consolidate the loam. Each tracking-in took approximately 75 minutes, going at a slow walking pace moving over one wheel track at a time. To form a key for each new layer, the Variseeder on the back of the tractor was used to spike holes. Third loam delivery arrived at 3.00pm. Two layers tracked-in achieved by end of day, with about a third of third load remaining. Perimeter drain also installed and connected up to land drain, and all back filled with remaining gravel and native top soil by end of the day.
Meanwhile, the excess topsoil, was moved using the JCB and dumper truck to create low, 600mm (2ft) banks around the perimeter of the boundary to help prevent future ball loss in the surrounding undergrowth. Also, a viewing bank in front of the pavilion was created.
Tuesday 22nd September - Final two lorry loads of GOSTD 125 cricket loam arrive on site at 9.30am. Loam spread as above but, this time, an aluminium ladder was pulled across each layer before tracking in. This levelled the loam by pulling material into low spots and removing it from high spots.
After running string lines across the square, as per native topsoil, we locally shifted loam from high spots to low spots using a manual lute, raking in locally and then did a final tracking-in session to complete the square. The rest of the native topsoil was moved to outside the front of the pavilion and sculpted to
create a level area to be a future grassed viewing feature. Ground guards were off-hired after the final deliveries.
Wednesday 23rd September - Ground guards picked up at 8.00am. Started to do another track across the square, but it started to drizzle lightly. So, the square was seeded in three directions, at acute angles to each pass, with Advanta MM50 seed with pure ryegrass at 50gm/m2
. This was done
using the tractor mounted Variseeder. The square was then dragmatted to help bury the seed and then fertilised with a 6:9:6 pre-seeding fertiliser at 35gm/m2
.
Finally, the square was fenced off with builders orange mesh and metal stakes to protect it from animals and human traffic. The JCB contractor spent a final half day levelling off the top of the banking around the perimeter and the viewing area outside the pavilion. Loan machinery from Taunton School picked up at 1.00pm.
Jobs left to do: Return ground guards to Taunton School. Rake around outside of square (about 10 metres out) to pick up lumps and stones. Infill scars in surrounds with native topsoil and seed. Seed newly created banks around perimeter of field. Cultivate to tilth and seed newly created viewing bank in front
of pavilion. Complete construction of net bases.
Observations:
Excavation took much longer than expected - 11
/2 days in total. This was
due, in part, to the grass being only four months old, it had not really formed into turf but more straggly, rooty individual grasses. This made it more difficult and slower to separate from the topsoil we needed to save. This also meant that the perimeter drain didn’t go in during the initial excavation stage, when it should have, because of the time constraints of the deliveries.
Re-using the native soil, although a good idea - it was tested and found to be compatible with Surrey Loams Ltd’s GOSTD 125 loam - was, in fact, a nightmare to put back because it was very dry, the hard clods not breaking up and the amount of stones. This all had to
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