Message Board - Football: We Need An Expert !
5 Mar 2007 by Maesglas Football Club.
Hi folks, do any of you guys live in the west wales area, if so please get in touch, your advice is required desperately !
Our pitch needs a load of TLC, we have just used a mini aearator that we hired, and the following day after some rain we noticed the holes had just filled with the rainwater, standing water everywhere, after reading messages on this site it does seem that compaction is the major problem, so if any of you live in the area could you please come down and take a look PLEASE !!
6 Mar 2007 by Loammeister
Hi paulhope
What in all probability you have is a problem with the holes that you created simply filling back up with water due to 'smearing' of the hole walls as the aerator tines come out of the ground.
When you carry out aeration work it is essential to do this at a time when the soil is in the correct condition, i.e. drying rather than wet. It takes years of experience often to be able to judge this.
If your (clay?) rootzone was wet when the aeration took place, excess water would not simply drain away, but become 'trapped' byt he smearing of the walls of the holes. The effect of the tine sliding up against the soil wall effectively seals the clay surface and makes it impossible for water to escape.
Don't despair though! If you get good local advice and encouragement (ans experience) you'll soon find conditions suitable for carrying out the work necessary. In the meantime you're probably going to have to wait and call off fixtures if things don't improve fast.
Good Luck
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
6 Mar 2007 by Maesglas Football Club.
To be honest the problem has been there since we started playing on it 2 and half years ago, and the drainage problem always comes back to haunt us wants the wet weather moves in. Its very frustrating I can tell you. The aerator was a last ditch effort to try and play the game we have postponed 3 times before last weekend,
6 Mar 2007 by Sumomosr
Paul.
You might need something more radical than a "mini aerator".
What machine exactly did you use here and what diameter tines , length etc?
GOGGA
6 Mar 2007 by Maesglas Football Club.
Im Sorry,
I honestly havent a clue, all i know is that it probed about 5 inches and thats all I know, it was a self drive type, you know the type you just walk behind, anything larger on the pitch at that time would have just torn the pitch to bits because it was so wet !
6 Mar 2007 by fidget
Paul,
It sounds like you are in the same mess as many of us.
We have cancelled more games than i would like to think about. We have already called this weekends games off on the 2 senior pitches and if tonights forecasted weather is as promised the junior pitch will be waterlogged again as well.
We are just waiting for this season to finish & the better weather to come, then we can get as much sand down as we can afford & work it in over the summer & autumn & pray next winter is better.
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