Alternative Solutions

Dec 18'

Alternative Solutions

As we head into the new year, the weather has been wet and mild creating ideal conditions for disease outbreaks which we have had at the Training Ground, although the Portman Rd pitch is keeping relatively clear this year.

Three pitches of ten are now chemical free at the training ground and we are treating them with nutrient feeds, looking at different options from different suppliers. The first team pitches are still on our fungicide treatments. 

We don't apply preventative sprays largely due to the cost, as this money is used with the aim to create a stronger plant to resist or recover from disease outbreaks. Chemicals are being banned every year now and the options to choose from are becoming fewer. Propiconazole is the latest active ingredient to be given a use by date of March 2020. We use it in Banner Maxx, a systemic for when the turf is actively growing and has been our go to for many years as it controls 18 diseases. 

Although companies will develop replacement chemicals, I have no doubt they will be less effective and still cost a fortune. The plan is still to go 100% chemical free long before the last fungicides to control disease is banned, but finding the best alternative solution is still on going and probably always will be.

The Stadium pitch is now starting to have a winter appearance with natural thinning in the areas without the artificial light. The turf takes a bit more damage from games and the pre-match warm up areas are noticeable on the cameras. 

22nd December

The game on the 22nd of December was the turning point. we had had 11mm of rain on the Thursday, which was fine as the pitch needed some moisture in it, but we had another 5mm on the Friday night that wasn't forecast, 12 hours before KO, which left the top with just a little too much moisture in and some surface damage occurred during the game.  

 

We are seeing massive benefits from the grow lights at the stadium, even the home made rig with 400w bulbs is making quite an impact. This one is left in the same position all of the time covering about 40sqm in the south goal mouth. we are covering as much of the pitch as we can with the other lights which covers 530sqm at any one time. The 1000w bulbs of the MU50 and LU120 have a bigger impact than the old MU360, which used to be at the old Highbury Stadium. We have had it for about 5 years now and it is still doing a good job.

Dense turf in the south goal mouth from the home made rig 

The last couple of weeks have seen a reduction in rainfall and it is easier to get on to work on the academy pitches. Timing is everything, not wanting to put machinery onto pitches which aren't quite fit for it, but also having to pressure to deliver the presentation expected. 

Another alternative solution to traditional aeration is an air injector from Bury Turf Care, which is the same principal as the Air2G2, but you can chose when to and how many times you release the shot of air. We found our demonstration very successful, relieving a compaction at 6 inch depth from an academy pitch which we were struggling to deal with even with regular aeration. I have them booked in for a days work on a couple of problem areas which have never drained adequately.

January will hopefully be a quiet month with only two fixtures scheduled at Portman Rd, but an U18's FA Cup might be scheduled depending on their result at Gillingham. 

I always see January as the month to get through in as good as condition as possible so when February is on us, we are on count down to hopefully some longer sunshine hours in March.