July Tennis Diary 2012

The Wimbledon fortnight will have no doubt stimulated many people to get out and play some tennis. Coupled with the long daylight hours, outdoor tennis facilities will no doubt be busy coping with the demand, especially clubs with grass courts.

The weather has also been challenging, with an ever changing front bringing spells of sun, rain, hail and floods for groundsmen to contend with. We would hope that during July temperatures will rise into consistently high double figures (18-20 degrees C ), promoting some decent growth. However, hot warm weather often sees the need to irrigate to replace lost evaportranspiration rates.

Evapotranspiration rates will be high in July, water losses can be between 4-6mm a day. Irrigate uniformly and ensure you replace what has been lost. It is important to ensure that the water gets deep into the rootzone, to a minimum of 150mm to encourage deep rooting. Check with a probe. Allow to dry out and repeat the irrigation process.

Allowing surfaces to remain dry for a period of time can lead to problems of dry patch, a condition that prevents water infiltration into the soil and thus forming areas of non-uniform turf quality. To help overcome dry patch, the use of wetting agents have now become an integral part of the maintenance regime, with applications being applied on a monthly basis throughout the summer.

This month sees the continuation of regular maintenance tasks - grass cutting, grooming, brushing, aerating, feeding and watering. Particular attention should be made to your irrigation regimes ensuring that all turf surfaces receive adequate amounts of water to maintain growth.

Groundstaff will also be trying to maintain the sward height at between 6-10mm depending on the level of play.

Begin to plan your end of season renovations based on the condition of the courts. You may need to book specialist supplies and contractor services. Ensure you buy compatible loam/soil dressings for your courts.

The condition of the court will certainly contribute to how well it performs, particularly with reference to ball bounce and foot adhesion. Ideally, you should be providing a true, firm and level surface that is both safe for the player whilst, at the same time, providing an adequate consistent ball bounce.

Foot traction/ball bounce can be affected by several factors:-

* Amount of organic matter (thatch) present in the surface
* Moisture content of the playing surface
* Condition of sward
* Insufficient court rolling
* Uneven levels/worn areas
* Type of footwear worn and condition of balls

Excess thatch content (more than 8mm) will affect playing quality by the mere fact that it becomes a spongy layer. This spongy layer deadens ball bounce and can cause poor foot traction - no grip. Control the build up of thatch by regular verticutting/grooming.

The level of moisture on or in the soil profile will affect how the court plays, a wet, firm surface will, in fact, speed up the pace of the ball. The use of covers will help control the wetness and condition of your courts.

The amount of grass cover on your courts will also dictate how the courts play. Too much grass, especially if over 10mm in length and over fed (applying too much nitrogen fertiliser) will, in turn, affect ball bounce and foot traction.

It is important to roll the courts to firm them up; rolling should be done during favourable weather conditions, ideally when the soil profile is malleable/moist enough to bind together.

It is important to monitor the condition of the court and constantly repair any bare and uneven levels. Topdress with compatible loam soils and overseed with a good quality ryegrass at a rate of 35-40 grams per m2.

It is also the players responsibility to ensure they are wearing appropriate footwear and using balls that are not damaged.

Useful Information for Playability

Articles		Products
	Wimbledon's 'grass whisperer' keeps courts fit to play		Tennis Posts

The mowing height on the courts should be lowered to around 6-10mm for the playing season, subject to local weather conditions, but remember not to remove more than 1/3 of total grass height in each cut.

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 daily in the case of Wimbledon to two to three days a week, or even weekly, depending on resources available.

It is important to remove any weeds from the playing surface, as they can affect ball bounce and performance of the court. Weeds can be removed by hand, or controlled by application of chemicals, usually a broadleaf selective weed killer. Best results are achieved when the soil has warmed up and the grass is actively growing.

Grooming and verticutting are operations that remove unwanted side grass growth and reduce the amount of debris in the sward. These operations are carried out on a regular basis, often weekly or fortnightly, and providing you have sufficient watering facilities. These operations are completed in conjunction with your mowing regimes.

Useful Information for Mowing

Articles		Products
	Facts about mowing		Tennis Lawn / Hockey Pitch Grass Seed

A programme of aeration can be considered to alleviate any compaction from recent play. However, this needs to be done with an appropriate aerator, something like the Hydrajet, Dryject or SISIS Javelin Aeraid, which are able to penetrate the hard clay soil profiles without causing surface disruption, thus allowing some much needed air exchange to promote a second phase of grass growth.

Useful Information for Aeration

Articles		Products
	Why should we carry out aeration?		Spares, Blades, Cylinders & Tines

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.

In July, you would be looking to use a 12:0:9, 7:0:7 or similar compound fertiliser blend, or apply a slow release fertiliser to see you through to August. The choice of material and how well it works will be dependant on factors such as soil type and 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
	Plant Nutrition - food for thought		Granular Turf Fertilisers

There is no such thing as maintenance free facilities, they all need a certain level of maintenance to keep them in good condition and safe for play.

Artificial grass systems - weekly - Keep surface clean with 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 - before/after games - Keep surface clean, rolling to consolidate surface, levelling and brushing of fast dry materials, brushing to clean lines.

Clay courts - weekly - Keep surface clean, regular sweeping and brushing to restore playing levels using SISIS Trulute or similar equipment. Topdress any hollows or damaged areas. Repaint lines.

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

Useful Information for All weather surfaces

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	The King of Queen's		Tennis Accessories