Renovating your Outfield

Renovating your outfield at the end of the season can be expensive because of the areas involved but any of the following will be beneficial to your outfield:

• deep scarification to reduce thatch,
• overseeding to establish desirable grasses.
• fertiliser application to strengthen the sward
• solid tine aeration to de-compact and aerate the soil

Keep an eye on what is going on below the ground in your outfield using a spade to inspect your soil profile and root growth, particularly in poorly drained, bare or other problem areas.  This will help you target the above renovation techniques to problem areas which could be more cost effective.

Problem solving deep thatch layers, poor surface levels or drainage problems can take more expertise so speak to your County Pitch Advisor for more information.

Note that if you play winter sports such as football, rugby or lacrosse on your outfield you should renovate and repair any damage to surface levels or grass cover before the cricket season.  This might require the use of rootzone to repair goal mouth and other high wear areas.  You should allow sufficient time for these areas to recover before the cricket season. 

This should not be a barrier to multi-sport use of cricket outfield if the wear is managed carefully through the winter.  Make sure the amount of use, especially in wet periods is sustainable without excessive damage to grass cover or surface levels.  You may need to restrict play during particularly wet periods.  Junior use is preferred because the wear is less.  A small amount of wear is actually helpful to the cricket outfield because it helps to control thatch.

You should carry out a pre-cricket-season programme of:

• Targeted goal mouth and other high wear area repair using rootzone, grass seed and fertiliser.  Using germination sheeting can help to establish grass in cooler pre-season temperatures.
• Restoration of surface levels across pitch areas using harrows, drag mats and other similar tools.
• Overseeding and fertiliser application to pitch areas.
• Solid tine aeration.
• Sand or rootzone topdressing (if budgets allow).

You should factor renovation costs into your use agreements with clubs hiring your outfield.

For more information on managing Muti-sport sites Duel Sport Document