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Green Maintenance

This page is intended to be informative on all things to do with the maintenance of our green. At the top is a log of the work carried out for maintenance of the bowling green and any correspondence relating there to. Primarily this will be by Elm Horticulture but can be by another 3rd party or by the club itself.

Elm Horticulture maintenance schedule

Click here for a copy of the Elm Horticulture maintenance schedule. This a 2014 file but Darren Tubby has confirmed that this applies in 2016.

Irrigation system

The irrigation system for the St.Chads green uses sprinkler heads by [to be added] and a controller by Weathermatic. Click here for a copy of the Weathermatic watering system controller.

Irrigation tutorial

For interest, click here for a tutorial on how to plan an irrigation system. It’s a bit ‘dry’ but nevertheless quite informative on how to plan, design and size a irrigation system including the pump.

Emails/Comments relating to the maintenance of the green

23rd October 2015

Below are some pictures of the green the day after Elm Horticultural visited on 22nd October. Information received says that 3 1/2 bags of top-dressing were applied. Photos show that no scarifying has been done, no evidence of spiking or rolling and re-seeding [of only some patches] that appear to have been done by hand as the distribution is very poor and uncovered so that birds can eat it. Holes created by the squirrels/birds are still evident in the green as are new weeds. Is this it or are they coming back to do the job properly?

30th October 2015
Brian has spoken to Darren Tubby. Was informed that Elm will carry out hollow tine spiking but will not top dress. If next spring nature has not filled in the holes then some top dressing will be applied. Issue with this is that grass will need to grow through the top dressing and there will be no growth where the holes were, this could potentially mean the green is very muddy especially if we have a wet season. Darren also mentioned that liquid iron would be applied, no date. Brian discussed what we believe should be the maintenance regime and was informed that the cost of such would probably be in the region of £20,000 annually, so for our £7,000 we get what we pay for.

2nd November 2015
Email response received from Paul Clark (LBBD) concerning our request for LBBD to tender to maintain our green: –

Dear Bernard

Apologies for the late response to your colleagues but commitments have meant that I have been unable to respond.

We would be delighted to tender for this work but after viewing the green, I am a little concerned at the quality and consistency of maintenance since you left us for a private contractor. One of our most experienced Green keepers is heartbroken as to lack of care and attention given, and has told me that the green in its current state will take a season to bring it back to a ‘good condition’. For this reason, I would appreciate if I could meet your representative with my horticultural team so that we can be clear as to what is expected.

Would you be able to provide a few dates/times when best to visit.

Best regards
Paul

Paul Clark | Service Manager | Specialist Direct Services
Phone: 020 8227 2977 | Mobile: 07968 571137 | lbbd.gov.uk
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

For info, LBBD people and their email addresses are: –

Paul Clark – Paul.Clark@lbbd.gov.uk
Tony Ralph – Tony.Ralph@lbbd.gov.uk
Tony Brown – Tony.Brown@lbbd.gov.uk
Andy Johnson – Andy.Johnson@lbbd.gov.uk

3rd November 2015
Martin and a colleague from Elm have mowed the green today . Aksed about spiking and he said that Darren [Tubby] had mentioned solid spiking (not hollow) but their spiking machine was currently being repaired, could not say when it would be carried out. Enquired about weeding and Martin said no weeding would be done as it was too late, this would be done next spring and during the playing season.

New members are always welcome

Pop in and give it a try, any Tuesday or Thursday afternoon or contact us to arrange a convenient time.