Tag Archive for: Aeration

Terrain deep penetration aeration for trees

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Terrain deep penetration aeration for trees: We tend to take trees for granted, in our parks, estates and gardens, as a natural part of the landscape.

All too often they are subjected to stress as a result of a number of factors such as nutrient shortages in the soil, surface compaction due to foot traffic and waterlogging where water drains off hard surface pathways. Armed with a number of solutions, Terrain Aeration have been treating trees in all types of situation for over twenty-five years, from back gardens to large estates right through to Royal Parks.

Terrain deep penetration aeration for trees

Terrain deep penetration aeration for trees

The Terrain Aeration Terralift machines comprise a probe which reaches one metre depth, deeper than the roots of trees (other than the major tap roots which grow straight down).  Breaking up the soil around the roots, and beyond, means that excess water will drain away from the roots to help stop anaerobic conditions and rotting of the root system.  The probe is then used to inject dried seaweed which helps keep the fissures open and backfilling the probe holes with aggregate provides a semi permanent aeration/ventilation shaft.  Terrain Aeration aerate around the roots using two-metre spacings – on most occasions one-metre inside and one-metre outside the canopy drip line, as this is where the growing roots lie.  Decompacting around the roots and injecting air into the soil increases the percentage of uptake of oxygen into the root system.

In one particular situation it was found there was a magnesium deficiency coupled with low overall soil fertility around trees in a park. This was determined using new technology to measure light transmission through the leaves on the trees to gain a reading of chlorophyll levels. The likely cause of the problem was that leaf litter is always removed and had been for a century, taking with it the natural nutrients from decaying leaves. There was also severe compaction of the surface around the tree. A tree feed mix containing slow release general nutrients and magnesium was injected, using the Terralift’s ability to inject granular material via its seaweed carrier, forcing it upwards into the root zone of the trees. This also avoids losing the nutrients to the grass which would occur with surface treatment. Two Terralift machines were used to carry out the process.

There are some products in the market place which advertise to be of help for trees with Phytophthora. There is a product which is applied around the tree roots via a watering can.  If the tree roots have been aerated by the Terralift machine, the product has a far better chance of reaching affected roots due to the soil being decompacted.  There are machines that will go shallower, but this does not have such an effective treatment as you would still need to get excess water away from laying stagnant around the roots. Terrain Aeration also recommend that root samples from good and affected trees, as well as tip samples be sent for full analysis from the Forestry Commission or any other Arboricultural advisor.  The samples should be labelled as well as being placed in separate plastic bags.  Photos of the location of the trees would also help, just in case there is a huge wall on three sides of the tree or something which could affect its well being. It’s best to give a complete “story” surrounding the tree. For more details on deep penetration aeration treatment for trees, sports pitches, golf courses and gardens:

Terrain Aeration 01449 673783
www.terrainaeration.com

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Terrain Aeration At Cambridge Uni

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Terrain Aeration At Cambridge Uni: Cambridge University Botanic Garden welcomes 300,000 visitors a year, making it the most visited university botanic garden in the UK. Situated in the centre of Cambridge, the Grade II listed Heritage Garden covers 40 acres and is home to a collection of over 8,000 plant species to facilitate teaching and research.

Equally, since its foundation it has provided a beautiful and tranquil place for everyone to enjoy. The Garden boasts four show lawns and the combination of foot traffic, marquee trucks and ride-on mowers leads to compaction. The Garden has been using Terrain Aeration’s decompaction services since as far back as 2013 and chose the deep aeration treatment for the high-profile area of the Main Lawn in front of the majestic glasshouses.

Terrain Aeration Visit Cambridge University

“We know Terrain Aeration’s work from years ago when development had been done at the Station Road Entrance and the lawn at the back of Cory Lodge,” says Adrian Holmes, Landscape and Machinery Supervisor at the Garden. “The lawns had been re-built after the work but were found to be compacted and the soil was not good. We had a waterlogging issue for a couple of years. The Terrain Aeration treatment rectified the problem and we know from experience it’s a long-term solution.”

This year, the Garden’s Main Lawn area was cordoned off, the machine operation creating considerable interest amongst students and visitors, and Terrain Aeration’s Terralift set to work. The weather was very good and dry, and the ground was worked easily without the need to use the Terralift’s JCB hammer drill. The machine’s probe is driven down a metre deep and highly compressed air released up to a maximum of 20Bar (280psi) to fracture the soil, opening it up for aeration, drainage and to get oxygen to the roots of the plant. On the tail end of the air blast, dried seaweed is incorporated which sticks to the walls of the fractures and fissures created by the main air blast. As pressure drops, the seaweed is mixed in the hopper unit where it swirls around with the remaining air and is then released. The seaweed swells in wet weather and keeps the fissures open. On the Main Lawn the same process was repeated in two-metre spacings, so the underground fracturing is thoroughly linked. In some extreme cases this is demonstrated by water fountains appearing from previous probe holes. In this instance the ground was found to be not as compacted as expected and the 2,500sq metre area was completed in two days, not the original three as had been expected.

“The Terrain Aeration guys were very good, prompt and efficient and quite knowledgeable,” says Adrian, “they backfilled the probe holes with Lytag, lightweight aggregate and it was as if they had never been there. It was great to have everything back to normal so quickly.” The aeration treatment completed, the lawn area was immediately open for unrestricted access to the fountains, glasshouses and horticultural and National Plant Collections.

Terrain Aeration www.terrainaeration.co.uk  01449 673783

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Deep Aeration Cures Waterlogging

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Deep Aeration Cures Waterlogging: Heavy downpours of rain on compacted grass areas on sports pitches, bowling greens, golf courses and amenity areas can leave standing water, rendering them unusable and stopping play. The action of normal aeration, use of machines and foot traffic over time can leave areas compacted and panning occurs, causing poor drainage and depriving grass roots of oxygen and nutrients. Sports turf specialists Terrain Aeration have been providing a long-term solution to this for over twenty five years, using one- metre deep penetration of the playing surface.

The Terrain Aeration Terralift machine not only solves the immediate compaction problem, the process has a beneficial effect that lasts many years. It works like this. The Terralift hammers a hollow probe one metre into the soil using a JCB road breaker gun (this is because the ground is usually so compact at depth that it needs this hammer to break through).  Once the probe has reached one metre depth, compressed air is released up to a maximum of 20Bar (280psi), the Terralift being the only machine using such high air pressure, which is needed to fracture and fissure the soil. The probe is withdrawn and the process repeated using two-metre centre spacings on a staggered grid pattern – this means that each shot interconnects with the previous ones.

Deep Aeration Cures Waterlogging

On the tail end of the air blast, dried seaweed is injected which sticks to the walls of the fractures and fissures and, over time, expands and contracts with the moisture content in the soil – similar to “breathing” underground.   The 1½” 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 top 1″ should be topped with the usual top dressing to encourage grass growth over the probe holes.  The Terrain Aeration process is ecologically sound, there is no mess and once the pitch or green has been given a light mow it’s ready for play to resume.

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The Power Of Deep Aeration

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The Power Of Deep Aeration: The concept of one metre deep aeration, to relieve compaction and improve drainage, really needs to be seen in action to appreciate the long-term benefits. A long and very hot summer with little amounts of rain will, without doubt, lead to compaction and drainage problems on the sports pitch, the golf course and bowling green and inevitably in amenity areas and gardens. Terrain Aeration have produced a new video that shows precisely how to alleviate the problem, using the proven Terralift system that has been in operation for over twenty-five years. As soon as the heavy rains come areas of turf compaction and panning become self-evident with large stretches of standing water.

Normal aeration and scarifying are of course essential to promoting a healthy sward but the penetration isn’t deep enough to get to where the real problem lies. Go down a metre with a hollow probe, using a JCB breaker gun to penetrate the hard compaction in the soil, and release compressed air up to a maximum of 20Bar (280psi). This fractures the soil, creating and opening up the fissures that will allow the water to drain. Repeat the process on a staggered grid pattern at two metre spacings and you ensure each air blast interconnects the underground labyrinth of cracks and fissures.

The Power Of Deep Aeration

As you can see on the Terrain Aeration video, that is how the Terrain Aeration system works but it doesn’t stop there. Dried seaweed is injected on the tail end of the blast and this sticks to the walls of the probe hole and cracks. Over time it expands and contracts with the moisture content and maintains the drainage when the heavier rains fall. Water storing polymers can also be added at this stage as an extra insurance with water retention. The interconnecting system created also allows oxygen and nutrients to get to the roots, while the grass pushes them down to reach the deeper water supply and help promote top growth. The probe holes are back filled with porous Lytag aggregate and finished with the usual top dressing to encourage grass growth over the probe holes. In the case of the golf green, tee or sports pitch play can resume immediately.

Once treated, the area will benefit for many years to come as has been demonstrated by Terrain Aeration over the years for thousands of sports venues, golf courses, parks and amenity areas. The deep penetration process is used to great effect around trees, especially where the ground has become very compacted due to foot traffic. The Terralift system has treated such notable areas as the Royal Parks, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and many National Trust properties. But it is equally beneficial in relieving compaction and creating drainage on formal lawns and even small gardens as well as sports pitches and golf greens. You can see the video at: https://youtu.be/uw9k35PA5kM

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Charterhouse Doubles Aeration Regime

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Charterhouse Doubles Aeration Regime: Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty in Berkshire, Goring and Streatley Golf Club offers a challenging 18 holes over a half downland and half parkland course. Despite the challenges this brings to Course Manager Matt Aplin and his team when it comes to maintenance, the greens are renowned for being fast, true and in great condition all year round. The combination of a Redexim Carrier and Verti-Drain 1513 from Charterhouse Turf Machinery is the latest weapon in Matt’s armoury to improve the greens, tees and approaches even further.

“Though we have quite a large machinery fleet, we only have one tractor” explains Matt, who heads up a team of six greenkeepers. “This meant when it came to greens maintenance, if we were using the tractor to hollow tine, we then couldn’t topdress on the same day as the tractor was tied up. Fundamentally this restricted us being able to conduct some operations, especially aeration, as much as we’d like to.” Matt spoke to his local dealer Lister Wilder, who demonstrated a number of power unit and aerator combinations. “With a lot of the competitor machines, the aerator was limited to 4” penetration depths, whereas the Verti-Drain could go down to 6”, making a big difference to root depths, along with creating heave.” They took delivery of the Carrier and Verti-Drain 1513 in combination early last year.

Charterhouse Doubles Aeration Regime

As well as easing the strain on the club’s tractor, another key factor for the purchase was to use a lighter weight unit on the greens. “It’s simple to use, safer being outside the cab and more efficient for the team than navigating the tractor with a heavy spiker on the back around the hills on our course.” Though a number of machines can be connected to the Carrier, for Matt it is being used solely for aeration, and has already conducted upwards of 220 hours of aeration at the club. “We used to pencil tine the greens four or five times a year, that’s now 10 or 12 times. Our tees and approaches were aerated very infrequently, they’re now being done six times a year. That equates to a 200% increase on our previous aeration programme.”

That increase isn’t unnoticed by members who are commenting on the knock-on improvements in green and tee conditions. “We have four greens that are built on pure clay and can lay very wet. The massive increase in aeration, and more frequent topdressing has meant these are drier than they’ve ever been. It shows us that our cultural practices are working, and that’ll hopefully only continue to improve as the years go on.”

For more information, visit: www.charterhouse-tm.co.uk

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