Something New

Off today to spike the bowling green at Crossgates, then on to Whitkirk to spike for a second time.

Green looking tidy and freshly mown on my arrival. I deep scarified this green in mid/late October the club then seeded and top-dressed. We where fully aware that it was late in the season to carry out such work but with the mild autumn good germination was achieved and apart from a little damage from fungal disease the green looked well.

Spike holes 3/8 dia to a depth of around 3".

These two photos show a shaded corner of the green the grass always struggles here. I did get some lifting in this corner-I think the edges would benefit from some hand spiking so that heavy machinery need not damage delicate young plants.

Here you can see some of the fungal damage it looks promising though the grass appears to be recovering.

 Job done and its off to Whitkirk C C to spike for a second time this winter.

Whitkirk C C on my arrival.

I was please to find that the square had been treated for worms since my last visit -15th Nov see  post "On my Travels" http://hodgygroundsman.blogspot.com/2011/11/on-my-travels.html they now plan to treat with weed feed and moss killer when the grass wakes up and starts to grow. You can see the moss in the above photos.

I think I would be digging these bad boys out and filling hole with loam and seed other wise there will be a bare area when it has gone.

Job done lets go.

Back to the "Field of Dreams" I thought it was time to get some liquid iron and seaweed on so I filled the sprayer and got on with the job.

As I was working away the Red Kite appeared overhead -remember we are in the middle of Leeds in what is called Inner City.

He was quite high in the sky, they say that Red Kite only eat carrion -so he must have thought I was about to keel over.

I have been asked about pegs for pegging down sheets. Above are the pegs I have had made they are multi purpose I use them for the sheets and the boys use them for pegging the guy lines on the portable nets that they put up on match days to hit against. You will see that they are painted yellow that is so I can see them when they are left out and I don't run over them with the mower and need a new bottom blade and a cylinder regrind costing a fortune believe me it happens.

Here you can see that I have had a square plate welded on to the top -that is to give a good surface area to clamp the sheet down and not pull the rings out of the sheets.

I hope this is of help ... and interesting to others.