Construction & Renovation of Amenity Turf

Planning

Be Organized

1. Closure

2. Work with growing seasons

3. Organize materials

4. Notify relevant parties of intended work

Dethatching

Take the opportunity

1. Aggressive

2. Deep

3. Multiple directions

4. Remove Deadbrie off site

Aeration

Opportunity to be aggressive

1. Increases soil oxygen levels

2. Reduces compaction/ keeps profile open

3. Avenue for roots & water to infiltrate

4. Opportunity for fertilizer to work into profile

5. Remove at least 10% of surface each year

6. Alternate depths

Fertilizing

Opportunity to make amendments/ push recovery

1. Soil testing

2. Applications based on soil test results

3. Predominate NPK applications to push recovery

4. P applications

5. Soil amendments

Topdressing

Make most of closure

1. Correct levels

2. Improve surface smoothness

3. Dilutes thatch

4. Improves drainage

5. Top-dress using same material as profile make up

Turf Regeneration

Choose most suitable method

1. Stolonising

2. Re-turfing

3. Use existing area as a nursery

4. Seeding

Why Construct or reconstruct?1. Upgrade surface

2. Old surface reach used by date

3. Undesirable surface levels

4. Restricted drainage

5. Unsuitable grass species

6. Irrigation upgrade

Goals for reconstructing?

Be realistic

1. Consistency

2. Profile that supports the grow healthy turf

3. Can deal with heavy rainfall

4. Handle usage

5. Can be maintained under a reasonable budget

Construction Considerations

Consider all options

1. Identifying a suitable grass species

2. Establishing an ideal growing medium

3. Designing a suitable drainage system

4. Choosing & designing an appropriate irrigation system

5. USGA OR Californian method

Site Evaluation

Cut & fill

1. Access

2. Water

3. Environmental issues

4. Drainage discharge

5. Profile inspection – current soil ok?

6. Base Considerations

Profile Considerations

Growing medium most important

1. USGA or Pure Sand – most common

2. All surfaces can be constructed similar 3. Physical or nutrition amendments

4. Sand stabilizers

5. Physically & Biologically well balanced

Designing the Drainage System

Invest in good drainage

1. Establish a drainage rate

2. A design rate was established of 25mm/hour

3. Design – work with contours

4. Pipe Sizing

5. Budget

Hooghoudt’s Formula

1. Hooghoudt’s formula takes into consideration, the

rootzone depth, rootzone infiltratation rate, and required drainage rate

2. Hooghoudt’s formula is the best formula to determine the drainage pipe spacing

Hooghoudt’s formula

Irrigation

Check water source

1. Use experience designer

2. Quality materials

3. User friendly design

4. Abundance of water points

5. Separate trenching for irrigation

6. Head to head coverage

Choosing a Suitable Grass

Investigate & be realistic

1. Assess usage requirements

2. Evaluate budget & maintenance budget availability

3. Ensure future availability of species

4. Assess objectives – presentation/wear

5. Conduct trials

6. Site visits/access local grasses in use

Species Considerations

Know your grass

1. Bermuda Grass

2. Zoysia grass

3. Seashore Paspalum

4. Carpet Grass

Stolonising

Generally a better surface long term

1. Cheaper

2. Easier to import grass

3. Better root system in first year

4. Faster opening

5. Easier to reduce height (less scalping)

Stolonising

High inputs a must

1. Rate 1:5 – 1:10

2. Ensure good soil contact

3. Top-dress in

4. Keep damp

5. Aggressive fertilizer program

Sodding

Instantaneous Grass Cover

1. Instant

2. Prevents erosion

3. More expensive

4. Instant thatch layer

Grow In

Success only as good as grow in

1. Be prepared

2. Have good understanding for species in use

3. High inputs will be required

4. Important to give grass what it wants

Machine Considerations

Be realistic

1. Audit on current machine list & their capabilities

2. Ensure you have all the machines requires

3. May require an increased budget

4. Machine Sharing

Dealing with Contractors

Work Closely

1. Be clear with standards

2. Understand what drives the Contractor

3. Effective Communication

Dealing with Expectations

Communication is key

1. Clear communication

2. Good understanding for expectations

3. Assess maintenance constraints

4. Budget Expectations

Profile

Kept even as possible

1. Growing medium laid in two 125mm layers

2. Bottom layer unamended, top layer amended

3. Consolidated by both machinery & Irrigation

4. Final leveled mirrored the sub-base falls