“Just one mixture which can be sown everywhere to cater for all sport types and all sward heights, and still provide excellent playability and robustness”
germinate than perennial ryegrasses. The species is rhizomal and, so, should help improve recovery time and wear tolerance.
“Grass for cricket pitches needs to have
a vigorous rooting system” explains Adam. “Ground preparation involves taking a lot of moisture out of the soil and then compacting it. So, plants need to have enough energy in the leaf to recover. Everyone wants fineness of leaf for playability, but I get better recovery from a slightly broader leaf. Adding a liquid feed through the season is essential.” On the squares, a 100% perennial ryegrass mixture, MM50, is used, which this year includes the new cultivars Malibu and Venice. The nets area was overseeded two years ago with 100% Melbourne, a new perennial ryegrass cultivar, on a trial basis as, at the time, it was only on the winter sports STRI lists. It was played on in June 2008, and proved to have a good rooting system, and held together and recovered really quickly.
It has now been officially trialled for the summer sport STRI lists and is in the top
ten. “We had good grass coverage, no crowning and it cut down neatly with good recovery.” says Adam For this year, an even newer perennial ryegrass variety, Madrid, is to be trialled on the cricket squares, so its performance can be evaluated in genuine playing conditions. Madrid is the top-rated variety on the STRI winter sports lists, and scores highly on the summer sports lists.
The golf course
The 9-hole golf course was established in 1982, and became open for public membership in 1990.
Adam is working with the STRI’s disturbance theory. “We’re at stage 1 - positive disturbance - verticutting, spiking and topdressing, to keep the surface dry and open. Overseeding is carried out three or four times each year using a low rate, 4g/m2
of MM9, which is a 100%
browntop bent mixture. “It’s a slow process and, in a few years, we will probably be much better informed. It’s also a situation which is specific to individual greens, so we are always
What are you like?
Adam King - enjoys a singalong, being big and loud and is a thoroughly bloody nice bloke - apparently!
Who are you? Adam King, Grounds Manager at Radley College.
Family status (married, single, children etc.)? Married with two children.
Who’s your hero and why? Ian Botham, an all time great on and off the field.
What is your dream holiday? Barbados, watching cricket and playing golf.
What annoys you the most? The weather!
What would you change about yourself? Nothing!
Who wouldn’t you like to be? Gordon Brown, for obvious reasons.
Favourite record, and why? Meatloaf’s Bat out of Hell - every track is a great singalong.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? My wife.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Play golf at Augusta.
If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be and why? A bass drum - big and loud!
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Apply for the Radley job.
What's your favourite smell? Freshly cut grass.
What do you do in your spare time? Play golf and spend time with my family.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? Why is the pitch wet?
What’s your favourite piece of kit? The Lloyds Paladin.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Bloody nice bloke.
What talent would you like to have? To hit a golf ball straight!
What makes you angry? Shoddy work.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Ban politicians.
looking at different varieties and mixtures to find what works best where.” “We reckon to have about 10% bent at the moment and are aiming for 80% bent and 20% poa in the long term.”
The miracle mixture
Independent schools, with a focus on sport, put their pitches under an immense amount of wear and tear. Compaction is a massive issue and grass mixtures need durability and good recovery. Adam King dreams of a ‘miracle
mixture’ - “just one mixture which can be sown everywhere to cater for all sport types and all sward heights, and still provide excellent playability and robustness.”
In the meantime, he constantly seeks out new cultivars, mixtures and methods, to support the College’s varied demands on the sports grounds.
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