Technical
Some common mistakes/things to avoid:
- Scarifying at right angles to previous passes can lead to blocks being pulled out of the square, known as ‘cubing’. Scarifying passes should be made at acute angles to each other
- Not scarifying enough. Leaving thatch on the surface. Topdressing on top of thatch. Prior to topdressing, you should be left with only live grass plants and clean soil
- Changing loams/using loam from an unreliable source. If loams aren’t compatible, they will shrink at different rates during the drying process and create problems for the future (see ‘Soil breaks/fractures’ above). To check a loam’s compatibility, make some motties out of the old stuff or straight from your square and also some from the new material. Cut them in half and join one old half with one new. Compatible loams will not shrink/crack apart when drying and should display no particular tendency to break at the join under pressure
- Not using enough seed. This leads to a thin sward which will have a tendency to produce large crowns the following year, produce lots of lateral growth and allow the invasion of weed grasses, weeds and moss
- Failing to irrigate when necessary (as above)
- Just topdressing the ends. This is common practice where budgets are stretched, however, care should be taken not to build up levels too much and, over the years,
PC AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014 I 125
this practice creates ‘saddling’ on a square. If you can only afford to topdress the ends, then be measly with how much you use, and try at least to pick over the rest of the square and repair any obvious hollows or scars
- Not levelling the ends properly. If the ends sit low going into winter, then they will tend to hold water and germination may be severely reduced in these areas. Always level your ends prior to topdressing
- Using too much seed/fertiliser - not a common problem, but using too much seed or fertiliser can lead to damping off and disease damage
- Not following up with regular winter work. Abandoning the square post renovations will only lead to tears the following season. Besides, operations such as mowing the square on a crisp winter’s afternoon is good for the soul!
I hope this has been useful to you.
Best wishes
Andy Mackay, Head Groundsman, Sussex County Cricket Club
We are also able to carry out end of season renovations, reconstructions, new builds or simply offer qualified advice
David Goodjohn Green Infrastructure Ltd Mobile 07780 580379 Office 01536 791155
Email:
greeninfrastructureco@gmail.com www.green-infrastructure-ltd.co.uk
GSB Brand Loams
Quality loams and dressings from the heart of England
A cost effective alternative to top named brands
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