Green after the Snow

How green the grass looks after it has been under snow for a couple of weeks. Today I went down to ground for the first time since the snow had melted and you guessed it was under water well just about. I have just seen the forecast for tomorrow and more rain is to come with further amounts due on Thursday.The ground has been saturated since last April with reduced oxygen at the grass roots the squares I have see are struggling.

This is a little worrying at the bottom of the ground these are not of my doing. So I just wonder who has been down the ground in a vehicle the damage is only on the surface so is not a concern in its self but whats going on?

Maybe this could be something to do with it?

These frames had wheels now they don't someone has stolen them.
What a pain.

You may remember the few warm days just after the start of the year. Well I seeded the bare ends at the bottom of the square and covered with the germination sheets it then snowed on top of the sheets so they remained on for 3 weeks. I was fearing the worst, forced growth and disease I got a surprise it wasn't to bad I have got a tiny amount of germination and a little disease but overall I got away with it.
So today I threw some more seed on them (I will get some grass to grow)

There was more disease on the rest of the square than under the sheets. I didn't spray with fungicide before the snow I try to use as few chemicals as I can cause they are expensive and try do my little bit for the environment if I can. I am hope this will grow out with out having to resort to treating.

I brushed the square in two directions and decided that was about all I could do on the day.

I did notice a few worm casts so I think I will have to turn to the chemical bottle to treat them.

Here you can see the standing water, not a good sign.

A better view showing some of the new seed, I suspect the pigeons will sleep well tonight after their feed.
Coo,Coo,
Good night all.
Hodgy

Be Prepared

Well my last post was about a bit of dry before the snow well a week ago today we got some snow just a covering -yet enough to keep me off the grass at the cricket club. Well overnight and this morning a decent amount arrived and it is still snowing as I write this post 9-30am.

 View from my lounge 

View from dinning room.

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Tomorrow and Wednesday I am going to the BTME exhibition in Harrogate to see what is happening in the industry and take a look at all the fantastic new machinery that I will never be able to afford -unless I win the lottery.

http://btme.org.uk/

Although it is a Golf Greenkeepers Exhibition there is a whole host of suppliers there for the industry as a whole. 

"Groundsman Industries" will be there the company I bought my spiking machine from and I still buy replacement tines from. http://www.groundsmanindustries.com/

"Hurrells" the company who's grass seed I supply will be there. http://www.hmseeds.co.uk

The "Institute of Groundsmanship" for who I serve as local branch vice chair. http://www.iog.org/

This morning I am off into the garage to sort out the grass trial pots I have been growing -if they have thawed out that is. They have been permanently outside but I brought them in to the green house on Friday to get rid of the snow and ice they had accumulated I am taking them along to the show for Hurrell's to use as samples.

Left, Colosseum Carnac---Right, Colosseum Top Gun

While I am talking about grass seed get prepared and get some seed ready in your stores for when the snow has gone and soil temperatures start to rise. 

I can  offer you a mix that has performed the best in my trials. 

That is 50%"Colosseum" and  50%"Top Gun",  it will germinate at 5', establish quickly, have a good colour all year round, shows a resistance to disease attack, due to its endophyte content and it will also perform under low maintenance regime. 

"See what Hurrell's say"

http://www.hmseeds.co.uk

I did the trials for my use, Hurrell's and you can benefit from them.

Don't miss out on this quality product demand will be high.

This is the very best seed and is a suitable perennial rye grass f.or cricket squares.

Price £102-00 per 25 kgs 

Available now don't leave it till I have none left, remember we had a poor Autumn and grass has not done as well this year so over seeding may well be needed.

Hodgy

A Dry Day or Two Before the Snow

 Last Wednesday the 9th January saw me at Pool Cricket Club spiking the square.

Down at Pool they have a problem with Rabbits so they fence the square off as can be seen above. I was particularly pleased because they had left me a turning circle at the end so I could turn the spiker round with out damaging the end pitches, as can be seen above.

Thursday I spent with my artist colleagues painting well trying. People say Oh painting that must be very therapeutic but believe me it is a constant struggle, good for the grey matter.

Below is a painting I did back in 2008 or 09 it was rejected from an exhibition, it was one of a series of cow paintings, at a time I was thinking about the changing countryside and the effects of regulations from Brussels and that in future we may not see cows in the fields.

 

"Mucky Face"

Friday I took delivery of my new fertiliser spreader and fertilised my square at Kirkstall.

It came flat packed, so I had to assemble it, here it is in my garden all ready for the off.

The metal work is stainless steel and as you can see has pneumatic tyres with deflector plates if required if not they can be lifted out of the way. I think it is ok and will do a job but I think the name not very imaginative. What do I expect from the Chinese?

Saturday I went off up to Pudsey Congs and had a Cricket Meeting at Kirkstall in the evening, Sunday was my day of rest, 

I am getting old.

I forgot to mention on Wednesday night I attended the AGM of the Leeds/West Yorkshire Branch of the IOG the committee got voted in enblock so that means I remain Vice -deputy-whatever- Chair (that's at least two more meeting a year)

Keith Boyce or president gave us a talk and as always is very entertaining and encouraging.

Keith making his presentation at IOG Branch meeting at Cleckheaton sports club.

It was good to see some younger members present and Ryan Goulding from Headingley getting the annual branch award for his services to groundsmanship over the year. Ryan is a member of the IOG Board of Young Directors. Well done to him.

 Monday it started to snow. Here are the grass seed trials, just growing away slowly in the outside in my garden.

Woodhall Hills Golf Club, (between Leeds and Bradford) Monday

Bleak!

Friday morning I am at home waiting for more snow it came some last nigh and more is forecast today.

I am looking forward to attending the BTME Exhbition in Harrogate next week I will be there Tuesday and Wednesday. I will be able to catch up with some old friends and see what is new in the industry.

Hodgy

Cold After Warm Start to Year

After a warm and relativly dry start to the year the weather has changed to being cold with some snow here in Leeds. Last week was a good week to get some work done on squares. Monday I had meetings with Plumber and Electrician at Kirkstall. We have got a grant to sort out the ladies toilets and fit a shower and I have the job of co-ordinating the work. Tuesday I met Chris Smith regarding the flooring for same. 

In between the meetings I mowed and spiked the square and carried out some reseeding work at the bottom of the square.

 Here you can see the wheel marks from the spiker it was alittle wet and the grass had

 been flattened. I seeded with Hurrells "Cold Start" mix of Colosseum and Carnac both dwarf perennial ryes, then lightly top dressed. You may think I am barmy sowing seed in January and you may be right but look at the picture below 

This is Cold Start sown 9th Dec 2012

Sheets on.

Will continue post latter

Happy New Year

Happy New Year all I hope you have had a good Christmas and New Year and are ready for the challenges of 2013 

Things have been a little difficult since Christmas for me my wife Anne got the Flu no not man flu something much more serious woman flu and has been in bed or just laying on the settee for over a week now. I must say that I am not the best at house work washing and clearing away decorations my cooking is ok I have managed to get along and do my best. I hope she appreciates it! 

My PC got a serious various that I cant fix it was very slow anyway and I was getting pages that were not responding so frustrating, so I think it is time for a new one. I am posting this via my Laptop.

Then on New Years Day I got the very sad news that one of my very best pals Tony Harrison had passed away. We played cricket together at Woodhouse Cricket Club. He was the manager of the junior team my lads played in at Alwoodley C C. We went on holiday as families together. He was a fellow founding member of "Dads Army" the famous indoor cricket team we and our lads played in for years at the Cricket School at Headingley. In recent years I would see him most Saturdays in the Summer when Steve was playing for Kirkstall. Tony was decent Cricketer, a Golfer, Skier, and when after radio therapy he couldn't play golf he turned him self into a mean Crown Green Bowler. Quite simply Tony couldn't live without sport in his life he was out bowling on Boxing Day and I think the day after.

Tony I will miss you Old Pal. 

Today Sunday is the first day I have got out to do any work although I did pop up to Pudsey St Lawrence to fertilise the square last Wednesday. It was back up to Lawrence today to spike the square. It was very wet and the wheels made some marks in places however I had to get it done.

Above are the only photos I took. The forecast looks ok (apart from cold at end of week not much rain) for this next week so I hope to get stuck in I have a lot to do. 

Just remembered IOG branch AGM  on Wednesday we have been let down by our original speaker so our president Keith Boyce Ex Test Groundsman from Headingley is to give us a talk. Keith is always very interesting to listen to so I am looking forward to that.

I will try and keep you all posted.

Off to watch the Darts now.

Hodgy