Falmer Pitch

[Johnny Fever]

I seem to remember hearing, (can't remember from whom), that the pitch at Falmer was to be sown in November.
I have looked at the schedule that was printed in a match programme last season, and it does say "Pitch Preparation" during Autumn 2010.
Now I am no gardener and don't pretend to have a clue about these things, so my questions are :-
When is the best time of year to sow the grass seed ? and how far are they away from getting the pitch to that point ?, since it still looks a bit of a mess at the moment.

 

[Icy Gull]

I'm no gardener either but I doubt that the beginning of winter is a great time to sow grass seeds and expect them to grow

 

[Geo]

As I understand it the pitch has been sown but obviously not on the site. It will be brought in and laid in the early part of 2011. The work currently ongoing is field drainage works and the beginnings of getting the pitch into a state of preparation

 

[Barrel of Fun]

The pitch is currently being grown somewhere else, I seem to recall.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

We're having a pitch at Falmer ? Wow, this placed is going to be special !

 

[sjamesb3466]

Looking at the webcam I think we are gunna grow some rice before the pitch! Still I suppose every bit of income helps

 

[jevs]

Grass likes it warm n wet....but don't we all !!! Spring or autumn are optimal times for sowing grass seed or laying turf although it can be done at any time of year if conditions are right.

I would guess that the pitch was sown in september or october and will be maintained through the winter until around april time when it will be laid at falmer as turf. providing there's no frost or waterlogging, the pitch should romp away and look an absolute treat.

I would imagine that after xmas, you should start to see some kind of developments with the pitch site....i believe quite a bit of the top chalk will be removed, drainage, watering and heating then added and then top quiality top soil added.

This is my opinion and not gospel...i do stand to be corrected on any of it but this would seem the logical course to take.

 

[Aristotle]

I thought I heard that the pitch was going to be grown 'in situ' to avoid any Wembley style grass issues, although I may have misundersood...

 

[clippedgull]

According to Natterjack on Albion Roar the other day the pitch area will be handed over to the pitch contractor on return from Xmas break.

 

[jevs]

I thought I heard that the pitch was going to be grown 'in situ' to avoid any Wembley style grass issues, although I may have misundersood...

I don't think 3 months (may, june n july) will be long enough to get the seed germinated and established before august. Technically, you're not really supposed to walk on newly sown grass for 6 months.

There might even be a chance that the pitch was sown last spring or autumn just to give it a better chance.

 

[Johnny Fever]

I thought I heard that the pitch was going to be grown 'in situ' to avoid any Wembley style grass issues, although I may have misundersood...

Yes that's what I thought as well.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

They have to remove the hardcore from the pitch surface (required for the cranes and lorries and all that) I believe.

 

[Marc]

I thought we were gonna play on ASTROTURF!?!

 

[Publius Ovidius]

there is a place on the Broil( sp?) , on the straight road from Ringmer to Chiddingly area that grows special turf ( I think some of the local Lewes clubs use them) Wouldn't surprise me if they are the contractor.

Lord B?

 

[The Grockle]

i'm almost 100 percent certain the pitch will grown on site. i followed the construction of chesterfields new ground and i'm pretty sure they sowed in april time and by late july it was like a snooker table.
you wouldn't spend 500k on a pitch and have it laid as turf imo

 

[Everest]

It should be sewn about March time.
NO turfing.
This has been known for ages.

AMEX Falmer pitch

 

[Johnny Fever]

It should be sewn about March time.
NO turfing.
This has been known for ages.

AMEX Falmer pitch

Ok thanks
So I presume that the grass will have grown and established itself in time for the ramp-up events that have to take place between May and August.

 

[Jack Straw]

With current grass seed species, a pitch can be sown in situ from nothing and be ready in five weeks.
The undersoil heating and irrigation systems will be put in place over the winter, and come March, my guess is that approximately 320kg of top quality football grass seed will be sown, (perhaps BAR Stadia for any agronomists out there?), going over the pitch in four different directions, with either fibres incorporated in to the top 150mm of the root zone (Fibresand), or there is something called the "Desso System", whereby fibres are litterally "hair transplanted" through the natural grass, which seems more like the info we've gleaned so far.
The web cam will come in to its own at this point.

 

[Johnny Fever]

With current grass seed species, a pitch can be sown in situ from nothing and be ready in five weeks.
The undersoil heating and irrigation systems will be put in place over the winter, and come March, my guess is that approximately 320kg of top quality football grass seed will be sown, (perhaps BAR Stadia for any agronomists out there?), going over the pitch in four different directions, with either fibres incorporated in to the top 150mm of the root zone (Fibresand), or there is something called the "Desso System", whereby fibres are litterally "hair transplanted" through the natural grass, which seems more like the info we've gleaned so far.
The web cam will come in to its own at this point.

 

[Neil]

Eastbourne Borough dug up their pitch and had £50,000 of drainage work done and had a newly seeded pitch done during the close season.
shouldnt take too long by the right people.