19 May 2004 by Clubman
Repair of wickets after use
Can someone tell me the basic procedures for repairing wickets after play?. Let me tell you hopw I do it. After cleaning the area, I sprinkle seed down on the worn bits and then use a weasel to work it into the ground. I then cover it with loam and water. If there are big holes where bowlers have landed I make up a stiff loam mix mixed with seed and fill the depression, and then finish off with dry loam.
The problem is with holes which are too shallow to fill in the usual way (say about threequarters of an inch). I usually end up by using the weasel and then just fill the depression with loose soil. But this tends to be kicked out during subsequent games and I have to fill it again with loose soil. What is the best way to solve this problem? Any ideas?
19 May 2004 by Clubman
Repair
The other question is should I use a sarrel roller and overseed and top dress after games? At the start of the season when games had been played on damp pitches and consequently damaged them quite badly, I sarrel rolled, seeded and watered. This has produced a well reconditioned pitch, which is able to be used about three weeks after play. The ones used in the dry and which have not been so badly damaged I haven't sarrel rolled and I'm waiting to see how quickly they recover. Maybe I should sarrel roll and seed after every game (after watering). Is this the answer to quick recovery?
Footholes
In the footholes hammer a stump in to create a couple of holes. This will provide a key for the loam bind to. Fill the hole with your mix. Then I place a plastic sheet over and roll to maintain levels.Also sprinkle some clippings over to stop the repair drying out to quickly.
Wicket repairs
Your repair programme is broadly similar to mine, at a school.
I don't use a weasel (mine's called a ferret!) although perhaps I should.
If the damage is not severe I make holes with a screwdriver, lifting the soil up at the same time. I then fill these holes with loam, and then repeat until I get it level, compacting with my feet. Smaller holes can repaired in the same way but the big holes need the wet loam treatment that I think you use.
Unless the wicket is going to be used within the next week or so, I blow off the debris, lightly scarify with a lawn rake, cut at the wicket height (5mm in my case), sarrel roll, fill in the holes, fertilise with a summer feed at half dose, and water the lot in. I don't ussually overseed or top dress unless it's really nescessary. If you overseed, you must have somewhere for the seed to go, such as sarrel roller holes.
Using a sarrel roller is an attempt to relieve the compaction from hours of rolling that has gone before and so is worth doing.
Back to Top - Go to Next Unread Message
This Message is closed, you may not post a reply at this time
