Tennis Courts

IA Refines Strategy, Standards

The Irrigation Association has refined its mission statement and strategic initiatives following its July meeting of the Board of Directors. This includes the addition of “standards” as a new strategic initiative, which will focus on establishing product and practice standards that drive efficient irrigation.

Mission Statement:  Promote efficient irrigation technologies, products and services.

Strategic Initiatives:  Education, certification, government/public affairs and standards.  

“At its core, the Irrigation Association is a trade association, so the mission statement was refined to ensure it reflects our industry knowledge and expertise,” said IA President Mike Harrington. He emphasized that the organization’s unifying statement – to ensure water is available for irrigation for future generations – remains the same.

IA’s Board of Directors also updated the organization’s strategic initiatives, defining a new focus on standards.

“Government entities, businesses and the public are becoming increasingly cognizant of water’s value and finite state, so the ability to prove our industry’s efficiency is going to be pivotal in our continued growth,” said Harrington. “Therefore, IA has chosen to add a strategic focus on establishing product and practice standards that drive efficient irrigation.

“Our strategic focus on influencing public policy remains unchanged; because certification and education have increased in importance, the Board felt that each category should stand alone as a strategic initiative.” IA’s marketing/communications efforts will continue to support all initiatives

Ground Cover

 From a purely practical point of view, groundcovers offer alternatives to turf in hard-to-mow sites and reduce the need for watering and other maintenance. Groundcovers conserve moisture, maintain even soil temperatures and stabilize soil in erosion-prone areas.

Groundcovers can create visual pathways to help direct foot traffic and can help link ornamental plants or provide transitions among outdoor spaces. Many groundcovers spread quickly to form dense plantings, which can help to inhibit weeds.

Selection

When selecting groundcovers, consider their spread, height, location, function, foliage texture and color. Since no single species of plant works for every landscape situation, pay attention to soil conditions, light and moisture requirements. Some plants prefer partial shade, while others thrive in deep shade or full sun; a few tolerate a wide variety of light conditions. The most effective selections are chosen with an eye for how plant sizes relate to the intimacy or expanse of particular landscape sites. When groundcover will be used to prevent soil erosion on a steep slope, it should have an extensive root system and vigorous growth habit. Some groundcovers do not withstand excessive foot traffic. Before planting anything, create a walkway through areas intended for pedestrians

 Soil Preparation

A key to successfully establishing groundcovers is proper soil preparation. Before planting, eliminate weeds and turf from the area. For large areas, use a sod-stripping machine to clear turf. For weed control, consider a glyphosate herbicide or soil solarization. The process of solarizing uses the heat of the summer sun to raise soil temperatures high enough to kill harmful organisms and seeds in the ground. Solarize soil by laying strong transparent plastic over cleared and moistened soil. Seal the edges with soil and leave plastic in place for four to six weeks.

The Truth About Resurfacing

Nothing perks up an asphalt tennis court like a fresh Resurfacing.  At 7,200 square feet each, a court is going to be noticed whether it looks good or bad.

Resurfacing a tennis court can best be compared to painting an exterior wall of your home. It’s a maintenance item that must be addressed by clubs every 4 to 5 years and by residential court owners every 6 to 7 years. 

A common misconception is that resurfacing can remedy structural problems such as cracks and settlement. Resurfacing is, as its name implies, only a surface treatment that provides an attractive, textured, surface layer for a consistent ball bounce and protection of the asphalt from the U.V. rays of the Sun. In addition, resurfacing addresses the symptoms often caused by structural problems (structural problems defined as those related to the foundation or earth beneath the surface of the court).

Unfortunately, those symptoms caused by structural defects will likely return, and the timing of their return is determined more by the region of the country and the severity of the problem than the quality of the resurfacing job. For instance, cracks repaired on a court in South Florida may never return, while the same repair in Atlanta, Georgia will begin to re-crack by late Autumn of that same year. Puddles that stand on the court may return if the ground beneath is still settling after the Resurfacing is completed.

Putty and paint on the walls of your home will not fix a settling foundation, and Resurfacing cannot be expected to repair structural defects in your courts.

Let us discuss with you all of your options before starting your next court project.

Cleaning Your Tennis Court

Things like dirt, mold, mildew and algae can fester on a tennis court. This dirty surface poses a potential safety hazard to players, as one could slip and fall during a swing. And falling can lead to a potential injury. A serious injury could mean, well, no tennis for a while. The court simply has better traction when it is clean. So, not only is your clean court safer, but you‘ll also have a better game! Another reason to keep your tennis court clean is the high maintenance cost if the court is left unclean for an extended period of time. If the surface deteriorates so much that you can’t see the lines, and cracks start to appear, your cost for repairing the area will be extremely high. The more low areas and cracks there are, the higher the price will be. So, don’t let your tennis court get to that stage.

A standard tennis court is 60 feet wide by 120 feet long.  However, the length and width of the court can be slightly larger or smaller, depending on the application.  But, before giving your tennis court a cleaning and pressure washing treatment, we will want to remove anything loose in the area that could be blown away or damaged, such as benches, tennis court equipment, balls and nets. The next step would be to remove any heavy debris around a tennis court, if the courts are in a rural area; you may have twigs, branches, leaves, litter and even gum.  After the debris is removed, the area to be pressure washed is usually pretreated with a mixture of water and detergent. Then, the area is washed using a pressure washer, adjusted to the appropriate PSI. After letting the soap sit for about five to ten minutes, the area is rinsed and any excess dirt is washed away, just like that ball you let whiz by during your opponent’s last serve. We will be sure to hit all areas of the court, including those areas outside the playing lines and around court perimeters.

Here Are Some Basic Guidelines On How Often You Should Consider Cleaning Your Tennis Court:

• Daily: After the day's play is completed, pick up trash, leafs and other debris. Inspect and repair any excess court damage (i.e. foot dragging).
• Weekly:  Perimeter areas and net lines should be cleaned.
• Monthly:  Lines should be painted as needed. Check areas of heavy play (baselines and service boxes) for wear. 
• Quarterly:  Low end of the court should be cleaned and excess material removed as needed. Yearly: ACME Restoration will conduct a free complete maintenance surface checkout
• Yearly:  ACME Restoration will conduct a free complete maintenance surface checkout.