How to Use a Tennis Court Broom to Maintain Real and Synthetic Green Surfaces
A tennis court broom is an essential maintenance tool for maintaining any real or synthetic green surfaces that are used for sport, not just tennis courts. Use only a premium-quality broom, which consists of sturdy bristles made of natural, hard-wearing fibres such as millet or, alternatively, heavy-duty nylon. The handle is powder coated and reinforced with a cane insert for durability, while the broom head is attached to the handle with a metal broom bracket, giving it extra strength. These tennis court drag brushes, as they are sometimes called, are suitable for use both at home and on commercial premises, where they are used to maintain all types of sport surfaces including tennis courts, cricket pitches, bowling greens and golfing greens. Simple, lightweight and easy to use, tennis court brooms are used as part of a complete maintenance program to keep both real and synthetic turfs in top condition.
How to maintain real turf
Regardless of whether it's a tennis court or bowling green, the following tips apply equally to all real grass sports surfaces to keep them well maintained and looking great:
The grass needs to be mown every two to three days to keep it at a height of 6-8mm.
Before mowing, use a tennis court broom to brush over the grass. This helps straighten up the grass blades for a better cut, which will result in a more consistent and even height than if the grass is left to lie flat.
Watering is an essential part of keeping turf healthy and should be done after each use.
Remember to fertilise the turf regularly to keep it lush and green and to avoid any dead or brown patches, which can make the surface slippery.
As with all manicured lawn and turf, it will need to be scarified once or twice a year. Use a rake or a scarifying machine to remove thatch and thin out the root zone. The end result will be a lusher, healthier turf that won't suffer from compaction.
Along with scarifying, fertilising and watering, the turf needs to be aerated. Usually done in winter, this action will improve drainage while also encouraging deeper roots, which will aid in achieving a healthier, more robust green surface.
How to maintain synthetic turf
Unlike real turf, synthetic turf is much easier to maintain because it doesn't need watering, fertilising, scarifying or aerating. However, it still needs to be kept looking good by regularly removing dirt, twigs and leaves from its surface. Follow these tips:
If not removed from the surface, debris such as dirt, twigs and leaves can encourage weeds to grow and will make the synthetic turf look unsightly. Clean it regularly by using a tennis court broom or millet broom to sweep off the debris, or alternatively use a garden vacuum.
In addition to sweeping the surface clean, brush it over regularly with the broom after each use. This helps keep the blades upright so that the synthetic turf wears off more uniformly.
Stains on synthetic turf can be easy to remove using general cleaning products. However, make sure you get to them sooner rather than later, as leaving them untreated for too long will make them more stubborn to remove.