bALI SPORTS
GROUND IMPROVEMENTS
Nurture
Landscapes Ltd;
The Stoop Stadium, Twickenham
The Stoop Stadium, home of the Harlequins, a team renowned for
their fast and flowing style of play. For the team to be able to achieve
this, it is vital that a consistent, firm and dry surface is provided. With
the pitch having not received any major renovations or improvements over
the last 15 years, Nurture Landscapes Ltd were given a ten week window to
make significant improvements to the playing surface. The business had been
responsible for maintaining the pitch for the previous two years and this made
the major renovation easier as best practice maintenance had been employed over
this period.
Work commenced in June 2014 and the Nurture team used a number of intensive turfcare methods such as:
• Applying the Shockwave rotary decompactor, to aid aeration and reduce soil compaction
• Application of 120 tonnes of 45 grade winter sports pitch dressing sand
• A complete re-seeding of the pitch using a rye sports blend, spread using disc seeder and
seed drill
• Spreading pre-seed fertiliser to aid quick germination and establishment
• New 100mm carrier drainage pipe installation
The fertiliser programme was also carefully considered with a greater focus on the micro
nutrients that often get overlooked in your normal NPK feed. This resulted in a number
of organic products being used, from humus based fertilisers to liquid seaweed and bio
stimulants.
Nick Ebelthite, Grounds Manager at Nurture commented, “As a company, Nurture
has a very strong approach to green initiatives and there is no reason why we can’t
continue this theme while maintaining elite sports turf.”
It’s not only the Aviva Premiership season the surface had to be ready for,
there is also the European Cup, LV Cup, A-League games and the Stoop
stadium’s close involvement with the England Ladies teams sees a
number of home international games as well.
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