Irrigation and drought
The purpose of irrigation
- To keep the plant healthy from leaf to root during dry conditions
- To keep the surface playable to avoid player injury and optimise playability
- To water in a fertiliser application
The benefits of irrigation
- Improves the health and visual appearance of the grass plant
- Keeps the root system strong which reinforces the soil structure
- Keeps the plant strong to protect it during other processes such as mowing and brushing
- Helps with the uptake of nutrients
- Helps to manage moisture levels providing the optimum conditions for play
The methods
- By Hand – This could be from hose pipe and sprinkler moved manually
- Semi – Automated – This could be using a travelling sprinkler
- Fully – Automated – This could be from a buried pop-up sprinkler system
What could go wrong?
- Under watering can lead to plants dying off or poor germination after renovations
- Under watering may lead to an overly hard unsafe surface
- Over watering can lead to shallow root growth as roots no longer need to search deeper for water
- Over watering can lead to poor playability with an unstable surface
Timing
- Mainly in the warmer months but could be needed at any time depending on soil type, drainage etc
Equipment
- Hose pipes, sprinklers, static and travelling, tanks, pumps and pop-up systems
Practical tips
- Keep a good eye on the weather forecast to avoid un-necessary work and water wastage
- Look into the possibilities of water harvesting. Clubs with big roofs can provide large volumes of free water if collected.
- Work with the weather and not against it, there will only be one winner.
- Water pressure can be an issue and investigation work may need to be done to improve this, generally between 3-5 bar pressure is needed to operate a decent travelling or pop-up irrigation system.
- Pressure will reduce dramatically with hose distance so pumped systems may be necessary to reach where water is needed.
- Keep at least, basic rainfall and temperature data. This will help you plan your irrigation needs.
Top Tips For Drought Conditions
Avoid the heat of the day when watering to reduce evapotranspiration and potential for scorching the turf. Early or late is the most efficient. Just be wary that in high disease pressure situations such as warm temperatures evening watering and therefor the pitch staying wetter for longer can encourage certain diseases.
During drought conditions, concentrate on the weaker worn areas such as goal mouths and centre circles.
Once seed has established after renovation, consider the use of wetting agents or plant growth regulators to better conserve moisture in the summer.
Allow the grass plant to grow a little taller, this affords protection to the plant and the soil surface.
On newly seeded areas, consider the use of germination sheets that will reduce the rate of evapotranspiration and soil drying.
