Message Board - Website Feedback: Handy hints section.
12 Aug 2003 by petermarkcraig
Handy hints section.
I think it would be a good idea if there was a handy hints section where groundsmen could share their clever solutions to the many problems faced in this business.
I'll start the ball rolling with.
Always use a fine sieve when pouring granular fertiliser in to your spreader. Alot of the mesh sizes on the sieves that come with the spreaders are far too big and allow those little lumps to get in. These lumps can affect the spread pattern, and it is a thorough pain in the a**e having to empty it out and start again.
I am sure there are hundreds of similar hints out there.
Of course the grass looks good. The sun is shining.
12 Aug 2003 by stephen johnson
lumps
allways buy a fertilser with no lumps 
12 Aug 2003 by lazy groundsman
fertilizing
get someone else to fertilize for you.
13 Aug 2003 by petermarkcraig
Surrogacy
What happens if you have had the snip!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course the grass looks good. The sun is shining.
13 Aug 2003 by Clive
Pain
It hurts like hell at first then you can spread freely.
A part from the humour side a good idea.
My two pence worth. When renovating winter pitches hire in a holocorer to get excellent aeration a decrease in thatch and work the cores back in free top dressing.
Clive Liddiard MSc
14 Aug 2003 by Loammeister
biased
Declares an interest: if you decrease thatch by hollow coring (agreed), why then recycle the cores back in? Surely this returns the thatch you just removed back into the profile?
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
14 Aug 2003 by Clive
fair point
As a general rule the thatch is so light once seperated from the main core it remains on the surface broken up witing for the wind to do it thing just like chain working used to.
Clive Liddiard MSc
19 Aug 2003 by Pitchcare Alastair
Noted
Peter, thanks for your suggestion.
It has been noted, filed and recorded.
It may even be acted on - watch this space!!
Website and IT support
19 Aug 2003 by DS
helpful hints
Whenever putting up goal posts or rugby posts for the start of the season, grease the sockets and the post at the base to stop dirt etc getting down the hole and trapping the post. If you're having problems getting a post out of the ground-drill a hole near the base to release the vacumn created by water in the socket.
21 Aug 2003 by P.J.
Handy Hints
I agree with the loammeister dont work the cores back in. My own tip is when returfing, prepare the ground carefully, work from planks and always lay the turf green side up.
22 Aug 2003 by pete
turf
damn green side up thought it looked strange
22 Aug 2003 by Hipper
Rugby posts
1. I've often wondered if greasing the posts helps seal them in the socket! I do it anyway.
2. I tape up the joints between bottom and top pieces and make sure the top cap is in good order to help prevent rainwater accumulating in the post. It usually works although it's good fun avoiding the stagnant water as it gushes out, hopefully soaking the less wary helping caretakers!
23 Aug 2003 by clever groundsman
football pitch prep
Before a football match, make sure that you have 2 goals at opposite ends, white lines linked in a football pitch shape, and 4 corner flags one in each corner.
26 Aug 2003 by shaka
my idea
Hi all just to add to Peters very good idea, why not continue peters idea adding to it (with serious ideas) but talk pitch care into creating an add on section called Glossary of Terms (my idea) It is simply to take part, while adding an educational and interactive tool to pitch cares great site. How I see it going is each willing member can post their ideas of terms related to the trade in (this can be about any thing at all From meanings, eg fertilizers soil fractions to types of tools, machinery ETC. This can take the same sort of format as the message boards we are on now. Every one sends them in and all can read, (as there will be some repeats of terms) Then the pitch care team with all their experience look through them all, adding the best to the section. Given time this could be a great tool for all groundsmen and greenkeeper alike. What do you all think to that Thumbs up or Thumbs down.
26 Aug 2003 by petermarkcraig
Thumbs up
I'm in favour.
HANDY HINT.
Ever spent half of April on your hands and knees stabbing the ground with a screwdriver looking for the wooden pegs you put in the corners of your cricket square.
Put in ferrous metal pegs this autumn and hire/borrow/buy a metal detector to find them again.
It'll save you hours of grief. Same goes for soccer/rugby/hockey pitch corners.
Of course the grass looks good. The sun is shining.
26 Aug 2003 by Pitchcare Alastair
Glossary
You won't believe it, but glossary has been on my list of things to add to the site for quite some time.
The relaunch on 1st Sept might even see it included !!
Watch this space
Website and IT support
27 Aug 2003 by Loammeister
glossary
Sounds very good Web Monkey Al!
Ouch Peter, make sure your Health and Safety man doesn't notice that tip, we use sections of the blue water piping which just happens to be the right shape to hold a post and flag at our rugby club, seems to save tedious hours unreavelling string in August.
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
27 Aug 2003 by Graham
Marking out
When marking out the initial rectangle for sports such as rugby and football, put in small marks along the perimeter where the string lines will be placed for the internal marks. This saves going over the area twice with a tape measure!
27 Aug 2003 by petermarkcraig
Ouch!!
Ensure that the aforementioned metal peg is buried well below the surface!!!!!!
The metal detector will still pick it up.
Of course the grass looks good. The sun is shining.
27 Aug 2003 by Loammeister
Pegs
Good tip Peter! There's this constant fear with anything metal/sharp on 'open' spaces, such as when you have an area under renovation and fenced off, that the local 'yoof' might amuse themselves with the fencing in their more idle moments- sign of the times or has it always been that way?
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
27 Aug 2003 by DAVID
[No Subject]
sign of the times and getting worse thumbs up to mart and peter
27 Aug 2003 by Hipper
Metal Detectors
When using metal detectors, make sure the metal you are looking for is metal!
The first time at a particular school we were looking for the football goal sockets to start marking the pitches. We could see where the goals were by the worn areas (not a well maintained pitch) and normally it wouldn't be difficult to find the sockets. However, this had been a wet summer so there were not the usual clues therefore we were using a metal detector. We couldn't find any of the sockets. After two people searching for half an hour one of us got lucky with probing the ground with a srew-driver - it turned out the 'sockets' were plastic drain pipes!
27 Aug 2003 by Hipper
Metal Detectors
When using metal detectors, make sure the metal you are looking for is metal!
The first time at a particular school we were looking for the football goal sockets to start marking the pitches. We could see where the goals were by the worn areas (not a well maintained pitch) and normally it wouldn't be difficult to find the sockets. However, this had been a wet summer so there were not the usual clues therefore we were using a metal detector. We couldn't find any of the sockets. After two people searching for half an hour one of us got lucky with probing the ground with a srew-driver - it turned out the 'sockets' were plastic drain pipes!
27 Aug 2003 by Hipper
Metal Detectors
When using metal detectors, make sure the metal you are looking for is metal!
The first time at a particular school we were looking for the football goal sockets to start marking the pitches. We could see where the goals were by the worn areas (not a well maintained pitch) and normally it wouldn't be difficult to find the sockets. However, this had been a wet summer so there were not the usual clues therefore we were using a metal detector. We couldn't find any of the sockets. After two people searching for half an hour one of us got lucky with probing the ground with a srew-driver - it turned out the 'sockets' were plastic drain pipes!
29 Aug 2003 by Pitchcare Alastair
Don't Stop
Keep 'em coming ...
... Only 3 days to the new look website
Website and IT support
30 Aug 2003 by clever groundsman
grass mowing
When using a lawnmower make sure that it is grass you use the machine on. Pebbled paths or beaches are not suitable areas for use of a lawnmower
5 Sep 2003 by Keith
Pre-germinating seed
To get the grass seed chitting quickly, why not pre-germinate it first. I empty contents of seedbag into buckets, and fill them to the top with warm water, get your hands in the buckets and make sure all the seed is immersed in water. Stick buckets by radiator in dark room for 24-36 hours.
Empty contents of buckets back into a hessian bag and hang up to drain. Once drained, leave bag in the dark, warm room for another 24 hours. Grass seed should be chitting and will be ready to put down.
Word of caution-don't leave in bag for too long once chitting, otherwise you'll have something that resembles beansprouts in no time at all
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