November Tennis Diary 2004

Laurence Gale MScNov 03, 2004in Tennis

November Tennis Diary

By Laurence Gale MSc

The poor weather experienced in October and, in particular, the amount of heavy rainfall, 60mm in some places, will have certainly affected work programmes or repair works already under way. Working and operating machinery on saturated turf surfaces is asking for trouble, the surface will soon deteriorate and become damaged.

Its essential you keep the surface open and free draining, aerating the playing surface with a sarel roller or some solid tines will be beneficial. However, only use machinery on the surface if you can operate without causing any smearing or damage. See article on Aeration.

There is still time to overseed and repair damaged grass areas. There may be a need to over sow recently repaired areas especially if the seed has not germinated very well. Rye grasses will still germinate in favourable temperatures in November.

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.

November Maintenance Tasks for Tennis
Natural Grass Tennis Courts
Task	Frequency	Reason
Aeration	As required	Keep the surface open by the use of aerators, a sarel roller is often used to prick small holes in the surface down to a depth of 45mm. Other solid tine aerators can reach greater depths. Spiking between 100-200mm is beneficial to encourage deeper rooting and gaseous exchanges in the soil profile.
Drainage	Weekly	Inspect drainage outfalls, channels and ditches. Ensure that they are working.
Diseases	Daily/Weekly	Keep an eye on fungal disease attack, and use approved fungicides to treat infected areas. During November there is the likelihood of heavy dews forming on grass surfaces which often promotes outbreaks of disease. A number of diseases are usually very active at this time of the year, namely red thread, fairy ring and fusarium. Regular brushing or switching off the dew in the mornings will reduce the chance of fungal attack.
Inspect tennis structures	As required	Label and store away all tennis furniture (posts, nets, seating and notice/score boards).
Litter/debris	Daily/weekly	Inspect and remove debris from playing surface litter or any wind blown tree debris, litter, twigs and leaves. Leaf debris can be a problem during November. It is important to sweep and clear the leaves off the courts as an accumulation of wet leaves will damage the grass surface.
Machinery, repairs & maintenance	Daily/weekly	Inspect and clean machinery after use; service and repair damaged machinery.
Materials	Inspection	Maintain material stocks and order any other consumables required.
Mowing	As required	The mowing height on the courts should be raised and maintained at a winter height of between 12-18mm. Mowing frequency will be dependant on a number of factors, grass growth, sward type, level or standard of facility, resources (staff & machinery)but, generally, it may only need mowing on a weekly/fortnightly basis to keep tidy during the winter months.
Pest control	As required	Worm treatments can be carried out if needed, but please remember to ask yourself why worms are present. Ph level, organic matter and your cultural practices on the square need to be assessed. Carbendazim is the only permitted / approved active ingredient available left to control worms. Comply to all safety data sheets when using this pesticide product.
Soil tests	Ideally once or twice a year, or as required.	Soil sampling is an important part of Groundsmanship. The results will enable the manager to have a better understanding of the current status of his soil and turf. There are many tests that can be undertaken, but usually the main tests to consider are: Particle Size Distribution (PSD) this will give you accurate information on the soil type and it's particle make up, enabling you to match up with appropriate top dressing materials and ensuring you are able to maintain a consistent hydraulic conductivity (drainage rate) of your soil profile. Soil pH, it is important to keep the soil at a pH of 5.5-6.5, a suitable level for most grass plants. Organic matter content, it is important to keep a balanced level of organic matter content in the soil profile. Nutrient Levels. Keeping a balance of N P K nutrients within the soil profile is essential for healthy plant growth. Once you have this information you will be in a better position to plan your season's feeding and maintenance programmes.
Artificial Tennis Courts
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
Clay courts	Weekly	Keep surface clean, regular sweeping and brushing to restore playing levels using SISIS Trulute or similar equipment. Top dress any hollows or damaged areas. Repaint lines.
Tarmacadam	Weekly	Keep surfaces clean, regular sweeping and brushing. Repair any hollows or damaged areas. Repaint lines.

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