'Common maintance activities'
An overview table of the benefits of the more common maintenance activities for natural turf pitches is shown below. Also see the glossary of terms for more detailed definitions and points to be considered.
These activites need to be seen against the yearly programme of sporting fixtures, the seasonal growing season and variation in the weather.
See the separate section for Cricket, Football, Rugby League and Rugby Union on this web site.
| Overview of common maintenance activities | ||
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| Benefits to natural turf pitches |
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| Aeration
| · Encourage new root growth · improve drainage / infiltration · Improve root depth · Improve nutrition uptake · Improve health of soil |
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| Mowing | · Improve general health · Stimulate leaf growth · Improve appearance · Achieve the recommended (PQS) sward height · Reduce weeds |
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| Fertilizers | · To supplement the essential macronutrients ( mostly Nitrogen, Phosphorus and potassium) that plants need to grow |
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| Irrigation | · To supplement the natural rainfall · To prevent damage caused by excessive dryness · To encourage growth · To achieve the recommended performance quality standard (PQS) |
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| Top Dressing
| · Smoothing the surface · Help thatch control · Improve/ renovate the soil · To improve the drainage, · To protect grass over winter |
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| Over seeding | · Improve general health |
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| Weed control | · Improve general health |
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| Pest control | · Improve general health |
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| Disease control | · Improve general health
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| Scarification | · Improve general health
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