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EDITOR'S BLOG

PREVENTING POSTPONEMENTS
From saturated pitches
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

In many cases postponements could be prevented if clubs were to invest into their pitches, both during the construction phase and post construction.

This recent spell of wet weather will have certainly helped to replenish many of the rivers and lakes, and more importantly the reservoirs, we rely on for our water supplies. However, on the flip side this deluge of water will have taken its toll on many winter games pitches, particularly on heavy clay soil-based pitches.

This recent heavy rain is no doubt due to the warm temperatures we have had this summer that evaporated a lot of water into the atmosphere. Once it then becomes too heavy, gravitational forces return it back to earth in the form of rain – because as the saying goes, what goes up must come down.

Many parts of the country are reporting floods resulting from the exceptionally heavy rain. The average rainfall for November is currently at 65 mm.

All this wet weather, with more likely to come, does not bode well for turf professionals looking after soil-based sports pitches during the winter months. We have already seen several football and rugby clubs at local level postponing matches due to saturated pitches.

In many cases, these postponements could be prevented if clubs were to invest into their pitches, both during the construction phase and post construction, having a robust maintenance regime in place. However, for many natural soil-based pitches the problem is the lack of maintenance and understanding regarding the type of pitches being managed.

Knowledge and understanding of soil’s physical properties has always been important for professional turf managers when making decisions about maintenance operations and when carrying out reconstruction works. Precise soil knowledge, including information on boundaries between soil types, should result in more efficient use of fertilisers, pesticides and improved management practices. This will ensure that the final managed outputs are safe, consistent, playable natural sportsturf surfaces.

Soils can vary in many ways, both physically and chemically, on a local or regional scale. Many factors, including original parent material source, climate, weathering processes, topography or history of the land use influence their properties.

Soil particles are distinguished by their size. Most soils contain a mixture of different soil particles. The particles and the soil's structure determine the pore spaces. A soil with a high proportion of coarse sand will contain large pore spaces and drain quickly, whereas a soil having finer sand, silt or clay particles will contain smaller pore spaces, and therefore will drain more slowly.

The quantities of large and small pore spaces directly affect plant growth. On fine-texture, clay and/or compacted soils, a lack of large pore spaces restricts water and air infiltration and movement, thus limiting root growth and the activity of beneficial soil organisms. On sandy soils, the lack of small pore space limits the soil's ability to hold water and nutrients.

The strength and permeability of any soil is determined by its structure, soil type, drainage capacity and how well it is managed. Soils will perform differently, governed by the amount of water, root mass and air there is in the soil matrix.

When saturated, a soil is said to be at its maximum retentive capacity; that is, all soil pores are filled with water. Saturation usually occurs for short periods of time, generally during periods of heavy rainfall.

It is during this period we have to be mindful of how we manage and look after our soil-based pitches. If we allow play to continue while the pitch is in a saturated state, we will see the pitch prone to damage, loss of grass cover and smearing of the surface.

The heavier the soil, the longer it will take for the pitch to dry out; sandy soils are more free draining than heavy loam or clay soils and, therefore, will dry out more quickly.

Playing on saturated pitches will bring disastrous results. It is often better to postpone a fixture rather than ruin the playing surface for the rest of the season. Scrummage and line out play are the main causes of damage on rugby pitches during wet weather periods. The severity of the damage will be dependent upon the soil type and the ability of the top 100mm to drain quickly.

It is important that, once the game has finished, remedial work is carried out to repair divots and stand the grass back up. Care should be taken not to further damage the pitch by trying to get machinery on when it is wet and saturated.

A rubber rake can be used to help stand the grass back up in localised wet muddy areas; if left buried, the grass will soon die. Once this has been completed, the use of harrows/brushes can be used to stand up the sward. This is often followed by rolling back the surface using a mower or, better still, a SISIS Quadraplay unit or similar type of equipment.

Undertaking a regular aeration programme will go a long way to ensuring your pitch is able to cope during wet conditions.

Once a year you should aim to aerate to a greater depth (200-300mm) using a larger, more powerful aerator. This will help dramatically, especially if you can topdress the pitch immediately afterwards with sand, enabling this material to go down into the aeration holes.

One of the most popular pitch management tools is the Sisis Quadraplay. The Sisis Combination Implement Frames make up a single pass maintenance system which incorporates a mounted frame. The mounted frame accepts a variety of different implements for use on both turf and hard porous surfaces.

Implements such as grooming rakes, spikers, slitters, rollers and brushes can be added to the frame, making this an exceptionally versatile piece of equipment. It can be used for fine and outfield turf to perform a range of tasks so effectively that you can aerate, brush, spring tine and roll in one pass.

Using these frames before and after matches helps keep the pitch in good condition and, above all, the spiker ensures the pitch is regularly aerated. The presentation of the pitch is important. If it looks tidy and well presented, with bands and stripes, it often inspires the players to perform and, more importantly, gives them a safe, consistent surface.

Unfortunately, I see far too many club pitches that become unplayable or prone to damage, mainly due to the lack of basic maintenance being carried out and through use of equipment that is not fit for purpose. Under the Honda Rugby Grounds connect programme Honda Rugby Grounds Connected and the GMA pitch advisory services there are opportunities now available to acquire funding for new equipment and more importantly get a pitch inspection carried out by their pitch advisory services.

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In our next WEB ONLY story the winning photographs from the overall champion and the category winners of BIGGA's annual competition have been revealed.

FIRST LITHIUM TRIPLES IN THE PREMIERSHIP
Football club invests

A Premiership club has become the first to invest in lithium triples

According to the head groundsman, it won’t be long until other clubs follow suit.

Southampton Football Club is the first club in the Premiership to invest in Toro’s all-electric Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 riding mower.

L-R: Mark Winder, David Timms and Graeme Mills from Southampton FC., at the Staplewood training ground, Football Development & Support Centre, in Southampton.

The club has purchased two, has plans to order two more - and according to head groundsman Graeme Mills, it won’t be long until other clubs follow suit

Like more and more clubs in the Premiership, Southampton FC has an all-encompassing sustainability strategy. Called the Halo Effect, the thinking is that by making the right choices now, it paves the way for a better tomorrow - and one crucial aspect is clean energy.

Graeme, who has been at the club for almost 30 years, says, “It was a big investment for Southampton FC to purchase the two Toro eTriflex mowers and I personally believe this shows our commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of the company. I think it will encourage other clubs to follow suit. When I was looking into the Toro eTriflex, there were a number of other clubs doing so too.

“Battery technology has advanced in recent years, sometimes people are put off by battery-operated equipment - what if it runs out half-way through the job? It’s not like you can just add more fuel to get it going again! I had concerns myself at first, but I have been extremely impressed with the battery outputs of the Toro - they are more than sufficient to cover our daily workload.”

But it wasn’t just ticking the box for clean energy, Graeme says he had another problem on his hands - noise pollution. “With the old diesel machines, we were getting noise complaints when using them first thing in the morning, at weekends, or on bank holidays,” he explains. “The complaints were from local residents and coaching staff using the pitches close to where we were working. The Toro eTriflex mowers are very quiet when being operated and no noise means no complaints.”

Graeme went on to explain how he plans to bring further sustainable choices into his department: “As a department that uses grow lights, undersoil heating and irrigation systems, it can be hard to tick all the sustainability boxes but changing from diesel machines to electric/battery operated equipment is a way for us to reduce our carbon output.”

NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR SOIL HEALTH
Companies come together

Two companies are coming together to provide access to a range of complimentary products for turf health, root growth and enabling soil moisture control.

Two companies are coming together to provide access to a range of complimentary products for turf health, root growth and enabling total soil moisture control, throughout Europe.

Hans De Kort, AquaAid and Paul Benson, Consolidate Turf

Consolidate Turf has a combined experience of over 100 years in the amenity sector. They say they provide a blend of first-hand practical experience with a vast knowledge in plant physiology. Products are manufactured at a new premises along with a 10,000sq ft warehouse that has enabled the company to expand to meet clients' present turf needs.

Aqua Aid Europe is a young company that has established itself worldwide in the professional sports turf and horticulture industry. In a brief time it has built a reputation for providing products for soil health which are now used at many of Europe's leading sports venues.

By establishing a partnership of mutual co-operation, Aqua-Aid Europe is now the exclusive distributor for growing solutions for the whole of the EU continent.

Hans de Kort, managing director of Aqua-Aid Europe described the reasons behind the new partnership, saying “Brexit created several challenges for European end users wishing to obtain certain products from the UK. Our objective is to remove the obstacles that have deterred customers from coming forward, by creating a full-service warehouse in Holland. From here we can ship across Europe within the partner network as well as direct to customers.”

The mix of Consolidate Turf nutrition products combined with Aqua Aid Surfactants and bio-stimulants has proven to be successful in areas such as football and golf. To facilitate the efficient and uninterrupted supply, Aqua Aid has begun the process of registering all products it handles to the new EU fertiliser regulation, including a CE labelling project to avoid separate registration in all EU countries. This guarantees a smooth process of delivery to all customers.

Paul Benson managing director of Consolidate Turf agreed with Hans, saying, “It has become increasingly important to have the right partners and network to find the ideal way to the market. Consolidate Turf has become an increasingly important partner for Aqua Aid in the UK. Therefore, by establishing this co-operation between our companies, we believe we have a devised a scenario where everyone in the UK and Europe benefits.”

TURF TANK EXPAND
To meet increased demand

The robotic line-marking company say that they have had to expand their team to keep up with increasing sales.

Turf Tank say that says of their robotic line-marker have been steadily increasing over the past 12 months, so much so that a new regional sales manager has been appointed for Scotland and Northern England.

Alan Robertson (centre) joins the turf tank team UK manager Matt Murray and Diana Durdeu

Although from a different sector of business, the company says Alan Donaldson has an industrial background with extensive sales experience, and will be looking to transfer some of that knowledge of working face to face with customers, finding solutions in a variety of different scenarios, to his new role out in the field. He has just completed an intensive first hands-on training period with UK sales manager Matt Murray in Ireland, followed by technical training and an introduction to the rest of the company during a week at the Turf Tank headquarters in Denmark.

“I am delighted to be joining such a young and forward-thinking company," said Alan. “It’s a breath of fresh air to be part of a company, which is open and honest and inclusive with what they are wanting to achieve. I feel I have come in at the perfect time. I see the momentum growing and I am delighted to be a part of this exciting project. Everyone I have met is obviously committed to the company and very enthusiastic about the future."

POLARIS ADD TO NETWORK
New dealer appointment

Dealership has two locations, both of which offer the full Polaris off-road utility lineup.

Polaris Off Road Vehicles has appointed Cornwall Farm Machinery as a new dealer covering the Cornwall area.

Having opened in 2010, Cornwall Farm Machinery has two locations in Penzance and Truro, both of which offer the full Polaris off-road utility lineup, as well as a full collection of parts and accessories.

Rob Hattam of Cornwall Farm Machinery said, “Our customers want a high quality product that they can rely on, and our experience with the Polaris brand has been very positive, so when the opportunity arose for us to find a new ATV manufacturer for our dealership, Polaris was a natural choice.

"The team at Polaris UK have been very helpful and eager to support in any way that they can - we’re excited for this new venture alongside the Polaris brand.”

Recently, the dealership hosted their annual open day that welcomed over 300 people. Aiming to invite new and existing customers to explore its range of products and showcase the manufacturers that they work with, the company say the open days proved to be a great social occasion to build and strengthen valuable relationships and demonstrate the extra mile they go to service their customers.

MANUFACTURER TO PUT SMILE ON LOCAL CHILDREN'S FACES
This Christmas

Company has donated toy pedal tractors to charity which will distribute them to the children of struggling local families this Christmas.

Basildon based UK tractor manufacturer New Holland Agriculture have donated six toy pedal tractors to the Essex based charity North Essex Support Team (NEST) which will be distributed to the children of struggling families across Essex this Christmas.

L-R: Pat Smith, New Holland business director UK & ROI and Les Nicoll, NEST founder

NEST is a small, registered charity who take direct action to assist families and individuals in need across the Essex community. Founded in 2006 by Les Nicoll who has a background of 50 years’ service with Essex County Fire and Rescue service. The charity provides families with everyday household items, furniture, clothing, adaptions within the home to facilitate the return from hospital of very sick patients or those requiring palliative care and Christmas hampers.

Les visited the New Holland plant on 2nd November to collect the pedal tractors from David Redman, tractor product specialist together with members of the New Holland marketing team. NEST will distribute the pedal tractors to the families of children who without their help may not have received any gifts this coming Christmas. In 2021 the charity gave ‘One Day Free of Poverty’ to over 350 children, ensuring they all had wrapped presents as well as a gift for the parents.

NEST chairman Les Nicoll said, “Thank you New Holland for giving these pedal tractors to us at NEST. You along with all those that are supporting us in creating One beautiful day free of poverty are helping us to make a difference this Christmas. Each one I promise will go to some of the very poorest children in our community."

Pat Smith New Holland business director UK & ROI commented, “New Holland Agriculture are delighted to assist this superb local Essex charity and we honour them for all the good works that they do. We wish all the children and families an enjoyable Christmas this year.”

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