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Cricket Square Tasks for April includes cutting, rolling, verticutting and generally the start of real preparation on the square and outfield, prior to the first games.
Cutting
Cylinder mow at around 12-15 mm in (HOC), keeping the squares within this range will help prevent turf disease and also help keep a dense grass canopy aiming to cut 1-2 times a week. This range can be longer, but it gives you some idea. If the square is much longer, take your time to get to this HOC range, avoid hacking the square down and the risk of stressing the plant.
Verticutting
This is a good month to start a bi-weekly or monthly verticutting, the aim is to thin out horizontal growth, which in turn creates a more density upright grass canopy. Verticutting is designed to work just a couple of millimetres above the soil surface, to prevent soil scaring.
Verticutting is also good practice to remove dead leaf material and for the use of thinning out of pitches, always with the collection of clippings.
Nutrition
The more vigorously the grass grows the more fertiliser inputs will be required. Once the nutrition reserves start to lower the grass plants will start to yellow. this will be a indication of the of nutrients specifically nitrogen. Temperatures and grass growth should peak and the use of a Spring/Summer fertiliser will be required.
Moss
The use of iron sulphur can knock back moss and then can removed by raking, light brushing, scarification/verticutting (avoiding soil contact more than 1-2 mm in depth) followed by overseeding into any bare areas.
Pitch Preparation
This involves the identification of the pitch your going to use, the cutting, thinning and watering, as required followed by rolling with the aim of drying out the pitch by match day. This can be over a period of 1-3 weeks depending on the time of year. more likely to be 2-3 weeks in the early season.
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Watering
Whether pitch or square watering it is vital to keep water levels up, this will ensure the grass recovers quicker after usage and prevent the square becoming hydrophobic.
Once a square becomes hydrophobic, water will just puddle and struggle to infiltrate into the soil profile, this tends to happen during the hotter times of the year.
Watering thoroughly during pitch preparation works will ensure the soil compacts well and the plants and root stays alive. This will also prevent soil crumbling excessively, which in turn would limit the life of the pitch and inhibit its recovery after.
A general guide to watering is to apply heavily, as shallow watering can encourage an lazy shallow rooted grass plant, a challenge to those with low water pressure.
Marking out of Pitches
Whether using string line and a straight edge or a marking out frame, ensure whatever you use is straight and looks right and within ECB recommendations on measurements.
Overseeding
Spring and renovations are the main overseeding periods, along with seeding after pitch usages to restore grass coverage. Creating pockets for seed to live in 10-15 mm deep, where bare by use of a sarel roller or even a thinly ended prong garden fork. Lightly scatter the seed and gently brush the seed into the created holes.
Loam is only required if you’re looking to top up the area in general, but if using can be gently brushed into the holes, but this is optional as the holes should close up naturally if the soil is moist and especially in and around PSR.
Avoid an application of Fe (iron) or iron contained within fertiliser, around overseeding once the young plants are at their youngest (one leaf stage). I would recommend seeding during the late stages of pre-season rolling or after, this will minimise rolling stress on the young grass plants once germinated.
Pre Season Rolling
Is done to reaffirm the square after winter weather elements, such as rain and frosts gently re decompacted the soil profile. Pre-season rolling should be done over a period of weights and time, increasing the weight of the machines as the soil dries.
Worm Castes
If the grass grows well, manage ideally by cultural management techniques, such as drag matting and brushing when the castes are at their driest. Worm caste managemnt should get easier as the soil starts to dry out during spring.
For more information-https://turfcareblog.com/how-to-control-worms-on-sports-pitches/
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