Magazine - Autumn Renovations, Kill or Cure
SEARCH
POPULAR ARTICLES
NEWS ALERTS
Want to get news alerts delivered direct to your inbox?
Edit your email preferences.
RECENT COMMENTS
By Laurence Gale MSc in Training on 8th Sep 2006 13:00
The success of your end of season renovations will be governed by many factors and the end result will inevitably dictate the performance of your pitch or facility next year.
The extent of the renovations will be dependent on the current conditions of the facility and any future objectives the club has to-up grade their facilities.
It is important to understand the objectives, why you are carrying out these renovations. You may also have particular problems you need to address, such as surface drainage, surface re levelling, black layer or dry patch.
The needs and extent of the renovations will dictate what type machinery and amount of materials should be used. Ideally you should take a number of soil core samples to enable you to identify any underlying problems.
Sending away a quantity of soil for analysis will help you establish the condition and nature of your soil profile.
Knowing soil pH, soil type and nutrient status of your soil will help you to choose the right products to maximise the performance of your soil in relation to top dressings, fertilisers and seed selection, or in some instances when changing or up grading the materials used on your pitch / facility. For example, the introduction of the Koro Fraise Mower has revolutionised the removal of unwanted sward vegetation and levelling of squares in one efficient and effective process
Care should be taken when deciding to use the Koro. It is a fantastic machine and is very efficient in taking off soil and vegetation. Some Groundsmen have removed excessive amounts of loam with this machine, adversely effecting the performance of the pitch the following year. Ideally cricket pitches should have at least 100mm depth of clay loam on their wickets.
Generally the main objectives for autumn renovations are:
· To repair worn areas.
· Prevent a build up of thatch layers (scarification).
· Restore surface levels (top dressing).
· Alleviate compaction (aeration).
· Re-establish sward densities (overseeding).
· Application of pre seeding/autumn fertilisers to promote sward and root establishment.
The success of these renovations can often be dictated by a number of factors.
· Timing of operations
· Weather conditions
· Type and, often, the condition of the machinery used (aerators, scarifiers, overseeders and top dressers).
· Choice of materials
· Knowledge and experience of the persons undertaking these works.
· Budgets Available
If you do decide to use external contractors to carry out your renovations, ensure you have checked their credentials and they have the relevant skills, experience and machinery to do the job. Obtain references.
It is important to ensure that all materials (seed, fertilisers, topdressings and any hired machinery) have arrived and are secured and stored safely on site ready for use. Often, when ordering materials late, you may be faced with delays on delivery or not being able to get the products you want in time for your planned works.
Timing of operations
The earlier you can get on with your renovations the better (mid September through to mid October are usually optimal times for renovations). It is important to make good use of the warm soil and air temperatures that will aid seed germination.
Also there needs to be some moisture in the ground to allow adequate penetration of both the scarifiers and aerators.
Plan your work well in advance and notify all the relevant parties involved, you may need to secure additional labour to help carry out these works.
Weather conditions
It is important to work with the weather conditions, particularly when applying and spreading top dressing materials, the surface needs to be dry. However, there needs to be adequate moisture in the soil profile when applying granular fertilizer products so that they become activated and made soluble, enabling then to be taken up by the plant.
Types of machinery
Choice of machinery is vital for successful renovations; ensure that scarifiers and aerators are fit for purpose and that the blades and tines are sharp, clean and of the correct length.
Also check that they are safe to use and have the appropriate guards fitted.
There are many different makes and models of machines available, all of which offer different techniques or modes of action. Some scarifiers are more aggressive than others.
Ideally, you need to take a soil profile of your green and measure the thatch layer present. If it measures 10mm you will need to ensure the scarifier is capable of operating to this depth, therefore being able to eradicate the thatch layer you have.
Aerators come in many different forms offering different tine spacing and depth and size of tines. Again you need to choose the appropriate aerator for your needs.
In most cases the biggest factor dictating the clubs choice of machinery is often what they have or what they can afford to hire?
Watering will be essential if you are faced with a dry period soon after seeding. Make sure you can water uniformly. The choice of sprinkler will be dictated by what water pressure you have on site. Also, do not over water. I have seen instances where some clubs switch on their water systems every night without fail, thus ending up with a waterlogged facility.
Choice of materials
Ensure you use compatible top dressing materials. Changing materials can often have disastrous results. Layering of different materials can cause root breaks and interfere with the hydraulic movement of water through the soil profile.
Seed should be used from approved suppliers and be certified. The use of old seed (more than twelve months old) may decrease its germination rates.
Above all ensure that these materials are available and delivered in time to undertake these renovations.
Knowledge and experience of the persons undertaking these works.
The experience and knowledge of the Greenkeeper in choosing the right materials and methods of work are critical to a projects success.
Budgets
The overriding factor that can influence the level of renovation undetaken is the budget. This dictates the labour, machinery and quality and quantity of materials available.
Please see following link for more information on products sold in the Pitchcare Shop
: -
Pitchcare store _ www.pitchcare.com/shop for a range of quality machinery, tools and materials including seeds from the leading brands in the UK.
Good luck with your renovations
Read more articles in Training,
by Laurence Gale MSc
or from September 2006.
There are 21 comments on this article
8 Sep 2006 by Rizla
could some one explain "black layer ",
on my square it seem`s to have a sort of a black layer, not all over but on some of the wickets
when it drys it goes "a bit crumbly ".
is it a type of fungus ?
William
Fat old Sun
8 Sep 2006 by Paul lowe
Hi William
Anaerobic blacklayer is not a disease or fungi, it is bacterial problem normally caused by waterlogged soil / no air movement and high % of metal sulphides more often than not it the over application of fe iron plus poor drainage or aeration. This causes harmful gases called Hydrogen sulphide and it has a distinctive smell of rotten eggs. It can be miss-diagnosed because it looks similar to some organic matter like peat. So give it a smell to be sure!
To reduce blacklayer you obviously you need to sort out why the water is holding in the ground, blocked drain, high thatch content or just over watering. To help draw out the Hydrogen gas I suggest good old charcoal down the hollow-tine holes. Charcoal acts in the same way as a carbon filter in an oven extractor fan thus drawing out harmful gasses.
Keep Phosphate down to a minimum
Keep soil as dry as possible
Regular aration
Limit sulphur fertilisers
Hope this helps
Good article by the way!
8 Sep 2006 by Anthony Asquith
hi
paul is totaly spot on !
In a nuttshell SRB (sulphur reducing bacteria) thrives in anearobic soil conditions which combine with hydrogen sulphide to promote black layer
Sulphur de-oxygenates the structure !
These can also combine with overapplications of ferrous sulphate etc and stimulate the production of SRB
8 Sep 2006 by Anthony Asquith
hi
paul is totaly spot on !
In a nuttshell SRB (sulphur reducing bacteria) thrives in anearobic soil conditions which combine with hydrogen sulphide to promote black layer
Sulphur de-oxygenates the structure !
These can also combine with overapplications of ferrous sulphate etc and stimulate the production of SRB
8 Sep 2006 by Rizla
thanks Paul ,AA , hmm a bit to much water me thinks !!,
aeration has been good this year, we have bought a sorrel roller so after the match , usual repairing , watering,i got on with the roller , to get some air and relive some compaction to the wicket.
charcoal how would you apply ? crush a bag up !!
Thanks William
Fat old Sun
9 Sep 2006 by Paul lowe
Hi William
When you next relieve your compaction, verti-drain or hollow-tine, you brush the charcoal down the holes. You need to get the charcoal deep into the blacklayer it’s self. You can buy mini-granular charcoal in 25kg bags.
PM me if you need a contact number!
Thanks!
9 Sep 2006 by Grassman2011
Would you want to incorporate charcoal into a cricket square?
I think lots of airation is required between now and Christmas and perhaps very little fertiliser, but a soil sample should decide that for you.
9 Sep 2006 by Anthony Asquith
Hi Gordon
Not too sure about applying this on clay structures but, it`s been a common practice on sand constructions for a few years which face it are more prone to black layer than clay surfaces
This has been used to "absorb" and filter out noxious gasses and sweeten the soil (as mr lowe said)!
9 Sep 2006 by Grassman2011
I only mentioned because the original qeustion came from a cricket background i believe.
9 Sep 2006 by Rizla
i will try and post a photo, and i mean TRY !!
Thanks All .
William
Fat old Sun
10 Sep 2006 by Paul lowe
It’s an interesting query that bath has brought up!
Is charcoal detrimental to a cricket wicket??
Maybe someone can clarify this, I would be interested to know!
10 Sep 2006 by Anthony Asquith
Hi guys
Interesting topic RE applying charcoal to cricket wickets
The only worry is, is that it`ll affect the soils binding strength and reduce cohesion of such soils used in tennis and (especialy) cricket
In my opinion ( and may be wrong) if you do have black layer (which you say you do) then check before applying it but... when you start cultivating use solid tines and use it (charcoal) by brushing it down the holes after your FIRST spike in the autumn !!!
Hang on.....
Hollow coring just for this (before anyone gets any bright ideas!) on cricket wickets is to be dis-couraged as this is a last resort anyway when your working with such surfaces ie soil exchange
Rizla
Are you sure it`s black layer ?
Like paul said try to smell it and if you throw your head back feeling a little sick - it`ll be black layer !!!!!
10 Sep 2006 by Anthony Asquith
So....
Oh just another point, you can actualy purchase this in liquid form as well
This is called blockade ( i think !!)
Maybe liquids are better suited to cricket
Rizla, i`d suggest you do the above of spiking (first one) and apply either granular or liquid charcoal but remember as always prevention is always better than cure - as with anything !
10 Sep 2006 by Anthony Asquith
Hi
Just looked it up and....
My thoughts have been confirmed, you can apply it (blockade) on ANY sports turf surface !!!!
Apply in the autumn with aeration for best results for cricket
it`s best to apply a programme of this throughout the autumn and winter ie aerate, apply, aerate, apply and so on !
the product is bio-degradeable so it won`t affect structure
10 Sep 2006 by Rizla
thanks AA,
not the smell of the eggs , just a crust of black which you can scape off ,
when preparing wickets and as the track dries out it starts to crumble , on the whole the wicket has played very well this year as it dose others .
could it be my black holding tank for watering the square ?
as paul says will have to do more spiking.
not got the photo yet !!!.
Fat old Sun
10 Sep 2006 by Grassman2011
Sounds like black algae to me, never usually much of a problem. Usually occurs because the surface has been to wet.
10 Sep 2006 by Anthony Asquith
Algae
As gordon says it`s encouraged by moisture so anything that can improve dryness and percolation rates etc will minimize this which is difficult on cricket surfaces during the playing season as the demands of the game have to be met
Usualy a dry spell will dis-courage it !
Once wickets are used aftercare is essential ie sarrel rolling and overseeding etc to aid recovery and improve sward density as algea, moss etc will establish on sparse areas
Fe (iron) in the form of dichlorophen will controll algea but good cultural practices is the best way to manage it !
thanks
10 Sep 2006 by Rizla
thanks all , think we got to the bottom of it now !
William
Fat old Sun
10 Sep 2006 by Rizla
AA , when would be the best time to apply ?
found some from my supplier,
Barclay Mossicide,
Scotts Enforcer.
Thx William
Fat old Sun
11 Sep 2006 by Anthony Asquith
Hi william
Once you`ve done your renovation`s and establishment is reached you`ll be ok to apply it.....FE will act as a general hardener and weak fungicide
If you apply a DICHLOROPHEN based product this`ll controll algae and moss etc as this`ll kill the spores responsible for it - with good cultural practices ie aeration, aeration and aeration throughout the autumn/winter - but stop around XMAS !!!
Don`t apply if frost is expected though !
thanks
Want to post a comment in response to this article?
Login now, or register if you are not a Pitchcare member.
The success of your end of season renovations will be governed by many factors and the end result will inevitably dictate the performance of your pitch or facility next year.
