Message Board - Natural Turf: Too late to Verti drain?
4 Nov 2009 by Mark Jones
Hi guys with the weather now getting bad and the pitches being very soft is it too late to verti drain. I would have got it done earlier but the contractor was away on holiday.
My thinking is if it is too soft and wet then the holes will just close up quickly with the rain. Also i think the verti drain cracks the soil down low by vibrating causing outlets for drainage. If the soil is soft now it may not have this benefit?
Therefore my question is will i be gaining the full benefit from verti draining at this time of the year?
If not, i have the means to slitt with 7 inch/11 inch tines at a fraction of the price. I also have a supply of sports sand to lightly top dress any wet areas!
4 Nov 2009 by Barry Pace
Mark,
Only way to be sure is to look at the soil itself, dig a lil hole and see, some moisture is beneficial, will allow better depth and the machine can be set to produce different 'heave' giving the cracking, too damp and all you will get is a 'fork in butter' effect making holes with smeared sides, no fissures, creating little ponds of water and the potential to destroy any natural soil drainage and increase anaerobic conditions.
Have a look and take a view..
Plastic.... it's The End I tell you... THE END!!!!
4 Nov 2009 by Neil Dixon
we have just last week finished verti draining our pitches, and conditions were spot on, so no, it is not "too late" but a lot will depend where you are in the country.
as Barry says, you need the ground to receptive enough to take a tine, but not too hard it bounces around / and or you cant get the depth.
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