Athletic Field Maintenance Eli Frazier

Seeding• First Things First Know What You

Need!• Step 1- Determine a Good Grass Type

for your particular are• Step 2 Select a Cultivar/ Mixture • Step 3- Seed, Sod or Sprig?  • Step 4- Planting• Step 5- Maintenance and Grow in

Fertility • Most professionals agree that a soil test should be completed at least once

every 3 to 5 years, the soil should be analyzed to determine acidity and nutrient status. This will be used as a guide for specific lime and fertilizer applications.

• Athletic field turfs can vary considerably in soil type, turf type (different species and cultivars), exposure to sunlight, ect. These and other factors influence the rate and timing of fertilization.

Mowing Standard mowing heights for sports turf grasses are usually between .75 and 3 inches, depending on the sport and the amount of maintenance the turf receives.

Athletic fields that do not receive supplemental irrigation should be mowed at the higher end of the mowing height range.

Weed Control

• Use only labeled herbicides• Get the right equipment• Train your applicator• Calibrate all equipment• Control weeds during the off-season• Water preemergence herbicides• Make applications when field is not in use

Water ApplicationIt is very difficult to maintain an athletic field without irrigation. Irrigation should be scheduled to supplement rainfall. Duration depends on environmental factors and limitations of the irrigation system.

Apply enough water to soak the soil to a depth of at least 6 to 8 inches. On medium-textured soils, this usually means applying about 1 inch of water per week during the summer

The best time of day to irrigate is before sunrise because there is less wind and lower temperatures, thus less water loss to evaporation.

Scheduling, Field Rotation, and Moving Goals

• Why Is this even important and how does it relate to turf?

• Wear on the Fields• Rotation • Goals kill the grass• Keeps people off your fields

My Experience with Athletic FieldsJ. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex

City of Wilson, NCParks Superintendent Mr. Dale Edmonds NCSU Turf Degree (1990)

Gillette (Seeding)

• Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass (Hybrid Bermuda)• Perennial Rye Grass (700 lbs/A)

Math- How many lbs of seed will it take for all 6 soccer fields? One field is about 2A.

Gillette (Fertilizers)

• On Average about 1lb/N/1000sq ft (Varies in Colder Months) once a month especially in the active growing months (May-September)

• Potassium as needed (Once a Year) to help with wear tolerance

• Complete Fertilizer as Needed (3-1-2 Ratio when in the maintenance stage, and when in the recovery stage a 5-1-2 ratio is often used. Ex. 25-5-10

Gillette (Mowing)

• Average 3 days a week (Monday, Wed., Friday)• 7/8 to 1 inch • Toro Reelmaster 3100D

Gillette (Weed Control)

• Spray out Rye Grass (Usually First of April) using Revolver or Monument

• Preemergents twice a year (Spring and Fall)• Postemergents 2-3 times a year as needed• Wetting Agent (Dew Dropper) once a month at

low rate (6oz. Per Acre) Why???

Gillette (Water Application)

• Toro Sprinklers• 6 Soccer Fields, 4 Baseball Fields, and

Surrounding Area• Summer Months-100,000 gallons per day• ALL Reclaimed Water• 1 cent per 1000 Gallons

Gillette (Mis.)

• Top Dress twice a year to level fields and fill in major holes. Once in Fall and once in Spring.

• Some form of aeration is done usually twice a year. This changes year to year also.

References

• Dale Edmonds; Parks Superintendent COW NC• www.sportsgrasses.com• www.cpe.rutgers.edu • www.uga.edu/turfgrass• Cale Cook; Athletic Fields Supervisor COW NC• www.plantscience.psu.edu