half as good to replace it, and I believe I never did! So, finding the right seed for
you is paramount. Most grounds use a mixture of rye grasses. There are many good ones on the market. I used an Evita/Margueretta mix, which gave me satisfactory results. The seed should, ideally, be drilled by machine - the SISIS Autoseeder is one machine I particularly like. It has performed brilliantly on most of the squares I have done, but most clubs don’t have access to a machine like this. So, a sarrell spiker will work but, as a last resort, overseeding by hand is okay, especially if the scarification has been brutal enough!
Top Soil
Topdressing soils should be chosen by results during the season. It is wonderful to use native soils, but this is rarely possibly. So, soils need careful consideration regarding performance of the surface - grass cover, recovery rates and lack of bounce. If there is to be a change in soils, effort has to be made to marry the soils together to avoid layering. Before starting the topdressing, I have applied a light dressing of pre-seed fertiliser low in nitrogen, just to give the seed a little lift, but this can be expensive for many clubs.
Topdressing
Each pitch will require between 8-12 bags of soil throughout the whole pitch (based on a 10ft strip). Don’t just topdress the ends, this is false economy and just ruins the levels of your square. The best way to apply
you can identify low spots and sparse ends. These can be lightly dressed and overseeded. I have never liked germination sheets at this time of the year, but they can be useful, especially if topdressing has been done very late.
cut I would recommend a Flymo hover mower that collects, or a light box mower which would push the grass down and encourage tillering and the thickening of the
autumn, you might need to water, but this should be a last resort. If it is done, a fine rose spray should be used. Sometimes, as time goes by,
When the square is ready to
sward. The height of cut should be no lower than 12mm. Always try to remove heavy
dew, and be very watchful for diseases as these can then be easily dealt with by quick identification and treatment.
Aeration
topsoil, in my opinion, is by hand, with a wheelbarrow, shovel and, most importantly, a Tru-Lute. You can feel the high and low spots and adjust accordingly. There is a knack to this process, but you will soon get the hang of it. Ideally, do it in two lines, four feet apart, with someone carefully spreading the dry topdressing - it sounds time consuming, but is well worth the extra effort. The topsoil will redress what the summer playing season has taken out of your square. With more and more games played every year, it makes the process more and more important.
The middle stumps should be lightly marked and pivot points kept for next season. When the process is
finished, the best thing is to stay off the area - rope it off and be very watchful for disease.
If it is an exceptionally dry
I know many groundsmen don’t like to aerate, and I was one of them! I used to try and vertidrain every four or five years, but this is not suitable for many squares. I now suggest that clubs try and aerate with needle tines in November, December or January (no later). Hollow tining is another option, especially if soils are being changed, but it is not something I would readily do as it needs careful panning. Although cricket
The C-Range
Each ‘easy-change’ cartridge becomes an integral part of the machine without loss of quality results.
groundsmanship is not an exact science, there are many drawbacks if mistakes are made with end of season renovations. It is the most important task carried out to the square and sets the tone for pitch performance during the next season. It requires good homework and planning, and the rewards are enormous and very satisfying. Too many people, in decision making situations, make knee-jerk reactions to their squares. Without any planning and a lot of homework, that will be a recipe for disaster.
Good luck. Phil Frost
Provides a wide range of professional turf maintenance needs from one machine.
Hangar 5, New Road, Hixon, Stafford, ST18 0PJ. Telephone 01889 272095, Fax 01889 271528, Email
sales@allett.co.uk, web
www.allett.co.uk
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