Lawn Turf - Turf Suppliers - Landscape Supplies

Lebanon Reserve, Strathmore, Melbourne

Sports ovals are a demanding environment for any turfgrass. They are subject to continual high use throughout the year with particular pressure being applied to the surface during winter when cold conditions slow the growth of most warm season turf varieties.

For first class ovals, cool season grasses such as rye grass are typically over-sown into a warm season grass such as couch during autumn to give better wear resistance and colour during winter. This annual over-seeding is an expensive and time consuming activity.

On lower grade playing surfaces over-sowing may not be an option and in this case surfaces turn to mud during winter and become unsafe to play on.

Village Green is a highly winter active kikuyu with a deep green colour giving a high wearing playing surface throughout the winter without the need for overseeding with ryegrass. (this applies to coastal locations from Carnarvon around Melbourne to SE Queensland).

Case study

Sustainable sports surface gets tick of approval – City of Armadale, Perth, WA

First impressions are important and Village Green impressed Anton Lees, Manager Parks and Gardens, City of Armadale, Perth so much he’s given it the tick of approval so far.Anton first came across the hardy variety at a field day at Greenacres Turf Farm during November 2009. This was enough to convince him;

“It is a new product, looks great and seems to have the sustainability credentials to take us into the 21st century”.

An opportunity to try Village Green presented itself earlier this year on a new three-hectare sports oval in Armadale, a southern suburb of Perth.

“We awarded the contract during March and it was laid during May, just before winter,” Anton explained.

“After it was laid, I was immediately impressed with how quickly the turf established during winter, its rich green colour and strong growth.”

As yet the turf has not been put to the high-traffic test with Anton keen to give the surface time to settle in while further redevelopment continues.

“I am keen to wait until the completion of all the facilities at Frye Park and for the sub-soil to settle before we hold sporting events on the turf,” he said.

But so far, so good, and the future looks promising for Village Green at other sites across the City according to Anton.

Case study

Sportsfield Facelift Provides Drought-Proof Surface – Lebanon Reserve, Strathmore, Melbourne, Vic

Established during the 1960s Lebanon Reserve, Strathmore, Victoria underwent reconstruction during 2009.

Consisting of a football and cricket oval the club’s fields hadn’t been resurfaced since 1983. The decision was made to reconstruct the ground, with a view to providing a drought-tolerant surface that would tolerate more wear across several sporting disciplines.

“We started work during March 2009,” Bruce Stephens, Anco Turf said.

“The turf was line planted during May and we managed the surface through to November.”

“We initially watered the turf with overhead irrigation during the grow-in period (3–4 weeks) and when it had taken root we used the sub surface irrigation.”

With most varieties requiring up to five megalitres to get established during summer, Village Green has excelled in the water-use stakes achieving strong establishment over winter with only two megalitres used to achieve a full cover.

Successful establishment has seen the club host the Victorian launch of Village Green during November and welcome the 2009/2010 cricket season without delay..

“The turf is fantastic,” Bruce said “And it hardly gets any water — which was the ultimate aim of the project.”

“The roots are already down about 600mm.”

“The surface is mown each Monday with a stealth mower and again with a cylinder mower prior to cricket on the weekend.”

Further planned irrigation reduction will reduce growth and the second weekly mowing will not be required.