THE TENNIS LAWN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 63, 14 March 1936, Page 13

THE TENNIS LAWN

PRESERVING THE SWARD Under the most favourable weather conditions, and with the most generous attention to cleaning, feeding and occasional resting, a tennis court which does duty for a number of players whose rtyle is anywhere near the accepted standard of to-day, is bound to reach a sadly-worn condition by the end of March. So much energy is put into a hard game that foot-wear is severe, especially at the service corners and close to the net. Furthermore, the 1 keener the players are, the smoother the court that is demanded, and to meet that demand, the turf is rolled without mercy, until root action is rendered almctt impossible. i It is the salvation of many courts 1 and bowling greens, too, when a wet I summer cancels many games, keeps the roller idle, and enables worms to throw j up a few casts, and open a few channels to aerate the root run. Those whose tennis courts are doomed to hard wear should make a point of putting down a reserve area of the same kind of grass. This should be kept mown, cleaned and nourished like the court itself, and thus a supply- of the right kind of turf is readily I available for the filling of *bad patches. Frequently, the play is kept up so late in the season that the chances of seedmaking a good sward are reduced almost to a hazard, and the safer plan is to patch the very bad areas with turf, which is easily obtained from thy reserve. Not every brown or withered patch is beyond recovery. It is only where the crowns of the grass haw been worn away, leaving nothing that can make new growth, that it is necessary to fill in the vacancy. Quite apart from repairing holes in the grass there is much need after a hard summer to give growing grass a little help. The first step is to perforate the turf all over with a foik or a spiked roller. These holes may remain open for ten days, to a fortnight, letting some air in to the roots. Get some material ready for top-dressing. ’l'he frequently-advocated basic slag | and bonemeal would be all right from a feeding standpoint, but they encour- ‘ age the growth of clover. Whatever | fertiliser is used should be mixed with sand or finely-sifted clean soil. Sand is best where the turf lies on close, bmdin,r soil; leaf soil is the better for porous soils inclined to dry out quickly. Do not be too eager to improve mat- ! ters quickly by giving a thick topI dressing. It is far better to put on a I quarter-inch layer evenly, and give anI other dressing when the rains have • washed the first in. Good seasons for i the top-4 resting are from March to • Mar or from August to October.

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