May Football Diary 2006

May Football Diary

By Laurence Gale

May is a busy time for most football facilities with the end of season renovation works either started or programmed to start. There may be a few exceptions when some clubs have to complete end of season fixtures and cup games late into May. The level of renovation and how it is achieved will vary greatly and will be dependant on a number of factors:

• Type of facility, its construction and soil. composition.

• Drainage capacity

• Extent of wear and damage to the pitches

• Budgets available

• Equipment available

• Skills and resources of the ground staff

• Time available to complete the works and allowing for establishment

• The use of specialised Contractor services.

Your end of season renovations will be determined by what wear you have suffered and the present condition of the pitch.

Most of the Premier League Groundsmen will be completely renovating their playing surfaces utilising the Koro fraise mower to clean off or reduce the amount of existing vegetation from their pitch, and oversowing.

Generally, every two years or so, clubs with fibre sand pitch systems will completely strip off the surface vegetation, top up and re-level the top 100mm of fibre sand. To do this they use a combination of Koro machines, power harrows, stone burying machines and seed drills.

Most, if not al,l of these operations are carried out by specialist sports turf contractors, who are geared up to complete this work within days, enabling valuable time for establishment.

However, the key factors that influence what renovations are carried out, especially in lower level football facilities such as local authority, schools and club pitches, are cost, time and resources.

Advisors and consultants are available, at a price, to assess your requirements and provide a report detailing the works and costs required. However, also look in-house, you may already have the necessary expertise.

If possible, obtain a soil analysis of your pitch, measuring for particle size analysis, organic matter content, soil pH and nutrient status. This information will help you decide what materials to use in respect of grass, fertilisers and top dressings.

In the main you should be looking to carry out the following end of season operations:

• Aeration to de-compact the pitch

• Repair worn areas

• Top dressing

• Overseeding

• Fertilising

• Watering if required

Aeration



Ideally, it would be best to hire a vertidrain machine with 25mm diameter tines that can provide deep aeration down to 300mm depth. This will ensure you have relieved all the compaction and will also provide holes for the top dressing materials to fill.

Repair worn areas



Top dressing

Top dressing is carried out to help restore levels, improve soil structure, improve surface drainage and aid seed germination. Ideally the whole pitch (6000m2) should be top dressed with about 60-100 tonnes of materials.

Generally, the choice of materials is either approved medium sand (particle size ranging from 0.125mm-1mm) or 70:30 rootzone (sand soil mix). The dressing should be brushed into the playing surface so it works it way into any low spots and the vertidrain holes.

Overseeding

It is essential to ensure that all wear and worn areas have been overseeded at a rate of 35-40g/m2. The whole pitch should then be overseeded. Seed should be disc drilled into the profile to ensure seed/soil contact is made for better germination.

Fertilising

To help the sward recover quickly and encourage the new grasses to establish a dose of fertiliser is required, usually in the form of a late spring or early summer fertiliser appied at a rate of 35-50g/m2. Most groundstaff will be applying a spring/summer fertiliser, perhaps something like a 9/7/7 which will get the grass moving during May. Then, towards the end of the month, look to putting on a slow release fertiliser to see you through June and July.

Watering

Once the seed has germinated there may be a need to irrigate if dry weather persists. Newly sown seed, having shallow roots, will need adequate water to survive and establish.

Costs

The commercial cost (from an approved sports turf contractor) for the above operations for one football pitch ranges between £3000-£4000 depending on choice of materials used. The rate would come down if more than one pitch is to be completed.

It is often this cost that deters people from top dressing their pitches, which is why we see so many poor pitches in the UK. Top dressing is an important part of the maintenance loop and is essential for restoring pitch levels and improving surface drainage.

Once the renovations have been completed and the new grass has germinated ongoing maintenance must be followed up. To help promote a dense sward regular mowing is essential.

Any major resurfacing or drainage works are usually programmed to coincide with end of season renovations works.

Most of the tasks detailed can be undertaken within a limited budget. Local conditions and circumstances will need to be taken into account. If any members are undertaking any specific work not detailed, please let us know by adding a comment in the section below the diary.