What's happening to the green after the Closing drive?

Autumn renovation of the green starts on October 3rd, weather permitting. It should take 2 days. if you can come and help on either day, but especially the first day, then please put that in your diary. The activities we have to do are these: -

1. Take up, clean and store the gully mats (this takes the most man (or woman) power
2. Mow the green followed by scarifying in 2 directions
3. Mow the green again after the last scarify (using the Ransomes mower).
4. Spike the green either with solid or hollow tines (TBD nearer the time). If hollow tining then this is followed by breaking up of the soil cores and the removal of the loose grass with the verticutter.
5. Put down autumn/winter fertiliser
6. Roll the green using the Dennis 500 with the grass seeder roller (creates indents in the soil at the right depth for grass seed)
7. Overseed with new grass seed.

Thereafter, the only activity we do is to swish the green (daily if we have the bodies) for the next 2-3 weeks in order to give the grass seed time to germinate. Swishing of the green continues all through the winter, it helps the grass to dry quicker, removes worm casts and reduces the possibility of grass diseases which can be devastating. Mowing will reduce in frequency as time progresses, by the time we get to December we only mow as necessary to keep the grass to a height of 8mm.

The aim of all this work, which most of you will not see or be aware of, is to start next season with a good green. The better we look after the green over the winter the better it will be for the next season.

I will be asking for help for the winter swishing rota very soon, if you are able to help (including female members please!) then please do so. If we get enough bodies to swish in pairs, it takes no more than 20 mins to get the job done. It's easier than a workout and you will burn off calories (win-win in my book). If you don't think you can do it but have no physical impairments, just consider that if a 90-year-old man can do it, why do you think you can't? 20minutes of your time, once a week if we get the bodies, that's all we are asking for.