Pitchcare Classifieds AERATION
TERRAIN Turf and Trees
10” drill aeration 1m air injection 1m soil coring Air excavation
www.terrainaeration.com terrainaeration@aol.com
DRAINING LTD 25 years in
WORTH sports turf maintenance
Overseeding - Sanding Top Dressing Hollow Coring
Tel/Fax 01476 550266 Mobile: 07855 431119/20
email:
worthdraining@talktalk.net www.worthdraining.co.uk
ARTIFICIAL
Matchsaver’s Mike Clegg looks at the history of frost and snow protection and finds some of the older systems can be both costly and time- consuming
CYLINDER GRINDERS DRAINAGE 45
Cost effective drainage quick and neat trenching work with minimal disruption to play.
Tel: 01462 683031 email:
admin@huntergrinders.com
www.huntergrinders.com AFT Trenchers
Tel: 01787 311811
info@trenchers.co.uk www.trenchers.co.uk
Why not visit our on-line Buyers Guide for direct links to suppliers websites and email addresses
www.pitchcare.com
132 PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012
finesse but, for this to happen, the playing surface has to be of the highest standards. For years, groundsmen have battled with the elements to try and produce the best playing surface possible. In the 70s and 80s, football pitches were of a poor quality, some might say they were more like mud baths but, as the sport has evolved, so have the pitches. To achieve this, they have had to use some form of pitch protection system. There are a number of ways in which groundsmen can protect their playing surfaces from the elements, the oldest method being a layer of straw. Straw is an excellent insulator, better than any plastic or mesh cover, and achieves this by keeping the warm air trapped in little air pockets, which enables the ground to stay frost free in very cold temperatures. Straw is also exceptional when it comes to waterlogged pitches, as it can soak up the water.
O
These few advantages are outweighed by the number of disadvantages; the straw used has to be a specific type (good, stiff, clean, wheat straw is the best). Handling of the straw can be very difficult because of the amount needed. As much as twenty tonnes can be used on a single pitch, which would take many men hours to lay, and machinery used could damage the pitch.
Storage of the straw causes a
ver the years, football has become a sport played with skill and
major problem, not only because of the quantity but because of the fire risk it carries. Also, if straw is applied to a frozen pitch, then it will keep the frost in when there is a thaw.
Undersoil heating has been in football grounds since the late 50s, and is proven to work. It can protect playing surfaces from any frost, and can also protect against a moderate snowfall as long as the drainage systems is of a high standard. If there is a heavy snowfall, then there is no protection available, and clearing the snow could damage the pitch.
The price of installing and running undersoil heating systems is often cost prohibitive to many clubs.
There are several different types of undersoil heating on the market, the favourite being a hot water system which is very similar to a conventional central heating system.
The original undersoil heating system was made up of twenty miles of electric cable and was first installed in 1958 at Goodison Park. This type of system evolved into a wire mesh which, if punctured, would still work. Some more recent undersoil systems use heating pads which distribute the heat more evenly. However, they still require major excavation and can still cause root damage. When using a water pipe system, precautions need to be taken to remove scale-forming deposits that will form on the
Verti-draining - Koro Blec Groundbreaker
Tel: 01449 673783
Winter Sports History of covers
AERATION
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