What maintenance tasks are to be carried out on a football pitch this month?
I hope this blog delivers some football pitch maintenance advice, that is helpful to you direct from our community.
Our community groundsman answered three questions to what stage there pitch is at, and what they have planned for the next month.
Lower down the page we look at what needs doing for the month ahead on football pitches, but as you shall see from around our community.
Pitches seem to fit into few categories, renovated, not renovated, aftercare stage or staff furloughed and the pitch being left unmaintained.
What is Happening Around the Football Pitches
To see what our community groundsman have been up to, see the below comments from four of our community members.
1)Part time /full time /volunteer?
Volunteer.
2)Has your pitch been renovated or plans to be, two sentences on what’s been done or planned?
The pitch is due to be renovated starting tomorrow.
3) What’s the plans on the pitch for the next month?
Irrigation system fitted, vertidrained, topdressed with 60 ton of sand and disc seeded with 15 bags of seed, pre seed fertiliser.
4)What your number one issues on the ground at the moment?
Issue at the moment is water, sand-based pitches are struggling.
Steve Dipple- Bromsgrove Sports FC
1)Part time /full time /volunteer?
Volunteer.
2)Has your pitch been renovated or plans to be ,two sentences on what’s been done or planned?
Yes, we renovated the pitch two weeks ago and are seeing a steady germination.
3)What’s the plans on the pitch for the next month?
Mainly irrigating due to the excessive heat we have currently for April. We’re heading towards a fourth week without a whole day of rain.
4) What your number one issues on the ground at the moment?
Getting enough water on the pitch. The real difficulty with the 40 ton of sand we added during the renovation is that it dries out quickly without plenty of water!
Alex Fitzgerald -Vulcan FC
Part time /full time /volunteer?
Full Time
2)Has your pitch been renovated or plans to be, two sentences on what’s been done or planned?
We have had some primary drains installed in the problem areas where the drains where silted up. We cut the turf off first and cut out the trench, installed the drains and put the turf back on top.
3)What’s the plans on the pitch for the next month?
The plan for the pitch next month really depends on the government standings and what the efl decides to do as regards to finishing the season or voiding it.
4) What your number one issues on the ground at the moment?
Main issue on the ground at the moment is trying to maintain it whilst the club is on furlough.
Adam -Forest Green FC
More Feedback from our Community
1)Part time /full time /volunteer?
Full time
2)Has your pitch been renovated or plans to be, two sentences on what’s been done or planned?
No renovation plans as yet but I’ve reseeded the goalmouths and over bear areas.
3) What’s the plans on the pitch for the next month?
Cutting and watering is main plan really.
4) What your number one issues on the ground at the moment?
To many games on it and renovations always done too late.
Jamie -Dagenham FC
1)Part time /full time /volunteer?
Volunteer.
2)Has your pitch been renovated or plans to be, two sentences on what’s been done or planned?
Both goalmouths have been aerated, top dressed and seeded.
3)What’s the plans on the pitch for the next month?
Due to Covid-19 we are just doing the bare minimum and cutting every 4 days.
4) What your number one issues on the ground at the moment?
Lack of rainfall is the main problem due to goalmouth renovations.
Tom Banks -Kirkoswald FC
Football Pitch Maintenance Advice/Tips
Across all the above three things have been highlighted to be done or being done at the moment, these consist of the below task.
1-Cutting of the pitches at around 30-40mm, unless taking the grass down low prior to renovation works .
2-Watering of the pitches maybe putting groundsman under pressure to not water ,but as you read in this blog watering is essential-https://turfcareblog.com/why-water-nomads-diaries-week-four/
3-Renovations for a basic guide of what this consist of, take a look at this blog – https://turfcareblog.com/how-to-turn-your-football-pitch-into-a-cricket-outfield-basic-guide/
Other Possible Jobs to do on The Pitch
Thatch reduction/prevention in the form of scarification ,if renovating .If not verticutting, if grass is established and growing well.
Fertilising should be considered if the plant is not under too much heat stress and can be watered in well.
Aeration, but most of you probably have soil based pitches which are now to hard to be penetrated.
If your pitch is sand based or soft enough then aeration in Spring is good practice.
Weed control in Spring is common place but also needs to be avoided if the plant is under to much stress.
Chemical control of turf weeds is ideally done prior to renovations and needs to be carried out by a certificated operative.
For further advice click on the link –
https://www.thegma.org.uk/guidance-interim-works-your-sports-turf
Brian and Team
I hope this blog on football pitch maintenance advice and tips , was of some help.
What stage is your pitch at?
Feel free to leave a comment or two in the reply box below ,with any questions.If l do not know l will find you the answer.
