Tools & guidance MAINTENANCE CALENDAR AND WEATHER UPDATE
BEST PRACTICE
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OCTOBER OPERATIONS BOWLING GREENS
End of season renovation will be completed this month. Greens that are renovated late may benefit from the turfing of thin areas. Watch out for Fusarium, especially if topdressing has been applied. Ditches should be cleared of their fill material then cleaned and washed down. De-commission the irrigation where applicable before the winter frosts set in. Carry out repairs to banks when work on the green is complete.
TENNIS COURTS
Remove fallen leaves from adjacent trees to avoid them smothering the sward. Lightly top the grass to keep it well trimmed. Switch or lightly drag brush the court surface to remove dew and reduce the potential for disease attack. Keep an eye open for disease attack, especially if mild and humid conditions occur. Keep off the court wherever possible to allow good, initial grass establishment. De-commission any irrigation system in place.
CRICKET SQUARE
Ensure renovation is finished as soon as possible. Germination sheets on the ends can aid any late germination and initial establishment of seed - but watch out for disease. Drag brush on a regular basis, especially if dew is present. Earthworm activity can be high now, so drag brush when dry.
Chemical control may be required. Keep the square topped at a suitable height of cut – no more than 25mm – as this will maintain a suitable sward density and prevent the sward from thinning out. Fence off the square to maintain its integrity.
CRICKET OUTFIELD
Repair areas of wear as required. Be vigilant for pest and disease attacks; the use of a drag brush or similar will help reduce the chance of attacks. Fungicide or pesticide application may be required. Mow as required, but this should be much less frequent. If the outfield is to be used for winter sports, be vigilant for damage and wear areas; repair as soon as possible. Aerate throughout this month to maintain surface drainage and root development.
FOOTBALL
The pitch shouldn’t be showing many signs of wear if it has been managed with the long-term season in mind. If not, some soilbased pitches may be exhibiting significant wear in goalmouths and centre circles. An application of sand, combined with hand forking, can help maintain a dry surface. Raising the height of cut slightly, say up to an extra 10mm, on high wear areas can help to maintain an improved level of ground cover for a longer period of time.
50 THE GROUNDSMAN September 2019
Divot the pitch as required. This operation will be essential on pitches maintained to a high standard. Higher standard pitches will also need to be brushed to maintain an upright grass and to maintain good presentation.
RUGBY UNION
The frequency of cut for the pitch will be reducing considerably as grass growth slows. Consider drag brushing to produce a striping effect in between cuts. De-commission any irrigation system to prevent frost damage. Continue to aerate where ground and soil conditions permit.
RUGBY LEAGUE
The traditional end of the season will have arrived or shall be coming quickly; as such, make sure any end of season renovation plans are underway. This should involve scarification, overseeding, topdressing, vertidraining and an autumn/winter feed. With the season finishing so late, be sure not to renovate too harshly as this will have an adverse effect on grass cover and sward for the next season. Cordon off the area to protect from unwanted visitors. Constant drag brushing and switching of the surface will help to alleviate any dew that appears. De-commission any irrigation system to prevent frost damage. On the amateur side, constant pitch repair is essential, as any divots not replaced will lead to pitch deterioration. Cutting should be kept to a minimum as grass cover will be required to get through the winter months so drag brushing the stripe in would be useful. Constant communication
with the coaches is essential for rotation of drills, as any damage inflicted now to the surface will not be able to be repaired to get through the winter.
HORSE RACECOURSE
The course should be prepared ahead of the start of the National Hunt season. Courses used just for flat racing will be rested over autumn and winter. The whole course should be mown and tidied, with extra effort being put into the presentation for the first meeting. De-commission the irrigation system. Some parts of the course might be prone to leaf coverage from nearby trees. Regular clearing will avoid the turf being smothered. Consider using the leaves in a soil compost heap, which can later be used for topdressing. Prepare fences and jumps prior to the start of the season. With the growing season coming to a close, now is a good time to consider attending training courses or to enrol on courses that lead to recognised qualifications or to maintain continuous development.
GOLF COURSE
The renovation of the greens, and ideally the tees, should be completed by now. Fairway renovation, particularly divoting, will most likely still be ongoing. This is usually a good month for the deep spiking of fairways, as the ground is typically neither too dry nor wet for adequate tine penetration and soil shattering. Slit tining of greens should not be neglected just because the greens will have been renovated fairly recently.