Tag Archive for: Aeration

Terrain Aeration for London garden square

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Terrain Aeration for London garden square: The award-winning Earl’s Court Square Garden was originally laid out as part of the Edwardes Estate in the 1870s, and construction of the properties of Earl’s Court Square began.

It was well-managed with professional gardeners until the Second World War, when the original cast-iron railings were removed and five emergency water tanks filled the southern half of the garden. Post-war it became much neglected and remained more like a building site until the mid-seventies when the present layout was designed. A children’s playground was added in 1980 and the mature London plane trees were pruned and maintained. The Earl’s Court Square Garden is one of the 37 Garden Squares in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Terrain Aeration for London garden square

Terrain Aeration for London garden square

The garden is much used by residents and hosts neighbourhood social events which ultimately led to the ground becoming severely compacted and dried out in summer, while in winter it became heavily waterlogged. Aeration was done regularly, and the grass re-seeded, but the problems remained.

“We learned of the work done by Terrain Aeration in Hyde Park after Winter Wonderland,” says Katrina Quinton, Chairperson of the garden management sub-committee, “and we thought the principles would apply here. They were scheduled to come to us in 2020, but a period of heavy rain and then Covid-19 intervened. The garden was a godsend for the community during lockdown, but the pooling was still a major problem.”

As soon as they were able, Terrain Aeration treated the area using their Terralift Tracker, which is designed for access in tight spaces. It works in the same way as the full-size Terralift machines used in Hyde Park. The Tracker hammers a hollow probe one metre into the soil, releasing a blast of compressed air to fracture the compaction and create interlinked fissures. They simultaneously injected dried seaweed into the fissures, and this expands and contracts with the moisture content in the ground. The probe is inserted in equal spacing on a grid pattern, to ensure the underground fracturing overlaps. The resulting holes are top-filled with Lytag, lightweight aggregate, to provide a long-term aeration and ventilation shaft which will encourage air and water into the root zone. The result is a healthier soil structure; the compaction is relieved and a stronger root growth is promoted. The areas in the garden around the trees, which are greedy for water, were also treated to a depth of eighteen inches.

Katrina says: “the wonderful collection of people from Suffolk and their strange-looking machine came and worked without fuss, leaving the area clean and usable immediately. The following day it rained heavily and we’re delighted to say there was no longer any pooling. A great job.”

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Terrain Aeration launches Housebuilder’s Division

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Terrain Aeration launches Housebuilder’s Division: Over many years, major house building companies have called on Terrain Aeration to decompact back gardens and community areas of new-build developments.

During building, the unavoidable combination of diggers, dumper trucks, bulldozers, concrete mixer lorries and parked vehicles take their toll on the soil, flattening the air out of it. Eventually, the areas that become the gardens and shared grass areas, which may already have a sub-soil layer of rubble, old bricks and general landfill waste, becomes overly compacted. The result is waterlogging and panning requiring very deep aeration to cure the problem.

Terrain Aeration launches Housebuilder's Division

Terrain Aeration launches Housebuilder’s Division

Terrain Aeration has provided the solution to this for some of the UK’s biggest builders including Barratt, Taylor-Wimpey and Persimmon. The Terrain business has grown in the sector to the extent they have formed their Housebuilder” Division, headed by Elly Fletcher.  Three new staff join her to form the specialist team that will concentrate on the house builders’ needs. Terrain Aeration’s Managing Director, David Green, has built different types of machine to enable access to the gardens through single gates and garages. He says:

“Our Terralift machine has proven itself over the last 30 years in aerating and decompacting soils. It is the ideal way of getting oxygen back into the soil structure, non-invasive and no mess. This does not replace the: “no need for drains issue” but it is cost effective and works. Putting in new drains will still leave you with compaction panning in-between the drains, so using Terrain Aeration in the first place is a step in the right direction. Once a garden has been aerated using Terrain Aeration’s machinery, nature will be able to help with the rejuvenation of the soil structure – so this treatment would not be required again.”

Under normal circumstances, Terrain Aeration works nationwide and their teams are available, subject to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, to carry out deep aeration relief for waterlogging and flooding for house builders, sports grounds, amenity areas, golf courses and public spaces. Enquiries from house builders are welcomed with a new email address: aerationterrain292@gmail.com and by calling Terrain Aeration 01449 673783 www.terrainaeration.co.uk

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Terrain’s deep aeration in Yorkshire Sculpture Park

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Terrain’s deep aeration in Yorkshire Sculpture Park: Situated near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an open-air gallery that showcases work by world-class British and international artists, including Yorkshire-born Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Damien Hirst.

The park has one of the largest open-air collection of Moore’s bronzes in Europe. Spread over 500-acres of 18th century designed landscape of Bretton Hall, YSP opened in 1977 and was the first UK sculpture park based on temporary open-air exhibitions that were organized in London parks from the 1940s to 1970 by the Arts Council and London County Council.

Terrain’s deep aeration in Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Terrain’s deep aeration in Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Today, the ‘gallery without walls’ has an ever-changing exhibition programme and preparing to reopen after lockdown presented an opportunity for remedial work to be done. Following a site visit by hydrology consultants inspecting a waterlogged area, they brought in Terrain Aeration with their deep aeration treatment system. The area in question was an important part of the Lower Park and a popular area for visitors and curators. It suffers from compaction due to footfall and the weight of sculptures, resulting in the build-up of standing water.

“It is unusual for the area to be cleared,” says Mark Chesman, Head of Estates and Parks at YSP, “but the sculptures in that area were removed for conservation work, and we seized the opportunity as part of a wider project. In all, it took two-and-a-half days and they treated 4,000 square metres of land.”

Terrain Aeration’s Terralift hammers a hollow probe one metre into the soil using a JCB road breaker gun. At depth, the ground is usually so compacted it needs the hammer to break through. Compressed air is then released to a maximum of 20Bar (280psi) to fracture and fissure the soil and the process is repeated in two-metre spacings, to ensure the fissures interlink. On the end of the air blast, dried seaweed is injected which sticks to the fissure walls, expanding and contracting with moisture content in the soil and keeping the area ‘breathing.’ The 1.5-inch probe holes created by the Terralift machine are backfilled with aggregate to provide a semi-permanent aeration/ventilation shaft, helping to keep the whole aeration process working. The park’s groundkeepers then overseeded the area to finish.

We tend to take trees for granted, in our parks, public spaces and estates but they are often subjected to stress as a result of several factors, such as nutrient shortage, surface compaction due to foot traffic, and waterlogging where water drains off hard surfaces. Yorkshire Sculpture Park features lime trees, beech and Atlas cedar amongst others and these were given Terrain Aeration treatment as well. Breaking up the soil around the roots, and beyond, means excess water will drain away from the roots to help stop anaerobic conditions and rotting of the root system. “We’re confident with what’s been done,” says Mark, “and will be looking at further areas to be treated, probably in the autumn.”

Terrain Aeration 01449 673783 www.terrainaeration.co.uk

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Titan tines perfect for better aeration

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Titan tines perfect for better aeration: With over 150 Toro Titan tines available to cover all possible aeration applications, you’re guaranteed a perfect fit for better aeration. And with 10 percent off the tines range from distributor Reesink Turfcare for the whole of March, superior parts are now available for even less.

Although courses are currently shut, there are no limitations for maintenance activities and, as before, lockdown affords the opportunity to prepare for the season ahead and make any necessary course improvements. Machinery maintenance is a vital part of that and ensuring no delays to the machinery fleet is Toro Parts and in particular Toro’s Titan Tines.

Titan tines perfect for better aeration

Titan tines perfect for better aeration

Toro Titan tines, a perfect fit isn’t just reserved for Toro machines. With Toro conversion sleeves, Toro Tines can fit on the majority of equipment from competitor brands, as well as current and late model Toro aerators. The conversion sleeve slides onto a 9.5mm mount Toro tine to create a 12.7mm or 15.9 mm mount. So, whether you’ll be coring, slicing or spiking, hollow, solid or deep tining, no matter what machine you use, there’s a Titan tine for every need.

Michael Hampton, turfcare parts manager at Reesink Turfcare, says: “At Reesink we’re dedicated to providing our customers more, which is why our entire Toro tines range is available throughout March with 10 percent off. Not only does this mean a saving on the initial purchase price, but customers will see savings in the long term too. The durable design of Toro Titan tines mean they last longer and reduce costly change-out and associated downtime, and with Toro’s conversion sleeves, all customers can benefit from the superior quality of Toro Titan tines, no matter what brand they have in the shed.”

With a tough design that includes hard-wearing brazed tip joints for in-built resistance to separation and breakage, Toro Titan tines guarantee more longevity, more productivity, more strength, more play and more reliability too.

To ensure turfcare machinery is working at its best and delivering the best possible results, it’s vital to have high quality parts made to fit your equipment. Ensuring worn down or old parts are replaced with high-quality new parts is a cost-effective solution to reduce downtime and maintain high standards.

Don’t make 2021 any more difficult than it is turning out to be, stock up on Toro tines in March for 10 percent off and have one less thing to worry about. Customers can get in touch with their local genuine Toro parts dealer or service centre, call Reesink Turfcare on 01480 226800 or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Deep aeration cures waterlogging

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Deep aeration cures waterlogging:  Stratford Town Football Club moved in the 2007/8 season to Knights Lane Ground, Tiddington where they built a new stadium and pitch. The summer of 2007 had seen large areas of flooding and when work began in the July heavy machinery moved straight in, crushing and compacting the ground during construction. It created a problem that would not go away until the end of 2020.

“The pitch has never properly drained.” Says Club Director, Mark Bickley. “The club has spent many thousands of pounds treating the top of the pitch, which does let water through but two areas around the 18-yard box flooded badly enough to stop play, especially when the water table was up. Several schemes were done over the years, at some expense, but none solved the problem and over the last two seasons with excessive winter rainfall the problem escalated.”

Deep aeration cures waterlogging

Deep aeration cures waterlogging

The groundsmen kept to a regime of slitting, aerating, Verti-Draining, scarifying and top dressing, says Mark, and in August and September the pitch looked like Wembley. But as soon as the heavier rains came the problem was back. What was odd was the junior pitch, which is only two hundred yards away, had very little done to it and the drainage was fine. Similarly, the nearby golf course had no drainage problems. A Robin Dagger was brought in for two hours of drilling and backfilling and the fact this helped for a period led to suspicions about what was going on deeper under the surface. Even a week after rain the pitch remained soggy and they relied on the wind to dry it. Two of wettest winters in a row prompted the investment in a tarpaulin to cover 125 sq m. of the worst affected areas.

“It takes six people to put out and is a problem in high winds, having to be weighed down, causing more compaction.” Says Mark. “We ran a test with a boat post hammer, the sort of thing they use on the river moorings in Stratford-upon-Avon and managed to drive it down 18 inches. It was like concrete. I talked it over with an ex Villa Park Head Groundsman and he suggested bringing in Terrain Aeration, the deep aeration specialists. In October 2020 they did a test at the back of the ground with their Terralift machine. It took just fifteen seconds for their JCB road breaker probe to go down to a metre. Moving onto the pitch it took at least a minute to drive through to the same depth.”

The Terralift went on to treat the worst affected parts of the pitch, two strips about forty metres long. The hammer is used because the ground is usually so compact at depth it is needed to break through. Once the probe reaches one metre deep compressed air up to a maximum of 20Bar/280psi is released to fracture and fissure the soil. The Terralift is the only machine using such necessary high pressure. The probe is withdrawn, and the process repeated at two-metre centre spacings on a staggered grid. This means each shot interconnects. On the tail end of the blast, dried seaweed is injected which sticks to the fissure and expands and contracts with the soil’s moisture content, allowing drainage and aeration. The probe holes are backfilled with Lytag aggregate.

“We were able to play games immediately, up to the second lockdown due to Covid-19. Over Christmas there were storms and heavy rains, but the result is unbelievable after so many years. We would certainly have been able to play the local Derby with Banbury on Boxing Day if the league hadn’t been suspended.” Says Marks “This was money well spent and we will have Terrain Aeration back as soon as possible to treat the rest of the pitch. If anyone is having drainage problems on their pitch, I would recommend they do the same.”

Terrain Aeration 01449 673783 www.terrainaeration.co.uk

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