Grass Court Maintenance Tasks from January to March is a blog on the tasks carried out between Jan-March from one of our community groundsman Leighton.
My name is Leighton Barrable, groundsman at CourtX Tennis Club, Southsea, Portsmouth. Website www.courtx.co.uk
We have 8 tournament standard grass courts, 6 artificial grass courts and 2 hard. Our club offers a yearly membership or a pay & play option. With regards to the grass courts, we are lucky enough to receive some funding from Wimbledon (AELTC) which helps with the maintenance cost.
Our grass courts host regular County level tournaments throughout the summer, the Royal Navy also practice on the grass courts in preparation for their inter-services tournament which is held on the practice courts at Wimbledon each year.
Our Men’s and Ladies teams also play their summer fixtures on the grass courts in the Portsmouth & District doubles leagues.
We host the club championships on the grass courts throughout the summer for Men’s & Ladies singles, Men’s and Ladies doubles and Mixed doubles culminating in the final’s day in early September.
In general, the grass courts are very well used by the members and on a pay & play basis for non-members.
This blog explains the maintenance duties I typically carry out on the grass courts from January to March, a quieter time where I just aim to keep the grass tidy and monitor its condition ready for a busier spring period.
I use 100% perennial rye grass on the tennis courts as this type of grass can tolerate regular close mowing; it is also rapid to establish & hardwearing and has an increased tolerance to Red Thread disease.
Tasks carried out
- Cutting
- Aeration- Carried out in October
- Nutrition
- Brushing
- Weed Control
- Machinery Servicing
Height of Cut
I like to keep the courts at 20mm using a Hayter Harrier 56 rotary mower or the Dennis G860 cylinder mower, I prefer to use the lighter Hayter Harrier mower in the winter particularly through January to February as it is more forgiving on the courts. But if conditions are dry and mild, I may also use the Dennis G860.
I alternate the cut each time, cutting length ways and then the next cut would be baseline to baseline. This ensures the grass doesn’t grow in one direction.
Brushing
I look to cut as regularly as possible as it helps to keep the moisture levels down on the grass, and keeping a nice short cut allows air and light to get into the root base this all helps to fight disease coming in. I aim to cut at least once or twice a week as conditions allow, we tend to stay mild here on the South Coast. As I am keeping the grass short, I like to cut as often as possible and not wait too long between cuts to ensure I am not taking too much grass off with each cut.
Before each cut I dew brush the courts with a walk behind brush measuring 8 feet wide, this not only helps to take the morning moisture off, but also stands the grass up ready to cut.
Even if I am not cutting, I will still brush as often as conditions allow to avoid a build-up of moisture which can lead to disease coming in. Dew brushing will also slightly stimulate the grass each time you brush.
Nutrition
The next feed for the courts will be in mid-February (last feed being in late December) this was with a granular Turf Hardener Fertiliser (3-0-3) organic based compound fertiliser containing magnesium and iron. The added iron helps harden the turf against disease and provides a green up effect but no flushes of top growth.
The feed I use in mid-February is a cold start granular fertiliser (6-0-18 +3.3MgO +2Fe). This is a high Potassium Fertiliser with some nitrogen from a nitric source for use in cooler conditions.
The fertiliser is applied using a pedestrian fertiliser spreader, going both along and across the courts. I aim to put the fertiliser on when rain is forecast for after, to help wash it in. All of my various products from grass seed, fertiliser, line marking paint etc are supplied by Rigby Taylor.
Weed Control
In terms of weed control, if necessary, I will spot weed the courts with a selective weed killer (Weedol) in a spray form.
Cutting
The courts will continue to be cut at 20mm until March, and during the winter months I will put my other equipment in for a service – my Dennis G860 cylinder mower and Toro-Greensmaster triple cylinder mower – so they are ready for the spring maintenance duties.
Leighton
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