Educational Establishments


“


We only have a small window for renovation work thanks to summer camps and external bodies using the facility for training purposes


Playground and prep school


We always salt the hard surface areas to maintain site safety.” The lads operate a traditional maintenance


programme for the pitches at Methody. “Grass on the pitches is cut between 40mm and 50mm around two or three times per week using a six foot Major roller mower,” said Peter. “Aeration processes are carried out with a Sisis slit spiker around once a month. We also use a Charterhouse Verti-Drain every two months as well as a Blec Ground Breaker twice a year. We hire in a scarifier once a year to rid the pitches of any moss. Any weed and pest control is carried out, dependent on budgets, biannually.” “Hard surface areas are usually treated for


weeds or moss three times a year. We do our linemarking once a week and any overseeding is done twice a year using a Moore Unidrill seeder.” “Every two or three years our main pitches


are hollow cored, whilst the synthetic pitch is brushed twice a week and sprayed once a year for moss and algae.” The fertilising programme sees the team giving two summer applications using Everris


I am fortunate to have a stable budget each year, which helps significantly in planning our yearly programmes


” Peter has a stable budget - and a stable fence! 58 I PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2016


9:7:7 and also a slow release Sierrablen Plus 24:5:13 on the sand based pitches. One winter application is carried out with


Everris 4:12:12 and 28:12:12 on the sand based pitches. Next summer, Peter hopes to supplement this with liquid fertilisers. Peter added: “All staff carry out the full


range of duties required at the grounds. However, we do play to each member’s experience in particular tasks.” “Presentation is very important here at Methody. As people say, first impressions last. It is important that linemarking and pitch aesthetics look their finest.” “Any renovation work to be completed at


the grounds is subject to budgetary control. However, I am fortunate to have a stable budget each year, which helps significantly in planning our yearly programmes.” “We only have a small window for


renovation work thanks to summer camps and external bodies using the facility for training purposes.” Back in 2013, Peter oversaw a renovation


of three small rugby pitches that had no drainage and were very wet, leaving them unplayable for most of the winter period.


This project was entered into by the


college, having reached agreement with Ulster Rugby, for the use of the renovated pitches.


In the summer, the surface baked hard, to such an extent, that it was difficult to excavate with a spade. The surface was uneven with undulations impeding surface water run-off. Peter said: “It was proposed to construct


two large size sand carpet rugby pitches orientated approximately north-south with piped drainage systems. A new synthetic cricket pitch was to be provided between the pitches parallel to their touch-lines.” “Work commenced at the end of


September 2013 and comprised the construction of a sand carpet area of approximately 21,200 square metres to take the two rugby football pitches and a synthetic cricket pitch.” “We installed a 5,600m piped land


drainage system across the area having 100mm bore perforated collector pipes at approximately 4m centres. Plus, we installed, at 900mm centres, 23,350m of 70mm wide by 300mm slit drains orthogonally to the


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