Message Board - Natural Turf: end of season work
13 Sep 2004 by trower
end of season work
this is my first year as a groundsman and as i was hastily thrust in to the job with little guidance i am unsure as to whats best to do at the end of the cricket season. any one who can just tell me what to do then please come forward! also the grass we use at the moment grows in patches and isnt very tightly knit, can anyone recommend a high quality cricket square grass.
14 Sep 2004 by martin livermore
end of season work on cricket sqaure
Welcome to the world of groundsmanship for a cricket club.
I've been doing ours for around 20 years and so can tell you what we do.
Now is just the right time to be doing the end of season renovation. I'm doing ours tommorow and more Saturday.
This is what we do:-
1 cut the whole square to pitch lenght
2 spike to 100mm or so deep
3 scarify a couple of times along the pitches
4 collect arising thatch etc with the scarifier if it has a bag or box or by mowing (old mower if you have one)
5 seed the sqaure, extra on the bare patches and ends
6 topdress with whatever loam you use
7 work seed and dressing into the surface with lutes and or drag mats
This work needs to be done when the sqaure is soft enough to take the spiker but is dry enough on top for the dressing not to become wet.
If you dont have spiker or scarifyer then they can be hired by the day.
As for type of seed there are many on the market. Many these days are 100% dwarf rye grass that wears well and stands close cutting.
You would probably need a minimum of 25kg and will pay around £70 for that.
Top dressing depends on what has been used in the past. Beware of changing types as it can cause layers in the sqaure surface and thats not good. Depending on the size of the sqaure i would assume perhaps 100 x 25kg bags per year. They will cost around £3.50 - £4 a bag depending on type, quantity and distance.
Once alls done fetilise with an autunm / winter type, around 25kg at about £25 a bag.
Leave the square to let the dressing weather in and only top the grass to perhaps 25mm, and only when the surface is completely dry.
If funds, machinery, time and labour are limited then the minimum needed is to spike the pitch ends and any bare patches and seed and dress them.
good luck
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