A Refresher Course

Eight steps to an easy field facelift

By Jeffrey T. Fowler

In the last 20 years, I have been called countless times to lend advice to an athletic field manager, school custodian, or school board member who wanted a “better” field for the athletes. After a few conversations with similar answers, I realized many people were forgetting the basic steps needed to properly maintain athletic fields. Many of these steps have been written in book form or at least in a university publication, but this article serves as a friendly reminder of the basics.

Photo: © Can Stock Photo / ca2hill

1 - Soil Testing

This is the first step in any field facelift. Without a soil test, a person has no idea what the soil and turf plant need to thrive. I like to compare soil testing to a human blood pressure check. Medical professionals can tell a lot about an individual’s health by using this test. Turf professionals can tell a lot about a soil’s health by conducting a simple soil test, which provides the soil pH and nutrient levels present in the sample.

A soil test is conducted by taking 20 to 32 core samples on a field, mixing them and allowing them to dry; the representative sample is then sent to a certified laboratory. Check with your local county extension office for a list of laboratories that can perform this test. The cost will range from $6 to $20, but will pay for itself many times over in the amount saved on lime and fertilizer expenses.

2 - Lime And Fertilizer

Dollar for dollar, fertilization does more to improve poor quality turfgrass than any other management practice. Proper fertilization will produce a dense, medium- to dark-green turf that resists pests and environmental stresses. However, careless application techniques and/or applying excessive amounts of fertilizer at the wrong time of year can result in serious turf damage and contaminated water resources. Successful turf-maintenance fertilization requires an assessment of the nutritional requirements of the turf, an understanding of fertilizers, a knowledge of how much and when fertilizers should be applied, and proper application techniques.[1]

3 - Mowing

Whether using a reel-type or rotary-type mower, make sure the blades are sharp. Mowing frequency depends upon the rate of growth. And never remove more than one-third of the green growth in one mowing. So, to maintain a height of 2 inches, for example, mow when the plant reaches 3 inches.  Clippings do not need to be removed as long as a regular mowing schedule is maintained.

4 - Aerating

Aeration is the process of disturbing the soil to relieve compaction. Compacted soil does not allow proper air, water, and nutrient penetration, and makes it difficult for proper plant-root growth. Core removal should be performed at least twice a year when the plants are actively growing. Many different aeration methods can be used during a season that will not disrupt play.

5 - Topdressing

Topdressing is the addition of sand or soil to the surface of the turf. Topdressing gives the sports-turf manager a chance to improve the soil quality, the seedbed for new plants, and the rooting of both new and existing plants. Topdressing also provides an opportunity to level the surface of a playing field. The material used during topdressing should be chemically and physically similar to the existing soil, unless the intent is to modify the soil texture.

Photo: © Can Stock Photo / kontrymphoto

6 - Overseeding

Overseeding into thin turf or small patches of bare soil can be done in late winter, spring, or early fall.  When overseeding, it is especially important that the seed comes in contact with the soil and has space to germinate. Perennial ryegrass that is overseeded at the rate of 8 to 10 pounds/1,000 square feet performs very well.  Perennial rye is a quick, germinating variety that can tolerate enough wear to be effective on a field. Turf Type Tall Fescue serves as a great overseeding grass at 3 to 5 pounds/year.

7 - Playing Surface

I have been asked many times at various athletic field-maintenance seminars to do a quick demonstration on “puddle repair.” My answer has always been the same: “No.” Puddles cannot be fixed. Low spots on a playing surface must be dealt with by constantly working the skinned portion of a softball or baseball field. Work with a leveling drag to work the skin in all directions to maintain an even playing surface.

8 - Transition Areas

The appearance of transition areas can make a field look like a million bucks or a million ducks, depending on the care. Areas where the grass and skin meet on a baseball or softball field, where players run on and off the field, or the path on which athletes walk to and from the practice field, can really make or break a field’s appearance, safety, and playability. Continually work to keep these areas from forming lips, dips, and other safety hazards.

9 - Communications

I know I promised only eight steps, but here’s a bonus. Even if one knows everything there is to know about the first eight steps of a field facelift, no one will understand them if they do not follow step nine.  Let people around you—bosses, supervisors, coaches, players, volunteer parents, and school administrators—know what you know. Our job as sports-turf managers is to maintain fields; we need to communicate our needs and the reasons for these needs so others better understand the importance of the first eight steps.

Adopting these nine steps and formulating a game plan for fields will leave spectators asking, “How did they do that?”

Jeffrey T. Fowler is a Senior Extension Educator in Horticulture for Penn State Cooperative Extension. Reach him at (814) 437-7607, or Jtf2@psu.edu. 

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References

[1] Turfgrass Fertilization, A Basic Guide for Professional Turfgrass Managers, Peter Landschoot, Assoc. Professor of Turfgrass Science, the Pennsylvania State University. Bluegrass Billbugs
2003-05-06