April Tennis Diary 2011

We have had a similar start this spring, sunny, dry, cold and windy to the one we had in most parts of the country last year. With little or no rain during March, some areas only received around 3-5mm of rainfall in the whole month compared to the UK national average of 38mm.

The combination of cool temperatures and dry weather has meant that grass growth has been on the slow side. We will not see any significant growth until temperatures rise consistently above 12 degrees C. Also, fertilisers will not begin to work efficiently until temperatures rise and there is enough moisture in the soil.

Pre-season rolling should have begun using your mowers. Clay soils need a certain amount of moisture for effective rolling to be achieved. Also, clay soils take longer to warm up and, therefore, the grass will be slower to develop.

If you are considering applying Carbendazim to control worms, it may pay to wait until the soils have warmed up enough to stimulate worm activity. This will ensure you get better results when applying the pesticide.

Fertiliser treatment and turf tonic can be continued in accordance with your annual programme. If you haven't got a fertiliser programme, have your soil tested; try an independent soil analysis company for an impartial set of results. Apply a spring fertiliser when conditions allow.

Fertilisers can be applied in liquid or granular forms. Most groundstaff will be applying something like a 12/0/9 or 9/7/7 to get the grass moving during April then, towards the end of April or early May, applying a slow release fertiliser to see you through to June/July.

The choice of material and how well it works can be dependant on many factors - soil type, weather, with moisture and soil temperature being the catalyst for growth.

The performance of slow release fertilisers can be influenced by the weather, often producing a flush of growth when you least expect it. Some grounds managers may use straight compound granular or liquid fertilisers which activate when in contact with moist soil conditions, effectively stimulating grass growth within days.

Useful Information for Fertiliser

Articles		Products
	Fertiliser Efficiency		Turf Fertilisers

Aeration: Most of your aeration operations should have been completed during the winter period. Generally, we do not aerate clay soil profiles after January, as we do not want to encourage cracking of the clay surfaces. However, if there is a need to help remove surface water from the courts we can utilise the sarrel roller which lightly aerates the top 25-30mm, allowing any surface water to drain down deeper into the soil profile.

Brushing/Sweeping: Prior to mowing, the surface should be thoroughly brushed, every time. Continue to brush courts daily to remove moisture from the grass surface, stopping the spread of disease and facilitating an improved quality of cut on the dry grass.

Useful Information for Aeration /Brushing

Articles		Products
	Why Aeration?		Machinery Spares, Blades, Cylinders & Tines

Mowing: The mowing height on the courts should be lowered to around 8-10mm for the playing season, but remember not to remove more than 1/3 of total grass height in each cut. The less stress that is placed on the grass at this vital time, the better the results further on into the season. Mowing frequency will be dependant on a number of factors - grass growth, sward type, level or standard of facility, resources (staff and machinery), but generally it may vary from three times a week to weekly frequencies.

Scarification: Light scarification or verticutting can be carried out at at fortnightly intervals pre-season. Removing horizontally growing grasses and surface organic matter are always beneficial for the onset of court preparation which, together with brushing, will improve the quality of cut.

Useful Information for Mowing / Verticutting

Articles		Products
	Deep scarifing croquet lawns		Tennis

Marking out: To ensure accurate lines, consult the Lawn Tennis Association's rules and regulations and use approved line marking materials, set out base lines and side lines using the 3,4,5 method.

Useful Information for Marking out

Articles		Products
	Wimbledon outlines plans for 2012 London Olympic Games		Line Marking Machines

Artificial grass systems: Keep surface clean, regular sweeping and brushing. Remove any algae and moss from surface. Sand filled systems require regular brushing to maintain manufacturer's recommendations on sand levels and pile heights.

American Fast Dry courts: Keep surfaces clean, rolling to consolidate surface, levelling and brushing of fast dry materials, brushing to clean lines.

Tarmacadam: Keep surfaces clean, regular sweeping and brushing. Repair any hollows or damaged areas. Repaint lines.

Useful Information for Artificial Tennis Courts

Articles		Products
	Technical Surfaces Serves Up another Ace		Aerosol Line Marker Packages