A quality playing field thanks to high-performance products: the vision of an experienced field manager

Providing acceptable quality at the lowest possible cost. That is the challenge that practically every field manager and green keeper faces every day. The same applies to Martin Brummel, grounds manager at AFC Ajax's De Toekomst Sports Park and independent consultant at GrasMeesters. A vessel full of expertise, therefore, from which, for example, his local sports club in Epe also reaps the benefits. Vice versa, it allows Brummel to test innovations in the sector close to home, for instance, and thus expand his knowledge.

For Brummel, quality equals a mat that is vital and level, has a good and reliable ball roll and is safe for the players. Thus, playability outweighs the visual aspect. A well-considered choice of fertiliser is primordial for reconciling these two for the perfect overall experience. 

COMPO EXPERT offers quality, high-performance solutions for this with its range of specialty fertilisers, soil conditioners and biostimulants. But how does Brummel make his choice now? 

Soil analysis

“It starts with knowing the state of the field, and for that I take an annual soil analysis in winter. With this I can then set out the chalk lines for the coming season, and at the moment I don't see a whole lot of difference between successive years, so my fertilisation strategy is pretty well balanced. ”For professional fields, Brummel recommends taking a sample annually, but for municipalities, every two to three years is more feasible. “As soon as sowing starts, the mat needs to close as quickly as possible to keep out unwanted plants. I have good experience with COMPO EXPERT's fast-acting EasyGreen Mini 21. This is because an organic fertiliser is not suitable for this purpose because the organic matter has to be digested before nutrients can become plant-available.”

Once the mat is closed, the throttle may be released a little and it is necessary to get the grass plant stronger. At this stage, the fertiliser choices are also legion, but Brummel sees a clear trend: “In agriculture, they have to make do with less and less, and I am convinced that this is also coming for sports fields. So we have to look to fertilise as efficiently as possible, in other words, that what we give is also effectively absorbed by the grass plants. Spoon-feeding, liquid or otherwise, and slow-acting fertilisers with Isodur® and Crotodur® undoubtedly help with this. For example, I use Floranid® N 31 and Floranid®^Twin Eagle Master as soon as the mat is dense, to have a gradual, efficient N release and uptake, and thus also avoid growth spikes.” 

An appropriate, balanced supply of nutrients is the basis for a vital plant, but due to field access, mowing and variable weather and growing conditions, there are also various stress moments with the risk of weakening and damaging the field. This requires continuous steering towards resilience, recovery and growth. For this, COMPO EXPERT offers, among other things, Vitanica® biostimulants that have been specially developed for grass stocks. 

Firmer leaf cells

“Biostimulants are an integral part of my programme,” Brummel explains. “I usually use all types, being amino acids, seaweed extracts, humic and fulvic acids, and silicon, in which I alternate applications every two or three weeks. Especially in silicon, I see added value in generating firmer cells in the leaves and a consistent ball roll, and with a more vital plant, there is also less chance of infection by pathogenic pathogens. I also use biostimulants for the establishment of a new turf on the substrate, albeit supplemented with a stock fertiliser containing sufficient phosphorus. Afterwards, however, I deliberately keep phosphorus fertilisation low to give street grass as little chance as possible to establish itself.”