2022/23 - Seeds & Stuff I've ordered/bought/acquired
Vinny Online
Geordie living 'ower the watter'
#342
(09-04-2023, 04:25 PM)toomanytommytoes Wrote:
(09-04-2023, 02:11 PM)Vinny Wrote:
(09-04-2023, 12:58 PM)toomanytommytoes Wrote: My concern with controlled release fertilisers is the polymers they coat the granules with not being biodegradable. I've found empty blue plastic shells in pots, and the last time I bought compost with blue granules in was over 3 years ago.
We did tests and found the stuff we used totally degraded? We used it for many years and I can't say I ever found any 'shells' remaining in the substrate.We did add 100 tonne of Messingham sports sand to each pitch each year as a topdressing so thats maybe why I never found any spent fertiliser shells? I have seen slow release fertiliser with masive granular size from Sierrablen (which we tried and discarded) but ours were micro grans and not in the fluerecent colours I have seen sold in GC's. Cry
I like to grow organic but it isn't feasible on Sports pitches? (not then ,anyway) We once tried organic chicken manure based pellets on the cricket outfield. It was great until we had a shower of rain where all the criceters came off the oval holding there noses! Big Grin We had rat problems in storage with it as well! Sick
I don't think all controlled release granules are coated in plastic polymers, it seems to vary between brands. Some of them use a coating which is broken down slowly by microbes instead. I think the longer lasting granules (Osmocote for example sell ones which feed for 9 months) are more likely to contain plastic. So far I've found blue, green and orange/yellow ones. 

I think to fertilise sports pitches organically you'd need to use liquid feeds or a fine powder which disappears quickly. There is a football club called Forest Green whose pitch is full organic. You can read about some of the things they use here - https://www.carbongold.com/forest-green-rovers/
We used liquid feeds based on seaweed along with fungicides and iron applications as well as boom sprayed  selective weedkiller on the most prestigeous pitches.We even tried  a powdered weed & feed on some of the lesser pitches until we noticed because of 'drift' we stifledt the growth on the bottom of the surrounding hedges. Being a University we had an obligation to try and be as 'green' as possible within budget, We did use products that through Risk Assessments and COSHH assessments were deemed to minimalise risk to people and the environment. I thought I had raised the profile of Grounds Maintenance from what it was when I took over and I am proud at what I achieved in a relatively short period, giving the Students a first class outdoor sports facility.
Unfortunately they have now reduced the Grounstaff considerably and switched a lot of the pitches to 3rd generation all weather surfaces to save on maintennce costs.
"The problem with retirement is that you never get a day off"- Abe Lemons
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Messages In This Thread
Farendwoman - by Farendwoman - 22-02-2022, 12:26 AM
RE: 2022/23 - Seeds & Stuff I've ordered/bought/acquired - by Vinny - 09-04-2023, 11:16 PM



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