A well maintained turf is a sight to behold. Building and maintaining a sports field is a science on its own. Every product and effort that goes into creating a sports turf is guided by various unique conditions of a particular site.
Ben Corby, Sports Turf Manager and Agronomist at Desert Group throws light on the various factors that influence turf management program.
Climate
Temperature fluctuations from chilly single-digit figures to soaring beyond 50 degrees combined with humidity puts plants of the region under multiple kinds of stress. Warm-season turf does not go fully dormant during the colder months of winter, but the growth rate diminishes drastically. This can be managed by over-seeding the fields with cool-season variety of perennial ryegrass to cope with the cooler weather and increased usage of turf during the game season. Turfgrass grows faster in summer and therefore the maintenance team has to pace up to keep the field in mint condition and prepare for the upcoming season. Verticutting, aeration and topdressing are some methods for effective upkeep and maintenance.
Irrigation
Irrigation is the heart of turf management. Developing a quality turf is not possible without a proper irrigation system in place. There are different watering methods in place ranging from sprinklers to guns. Watering has to suit the particular requirements of the species of grass used. Breakages in irrigation system or water shortages can all have a detrimental effect on turf quality and the magnitude of the effect can worsen during summer months. Water quality is another major roadblock in irrigation, with a lot of sites turning to treated effluent water which contains higher solids and nutritional values. Timely management of salt build-up caused due to high saline water is critical to the survival of your turf.
Nutrition
A systematic feeding regimen is vital to maintaining healthy turf. Sand based construction and frequent watering often result in leaching of nutrients. At Desert Turfcare, we conduct soil/leaf tests to identify any deficiencies or imbalance in fertilizing and take corrective measures accordingly. Timing of application and composition of fertilizers suited to the site and grass are important factors in proper fertilizing regimen.
Usage
This is probably one of the most challenging aspects of sports field maintenance. The one question that we are sure to be asked by all our clients is how many hours in a week can the field be used. The answer to this question cannot be given in terms of a fixed number since it depends on a lot of factors like grass species, sport being played, coach/manager, drills/training, timings, current/past maintenance inputs, footwear being used, rest period, rotation etc.We can help you minimize the wear and tear through increased maintenance inputs, training the coaches and manager on correct practices in turf usage, rotation and timing rest period.
Pest/disease/weed
The dearth of natural greenery and constant usage of heavy-duty floodlights attracts insect attacks on turf. Desert Turfcare monitors our turfs constantly by performing flushes, and visual sifting through the profile. Identifying the threshold number is key. Pests are always present but when it hits a pre-determined point, we undertake measures to treat the turf using registered products. We also set preventive treatments in place in cases where we are certain about the pest attack bound to happen.
Turfgrass diseases can occur at any time. Nutritional/maintenance inputs and climatic conditions are most often the aggravating agents. Here again, Desert Turfcare strives to set up preventive maintenance and irrigation practices and correct product/rate application.
Weeds are undesirable species of grass that can spread over the field and kill the turf-grass. Weeds can be an inherent issue or due to contamination on turf from new seed, drift, machinery, or organic fertilizers. Higher wear areas are found to be most susceptible to weeds as they thrive when the existing turf is under stress. Our preventive measures include the application of pre-emergent herbicide and manual weeding as soon as anything is spotted.
Salinity
The salinity of the water is a problem that is escalating with time. A lot of sites are affected by inferior water quality and high groundwater issues. It effects the quality of the turf by literally burning the leaf blade. Salinity brings on grave challenges like locking up the nutrient uptake of soil and the black layer where there is little to no oxygen in the soil creating a sulfuric layer that rots the roots. Salinity has to be considered when selecting the appropriate species of grass to be laid down and also in planning maintenance. Aeration practices, flushing with wetting agents and alkaline products give turf roots the best conditions for nutrient uptake.
Our Services
Desert Turfcare has built a reputation as a reliable organization in providing “best value” and superior quality services. From parks, palaces, hotel resorts, residential developments, schools, sports clubs and public highways to smaller projects such as residential gardens, we apply the same care and attention on which we have built our reputation for reliability. Our services include maintenance of grass (sports turf; fine turf and general lawns); trees; palms; shrubs; ground cover; seasonal flowers; irrigation systems & hardscapes. An essential part of our service is both short and long term maintenance planning which is necessary to ensure sustainability and optimum effectiveness of our work within the landscape.
Desert Group
Founded in 1988, Desert Group was born out of a desire to design and construct unique landscape projects that meet global standards. Decades later, Desert Group is now the most vertically diversified horticultural, landscaping and lifestyle group of companies that offer innovative solutions for soil protection, water conservation, and sustainable landscape construction. Our divisions cover a diverse range of products and services that include Garden Centres, hard and soft landscaping, irrigation, swimming pools, trading products and equipment, green wall, lighting, furniture, kids play equipment and many more. Desert Group thinks out of the box when it comes to building our service portfolio and undertake meticulous research into solutions that enhance lives!
For more information, call 800 DESERT (337378) or email group@desertgroup.ae
