After England’s disappointing performance in the World Cup, it’s more important than ever to encourage the next generation of potential football stars to get onto the pitch. But what if your local patch of grass isn’t quite up to the task? If your sports field is looking a little worn and in need of some TLC, these top tips for the perfect pitch could be just the job.
Photo by Ben Sutherland / CC BY
Identify underlying problems
Do you suffer from poor drainage, leaving parts of your pitch waterlogged? Do you have any significant low or high points? Drainage issues might require you to bring in an expert, but a lot of problems can be fixed relatively easily and cheaply. For example, buying in a load of top soil to fill a hole, or hiring a mini-digger to scrape off any high points. Fix these issues now and you’ll benefit for years to come.
Cover up those bald spots
The most common issue that always needs addressing is bare patches, where the grass has been worn away by regular use. This most frequently happens around areas like the goals and centre which see a lot of traffic. The best approach here is to break up the bare surface with a rake, bring in some fresh top soil, tamp in down to prevent too much settling and then you’re ready to reseed and fertilize.
Air out your roots
One of the most important and frequently overlooked ways to keep your grass healthy is to keep it aerated or “aerified” as it’s sometimes known. Aeration is simply the process of making holes in the pitches surface, usually using an inexpensive aeration tool readily available from garden centres and lawn care specialists. The purpose of aeration is to let carbon dioxide out of the soil and get oxygen in. This helps stimulate healthy root growth and healthy roots means healthy grass.
Don’t skimp on the watering
Unsurprisingly, maintaining top quality grass requires plenty of watering, which also stops your pitch becoming too hard to play on. Of course, you could wander back and forth with a watering can, but to maintain a consistently green pitch (and save your back) some form of sprinkler system is advised. Watering at night reduces water loss from evaporation and prevents grass burning in the sun, however, some say this can lead to fungus growth and early morning saturation is better. It all depends what works for you and your pitch.
Give it a feed
Finally, it can’t be overstated how important it is to treat your grass regularly with top quality lawn care products, in particular, fertilisers. Although your lawn at home might look okay without regular feeding, grass that needs to look match-fit while getting pounded by dozens of boots really needs a helping hand to stay in tip-top condition. Speak to one of our specialists today and we can help you find the perfect product to give you the World Cup class pitch you deserve!
