Cricket Club Groundsman's Trials and Tribulations: Core Samples

After sorting out a quotation and a collection of goods I finally got down to ground at about 3-30pm however with the extra day light I thought I could make some progress.

I have been concerned for a long while now about a fibrous layer which is only around 2" at the very most beneath the square -I only have around 2-1/2"of clay soil before the indigenous material at the best. When preparing pitches if I hold a bit of moisture at that level I get away with it. Just now I am concerned as that layer is very dry and crumbles with easy. I am also not convinced that I have given the square enough spring rolling.

So what do I do?

The real cure is to dig the whole square up and start again -the square was never laid in the first place it has just evolved over time. Obviously that is not an option unless we can obtain a grant.

Here is the first core you can see the break at the fibrous layer.

This core has a little more moisture in it and has held together well.

I took four core out two were dry at the fibrous layer and two were moist. One of the dry samples had around three spike hole in it and roots were holding it together before I forced it apart. You know where the spike holes are you get an absolute mass of roots so much so that they most be making a big contribution to fibre when the die back.

This core did not break at the interface between the clay soil and indigenous as you can see and there was no fibrous layer to be seen in it.

What will I do?

Well tomorrow I will get the hose pipe out and water the whole square all day long -I hope the treasurer does not see this post- in a hope to get some moisture in there and will then roll some more to try to consolidate the top 2" as best I can.