Technical Equipment
Make sure that goalposts are cleaned and painted before putting them away. The peace of mind this generates is worth it. There’s nothing worse than rushing at the beginning of a season to get this job done, when you have a thousand and one other things to do before your first game.
Check for replacement nets and spare parts; order them in so they are on hand when needed.
TENNIS - Drainage capacity
- Extent of wear and damage to the pitches - Budgets and equipment available - Skills and resources of the groundstaff - Time available to complete the works - The use of specialised contractor services
Later in the month, ensure you regularly mow your pitches, ideally on a weekly frequency to help tiller the sward.
RUGBY
MAY is a busy time for most rugby football facilities, with the end of season renovation works either started or programmed to start.
It is vital clubs carry out some form of end of season works, at the very least a programme of deep aeration, overseeding and feeding. The pitches should be mown on a weekly basis to encourage the sward to tiller.
Weather conditions will also dictate what can be achieved; a dry spell may have left grounds hard and dry. If that is the case, you might need to irrigate to help any newly sown seed germinate.
May
The level of renovation work will be dependent on needs and budgets available.
Good quality seed, fertilisers and topdressings can be quite expensive. But, at the end of the day, investing in quality materials will give you good results. Also ensure you use a competent contractor who has the skills and experience in doing end of season renovations.
The level of renovation, and how it is achieved, will vary greatly and will be dependant on number of factors:
- Type of facility, its construction and soil composition
You may need to spray for weeds, but remember that you cannot spray newly sown turf for several weeks after the initial sowing.
Towards the end of the month, you may need to apply some additional fertiliser material depending on the needs of the grass.
June
Mowing should be continued throughout the summer period, maintaining a cutting height of around 30-40mm to encourage the grass to tiller.
Grooming and verticutting are operations that remove unwanted side growth and reduce the amount of debris in the sward. These operations are carried out on a regular basis, often weekly or fortnightly and can be completed in conjunction with your mowing regimes.
Irrigation may be essential. Many grounds will begin to show signs of stress if there is a lack of rain, as forecasted. Try not to waste your water resources. Keep an eye out for leaks and check that sprinklers are working properly. It is best to water during the evening to prevent excessive water loss from evaporation.
Most groundstaff will be applying a summer NPK fertiliser, perhaps something with higher nitrogen that will help maintain grass colour and vigour. A slow release fertiliser could be applied to see you through June, July and August.
I cannot stress enough, invest in your pitch! It will then provide you with a good playing surface the following season.
IRRIGATION systems will be pushed to the limit during dry spells. Heavy clay/loam soils will begin to crack if left to dry out, the last thing you want to happen to a natural turf tennis court. It will be imperative to get water on the courts to prevent the soils drying and the grass plant suffering from heat stress.
May
Rolling will be a priority; it is important to build up the rolling frequencies and gradually increase the weight to achieve maximum consolidation. However, ensure that you do not over roll or adversely compact the soil to the detriment of root growth, surface water drainage and active microbial populations.
Firstly, roll across the court followed by down the length of play. Timing of this operation is important. Trying to roll when soil conditions are wet or too dry will not achieve the desired effect. Ideal rolling conditions would be when the soil is in a state of plasticity.
Initial marking out of the grass courts should be undertaken, using the 3,4,5 method to ensure the lines are square and accurate, most tennis courts are marked out with a 50mm wide transfer wheel line marker.
Continue to feed the sward with a spring/summer fertiliser product to maintain colour and vigour.
June
Rolling will still be a key maintenance regime in June, using a 1-1.5 tonne roller to periodically roll the courts, both down and across the line of play, when conditions allow. Try to achieve between 6-10 hours of rolling in any one given week.
Quality of cut is important; ensure your mowers are adjusted correctly and are sharp. Badly adjusted and blunt cylinder blades will cause a number of problems - tearing of the grass plant, ribbing and scalping, leading to poor presentation and the likelihood of plant stress or disease. Brushing and verticutting will help stand the sward up and improve the quality of cutting.
Most courts should be cut a minimum of three times a week at a height of around 7-8mm.
Ideally, you should be brushing on a daily basis to remove early morning dew.
Keeping the sward dry helps prevent disease attack. Verticutting on a fortnightly, or even a weekly basis, helps thin the sward and remove lateral growth.
Pitchcare’s monthly diaries are written by:
Bowls, Tennis and Rugby - Laurence Gale MSc, Editor,
Pitchcare.com
Cricket - Bob Stretton, Head Groundsman, Massey Ferguson Sports Club
Football - Malcolm Gardner, Grounds Manager, BA Clubs
132 PC APRIL/MAY 2012
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