changed to 13:0:24 + FE throughout autumn and winter. These are applied at the rate of 3kg/100m2
in the use of chemicals and keeping the population of Plant Parasitic Nematodes (PPN) at a constant low level. Some of the products are humic and fulvic acid, root stimulants and kelp.
Testing
every four to six weeks. Other granular feeds include Dynamic Lifter + blood and bone. Soil testing is conducted every three months. Our general problem is normally our Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) which is always low.
Both foliar and soil drenched liquid fertilisers are also incorporated. We are also a big user of biological products, such as beneficial fungi and bacteria, which has helped in a dramatic reduction
The ground is soil tested every three months for nutrient analysis and ph. Nematode testing is conducted monthly due to previous problems many years ago. Water testing of the Trust’s two onsite bores is carried out every three months.
Renovation
Many years ago the time frame for doing major renovation works on the ground was from October to March. It has now been reduced to three weeks in December! Our renovation each year includes the
removal of the entire surface to a depth of 40mm and replacing it with new couch
grass. This year the challenge is on to see whether we can have a stabilised turf in place in sixteen days. It takes five days to strip the surface and re-lay new grass. The turf will be cut at 25mm. The reason we do this is to return to a full couch surface by January and have a stable and secure surface in readiness for the rugby season. We have tried, in previous years, to
keep the ryegrass in over summer, but this has created an unstable surface the following year. Rugby union scrums are the hardest on the playing surface with the weight of each scrum averaging between 800kg and 850kg. Due to the time restraints we are also going to conduct very slow ryegrass removal trials in August using sulfuron based products at the southern end. It is like trying to do a balancing act whereby we slowly kill the ryegrass to promote the couch grass.
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
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