TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 Just on the cusp of being able to cut and roll today but managed to finish it for the boxing day game...fingers crossed 🤞 One wet area just off the new drain but a lot better than last season where I got stuck, the drain must be near the top for it to be wet and seeping in underground. I was going to hitch the slitter to the roller at the same time...good job I didn't! The more drag you put onto a tractor the heavier the footprint becomes as it needs traction which will pull it into the ground, at the same time it lightens the steering making it difficult to steer without front weights...and weight is the enemy of the groundsman. 9 minutes ago, Paul said: Still no sign of the water draining away today. In fact with the additional rain its even deeper today. Hopefully it drains quickly. Always helps fill a few diviots mind. 😉 That's as bad as it gets Paul, and the forecast is not good to say the least. 2 weeks off for you waiting for that to get some sort of firmness back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 Weve alot of heavy rain again today so its had a top up again unfortunately. Forcast not great until Thursday. Wont be doing anything between now and xmas. If it drys up i will try and pump the worst out the ground. No point doing anything until such time. Your pitch is looking just fine at Penryn. No issues with xmas games there im sure. 👏 TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 We live in hope for boxing day but looking ok at the moment. Interesting you pump the water off... to where(?) Is the river below or level with your pitch(?) You can download an app which gives your position above sea level to find out, would be interesting I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenman Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 Paul , what a horrible site !!!!1 there's more water on there than some of the Norfolk Broads . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 14 hours ago, Paul said: Weve alot of heavy rain again today so its had a top up again unfortunately. Forcast not great until Thursday. Wont be doing anything between now and xmas. If it drys up i will try and pump the worst out the ground. No point doing anything until such time. Your pitch is looking just fine at Penryn. No issues with xmas games there im sure. 👏 What a shame Paul, considering all the work you did in the closed season to improve drainage at the Clubhouse end. Nothing you can do though with a notoriously high water table and rain of biblical proportions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenman Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 Torrential rain up here Older so I thought I'd do a post which you might find interesting with your knowledge of drainage and horticulture . Alternatively you might not find it interesting !!!!!! . I had a run out last week to watch my 2 sons boring a well at a huge fruit farm . It was interesting seeing all the shells etc being brought up to the surface having been down over 300 feet underground for millions of years . There was so much chalk coming up as well that it was like being in St. Austell . What I found interesting was that the borehole isn't for irrigation , but used to heat the greenhouses . I think I've got this right , the water comes out of the pipe lukewarm , it then goes through a process similar to a car radiator , only in reverse . Instead of cooling the water , a pressure system heats it up . The used water then goes back into the ground via another borehole and the heat is distributed around the greenhouses . The heat generated is not enormous but is sufficient to heat the greenhouses enough to grow rhubarb out of season . Perhaps I'm just weird , but I love to learn something about something every day , and I found this technology most interesting . Are you au faix with this technology ? if so can you explain it ?.My sons can't explain the technical side of the compressor system as it's a specialised company that installs it , they bore the hole and install all the pipework . Apparently even with the expense of several weeks drilling etc. this is an economic way of heating in horticulture . Whilst on the subject of well boring , were clubs like Penryn given grants to have irrigation wells bored ? I think my sons have bored 6 wells at clubs since last season , all paid for by grants , and again in spite of the cost of the boring and installation it will save clubs money in the longer term . The boys were shocked at the size of the water bills at theses clubs and the amount of water they use per year . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 Similar to the hot rocks site in our local quarry, they drill down something like a mile into the granite where the water is super heated and use it to generate electricity I believe. Your system I believe pressurises the water which creates movement, movement creates friction, friction means heat. Air pumps used in modern houses use the same principles I think. And...the same as you, it's been raining here now for 22 hours!!! No bore hole here Fenman, we are on a meter and when watering the pitch two machines can pump out 160 cubic metres a day...go figure that bill!!! But for other clubs information you can get a reduction on water Bill's when the water is used for irrigation. We did look at a bore hole many, many years ago circa £2,500 but they could only guarantee 10 gallons a minute which would not be enough we thought. They did find 3 underground streams below the pitch at around 80 ft so always a possibility again I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 23 minutes ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: Similar to the hot rocks site in our local quarry, they drill down something like a mile into the granite where the water is super heated and use it to generate electricity I believe. Your system I believe pressurises the water which creates movement, movement creates friction, friction means heat. Air pumps used in modern houses use the same principles I think. Quite right Older. The Eden project is in the process of building a large scale geothermal plant which will supply all their energy requirements with plenty left over to supply cheap energy to surrounding homes. On the domestic front, smaller ground source central heating systems (complete with fenmans complex pressurising unit) are becoming available (at about £9K a time albeit with Government grants available), to replace gas boilers which the government plan to phase out over the next decade. You can also get air source heat exchangers but I have no idea how they work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 5 minutes ago, Bruegel the Elder said: Quite right Older. The Eden project is in the process of building a large scale geothermal plant which will supply all their energy requirements with plenty left over to supply cheap energy to surrounding homes. On the domestic front, smaller ground source central heating systems (complete with fenmans complex pressurising unit) are becoming available (at about £9K a time albeit with Government grants available), to replace gas boilers which the government plan to phase out over the next decade. You can also get air source heat exchangers but I have no idea how they work! Same thing applies to air pumps, pressurise it to create movement to create friction. Interestingly electricity travelling through a cable also creates friction hense cables warm up as in underfloor heating systems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldy Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 Geologically active places have used the technology for a long time. Iceland, for example, which sits on a plate boundary, makes extensive use. TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 Interestingly the effects of pressure cannot be underestimated. Watching a programme years ago about the building of the Boulder dam, they found that if they laid concrete too deeply in one session it could actually catch fire due to the pressure created, so they had to reduce the amount they laid to stop igniting it. Wet concrete can catch fire...unbelievable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenman Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 Regarding the bore hole irrigation Paul, Older were you offered the grant for an irrigation bore hole ? . My son's are sure that the grants came from the FA and totalled about £10, 000 .As I said earlier they were contracted to bore 6 in Norfolk and 1 over the border in Suffolk . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 40 minutes ago, fenman said: Regarding the bore hole irrigation Paul, Older were you offered the grant for an irrigation bore hole ? . My son's are sure that the grants came from the FA and totalled about £10, 000 .As I said earlier they were contracted to bore 6 in Norfolk and 1 over the border in Suffolk . No Grant's 25 odd years ago that I can remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 1 hour ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: No Grant's 25 odd years ago that I can remember. The only Grants 25 years ago was a very average blended whisky! It did help me to dig myself into a hole once or twice though! TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2020 From this. To this in 90 minutes. Honestly you turn your back for 5 minutes and look what they do!!!! Gotta dry up to fix that for Saturday. Paul and Bruegel the Elder 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldy Posted December 27, 2020 Report Share Posted December 27, 2020 The price of 3 points. Bruegel the Elder 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2020 1 hour ago, baldy said: The price of 3 points. And I'll take the 3 points every time. baldy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted December 28, 2020 Report Share Posted December 28, 2020 Over Christmas the rain had drained leaving the pitch like a sponge. Drove past this afternoon and its filling back up. Not stopped raining all day. Back to square one. TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2020 1 hour ago, Paul said: Over Christmas the rain had drained leaving the pitch like a sponge. Drove past this afternoon and its filling back up. Not stopped raining all day. Back to square one. Know what you feel like Paul, we played boxing day and shredded the pitch, then 2 days of rain and hail with no prospect of being able to do any repairs at this time. 3 days dry may get a machine and roller slitter on it for any chance of playing Saturday. At this moment I just have to keep off like all the other suffering grounds peeps. Mark Leah and Paul 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Leah Posted December 28, 2020 Report Share Posted December 28, 2020 Paul feel for you mate, so frustrating when this time of year we have some time but the weather just won't allow. Dave - I've seen we are due a couple of days dry weather, exactly what we all need. No home games for me this Saturday but still want to repair VP after 9 games through December. I know this is an achievement with the weather we had but it leaves some awful damage!! I've not been on VP since end of November with any machinery, just me, the other groundsmen and our trusty forks. Lots and lots of time putting back divots, yes I know all worth it in the end but bloody back braking. I broke by fork last week so that tells you how much I've done!!😂😂. Santa brought me a new one thank God. Keep praying, the days are getting lighter now!!🌞🌞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2020 1 hour ago, Mark said: Paul feel for you mate, so frustrating when this time of year we have some time but the weather just won't allow. Dave - I've seen we are due a couple of days dry weather, exactly what we all need. No home games for me this Saturday but still want to repair VP after 9 games through December. I know this is an achievement with the weather we had but it leaves some awful damage!! I've not been on VP since end of November with any machinery, just me, the other groundsmen and our trusty forks. Lots and lots of time putting back divots, yes I know all worth it in the end but bloody back braking. I broke by fork last week so that tells you how much I've done!!😂😂. Santa brought me a new one thank God. Keep praying, the days are getting lighter now!!🌞🌞 Haha, that's a big divot to break your fork! The forecast is now more rain and possible snow on Thursday!!! That'll be the end of Saturdays game. I've just started filling this divot in!!! Mark Leah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ieuan Gregory Posted December 29, 2020 Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 just walked our pitch soggy on top, but given a dry day on Thursday, may be able to put a machine on Friday. if only to make it look presentable. Good luck everyone else lets hope the precipitation stops sometime soon. Maybe time to look seriously at a mid season break! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Ieuan Gregory said: just walked our pitch soggy on top, but given a dry day on Thursday, may be able to put a machine on Friday. if only to make it look presentable. Good luck everyone else lets hope the precipitation stops sometime soon. Maybe time to look seriously at a mid season break! It'll take more than one day dry before I get a machine on the pitch here? After boxing days damage and 3 days of rain the grass is not re-connecting to give the pitch drainage. Most drainage occurs down the root systems so when you chop your pitch up you lose drainage for a few days/weeks. Saturday's damage followed by the weather here today...a lot of rain again. Is everyone getting this??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted December 29, 2020 Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 Shows the advantages/lunacy of spending all summer preparing an immaculate surface. Just think what it could be like. I feel sorry for those sharing Council pitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Leah Posted December 29, 2020 Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 Just need a couple of dry days and I can hopefully run the machine over VP. Forecast is looking optimistic for the weekend and with no home games on Saturday, Hopefully Sunday/Monday will be good. Dave - We are getting very have rain showers, nothing prolonged but when it comes they are heavy. Today at Lunchtime even saw a very very heavy hail storm!🤦♂️ Hard work in the summer will always pay off in the winter is something I've learnt more in recent years plus carrying out the right Areation at the right time. @Bruegel the Elder you are right - council pitches won't have been touched for months and probably were not touched that much this summer due to lockdown. Feel for them and the huge sums of money paid in rent. Bruegel the Elder 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 Wont matter now, we have cancelled Saturday v Hayle due to Covid rearing its head in the club, unfortunately members and players with the NHS app being told to isolate for ten days. Football is now on the back burner for us. Best of health to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Leah Posted December 29, 2020 Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 1 hour ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: Wont matter now, we have cancelled Saturday v Hayle due to Covid rearing its head in the club, unfortunately members and players with the NHS app being told to isolate for ten days. Football is now on the back burner for us. Best of health to all. One saving grace you can enjoy your new year and rest now Dave!!!......not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted December 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Mark said: One saving grace you can enjoy your new year and rest now Dave!!!......not! Rest! What's that? Lol, no rush to get the pitch ready now. 3 hours ago, baldy said: If everyone used the app we would all be locked in our houses semi-permanently. Biggest pile of shite the government has ever released and I include test and trace, universal credit and the NHS database. Well when people have tested positive and you get the warning on the app I think you might take notice of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 3 hours ago, baldy said: If everyone used the app we would all be locked in our houses semi-permanently. Biggest pile of shite the government has ever released and I include test and trace, universal credit and the NHS database. NOT INTERESTING (not in the context of this thread anyway) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Leah Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 And Vogue Park goes from green to white over night!🤦♂️ TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Snap...and I was going to roll it today! And last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 🔔🥃HAPPY NEW YEAR GROUNDIES🥃🔔 You’ll just have to take the opportunity to put your feet up and raise a glass or two. Wishing you all a prosperous 2021, with well behaved players and better behaved weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 18 minutes ago, Bruegel the Elder said: 🔔🥃HAPPY NEW YEAR GROUNDIES🥃🔔 You’ll just have to take the opportunity to put your feet up and raise a glass or two. Wishing you all a prosperous 2021, with well behaved players and better behaved weather. No chance, going over today to sterilise the building. No rest for the wicked? baldy and Mark Leah 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Just now, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: No chance, going over today to sterilise the building. No rest for the wicked? MASOCHIST‼️ TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 9 minutes ago, Bruegel the Elder said: MASOCHIST‼️ Definitely...but got to be done with two more cases confirmed here today, and another local club has had positive cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 3 minutes ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: Definitely...but got to be done with two more cases confirmed here today, and another local club has had positive cases. Understood. Stay safe Older, your Club (and forum) need you! Wouldn’t it be better to just leave the premises locked until needed again to allow any virus to degrade naturally before sterilising so as not to put yourself at risk. The vaccine is so close, it would be a shame to risk anything now! baldy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 3 hours ago, Bruegel the Elder said: Understood. Stay safe Older, your Club (and forum) need you! Wouldn’t it be better to just leave the premises locked until needed again to allow any virus to degrade naturally before sterilising so as not to put yourself at risk. The vaccine is so close, it would be a shame to risk anything now! We did that Bruegel, cleaned hard surfaces the day after and let the building air out for 5 days or more. I went in this afternoon and sterilised it all again but this time I did all the soft furnishings as well with the fogger and Covid killer chemicals...ceilings, walls the lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG AL Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 2 hours ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: We did that Bruegel, cleaned hard surfaces the day after and let the building air out for 5 days or more. I went in this afternoon and sterilised it all again but this time I did all the soft furnishings as well with the fogger and Covid killer chemicals...ceilings, walls the lot. 2 hours ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: We did that Bruegel, cleaned hard surfaces the day after and let the building air out for 5 days or more. I went in this afternoon and sterilised it all again but this time I did all the soft furnishings as well with the fogger and Covid killer chemicals...ceilings, walls the lot. Is it all worth it with hardly anyone using the premises? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 1 hour ago, BIG AL said: Is it all worth it with hardly anyone using the premises? When it's done it's done Al. Ready for the grand re-opening, probably 5 years from now...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG AL Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 26 minutes ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: When it's done it's done Al. Ready for the grand re-opening, probably 5 years from now...lol It looks a bit that way! TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ieuan Gregory Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 taken 17 days but finally got on to the pitch today with the machine. Still a little soft on top, shame there is no football but better safe than sorry TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Leah Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 Nice colour in the pitch Leuan. I take it you had no snow/frost over new year then?? Mine still has some snow and frost on it today, and no sign of going as the temp didn't get high enough. TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ieuan Gregory Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 last of the slow release hanging around I think Mark. Had frost Friday morning but all gone by lunchtime, influence of the sea no doubt. Oddly enough the 3G was clear of any frost or ice, must be the heat holding properties of the poly, sand and rubber. Stay safe and keep your head down Mark Leah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 Same as you Ieuan, got on the pitch after the boxing day game at last, had small frost which was gone by 11:00 leaving a nice heavy dew. Heavy dew is ideal for rolling as it stops mud and worm casts from sticking to the roller and making a mess on the turns. I will always try to catch a good dew when rolling is in the offing. The clean roller showing the wetness from the dew. It's an old gas canister I had made as it is 42" and a good fit for our 40" machine. Remember when rolling after game damage and you have put the larger divots back to slow down to give the roller a chance to do its job, too fast and you won't get the best finish. Also with a weighted roller only use the weight that will do the job...not over weighted. And. Always wait for the damaged grass to stand up before rolling, if you roll to early you press the tillers into the ground and you will lose grass and make mud...remember the old pitches and 2 ton rollers!!!! Next up filling divots with a mix of soil, sand and rubber. You cannot roll out a divot they have to be filled with this mixture to allow the grass to spread into them, just soil alone and it will just compact and stay bare earth for a long time and almost certainly will end up with weed in it. Bruegel the Elder 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 Ok Mark, that's one advantage of being on the south coast our frosts and snow generally do not last long, inland in a valley your in for a bit of a longer wait than our coast pitches, the south coast will normally be ahead of the north coast when it comes to a thaw. Also Ieuan your 3g will not frost that often as there's no moisture being given of to create a dew that would freeze, they can frost but not that often unless they've had a bit of rain before the temperature drops. I dont think rubber is a great heat holder...think welly boots...bloody freezing things!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2021 Followed up the rolling yesterday with the slitter today and got a good depth on the softer ground. This will enable the ground to dry quicker and any rain which has not been forecast at last to drain quicker. Mark Leah and Paul 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 Looks like wormacide to me! TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Started the divoting today after the ground thawed out, first real ground frost for a few years where the cold actually got into the ground. Temperature showing just below zero at one inch in the soil, this is as opposed to the usual air/grass frosts we normally get. The grass will have stopped growing at this temperature now. Only another 5,000 or more to go after boxing day...lol Paul 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Won't be any work on the pitch again today, none yesterday as frozen solid until 3:00-ish and none for sure today with the temperature down at -5⁰ and a shiny white pitch. Don't even walk on your ground in these conditions, everywhere you walk will crush the grass leaving a trail of damaged grass behind you. Ah well I'll do something in the clubhouse instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruegel the Elder Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 What you need is a good hairdryer, apparently Alex Ferguson always kept one with him for frozen pitches/players! TheolderIgetthebetterIwas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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