We treat all our pitches the same for our renovation work to ensure uniformity across the whole square
should leave a clean and scarred surface.
Our tractor mounted SISIS Vari- seeder is then employed to dimple the surface; this will leave dimples approx 4-5mm deep over the entire surface of the square for a seed bed. This procedure is done across both diagonals first, and then seed is distributed with a spinning disc applicator, followed by drag brushing the seed into the dimple holes. There are then another two passes with the vari-seeder, seeding and then brushing again to finish off. If required, a further dimpling pass and seeding is carried out dependant upon the degree of grass plant removed during scarifying. We apply three bags of grass seed
across the 22 pitch square. The last two autumn's we have used Bar-Extreme, a 100% Perennial Ryegrass mix, and have been very pleased with the characteristics of the grass. There has been rapid establishment, coupled with a fine and hard wearing sward. Next on the agenda is topdressing. We
have been using Ongar Loam Plus from CH Binders for the past fifteen years. We always get it delivered bagged for ease of use and have never been disappointed with the quality of this loam. It also helps that their yard is only twenty minutes up the road! The dressing is applied with a SISIS Truspread and we use approximately six 25kg bags per pitch. Each pitch here at Chelmsford is 90 feet long to ensure a solid run in for the bowlers. After the scarifying and dimple seeding there is usually a slightly disturbed surface for amelioration of the dressing with the existing soil. This blending in is further enhanced by hand luting the loam across the line of play to cover the seed and fill any scuffs and marks from recent renovation work and match play. To finish off we usually run our 36” Allett Regal across the square to settle down the dressing, and we find that this helps stop some run off if there is heavy rain. Gro-covers are now used to encourage early germination and an application of a pre-seeding fertiliser, 6:9:6 or the like,
Shaving off the grass to 3mm
Close-up of wicket
Fraise mowing left a very clean profile
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