Cover Story

Maintenance is Key to Safe and Playable Natural and Synthetic Fields

By Glenn Lucas

I write this article in April, but when you receive the magazine in your mailbox, we will be in the middle of the summer: wishing the summer heat would transition into fall weather; that the torrential rainstorms would not be as severe; and praying and hoping that hurricane season is nonexistent this year. These are things to hope and pray for, but we have no control over any of them. The following paragraphs will discuss things we can control.

Maintenance is a major factor in keeping athletic fields safe and playable for athletes and weekend warriors once they step on your fields to compete for championships, trophies, rings… you get the picture. If fields are deemed unsafe and unplayable, it becomes our responsibility as field managers to take all necessary measures, within our control, to ensure their safety. This applies not only to natural turfgrass fields, but also to synthetic (artificial) fields, which are found not only in major cities but also in rural communities.

Maintenance is essential for all types of fields, whether they are natural or synthetic, although the methods differ for each surface. In 1998, when I started in the industry, most of the athletic fields were natural with very few AstroTurf fields. In 2024, there are still more natural fields, but synthetic fields are quickly becoming a reality in cities across the country. So, with all this in mind, I will highlight some thoughts and ideas that can help make your fields better for your athletes and keep the fields safe and playable. These suggestions are not an all-inclusive list for maintenance, but some of these are the most often neglected in field maintenance practices.

1. Soil Sample. A soil sample for sports fields is analogous to a person having a physical every year. By pulling cores and getting soil samples, you can discover what is happening on the field, as well as direct the fertility program for the upcoming season. Soil sampling allows you, at very little cost, to plan for the growing season and fertility calendar for your fields, as well as help you budget for the year. Recommendations are to have your soil tested in, or around, the same time each year. This enables an accurate analysis of the soil and prevents results being skewed with a recent application of lime or fertilizer. Samples can be tested at multiple independent laboratories across the USA, or you can send them to your local extension agent, and they can get the results. You can find state by state testing sites @ https://www.justpuregardening.com/state-by-statelist-of-soil-testing-laboratories/

2. Preemergent Herbicides are a form of chemical weed control which prevents germinated weed seedlings from becoming established. Why is this important? It allows your preferred turfgrass (typically Bermuda on sports fields) to thrive and flourish without any competition from weeds, or non-desirable plants. The question is often asked, “Can I apply a preemergent herbicide if my field is overseeded every year with Ryegrass?” Yes! You can use a preemergent, but read the label prior to applying and identify the window that is needed from time of application to the time of your overseed. For example, Dimension is one of several preemergent herbicides that has a window of 6–8 weeks before overseeding. If you miss the window and overseed too early, it can hinder your ryegrass from becoming established in the fall. As with any herbicide, pre or post, always read the label and follow the instructions exactly.

3. Aerification and Topdressing. These two cultural practices are some of the most overlooked and least utilized when managing sports fields. Waldo Terrell, former SEC turfgrass director, mentioned this in a turfgrass conference. “If you think you have aerified your field enough during the summer, then do it one more time.” Aerification can help the turfgrass reduce thatch buildup, reduce compaction, allow nutrients, water, and oxygen to get to the root system, and overall make your turf healthier. There are several methods to the process of aerifying: solid tines, core or hollow tines (deep or shallow), bayonet tines, needle tines, talon tines, etc. Whichever method you choose, the suggestion is at least once during the growing season, you need to core aerate and top-dress with a clean washed sand, USGA is preferred. Topdressing your field after core aerating will allow the sand to move into the pore spaces created and allow for the water and nutrients to get to the roots with less resistance.

Along with aerification and topdressing, the process of Fraze mowing has gained momentum as a method of maintaining turfgrass. According to Advanced Turf Solutions website, Fraze mowing is a field renovation technique that removes thatch and organic matter build-up and leaves the strongest grass to regenerate. The process of Fraze mowing is the removal of the top layer of turfgrass which encompasses any weed seeds present in the thatch layer. It also helps shave down any high spots in the field creating a more level playing surface.

4. Mowing. Creating a dense healthy turf is the best herbicide that money can buy and mowing on a regular basis is the key to achieving healthy turf. Ideally you want to use a reel mower (Toro, John Deere, Jacobsen) that allows the turf to be mowed or cut between a bed knife and reel, scissor approach to cutting the blade of grass. A general rule of thumb is you do not want to remove more than 1/3 of the blade of grass each time you mow. Therefore, you will need to mow your field 3–5 times per week, depending on how much the grass is growing.

a. There are chemicals that can be used to help slow the growth of grass (plant growth regulators or PGRs.) They limit the vertical growth of the plant. If you decide to use PGR’s, be sure to follow the label and apply every 28 days during peak growing season.

b. As technology increases, the industry is seeing the influence of autonomous mowers, like the robotic vacuums that are used in many homes. The use of autonomous mowers allows you to save time. In the industry, some groundskeepers are using the mower during the offseason to minimize the footprint from the reel mower. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing like mowing a field and seeing the results of your work, but if you can save time and allow the robotic mower to cut the grass, it allows you to spend time elsewhere on, or around, your field, etc.

5. Fertility. Fuel is important to all living things, whether it be people, animals, flowers, plants, or turfgrass. Fertilizer is the fuel for your turfgrass. When choosing a fertilizer, you need to identify one thing: How long do you want the fertilizer to last? Once you determine the timeframe, you can then decide which fertilizer should be applied to your field. If you want a quick spurt of growth, you can use a 13-13-13, 21-0-0, etc., without any slow-release components in the bag.

This will give you quick green up and growth, yet it only is available to the plant for 2-4 weeks. If you want your fertilizer to last 8-10 weeks, then a 24-2-11 with 50% polymer coated urea will be needed. We have all heard that time is money, so, with the fertilizer you choose, you will pay for time in the cost per bag. Example, a bag of Triple 13 that lasts 2-4 weeks will cost less than a 24-2-11 that lasts 8-10 weeks. If you take the cost per bag and the cost of your time to apply the fertilizer, it will help you decide which is best for your field and budget in consideration to how long you want it to last. With any plant, a nice consistent feed during the growing season is ideal to provide dense healthy turf.

As mentioned earlier, synthetic fields are an ever-growing reality in the world of athletics and these fields are not maintenance free. They require maintenance and if not maintained properly, then they become unsafe and not very playable for the athletes. I have been involved in local municipalities that have installed synthetic fields ranging from entire fields to just the infield surfaces. I stressed to the board of alderman that yes, you can install synthetic fields, but are you as a city willing to invest to keep them safe for years to come? You don’t have to water, mow, fertilize, etc., on synthetic fields, but you do have to broom or brush them, as well as add infill material (crumb rubber, sand, etc.) Additionally, worn turf around Homeplate and the sliding areas around the bases or in front of the pitching rubber must be replaced. If you have a natural outfield and synthetic infield, the transition will have to be edged and maintained to allow for a smooth ball roll from one surface to the other.

As with anything in life, maintenance is the key to keeping fields, houses, cars, etc. in good or great condition. Being a turfgrass (field) manager, we should always keep safety and playability at the forefront of our minds. Making it a priority through daily, weekly, monthly and yearly maintenance practices, we can assure the fields to be ready for any athlete.