Footballs in a training session

Agrigem Blog – October

Open up your surfaces

Aeration is a great way to open your surfaces up after plenty of traffic from your teams and all your pitch equipment daily.

There are many ways to aerate, and certain methods would work more effectively on specific constructions. You can choose from Solid Tine, Hollow core, Air injection, Lateral deep aeration and surface slitting.

Choosing the best conditions to undertake the task is vital on making your aeration successful. For example, if you choose to use a large tractor with a mounted verti-drain, you will need to make sure the surface is firm enough to take the weight of the equipment, and the weather is clear from prolonged heavy showers, as this will do more harm than good.

Whenever possible, or when a gap in your fixture list allows, leave your surface open to breathe for a few days afterwards, so avoid mowing and other activities. 

Although not the primary purpose, aerating your surface will help remove any surface water from the surface, with the holes you have just made in the profile allowing your playing surface to stay drier for play if you are forecasted any rain showers.

The main purpose of aeration is to break and shatter the top and lower compacted layers of your surfaces, which can be vary from surface to surface - this can sometimes be the first inch, and in other circumstances, up to six inches from the top. Either way, it is important to give your profile and root system the air flow exchange it needs.

Aeration will improve your rooting within the profile and allow any subsequent nutrition applied to get to where it needs to be.

An additional product which is designed to help absorb moisture on the surface down into your aeration holes is PROFILE® which comes in Natural or Emerald Greens Grade®.