Multi-sport facilities offer a varied programme that changes with the seasons or school terms, or sometimes it’s just the change of surface requirement whether that includes football, rugby, tennis, golf, cricket and athletics. Therefore, they need versatile machinery, capable of working on different surface specifications.
Campey Turf Care Systems has excelled in this area by delivering a range of aeration equipment which will tackle every surface and soil condition.
Imants ShockWave
The ShockWave ranks high on the list and finds its place among the top choice of aeration machines for the ground’s manager. It provides long lasting linear aeration without causing pitch closures, making it perfect for revitalising heavily used areas and removing surface water.
It is equally effective on football, rugby pitches and golf greens in the winter period with the ShockWave mmaking a real difference on any greens that are holding water, leaving very little surface disturbance and allowing play to continue straight away.
The ShockWave can replace or complement existing aeration activity which may primarily be spiking. Linear aeration creates extra drainage channels to assist the existing natural flow of water through the soil. Many troublesome areas have benefited from linear aeration because it fractures the soil and creates more air pockets down below the surface.
Imants SandCat
The much under-rated Imants SandCat proved itself at the STRI trials, moving lightly over the turf, slitting the surface and introducing sand to improve drainage and enhance the properties of the root zone. As it is compact it has also proved a winner on greens. Used empty, it has similar features to the Imants ShockWave and can therefore be used to aerate hard, compacted areas of fine turf. The SandCat features overload protection by a torque limiter PTO shaft.
Imants RotoKnife
And of course, it’s not just deep below the surface which brings problems. Other forms of aerators concentrate on surface issues. The Imants RotoKnife is a versatile, effective linear aerator and looks at relieving surface compaction, improving the condition of the very top layer of the profile to reduce thatch build up and remove surface water. The RotoKnife and mini RotoKnife are fast across the surface and effective root zone management tools. The disc rotoshaft can be set in any of 3 positions offering flexibility in working depth and linear spacing, allowing deep slitting to a depth of 150mm or shallow slitting at 50mm spacing. It can be used all year round to relieve surface compaction, improve aeration, reduce thatch build up and remove surface water.
Air2G2 Inject
A revolutionary approach to tackling aeration came with multi-awarding winning Air2G2 GT Air Inject. Air is everything to anything that lives – this is the Air2G2 mantra and it is exactly how it operates. It takes the principle of the ShockWave and takes it one step further; it shatters the compacted areas and simultaneously injects air into the fissures to breathe new life into the hard pan and de-compact the soil. It is designed to aerate deep into the soil by injecting air up to a depth of 12 inches (depending on tine fitted), fracturing the ground horizontally and forcing the air upward to de-compact the soil around the root zone. It is an excellent form of total aeration for golf greens and other fine turf areas especially during the summer months, as there is no disruption to the playing surface whatsoever, enabling play to resume immediately after use.
Article courtesy of Turf Business www.turfbusiness.co.uk
