Just because the autumn/winter sports are now underway, and the grass is slowing down does not mean that the ground person work is over for the season. There are a whole host of jobs which need to be carried out to keep grass surfaces in top condition, improving the quality of the game and the safety of the players. As leading suppliers of sports pitch maintenance services in East Anglia – Premier Sports Turf Contractors can recommend a programme of ongoing work to carry out during the playing season. Here are the key jobs which should continue over the autumn, winter and spring months.
Mowing and Brushing
Regular mowing will keep the grass in good condition. The recommended height of the grass can vary depending on the sport being played.
The grass should be brushed during the autumn and winter months, (weather permitting) this will help stand the leaf up and allow air to circulate in the sward, remove any dead grass or thatch that comes up and this will help keep the surface clean and tidy.
Top Dressing
This involves putting small amounts of sand, or a mixture of both on the surface, the soil should be compatible on the structure you are putting it down on.
At the end of a playing season more heavier amounts of sand can be applied.
A sand-based alternative will improve drainage, particularly on wet winter pitches. In both cases good timing is essential to avoid affecting existing grass growth and should be brushed in well to existing sword.
Fertilizing
A good winter feed will help keep the grass stronger during the winter months of play and will assist in recovery. This can also help reducing getting disease in the plant and give the plant a better colour.
Verti-Draining
Verti-draining is a form of aeration, where holes are punched in the surface of the pitch to reduce soil compaction. It allows water and air to reach the grass roots, and so helps to promote healthy growth, doing this practice after sand dressing allows the sand to be brushed down the holes to assist with drainage.
Ground breaker
This is another way to aerate the soil, this machine works be cutting a continuous slit from one end of the pitch to the other using knives in a rotating action and decompacting the soil from side to side, very good on hard and compacted ground.
Pitch Maintenance from Premier Sports Turf Contractors
At Premier Sports Turf Contractors we can carry out a programme of sports pitch maintenance during both the playing and the close season. We are based in Suffolk and operate in Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk. Our expertise is not confined to winter sports, as we are also highly experienced in maintaining golf courses, cricket pitches and bowling greens. If you would like to know more about our whole range of services, contact us.
