impacting growth and counteract them, you will find that you can manage turf successfully at just about any pH level”
Phil Sharples, Stadium & Surfaces Manager, Gabala FC
“I have learned that, if you understand the dynamics
layer. The base sand layer incorporates about 8% fines, so has the ability to hold and exchange nutrients. All pitches have been built in the same manner using the most suitable sand we could find in Azerbaijan. To this end, sand was sourced from three quarries and sent to the UK for analysis before the final decision on which to use was made.
The sand we used has an excellent particle size distribution, giving us the water holding and drainage characteristics required, and is available in the quantities we need - building six full size natural turf pitches takes a lot of sand! - but, it has one undesirable characteristic - a pH of 8.8! Still, it met all other criteria, so we had no choice but to go with it. Our pH issues do not end there. The irrigation water has a pH of 7.8 and the bicarbonate levels are off the scale! All this has forced us to think about the chemical nature and make-up of
everything we apply to the surfaces, and the consequences of doing so. Being in Azerbaijan, we have no documented evidence of disease occurrence related to the local weather conditions encountered, significance of diseases on grass nor what pests may infest a grass stand. There is no statistical weather data we can reliably look back on, and there is no information on what grasses thrive here (that would be used in sports turf), or how best to manage them in this particular environment.
The high soil and water pH has
required us to adapt the management styles we use, and ensure that decisions we make are the right ones for the longevity and health of the plant, whilst also encouraging the growth required to recover from wear. The high pH of the sand - which also doubles as our only topdressing material - has quite an impact on the growth and development of the plant. I have learned that, if you
understand the dynamics impacting growth and counteract them, you will find that you can manage turf successfully at just about any pH level. The challenges we needed to
overcome did not end on the pitches either! It was vital that we quickly trained local people the skills required for the upkeep of professional football pitches. This was a challenge in itself, as the local population had only ever seen natural grass pitches on TV (if they were lucky enough to have one). Most games over here have traditionally been played on artificial turf. If they are played on grass, it’s in a very poor condition. You would be amazed at some of the pitches I have seen football being played on!
The skill base we had to choose from, for this type of work, was generally very poor. The average monthly salary here is around 300 Manat per month (around £250.00), with staff having a different work ethic from that which
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