Grounds Management - April 2021 Preview

Making sport possible

VOLUNTEER TRAINING

Online options enhance skills

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

Helpful tips and best practice at AELTC, Edgbaston & Forest Green Rovers

GEORGE TOMA

Q&A with NFL Super Bowl turf specialist

TWICKENHAM TOUCH

Jim Buttar discusses winter renovation before the Six Nations tournament

April 2021 | £4.00

GROUNDS MANAGEMENT

APRIL 2021

WELCOME 14

Thanks for #GroundsWeek support This month, on behalf of everyone at the GMA, we thank all those who joined our #GroundsWeek campaign.

The reach of this campaign and the buy in and support of sport clubs, players and grounds care individuals, both professional and volunteer, was incredible. Thank you also to our campaign sponsors who helped spread the message. On page 8 in this issue we reflect on the success of a fantastic week’s activity.

With the new COVID-19 roadmap, announced by Government, we look forward to restrictions being lifted in the coming months – in particular, with a view to the return of SALTEX in November. We are ‘ready to go’ and looking forward to the 75th exhibition that has served the industry well over the years. We will work to ensure everyone who attends feels safe, empowered to do business and witness grounds care industry innovation and the latest products and services under one roof.

Using the success of #GroundsWeek, we are already working on the 2022 campaign, but we know one swallow does not make a summer, and the GMA continues to work to address the issues facing the sector – particularly encouraging more people to join us and experience its long-term career benefits.

We want to continually promote our industry as, what was described during #GroundsWeek, “the best office in the world” and how vital it is to ‘making Next sport possible’. issue of

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GROUNDS MANAGEMENT out from May 4

Geoff Webb Chief Executive Officer Grounds Management Association

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REGULARS

FEATURES

4

Industry news News and product innovations from across the industry

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8

GMA update Celebrating the success of #GroundsWeek 2021

Training up volunteers Using GMA online training programmes to enhance volunteers’ skill sets

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10

GaNTIP update Nematode success brings cricket field back into play

Sustainable practices Advice on sustainable grounds management

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26

In Action GreenMech’s wood chipper ticks all the boxes, and Major TDR mowers help keep Ealing’s green spaces in prime condition

Pest control The impact of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides National Action Plan

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Winter renovation Getting the Twickenham pitch ready for the Six Nations

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Maintenance tips What to do in May

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32

Product Showcase Spotlight on irrigation, pest control and sprayers

Water management An alternative approach to surface and site drainage solutions

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60 seconds with...

Quickfire questions with NFL turf specialist, George Toma

This magazine is printed using paper from responsible sources

GROUNDS MANAGEMENT ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Editorial address: 28 Stratford Office Village, Walker Avenue, Wolverton Mill East, Milton Keynes MK12 5TW | t:01908 312511 GMA membership and general enquiries: t:01908 312511 | e:membership@thegma.org.uk Magazine subscriptions: Jo Cornford | t:01908 312511 | e:accounts@thegma.org.uk Subscriptions: £72 UK | £82 Europe | £112 rest of world Published by: James Pembroke Media ■ Editor: Karen Maxwell | e:editor@thegma.org.uk | t:07866 736597 Publisher: James Houston ■ Product editor: Emma Dance | e:emma.dance@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Head of design: Simon Goddard ■ To advertise in this magazine: t:020 3859 7097 | e:sales@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk

GROUNDS MANAGEMENT is published monthly by the Grounds Management Association. All material is copyright of the Grounds Management Association and may not be reproduced without permission. The publishers do not accept responsibility for any advertisement appearing in the journal and cannot be held liable for editorial omissions or errors. The views expressed in the journal are not necessarily those of the Grounds Management Association.

thegma.org.uk | GROUNDS MANAGEMENT 3

UPDATE

UPDATE | NEWS

THE LATEST HEADLINES FROM THE INDUSTRY

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Post COVID funding for football clubs

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S A LT E X 2 0 2 1

Momentum gathers for SALTEX 2021 in November

NEWS IN BRIEF

AFTER THE GOVERNMENT’S recent announcement regarding the UK’s roadmap out of lockdown, the grounds management industry can start looking forward to celebrating SALTEX’s 75th anniversary, which takes place on November 3 and 4 at the NEC, Birmingham.

“We are very excited about the outlook for the show in November,” said GMA CEO Geoff Webb. “With many suffering from Zoom and online fatigue, there is a real appetite for human interaction.”

Since the roadmap was revealed, the GMA has reported an influx of new business and enquiries from companies eager to have a presence at SALTEX and several stand upgrades from existing exhibitors.

“The support from the industry has been overwhelming and I’d like

to thank our exhibitors for their patience and for sticking by us as we transferred from 2020 to 2021.

“The safety of everyone attending is our main priority, so we will continue to follow the guidance and implement the necessary procedures, if needed in November,” Geoff says.

Over the coming months, the SALTEX team will announce more details on what’s in store for the 75th anniversary, from exhibitors, products, speakers, demonstrations, the Innovation of the Year Award, new features, prizes and much more.

“We’re putting absolutely everything into the show. SALTEX 2021 will show the sector at our finest and promises to showcase the talent in our industry,” Geoff concluded.

FUNDS IN EXCESS of £16m are being made available for the return of grassroots football, from the end of March, through a joint initiative set up by the Premier League, the FA and the Football Foundation.

More than £2m is being targeted at supporting clubs in the highest areas of deprivation in England, at disability football and at underrepresented groups. A £14m bursary will also provide six-year tapered grants to improve the quality of grass pitches, while small grants will be issued to help clubs pay for essential equipment and machinery needed to start playing again.

Clubs can apply for up to £25,000 to refurbish their changing rooms and pay for grass pitch drainage, new goalposts, pitch maintenance equipment and portable floodlights. footballfoundation.org.uk

gmasaltex.co.uk

AMS Robotics seeks new dealers

Soil Scout and TurfCare partnership

Origin Enterprises acquires Green-tech

AMS Robotics, the official UK distributor of Belrobotics products, is actively seeking stocking and non-stocking dealers to include the system in their product range and become part of its exclusive dealer network. Contact: adrian@amsrobotics.co.uk

Soil Scout has teamed up with TurfCare as the distributor of its wireless underground soil monitoring solution, which provides data direct to the user’s phone. Soil Scout currently operates in more than 15 countries. soilscout.com

Green-tech, a leading manufacturer and distributor of landscaping, forestry and grounds maintenance equipment has been acquired by focused agri-services group, Origin Enterprises Plc. green-tech.co.uk

4 GROUNDS MANAGEMENT | APRIL 2021

GMA UPDATE | #GROUNDSWEEK

#GROUNDSWEEK: THE START OF SOMETHING SPECIAL After the huge success of this year’s inaugural #GroundsWeek, it’s now time to look ahead and build on the momentum it has created to drive positive change for the future Miri Buac Head of communications at the GMA

To find out more visit thegma.org.uk/groundsweek, sign-up to the GMA newsletter or follow the GMA on social media.

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I N 2 019, T H E G MA presented the Grounds For Sport campaign, an initiative where funds were reinvested to help raise the influence and profile of turf care and grounds management with the main objective to support the growth and diversification of future workforces.

To communicate this message, developing an awareness campaign seemed a no-brainer and this is where the spark for #GroundsWeek first began.

The GMA hopes the first #GroundsWeek is the start of something special.

Throughout the first week of March, we witnessed grounds staff, managers, volunteers, players, officials, clubs and businesses all coming together with one message – how vital it is to promote and celebrate the turf care sector.

In and around #GroundsWeek, 2,500 people mentioned the initiative on Facebook and Twitter alone, with high profile brands such as Wembley, Wimbledon and England’s national football team spreading the word to millions of their followers. Through media outlets, such as BBC Sport and the internationally renowned Reuters, the message reached over 135 million people and more than 29 million users through social media.

We’re really grateful to everyone who shared their personal stories and #GroundsWeek content. Each contribution has helped us promote how we urgently must recruit more skilled professionals and volunteers to support the turf care sector.

We currently need more than 6,000 young people to join the sector to ensure sports and outdoor activity can continue, before existing staff retire.

Looking ahead Beyond the online activity, we’re aiming to create long-lasting change to benefit future generations so that people of all ages can play on safe, good quality pitches whether at clubs, parks or schools.

We understand and value the role a groundsperson contributes to keeping the nation healthy and active while also growing the UK’s pipeline of sporting talent. It’s time to spread the word beyond our industry so that others reward and recognise this too.

For us at the GMA, feedback that numerous members have already witnessed an increase in volunteer and job enquires is outstanding news. To understand the wider impact of our activities, we’re issuing a survey to our wider audience to gather more information so that we can grow activity for the benefit of the sector year on year.

Looking ahead to 2022, we hope to shout even louder and continue measuring this against workforce development.

It’s great to hear that we already have sponsors on board, National Governing Body support, as well as clubs and players looking to get involved ahead of next year. #GroundsWeek is now firmly planted as a seed to drive positive change. ■

GaNTIP UPDATE DURING COVID-19

Nematode success at Constantine Cricket Club When a leatherjacket infestation was discovered at Constantine CC, advice from the GMA’s regional pitch advisor (RPA) and nematode application has brought the field back into play IN AUGUST 2020, I received a call from Darren Griffiths, a groundsman at Constantine Cricket Club near Falmouth. He explained that rooks were looking for grubs on his pitches and outfield and destroying the turf.

On inspection, we found that he had a leather jacket (crane fly larvae) infestation. I dug sample pits and found two to five leather jackets in the outfield but under the square I found 20-30 per pit.

These infestations are becoming more frequent in natural turf due to chemical use restrictions, and the lack of maintenance, other than mowing, is resulting in an increase in layers of thatch and moss, which is

an ideal egg laying site for the crane fly. Regular fertiliser applications, aeration and decompaction operations are required to stop these layers accumulating.

Taking control In order to solve the problem at the club, funding was acquired from the ECB, WR Sandow was chosen as the contractor and NemaTrident L Autumn (a tri-component solution including nematodes, wetting agent and advice) from Bionema was the selected nematode product.

Acting on advice from Bionema CEO Dr Minshad Ansari, we decided to prepare the ground using a 3m wide spring tine rake across the whole site. This task was performed in six directions to remove as much of the thatch and moss as we could.

We then used a vertical tine

Clockwise, from top left: Evident leather jacket activity, raking the thatch and the final result from nematode treatment

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Simon Johnson Regional pitch advisor

aerator to create holes at 75mm centres to a depth of 100mm for the nematodes to access the soil profile.

The nematodes arrived in a cool box from Bionema, as they must be kept between 5-10˚C for them to stay dormant and were mixed with NemaSpreader (a biological wetter that will not harm the nematodes but will help them get into the soil profile) and water in the tractor mounted sprayer. The nozzles measured 0.8 mm and all filters were taken out of the sprayer.

Irrigation was not required as rain was forecasted. We were shown a sample under a microscope that had passed through the sprayer and all nematodes were alive before entering the soil profile.

It was advised to stay off the playing surface for four days after the application but after this period mowing etc could be continued.

Ten days after the application the contractor applied a controlled release fertiliser to aid recovery.

Three months later, the grass cover had improved and the square has recovered well from its late renovation. During a recent visit to the club no leather jackets were seen. Darren said he’s looking forward to a leather jacket-free season, and the ground is looking better than ever before. ■

Visit thegma.org.uk for details of the Grounds & Natural Turf Improvement Programme

BEST PRACTICE | SUSTAINABLE GROUNDS MANAGEMENT

Karen Maxwell Editor

SUSTAINABLE GROUNDS MANAGEMENT What does sustainable grounds management mean to you? This article offers some tips which may help you reflect on and create sustainable practices at your place of work and looks at current practices at Edgbaston Stadium, Forest Green Rovers FC and the AELTC

THE GMA OFFERS two qualifications which address the sustainability concept: Level 4 GMA Professional Certificate in Turf Surface Management; and Level 4 GMA Certificate in Sustainable Turf Management. GMA learning programme architect Chris Gray, who was one of the first people to complete an MSc research project on sustainability and amenity and sports turfgrass with the Open University in 2010, offers some tips which will help you assess what you are doing at the moment and how you could improve.

1. Define what sustainability means to you. Reflect on the frameworks and

14 GROUNDS MANAGEMENT | APRIL 2021

principles of sustainability to guide you.

A clear vision and general roadmap are needed to start with.

2. Take a systematic approach and consider how maintenance activities, consequences and outcomes are interconnected. This can underpin a suitable work schedule for a pitch.

3. Reduce the consumption of natural resources and synthetic materials (sand, water, pesticides etc.), improve recycling/reuse of materials and increase the use of renewables.

4. I mprove the efficiency and costeffectiveness of maintenance inputs,

judging whether the value gained is justified and worth the additional cost.

The focus is to not waste resources and to make the most of what you have.

5. I dentify and manage the carrying capacity of your sports surface, don’t just maintain it.

6. Identify the stakeholders who are affected by/who affect your organisation and grounds operation.

If potential stakeholders have been excluded, consider their concerns and opinions to inform your decision making.

7. I dentify how to measure sustainability by using suitable indicators (environmental, economic and social etc.). For example, ‘Diversity of use’ can help determine why some groups may not gain benefit. Broadening the appeal and use of a surface can aid in its longevity.

8. C onsider how to evaluate the findings from sustainability indicators, who should be involved and who decides on improvement actions.

9. Broaden qualitative growth. Education can improve grounds staff knowledge and skills and these can be passed on to future generations.

10.

Appreciate the limitations of available resources, but continue to reflect, question and challenge current working practices with the concept of sustainability as your guide.

TECHNICAL UPDATE

SUSTAINABLE USE OF PESTICIDES: NATIONAL ACTION PLAN Following the UK’s exit from the EU, DEFRA is leading a review of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides National Action Plan, John Moverley explains how this plan will impact on those who are responsible for the maintenance of amenity and sports surfaces

T HE SUSTAI NAB L E U SE of Pesticides National Action Plan sets out the requirements and targets for the sustainable use of pesticides and weed, pest and disease management in agriculture, amenity areas, sports surfaces and amateur horticulture. A new plan is currently being constructed led by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in conjunction with the other UK national governments. Following recent consultation, a new plan is expected to be announced by the end of this year.

Principal objectives The key drivers influencing the plan are: reducing the reliance on pesticides; protecting peoples’ health; ensuring best practice and proper training; environmental protection and meeting carbon targets; and improving the monitoring of impact and use – linked to increased enforcement.

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The consultation document highlighted areas where particular attention is needed and where requirements may change and be strengthened. The Amenity Forum, which is the voluntary initiative for the sector, and fully supported by the GMA, has responded to the consultation.

Regulation and approvals The new plan sets out to ensure robust regulation is in place in the review and approval of pesticides to protect health and the environment. Following EU withdrawal, current regulations and procedures have largely been copied and pasted into UK requirements and over the coming months these will be developed and refined to meet specific UK needs.

A key point to note is that active substance approvals, due to expire before December 2023, will be extended for three years to allow time to plan and implement the review programme.

It is expected that the rules within the plan will be simpler and the issue of how best to regulate and approve biopesticides has also been raised. The Forum’s response highlights the need to address the escalating costs of bringing products to the market and requests that decisions to withdraw products take into account all the consequences, including unintended ones. For example, will withdrawal lead to a greater carbon footprint by using alternative methods?

Integrated Management Planning (IPM) IPM is already a key focus in existing plans, however the review seeks to emphasise the need for an integrated approach. This holistic method is already general practice for those involved in sports turf and indeed the Forum has guidance documents on its website. However the need to produce written IPM plans may increase. The

BEST PRACTICE | WINTER RENOVATION

Andy Carmichael Freelance writer

TWICKENHAM TOUCH Twickenham Stadium head groundsperson, Jim Buttar, explains the reasons behind his decision to renovate the pitch in the winter months, before the Six Nations rugby tournament

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WINTER RENOVATION | BEST PRACTICE

B AC K I N F E B R UA RY , England beat Italy in the Guinness Six Nations Championship, running in six tries in the process. The pick of them was Jonny May’s spectacular effort, going airborne to elude the defender, when he looked destined to end in touch shy of the goal line. Aside from illustrating May’s sporting talent, the move underlined the importance of a first-class surface. The surety of footing to make the leap, and the knowledge that the landing would not feel like hitting a frozen pavement, is testament to modern pitch constructions and the hard work of the world-leading grounds staff at England Rugby’s Twickenham home.

Twickenham Stadium’s head groundsperson, Jim Buttar, talked me through the reasons why the pitch was unusually renovated before the start of the tournament. He explained that the usual renovation period was between the end of the domestic rugby season in June and the start of the autumn Internationals in November.

However, this time he started work on December 7, when most lawn owners would assume that grass doesn’t grow. It was influenced by a decision brought about by the impact of the COVID crisis to the sporting calendar, and the grounds team’s expert ability to adapt plans and continue with safe operations.

COVID-19 cancellations Jim explained that the cessation of rugby in March 2020 prompted him to alter the intended pitch management strategy at the stadium. Just six months into his new role with the RFU, those uncertain early weeks of lockdown meant he was also in the difficult position of not knowing when rugby matches would return to the schedule. In fact, the number of hosted events that season fell from the usual 50 to 60 to just seven.

Jim, alongside his deputy Ian Ayling and assistant Andy Muir, wanted the capability to host games should they receive as little as two weeks’ notice. This meant no dramatic changes, such as the usual removal of the top 30mm of the Desso Grassmaster pitch construction, and instead a careful management of inputs supported by advice from Advanced Grass Solutions. However, the lack of rugby games, and the subsequent absence of foot traffic, meant that organic matter accumulated was kept to a maximum of 5mm, impeding drainage through the uppermost levels of the surface. Despite Jim’s best efforts with raking, nothing could replicate the natural reduction of dead and dying material from play.

Elite level rugby did indeed return later that year, vindicating the team’s decision not to renovate as normal. However, a significant downpour (in excess of 15mm) during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby final on October 24, highlighted pitch issues that did not sit well

thegma.org.uk | GROUNDS MANAGEMENT 19

WATER MANAGEMENT | CONTINUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Dr Tom Young STRI environment systems manager

WATER MANAGEMENT Many grassroots sports fields and open space community areas suffer from unplayable surfaces in the winter months, Dr Tom Young discusses an alternative approach to surface and site drainage solutions SPORT S SURFAC E DRAI NAG E has historically taken the approach of removing water from sites as quickly as possible.

Historically this was achievable, as many drainage outlets had the capacity to receive this drainage water during peak events.

However, as flooding, due to surface water, is becoming more common – with wetter winters and more intense storms, local water and planning authorities are now viewing the development of a playing field in the same manner as they would a residential or commercial development.

playing fields. SuDS has four cornerstones to its ethos: water quantity (reducing the amount of water leaving the development); water quality (improving the quality of water leaving the site); amenity (improving the

liveability of the area); and biodiversity (improving the ecological aspect of the area).

Historically, many pitch drainage designs tended to either underestimate or overestimate the volumes of

SuDs systems Planners and Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFA) would expect to see Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) as the primary method for water discharge management from any future development – including

Example of shallow SuDs attenuation pond designed to temporarly store stormwater

thegma.org.uk | GROUNDS MANAGEMENT 23

PRODUCT SHOWCASE PEST CONTROL & SPRAYERS

HEADLAND AMENITY

Targeted weed control Headland Amenity offers a collection of selective herbicides which offer safe, efficient and targeted control of invasive, broad-leaved and difficult-to-manage weed species.

Cabadex is proven to be highly effective at combating difficult weed species and can be safely used on young, newly-sown turf as early as second leaf stage. Also suitable for use on newlysown turf when applied at lower rates is Enstar, a threeway selective herbicide for the control of weeds. Along with Quickfire, an economical turf herbicide featuring

Mecoprop-P and Dicamba, Enstar can be safely used through knapsack equipment or boom sprayers.

Another effective tripleactive selective herbicide for use on sports pitches is Columbus. Its micro-emulsion formulation enhances herbicide activity to make it effective on weeds from across the control spectrum.

Blaster Pro, foliar applied herbicide, provides control for a range of difficult perennial weeds such as brambles, nettles, docks and thistles in established amenity areas. headlandamenity.com ICL

LockStar

Japanese Knotweed is an invasive weed removal company providing surveys, treatment and removal services for Japanese knotweed and other invasive weeds.

Japanese Knotweed is a ‘safety first’ contractor, holding a range of safety SSIP and industry-related accreditations. The company delivers more than 150 excavations and 8,000 herbicide visits per year for more than 6,000 customers. Its services cater for project values in the range of £500 up to £1.5m.

As well as dealing with Japanese knotweed, the company also controls all other non-native invasive weeds such as giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam, as well as native invasive weeds such as horsetail.

Since its launch last year, LockStar has been well received in the turf and landscaping sector.

It arrived at a time when public green spaces, amenity areas and transportation infrastructure were coming under increasing pressure from reduced budgets, weed infestations and a reduction in chemical solutions available on the market. This new herbicide, which controls a broad spectrum of weeds, has been keeping areas such as these weed-free, functional and visually pleasing.

When applied before germination, LockStar creates a dual barrier at the soil surface ensuring that soil is kept weed-free for up to five months.

The innovative formula contains diflufenican and iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium – which is the first new weed control active ingredient to be released in the UK for many years.

ICL recently announced an update to the UK label of LockStar, which provided users with more effective and flexible weed control. The label update included extended use of the product meaning it can now be applied at any time of year instead of the previous limited window between February and June.

japaneseknotweed.co.uk

icl-sf.co.uk

J A PA N E S E K N O T W E E D

Efficient removal of invasive weeds

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GMA MAINTENANCE TIPS

May operations Our monthly maintenance guide to help you keep your sports surfaces in top condition all year round RUGBY UNION

TENNIS

•A ssuming there has been regular pitch use throughout the season, there will be some compaction; alleviate with aeration.

• Renovating a rugby pitch turf surface will prepare it for the receipt of renovation materials.

• The choice and quantity of grass seed will depend on the condition of the pitch, the amount of expected use, the soil type and whether artificial irrigation is available to aid sward establishment.

• The amount of topdressing applied during renovation will vary considerably depending upon circumstances, but a typical amount might be 30 tonnes.

•R oll the court to firm the surface.

• Mowing will be regular, typically three times per week, and the height of cut should be at its lowest.

• Apply artificial irrigation.

• Dragbrush often to remove dew.

• Use a spiked roller to maintain an aerated, yet consolidated, surface profile and to aid water infiltration.

• Be careful not to verticut or groom too intensively, especially on areas of the court that may have been oversown in April.

RUGBY LEAGUE •C ut grass regularly to encourage growth and sward thickening.

• Irrigation should be used if required.

• Overseeding may be required if temperatures dictate.

• A seed and soil mix to fill in untreated hollows in your surface may be required.

• Drop the height of cut if necessary – 35-40mm should be suitable depending on team requirements.

• Fill in any untreated divots.

RACECOURSES •M owing may peak at three times per week on occasions.

• Don’t neglect strimming around track posts as this will affect the presentation of the course.

• Irrigate as required to help produce the desired level of firmness of ground, i.e. the ‘going’, for flat racing courses and to aid the establishment of renovated areas.

• Use a ring-roller to firm and stripe the course; or use a chain harrow with the smooth side downwards.

• Post-meeting repair work will include harrowing in the opposite direction as that of the race.

• Weed control might be required on selected areas of the course.

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FOOTBALL •T he season is coming to an end and post-season renovation is the name of the game.

• The key to a successful renovation programme is to complete the task in as short a time as possible – don’t forget the next season starts from mid-August.

• The application of a topdressing, typically sand, must be adequately incorporated into the soil profile.

• Scarify the surface before applying topdressing; this can be with a chain harrow with the tines downwards or a mechanical scarifier.

• The choice of grass seed will depend on the standard of the pitch as well as existing rootzone material and this will also apply to the type of fertiliser chosen.

BOWLS • The season will be a few weeks old, although there are still cold spells, especially at night.

•B e careful not to set the mower too low as the grass is only ‘getting going’ at present.

•C old snaps or May dry spells can still occur, retarding growth. It is sensible, therefore, to keep the height of cut to 6mm or higher for as long as possible.

•A reas of the green which had been renovated in April, or late March, should not be treated to any form of heavy scarification as this will only

May is a busy month when it comes to grounds care

tear out young grasses.

• Watch out for signs of fusarium patch disease that especially wet, dewy mornings bring in prevalence.

Ensure the greens are adequately brushed and/or switched early in the mornings.

CRICKET SQUARE • Scarification of the square and during wicket preparation is important for reducing undesirable thatch and this will help to improve bounce and pace, although wickets will probably still be on the slow side at present as the ground won’t have been able to dry out adequately yet.

• Wicket preparation will occur seven-10 days before a game; up to 14 days for top-class cricket.

• A mainly nitrogen fertiliser should be applied. Beware of leaching due to wet weather as this may reduce the anticipated time for the next application.

CRICKET OUTFIELD •E arly use of the outfield should provide feedback of any slight depressions needing attention.

• Aeration can be considered, before the soil dries out too much.

• Scarification, to reduce and control undesirable thatch build- up, is also ideally undertaken now.

• The end of May is usually a good time to apply a selective herbicide.

• Mow regularly now usually once per week and aim for a height of cut of 10-15mm.