Landscape and Urban Design Issue 45 2020 | Page 70

SPORTS & PLAY
J PREMIER PITCH
DELIVERS ESTABLISHMENT CARDIFF CITY FC
CAN RELY ON
firmly in place when I joined the
club. All of these years later and we
wouldn’t use anything other than
J Premier Pitch across our sites, for
both our renovations and routine
overseeding.”
“With this mixture, we achieve a
surface that retains good colour,
consistency and deep roots - giving
us the all-important wear tolerance.
When the season re-started following
the lockdown, fixtures were taking
place thick and fast, putting the
newly established pitch through
its paces. Following our well-timed
renovation, it delivered fantastic
sward density and coverage.”
With over 13 seasons of experience
using Johnsons Sports Seeds J
Premier Pitch mixture, Head
Groundsman at Cardiff City FC Liam
James confidently conducted his
renovation during the lockdown
period, without doubt that the
pitch would be match-fit when play
resumed. In use at the Cardiff City
Stadium, together with two of their
other sites, the rapid establishment
of J Premier Pitch has delivered
a pitch that meets the Bluebirds
requirements for both play quality
and aesthetic appeal.
Under Liam’s remit is the Desso
pitch at the main club stadium,
another full size Desso and
fibre-sand surface at the Cardiff
International Sports Campus – home
to U18’s, U23’s and Cardiff City FC
Women – along with two further
Desso GrassMaster systems at one
of the club’s training grounds.
Helping Liam with the maintenance
is a team of six groundsmen, and
Hewitt Sportsturf, who conduct the
end of season renovations. “Our
programme is thoroughly tried
and tested, with Johnsons already
Like a lot of stadia, Liam struggles
with shade, with some areas
receiving no natural sunlight even in
the peak of summer. “J Premier Pitch
tolerates that really well, along with
giving us great resistance to disease
which means our single fungicide
application is more for preventative
purposes than anything else.” For
a bit of additional winter strength,
Liam’s regional DLF Technical
Manager Ian Barnett suggested
incorporating Johnsons J 4Turf
into their cold season overseeding
programme. Containing DLF’s 4Turf
tetraploid perennial ryegrass, J
4Turf delivers rapid establishment
under soil temperatures as low as
3ºC for enhanced disease resistance
and strength through the cooler
conditions.
Liam concludes, “Getting us through
the challenges we face with weather,
disease and now big increases in
wear, we’re fortunate that we have
proven programme that we know
we can rely on.”
DLF Seeds Limited, Thorn Farm,
Inkberrow, Worcestershire, WR7 4LJ
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.dlf.co.uk
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