Crowhurst Cricket Club

Crowhurst Cricket Club Pitch Maintenance

This page has been dedicated to members who regulary look after the square. It contains details of the repair techniques after every week of play and advice given to the club via Mike Hone from people such as Andy McKay who is groundsman at Sussex County Ground and Mr Bourne at Bournes of Newenden.
Fertiliser, loam and grass seed is sourced from Bournes at Newenden. Use fertiliser as stated. The loam is Surrey loam which contains 28percent clay.

Pre Season

1. Use the raker to clear any moss and thatch but be sure not to damage the surface as this will lead to cracking when it dries out.
2. Feed with fertiliser such as 12-2-10 as late as possible before the season to include a moss killer(fe) if moss is a problem. This is best done when the grass is growing vigorously, March/April.
3. Mow the square over several weeks prior to the season and weather permitting, lowering the mowing height towards the start of the season
4. Leave the 5ft area a bit longer when mowing to allow for bowler wear.
5. Roll the square as much as possible in all directions. It cannot be rolled enough especially before it hardens.
6. Do not aerate at the start of the season only the end of season.
7. don`t roll the outfield unless it is really bad where cars have driven over the soft ground creating ruts.

Pitch Repair

The pitch requires repair after each weekend or match. The wickets and any scuff marks are repaired by the following process. In addition the pitch requires regular light scarifying through out the season to help keep the moss and clover at bay.

1. Mow the used strips to remove any scuffed grass etc.
2. Sweep the wicket to remove debris. Take the debris away.
3. Lightly rake the damaged area to rough up the soil
4. Spike the area with a fork to allow some of the grass seed to germinate deeper
5. Evenly cover with grass seed
6. Spread with the palm of your hand so grass seed and soil mix forcing some grass seed into the spiked holes.
7. Cover with Surrey loam
8. Make level with levelling tool and tamp down
9. If playing a lot of games in a short period, cover the seeded area with carpet matting to encourage germination. Peg matting to prevent movement in the event of wind.
10. Water the entire repaired strips.
11. Water all other wickets.
12. Water the whole square regularly through the season. During very hot periods it needs watering daily to prevent the grass dying. Leave a couple of days prior to a match to allow the playing surface to dry and harden

Pitch Feeding

The whole of the square is fed once every six weeks during the season using the following process. I would use the Moss, Weed and Feed killer to keep the clover and other weeds at bay.

1. Use the Black and Decker dispensing tool
2. Fill dispenser to the brim
3. Walk briskley up and down the wicket in the direction of the wicket.
4. Refill the dispenser and this time walk across the square
5. Two dispensers full should be adequate

End of season, Putting the square to bed for the Winter

The establishment of your seed will be much improved if you add a pre-seeder fertiliser such as 3.12.12 or 8.10.8 or 7.7.10 or 10,10,10 etc. i.e. something with a good balance of (N)Nitrogen, (P)Phosphate, (K)Potash, (make sure it doesn't contain iron at this stage). Ideally you would put this on immediately before adding the topdressing(loam), but it isn't too late to do it after, though you will have to pick your moment as you certainly don`t want to walk on wet topdressing! it sticks to your boots like glue.

1. Scarify the square to remove any thatch. Make as many passes as required to remove the thatch 6 or 7. Allow the scarifier to cut the surface.
2. Scarify in multiple directions. Use a union jack style using slight angles. Try to avoid scarifying at right angles as this can create lumps.
3. Mow with a rotary mower in both directions to clear any debris left by the scarifier.
4. Add some loam to any heavily scarified areas to replace what you have taken out.
5. Aerate all over using the spiked roller if the ground is soft enough. (Two people or I have towed it with the ride on mower when on my own)
6. Apply pre seeder fertiliser but don't over fertilize as it can kill the seed germination.
7. Seed all over. We use Barenburg Extreme from Bournes/Gardenscape in Newenden.
8. Apply winter dressing of Surrey loam to the whole of the square. Level as you go using the levelling tool. The more people to help the easier this job is.
9. It is usually raining that time of year and the ground is pretty damp anyway so there is no need to water, however, if it is a really dry autumn then keep watering until the seed is well established, but try and do it from off the square if that makes sense so your not trampling over your nice levelled ground. The wet loam will stick to your boots like glue.
10. You can mow the square if required when the grassplant is approx. 40mm high however a gentle pull on the grass leaf will confirm if the grass has rooted, if the leaf tears then it has rooted but if the root pulls out of the ground then leave a bit longer before mowing.
11. The height of cut should be gradually reduced to your winter mowing height of 15 to 20mm. The square should be maintained at this height all winter. To be honest I have never mown the square in winter because the recreation ground is to boggy or flooded.

Winter Maintenance

There are various thoughts on this depending on who you speak to. Some advise not to touch the square after putting to bed until pre season and other suggest keeping it fertilised. I don't think either is wrong but you have to decide depending on what the growing conditions are. If conditions allow, regular tining is a good thing to allow oxygen to the roots as this is when the roots grow most as there is no top growth.

1. The square will still need occasional fertilising through winter, though with much lower nitrogen inputs. If you use something with iron in it will help to keep moss at bay. Most people neglect the square through winter, however, it is suggested applying something like 4.0.8 +4%fe at a rate of 35g/m2 every six to eight weeks from mid November onwards. Other fertilizer suggestions are 3-6-8 or 4-8-10 in January so you are ready for the spring fertilizer.
2. Regular solid tine spiking (when conditions allow) will help your roots achieve good depth as well as contributing to the drainage of the square during the wet months. Do not aerate later than mid January.
3. Winter mowing height of 15 to 20mm. The square should be maintained at this height all winter. It maybe best to use a rotary mower

Worms

Other issues to consider are worms. They need to be treated at the first sign of the casts. Suggestion is once in early November and again in January or February. Use Purity soil conditioner as it apparently has good resuts and use as soon as you see the worm casts.

Machinery

I have usually maintained the machinery myself where possible or if not we have used Battle Mowers for parts etc.

1. Ransom mower height setting. To lower the height turn the adjusting knob anti- clockwise
2. Roller. In case you may not be aware, when turning the ignition switch 'on' to start the engine a yellow light comes on. When the engine is started, gradually raise the engine revs until the light goes out. When this happens the relay has pulled in and the battery is being charged. The revs can now be reduced right down; the relay will not drop out. During the close season, remove the battery and drain the radiator to prevent frost damage as we don't use antifreeze in the engine.
3. Scarifiers. Use the Doric (orange)scarifier for heavier work with the cutting blades. The Hyandai scarifier is set up for raking and is used to remove moss and thatch pre season and preparing a wicket so as not to damage the playing surface.