"Its Just a Perfect Day"

I was not able to waste such a perfect day. Got down to ground around lunch time and brushed square and outfield. Then got on and spiked the square finishing off by brushing again.

First job I did was to brush the square and outfield with tractor mounted brush this is a stiff one which is almost rake like.

The field and square before I started.



Square after brushing.

Out with the groundsman spiker.

First few runs, because the grass is long about an inch long it looks like I have damaged the surface but I have only flattened the grass.

When I had spiked I brushed with the manual drag brush in both directions, to try get the grass to stand up again so if it rains it wont flatten and stick to the wet surface.

I have posted a few more photos than normal as I am going away on my holidays tomorrow so I though I would leave you all with something to look at while I am away because I will not be updating from Cuba. hopefully all the leaves will have fallen and blown away by the time I get back. 

  

Final look back before I go.

Just one more thing you may recall I spotted some disease the other day so I have arranged for my friend Martin from Complete Weed Control to spray for disease while I am away. Last year when I was away about a foot of snow fell and my square was covered for a number of weeks

when the it finally melted I had some snow mold, don't want that again or fusarium either.

See you all in just over two weeks. 

Hodgy

Friday

Not much to report on groundwork. I went to the Galvanisers in the morning to collect some brush frame we are making. Its absolute chaos at the place, the guys just appear to ignore you and its hard to understand  any system they are working too, after about half an hours wait watching wagons unload come and go I finally got my frames. What a waste of time.

When I got back to the club with the frames Phil from Brushes North West my partner in this project was waiting for me. Just look at his happy face you would have thought he would have been pleased to see me! that's just the effect I have on people.

You can see these frames with all the brushes/rakes fastened and even watch them on You-tube http://www.brushesnorthwest.com/

Clive (sorry not got his photo) my friend from Pool Cricket Club called to collect a bag of seed. He has just had his outfield Verti-Drained and wants to try get some grass growing in weak areas. So I ordered him a bag of Colosseum the cold season seed from Harrell's it is imported from New Zealand and will germinate at 5 degrees. It is an Perannual Ryegrass as opposed to the Annual type that Barenbrugs and Johnson are supplying that means its not just for winter green up it will survive.  

http://hmseeds.co.uk/products/cold-start/colosseum-coldstart/

All the info is on the Harrell's web site I act as an agent for them in the West Yorkshire area.

We have been awarded a ECB grant to fit a new Boiler and Cylinder the whole project is about £3000-00 and they are contributing around £750-00. This all means that I have had to clear out some things from our top garage including my Sisis Veri-Seeder. You can see the mess that the place is in, it needs a good clear out, one thing that was emphasized on the Health and Safety CPD day earlier in the week- house keeping.

By the time I finished clearing things away and rearranging it was dark -another day gone.

CPD Day

Been at Cleckheaton CC today on a CPD day with the morning taken up with Impact of  Health and Safety for County Pitch Advisers and the afternoon with a talk by Alan Lewis on Soil Sampling Techniques and Managing Newly Constructed Cricket Squares.

Alan Lewis with his soil sampler.

Taking a core out we left him too it the sign said to keep off the grass.

Inspecting the sample.

Taking a sample from the outfield with an Auger just about 4"-5" beneath the surface the profile was totally dry. The top 3" or so of thatch was holding all the moisture. 

Am I nodding off there? Well it was just after lunch.

I uploaded this picture and got to thinking what the collective noun is for groundsmen?

Maybe

 a descent of groundsmen

a grouch of groundsman

a mischief of groundsmen

or

a kettle of groundsmen

Any suggestions?

On my Travels

Today I have been to a local club to spike their square below are some photos

This is the square on arrival.

Lots of worm casts the problem here is that they are bringing poor soil to the surface and upsetting the levels that need to be maintained I recommended that they get this problem sorted out sooner rather that later.

I got a little lifting in one or two areas just on one end of the square. I understand nothing like last autumn when they used an old Patterson drum spiker, it rolled the lot up.

Some parts were a little short of grass and moss was getting in, They need to concentrate on grass growth maybe over seeding weak areas a couple of weeks after the main autumn work/seeding its hard for moss to get hold where there is a good cover of grass.

Back at my ground sun shining -what a difference that makes- square brushed in both direction. A happy grumpy old groundsman. Is that a contradiction in terms?

Even the weak ends are beginning to fill in now thanks to the over seeding completed a while ago.

Fruits of my labours apples from surrounding trees, mushrooms from compost heap . If I had time for a cooked breakfast these big boys would be on my plate in the morning. Talking about tomorrow Wednesday I will be at Cleckheaton for a continued professional development (CPD) day for pitch adviser's. Health and Safety morning, "Soil sampling" and "Managing newly constructed squares" in the afternoon with Paul Bannister and Alan Lewis respectively. So may be no update Wednesday or Thursday as that's a Painting day. 

Finally I am not sure if anyone is reading this blog I have only had a few comments however it has been on line for around a month now and today it has acheived 500 visits worth the effort? You tell me?

BT Monday

Today I had the BT volunteers down again. They got the new sight screens painted, finished off painting club house doors, painted scorebox door and cleared some leaves up. I had to leave them on there own for a time while I went to the fabricators to collect some brush frames and take them to the galvanisers.

How many BT Engineers dose it take to paint a sight screen?

Leaf clearing.

 Club Chairman Nick giving a helping hand, thank you Nick

Last post I was saying that I was clear of disease however it can appear over night and look what I found on the square today Fusarium Patch. So I brushed and mowed it to try get some air through it and dry the plant leaf I only had the odd patch so I am not reaching for the chemicals just yet

As straight as a dogs back leg.

Job done.

  

These last two photos show the new seed just coming through under the trees I lose this grass nearly every year. It is shaded, dry, part of the turning circle of the mowing machine and just for good measure it gets covered in leaves.

Saturday

Saturday I had to replace some roofing felt on my garden hut at home, that took up all of the morning and in to the afternoon. I finally got down to the ground at about 2-30 pm which left me with only a small window to get on with some work. I decided to mow the net area with the rotary mower, which would also pick up the leaves, however I found that the blade was hitting the side of the metal frame. So out came the spanners to fix it. That sorted I realised that I needed so more petrol, so I had to put every thing away lock up and go the the petrol station. What a nuisance to put it mildly! Oh the frustrations! Yes I should have filled it when I used the last drop but that's life get on with it David!

At last I got going, the conditions were a little on the wet side however I did want to get all the leaves up and the grass topped so I went for it.

Job done, this photo was taken with the flash on it was so dark that is why the foreground looks so light coloured.

While I was down  I had my usual inspection of the square and I am pleased to report that the areas that had the oil damage from the vandalism we experienced way back in the summertime is starting to get a cover of grass as you can see from the pictures.

I am also pleased to say that I have no disease despite the mild damp week we have just had.

This photo is the same area on the 24th October so you can see how it is now filling in well. This is a relief as I was thinking that I would still have a bare area next spring.