Turf Preparation

Before commencing a maintenance activity on a turf surface it is desirable, if not essential, to check the surface is suitable to receive that activity. The condition of the ground and whether it is suitable for the activity must be considered because carrying out an activity whilst conditions are totally unsuitable can cause serious damage and harm to the longevity of playing conditions, often requiring repair work to help rectify the damage done, often not fully but just temporarily, until a proper renovation can be carried out at the end of the season. The condition of the ground can also influence the type of equipment which is needed, for example, if the ground is not too hard then the use of slit tine aeration might be suitable, whilst for harder ground the use of solid or hollow tines might be needed.

Checking the condition of the sward is important. If the sward is weak, thin and poorly rooted then this can influence the type of equipment or activity. For example, the use of a deep spiker may be unsuitable where rooting is poor as this can effectively roll up and tear apart the turf. The intensity of an activity would also be adjusted according to the sward condition. For example, a thin sward might only have a light scarification applied, whilst a sward with a dense layer of thatch might require and be able to sustain the intensity of a deeper more severe scarification.

Make sure the sward is clear of debris as this would otherwise interfere with the effectiveness of the activity, possibly damaging the turf surface, and might also be a hazard, causing potential harm or injury to the operator, bystanders / passers-by, the equipment itself, or adjacent property or features.

Are weather conditions suitable for the activity? The ground conditions might be ideal, but if the temperature is cold, or there is a prevailing dry spell, or if it is outside of the normal period when an activity might take place, then it may not be suitable to carry out the activity. For example, if heavy scarification is carried out when the grass is not growing, and/or is under stressful conditions, and therefore will not be able to recover from the score marks, then the turf is not prepared to receive the activity, so do not carry it out. The timing of aeration practices is also strongly influenced by weather conditions and the time of year. For example, the use of slit tines is often limited during the late spring and summer r time due to the likelihood of slits opening up in drier weather.

Have prior activities been carried out to properly prepare the turf for the desired activity? For example, a granular fertiliser would only want to be applied if adequate rootzone moisture was available in which the nutrients could go into the soil solution for uptake by the grass plant. Is some form of aeration required beforehand to help the incorporation of the fertiliser into the surface and rootzone? If a grass seed is to be oversown onto a sward then the application of a fertiliser, typically 7-10 days prior to overseeding, can improve establishment rates as nutrients are already available within the soil solution, in contrast to fertiliser application being given at the same time as overseeding.