October Football Diary 2011

The recent dry weather in many parts of the country will have affected many grass pitches. Here in the Midlands, particularly in Shropshire, we have had less then 70mm of rain in the last six months - that equates to less than 3mm per week.

These pitches, especially the ones which have not been watered, will be struggling to maintain vigour and colour and will be prone to wear.

For many it will be a case of waiting for some decent rainfall, and then apply some fertiliser to stimulate some much needed growth. Care should be taken not to cut the pitches too short whilst they are in this state. With a bit of luck we should be due some much needed rain in October to alleviate these dry conditions.

Where there is moisture in the ground, and with the onset of cooler night time temperatures, you may already have experienced some mornings with heavy dew, bringing with it the increased chance of fungal outbreaks. Though some outbreaks may need treatment with a fungicide, prevention is better than a cure and this can be aided with some good cultural practices starting with dew removal during the early morning.

Continue cutting regularly 25 -37mm to ensure a good sward density. Check the cutting action of your cylinder regularly to ensure that the units are cutting and not tearing the grass.

Dragmatting and brushing: Continue the work of brushing to keep the air circulating around the base of the plant, particularly important for removing early morning dew and controlling disease. This will also help to reinforce the presentation of the pitch.

Verticutting: Will help to ensure that the sward is kept clean of lateral growth that may be appearing, and also help to ensure that good circulation of air around the base of the plant.

Useful Information for Mowing / Brushing/ Verticutting

Articles		Products
	Viewpoint - Forking around!		Football Pitch / Rugby Pitch Grass Seed

Start out with shallow spiking and, as the moisture works its way down the profile, you will be able to increase the depth you are able to spike at. Keep in mind that you need to regularly change the depth of spiking, as to carry out the operation to the same depth over a period of time can lead to a soil pan (a hard zone within the soil profile that both water and grass roots find difficult to break through). Keep your spiking regime flexible, alternating between surface spiking, deep spiking and slitting.

Those with access to a vertidrain of weidenmann spiker can use some heave in order to break through these conditions, but the soil still needs to be moist in order to achieve the optimum benefit from this type of spiking.

Useful Information for Aeration

Articles		Products
	Magpies - two for sorrow!		Football Goals

I have said this on many occasions - an accurate line that is bright and crisp can make such a difference to the finished presentation of a pitch. It is well to take your time to ensure that you walk a straight line (not very achievable if you are in a hurry) and, if the line you have to follow is not very straight, then don't be afraid to re-string it.

Spend time keeping your equipment clean and fit for purpose, try not to leave unused marking fluid in your machines. Always wash out spraying systems after use.

Be mindful, there are a wide range / choice of marking materials now available, choose one that suits your requirements and budget.

Also refrain from using weed killers in your marking fluid. Yes, it may enable a longer lasting line but, over time, the grass dies off and you end up marking bare soil, which doesn't give you a crisp white line.

Also, you can often end up with soil erosion in the line and you end up with a deep rut , which could become a hazard for players.

Useful Information for Marking out

Articles		Products
	I walk the line!		Line Marking Machines