Looking past the floods to drought!

The experts tell us that it will take up to four weeks of drying, with no rain, to dry the ground out. This prolonged period of evapotranspiration (ET) - the loss of water to the atmosphere by the combined processes of evaporation (from soil and plant surfaces) and transpiration (from plant tissues) - is a vital part of the recovery.
ET, when measured, also provides turf managers with an indicator of how much water the grass and plants need for healthy growth and productivity
Past experience has taught us that, after prolonged saturation, the ground will be even more compact after it dries out and will need to be treated by shockwaving, verti-draining etc. However, to reach and shatter deep-seated hard pan formations in the soil, other methods, such as compressed air injection, are recommended first.

Any poor soil condition on and around golf greens, walkways, professional football pitches and bowling greens caused by drought, excessive root encroachment, flooding or general over use of the surface can be effectively treated with compressed air.
It works on the principle of injecting compressed air vertically and horizontally over an area of approximately 5ft (1.5m) to 12" (35cms) deep (depending upon probe fitting). This causes a fracturing effect of the compacted rootzone, with no surface disruption. Play on pitches, greens and fairways, tees and around bunkers can be resumed immediately following the treatment.

"Research has already shown that injecting pressurised air into compacted areas, followed by 'shockwaving' or 'vertidraining' can produce tremendous results.
On the other hand, these wet weather conditions may well continue into the spring.
In which case groundsmen will need to consider installing additional drainage lines to take the excess water away.
The Imants Shockwave linear decompactor has been used to great effect even during wet conditions to remove surface water by relieving soil compaction.

Many contractors have already kitted themselves out with new drainage equipment in anticipation of future work.
For those groundsmen and greenkeepers who want to manage their own drainage programmes, there are a number of options for sand banding/slitting and trenching which give them the freedom to target trouble spots as soon as the ground is good to work on.
For more information visit www.campeyturfcare.com
www.terrainaeration.com
www.kensettsports.co.uk
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Machinery & mechanics