Poor Week for Ground Work/ Where has the Week Gone?

Well what can I say? So far this week I have not done any groundwork Monday I had the BT guys the a couple of wet days when I was doing paper work I went to the IOG meeting Wednesday night, Thursday painting all of a sudden its Friday.
 This morning I attended a meeting with Ian Powell and Rod Heyhoe from the Yorkshire Cricket Board Groundsman Association (YCBGA) it only lasted 3 hours we were planing the seminar and AGM for next March.

Rod invited me to his ground at Lightcliffe C C in the afternoon. He had it Korroed (like Pool C C in the last post) and was concerned about the grass cover or lack of it. His square was seeded with a disc seeded which is quick and good for placing the seed below the surface in contact with the soil, however the draw back is that although it had been seeded in many directions bare cubes remained and Rod is a little worried about these areas and thinks they may still be a problem next spring. We had a good long chat and he arrived at a plan to get some fertiliser and liquid iron on as soon as he can to try bulk up the root system which would give it a better start when conditions warm up in the spring time. The iron will also have the benefit of hardening the grass and knocking back the moss which could invade the bare patches it will also slightly acidify the soil which will discourage worms.

Henry Bechelet entertaining and informing  the IOG West Yorkshire Branch at Cleckheaton on Wednesday night. Sorry about the photos I had not had a drink I promise they are just meant to be in 3D!!!!

A very misty damp Lightcliffe

We took a core out so we could see how far the roots had got down.

Here you can see the roots of the new grass plant they are about an inch long, sorry for you young un's 25mm

now the question is will the surface hold together sufficiently to spike?

Spiking will create holes for the roots to follow which is what we want but dare we spike?

I think a test run is in order as spiking will be a real benefit.

You can see the cubing effect well on this photo.

Rod has been digging out the old drains, put down some sixty odd years ago he needs to link the surface with the drains and as they have been back filled with ordinary soil he may well have a big job on here.

Before I arrived at the ground I was thinking that I would over seed the square, however the ground is exposed and I guess higher than I am at Kirkstall it was a full overcoat colder, I was not convinced that he would get a worthwhile benefit from seeding at the moment better to wait till rolling next spring and roll a bag full into the surface or better still sarel roll then seed brushing it into the spike holes before rolling in.

It good to visit other ground so we can all learn from each other. Thanks Rod.
Wow where has the week gone?