FOOTBALL PITCH MAINTENANCE AND CUTTING

Football pitch maintenance can be divided into several operations that need to be carried out depending on the deterioration of the turf and the ground. Failure to carry out such operations results in unhealthy pitches that are hazardous to the health of players. Football pitches would become too compact and hard, and playing on these surfaces would be very tiring.

At the end of championships, in the months of May and June, sports fields need to be regenerated by following agronomic recommendations and assessing the health of the turf.

1. Cutting the turf

The cutting technique used in sports grounds is highly important. You can decide to use the classic and more economical rotary cutting technique, or rely on helical cutting solutions, which are much more professional and used by most Serie A, B and C clubs.

A mower with collection can be a good compromise. Satisfactory results can be obtained, in both aesthetic and sports terms, although it’s never comparable to mowers with helical cylinders. These mowers can accurately cut to a tenth of a millimetre.

You can rely on such mowers to cut the football pitch and you can compare them to decide which grass height to maintain.

Rotary cutting with collection is important for clearing the pitch of dirt. Moreover, if the grass has grown taller than expected, you can use a classic mower with collection without any particular drawbacks.

By contrast, containment techniques, i.e. the removal of weeds, include using weeding machines, heat treatments, applying chemical herbicides or bio-herbicides based on natural substances and, of course, cutting the turf.

2. Winter fertilisation for the football pitch

The type of seed mixture sown determines the type of fertiliser to use.

During stressful periods for the turf (extremely hot or extremely cold temperatures), potassium fertilisers can be used.

If, instead, the pitch in question has been sown with couch grass, then a nitrogen fertiliser is probably a good choice for applying throughout the year. Keeping the amount of nitrogen constant helps the turf stay thick and dense, limiting the danger of uneven growth of the turf. However, it’s important not to exceed, as this might damage the health of the turf and lead to infestation.

3. The importance of keeping an operation log

What’s the purpose of an operation log, apart from getting people to fill it in? Are you one of those people who are a bit disorganised or do you have a conscience and value your work with a clear purpose, i.e. to ensure that the pitch in question is at its best? The Field Logbook, as it’s called in agriculture, helps in evaluating past records and in making informed decisions.

The Logbook consists of paper or electronic sheets, divided into weeks and/or types of operation, which report a summary of everything that happens on the playing field regarding turf maintenance. It is also well-organised for easy compilation and reading.

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