Educational Establishments
Does your facility suffer from specific disease outbreaks?
We are very fortunate when it comes to turf fungal attacks as the sea breezes and general aspect/elevation of the site means we experience very few dews and, therefore, less turf moisture on the leaf.
We have had some red thread on the longer heights of cut, i.e. outfields and rugby pitches, but we generally just monitor it and it grows out without any significant turf loss. I have yet to spray fungicide in my time on site and that is the way I would like to keep it.
Are rabbits, badgers, foxes, geese, chafer grubs, worms etc. a problem?
Ellie overseeing winter aeration with a Toro ProCore from Reesink Turfcare ‐ hoping to add to fleet in near future
What’s in the shed? John Deere Gators x 3 John Deere Tractor Ford Tractor John Deere Fairway Mower Trimax Snake Rotary John Deere Front Rotary
Numerous Pedestrian Rotary Mowers Pedestrian Cylinder mowers used primarily for cricket Strimmer
Chainsaw ‐ hand held and pole saw Slitter attachment
Pedestrian Power Brush for artificial surfaces Auto‐Roller cricket roller
New Holland compact tractor with sarrel roller Pedestrian Groundsman aerator
“Historically, we have bought pieces over three or five years on HP.
We use the manufacturer’s local dealer who we trust to have the best backup service.
We are not loyal to one manufacturer. Each one has their own strengths in different areas of machinery and it is all site specific. What I had on one site doesn’t necessarily work on another. The most important thing is operator comfort, safety, suppliers’ back‐up service, cost effectiveness and longevity, whilst giving the desired finish ‐ I don’t ask for much!
What would my wish list include? A tractor mounted solid tine aerator, cylinder fairway mower, front loader with back hoe digger. A Toro 648 aerator to improve the productivity of the aeration process in all areas. It is a fantastic machine with great manoeuvrability.
For service and repairs, I use GADS Machinery, who are a local company and consist of two of my previous mechanics I employed in previous workplaces. They are both outstanding, with excellent back‐up service and an exceptional expertise in the field of mechanics and especially turf mechanics.”
62 I PC JUNE/JULY 2018
tractor mounted slitter ‐ that is very old ‐ and our pedestrian Groundsman. The addition of a verti‐drain or the like would be a massive asset to the site.
Like aeration, I am a big fan of brushing and the newly fitted brushes on the fairway cylinder mower have already proven to be superb. This is something that I have brought across from my golf management days and it hasn’t disappointed on cricket outfields and rugby pitches.
Do you hire in any machinery (inc. operator if required) for specific tasks?
We have no mounted spraying within our fleet and therefore use a contractor spraying company to carry out the larger spraying jobs.
Recent sports ground developments have seen me hire in a dimple overseeder to continue to get the desired sward density, especially in the transition period from rugby to cricket and then onto athletics. I hire the overseeder in 3 times per annum for this purpose and to help to get the turf composition that is going to be able to withstand the demands of the site. Having one on site permanently would give us far greater flexibility working within some very narrow weather windows.
How do you undertake pest and weed control?
Contractor for application of herbicide on larger expanses. I generally like to deter before going down the route of chemical applications. We would look to hand weed young weeds as they emerge or spot spray with a knapsack rather than doing blanket treatments.
Our main pest really is the seagull and that is just them leaving their mess on the artificial surfaces and on wickets from time to time. They seem to love the water‐based hockey pitch, especially during times of less usage and leave a hell of a mess. It is particularly bad when they have their young.
We put a banger strip in the farm land near the pitch and this certainly helped initially. We are just about to install a Hawk Bird kite which will have less impact from a noise perspective during games and for the general public.
How important do you consider the local flora and fauna?
The local environment plays a massive part in our day to day management of the site. We are in a coastal location, but are surrounded by residents on three sides. Therefore, the School needs to act as a nature corridor and a desirable area for wildlife to take refuge. Diversity is the key.
We have created many wildlife habitats and regularly take pupils from the Junior School on site walks to hold outdoor classes. They are great fun and a great way for their personalities to develop out of the classroom environment. It is also a very valuable way for us to promote the Grounds Department and our industry as a whole.
I certainly believe that the pupils do better in their studies if their surrounding environment within the School boundaries is diverse, tranquil, aesthetically pleasing and generally a place of refuge. Developing and enhancing these site characteristics makes our job one of the best in the world.
Not only do the pupils benefit, but all the employees, parents and visitors alike gain a greater self being and feel good factor.
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