D Turf North East , credits their Wiedenmann Terra Spike
TURF MANAGEMENT
High work rate of Wiedenmann Terra Spike key for contractor Sports Turf N E
arlington contractor , Sports
D Turf North East , credits their Wiedenmann Terra Spike
GXi8 HD as being central to their maintenance operations at over 150 sites across Cumbria , Yorkshire , and Humber .
Director , Alastair Briggs , says deep aeration is vital for any quality sports surface and one of the first things they recommend when asked how best to keep a pitch playable for longer during the season .
“ Whatever the code , be it rugby , football , cricket and whether it ’ s a professional or amateur club , or a school or local authority project , every pitch benefits from reducing compaction and letting air and nutrients through its profile .
“ If a pitch is spiked regularly , rootzone health improves and ultimately less surface water gathers .
“ We like the GXI8 HD because it is so smooth and powers through lots of work effortlessly . It has dual-belt drive with a balanced crankshaft , a sprungloaded headstock – the VibraStop – and PowerPacks as part of the anti-shock anti-vibration system , all built into the machine . All this protects the tractor and , crucially , the operator , important if a team member is in the cab for a large part of every day .
“ During Autumn , once the playing season is underway , we spend a lot of time on aeration for clients . Typically , on a rugby or football pitch , we can be looking to punch holes down to 250 mm with 18 mm tines . Speed and a top-quality finish are important . We push hard to get pitches aerated for the run up to Christmas , ahead of periods of increased rainfall .
“ By doing regular aeration , clients enjoy better-quality playing surfaces . Some clubs can now see the benefits
“
Whatever the code , be it rugby , football , cricket and whether it ’ s a professional or amateur club , or a school or local authority project , every pitch benefits from reducing compaction and letting air and nutrients through its profile .
commercially , too ; fewer alterations to their fixtures calendar means gate receipts and takings at the bar are less impacted .
“ Essentially , the primary goal of STNE is to get grass roots pitches to a higher level . As a relatively new business ourselves , we are enjoying building these relationships and showing that maintaining healthy turf goes hand-in-hand with the more widely acknowledged aspects of club life .”
Sports Turf North East www . sportsturfnortheast . co . uk @ SportsTurfNE
Wiedenmann UK www . wiedenmann . co . uk
GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | September / October 2023 91