November Rugby Union Diary 2004.

Laurence Gale MScNov 02, 2004in Rugby

November Rugby Union Diary

By Laurence Gale MSc

Many parts of the country have been experiencing spells of heavy rain with some places receiving in access of 60mm within three days. This deluge of water on poorly drained pitches will certainly affect the playing surfaces, especially if they are being played on during these wet periods.

Playing on saturated pitches will certainly result in surface damage. Soils, when saturated, lose their stability and strength. Damage from 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 dependant upon the soil type and the ability of the top 100mm to drain quickly.

To help keep the top 100mm free draining a programme of surface aeration is necessary. This is achieved by regular spiking with solid/slit tines to a depth of 150mm or more when conditions allow. There are other specialist machines that can help with improving surface drainage for example the Blec Ground breaker and the versatile vertidrain machines that are now available. See article on Aeration

Most of the tasks detailed can be undertaken within a limited budget. Local conditions and circumstances will need to be taken into account. The Rugby Football Union are currently awarding grants to rugby clubs to improve their facilities. Details and application forms can be obtained from the following link Community Rugby Capital Award Fund

If any members are undertaking any specific work not detailed, please let us know by adding a comment in the section below the diary.

November tasks for Rugby Union
Task	Frequency	Reason
Aeration	When conditions allow	Hand or machine aeration to aid surface drainage, varying depths of penetration to prevent the development of a soil pan. As last month, if there is opportunity to aerate, then do it. Regular autumn aeration provides air space for the roots to expand into and the plant to breathe. Achieving an improved root system will stand you in good stead for the coming winter months.
Brushing/ sweeping	Daily/weekly	To remove dew and remove surface debris. Using a brush or a SISIS quadraplay will restore levels and produce striping or banding aesthetics.
Disease	Daily/weekly	Keep and eye on fungal disease attack, and use approved fungicides to treat infected areas. Early morning dew on playing surfaces often promotes the chance of disease attack. Regular brushing off the dew will help prevent an attack of turf disease.
Drainage	Weekly	Inspect drainage outfalls, channels and ditches. Ensure that they are working.
Fertiliser programme	If grass shows signs of stress (weak growth, discoloured)	Fertiliser treatment and turf tonics can be continued in accordance with your annual programme. If you haven't got a fertiliser programme, have your soil tested; try an independent soil analysis company for an impartial set of results. Generally, no fertiliser applications are made during the winter months, as plant growth has slowed down. However, some groundstaff may apply a dose of liquid iron to colour up and provide some strength to the grass plant during the winter months.
Goal posts	Weekly	Inspect goal posts and sockets to check they are safe and secure.
Grooming/ verticutting	As required	Grooming and verticutting are operations that remove unwanted side growth and reduce the amount of debris in the sward. These operations are completed in conjunction with your mowing regimes. Brushing the pitch in the opposite direction prior to cut will produce a cleaner finish and a healthier sward when used in partnership with verti-cutting.
Harrowing/ raking	When conditions allow	Helps to restore levels and keep surfaces open.
Irrigation equipment	As required	The need for irrigation has been greatly reduced. Lower temperatures and early morning dews have increased the humidity of the air above the turf surface, thus reducing evaportranspiration rates (ET). If you do have to irrigate then it is important to irrigate uniformly, ensuring the right amount of water is applied. Ensure that the water gets deep into the root-zone to encourage deep rooting. Allowing areas to dry out can lead to dry patch, a condition that prevents water infiltration into the soil, thus forming areas of non-uniform turf quality.
Litter/debris	Daily/Weekly	Inspect and remove debris from playing surface litter or any wind blown tree debris, litter, twigs and leaves.
Machinery (Repairs and maintenance)	Daily/Weekly	Inspect and clean machinery after use; service and repair damaged machinery.
Marking out	As Required	Check with the sports governing body (RFU) for any amendments to the laws and markings of the pitch. Care should be taken when initially marking out new lines, ensuring that they are true, straight and measured correctly, using the 3,4,5 method to achieve accurate angles. There are a number of machines available for marking out lines, wheel to wheel, spray jet, dry liners and aerosol markers. The choice will be dependent on cost, efficiency and the type of line you want. See link for marking materials and equipment Ensure the machine is clean and ready for use.
Mowing	As required	Maintain sward height at 25mm-75mm. The top height will cushion heavy falls on hard ground. Ensure your mowing blades are kept sharp and well adjusted. Cutting grass in very wet conditions can often be detrimental to the playing surface. The mowers may smear and damage the surface especially when turning. The quality of cut can be affected if the grass is very wet.
Seed bare & worn areas	When conditions allow	Seeding of sparse or bare areas can still be carried out. Rye grasses will still germinate in November without the aid of germination sheets. Use germination sheets to aid the process of germination but remove the sheets regularly to check for diseases. Remember that without good seed to soil contact the operation is useless. Ensure you use new seed as old seed may not give you the required germination rates.
Soil tests	Ideally once or twice a year, or as required.	Soil sampling is an important part of Groundsmanship. The results will enable the manager to have a better understanding of the current status of his soil and turf. There are many tests that can be undertaken, but usually the main tests to consider are: Particle Size Distribution (PSD) this will give you accurate information on the soil type and it's particle make up, enabling you to match up with appropriate top dressing materials and ensuring you are able to maintain a consistent hydraulic conductivity (drainage rate) of your soil profile. Soil pH, it is important to keep the soil at a pH of 5.5-6.5, a suitable level for most grass plants. Organic matter content, it is important to keep a balanced level of organic matter content in the soil profile. Nutrient Levels. Keeping a balance of N P K nutrients within the soil profile is essential for healthy plant growth. Once you have this information you will be in a better position to plan your season's feeding and maintenance programmes.

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