Feature

Minimum Summer Maintenance Programs for Athletic Fields

By Grady Miller, NC State University

I often get questions from secondary schools related to minimum field maintenance during the off-season. In the case of secondary schools, they are usually referring to the summer months when school is not in session. In many instances, the scenario is presented by a coach that has been tasked with maintaining the school’s fields. Most coaches get into coaching because they love their sport, not because they want to take care of athletic fields, so their interest level in taking care of fields may be quite variable. Many of these coaches have learned turfgrass agronomics on the job through trial and error with little to no training. To make matters worse, school budgets for field maintenance are usually very small and often need to be supplemented by fundraising activities. Having parent or student work days may even be used to supplement budgets.

This model has worked at many secondary schools across NC over the years, but it can also result in some fields not being maintained at the level they need to be. No coach wants a player hurt because of their fields, and they realize that athletes enjoy and deserve to play on quality surfaces. For this reason, I encourage everyone involved in secondary school athletics to challenge their school or school district to rethink their field management practices. This includes evaluating the turf care equipment they use for their fields, looking at their turfgrass maintenance programs, and also considering if they have the most appropriate people taking care of their fields.

I believe that if the school does not have a dedicated field/ grounds staff, then contracting out some, or all, of the field maintenance is usually the best option. I am not saying a coach cannot be a great groundskeeper, but I find many do not have adequate time to devote to their fields and often may not have the expertise. Because of state laws related to pesticide use, outside contracting for pesticide applications is often the entry point for school districts to use non-school employees for field maintenance.

In terms of field maintenance programs, it is important to realize that some fields will need more aggressive maintenance practices than others. This is one way that a field manager can stretch their resources. The first place to start is with a plan to address bare areas on fields. Bare areas are most often a sign of excess use combined with inadequate maintenance. Late spring and summer are the ideal times of the year to renovate bermudagrass athletic fields. Please consult more thorough extension publications such as Carolina Athletic Fields: A Guide to Maintaining Quality Turf on Athletic Fields (https://content.ces.ncsu. edu/carolina-athletic-fields) if more information is needed to prepare a plan for renovation.

Renovation work on a field should start as soon as field usage ends in the spring. If the bare areas are larger than ten square feet, develop a sprigging, sodding, or plugging plan, and initiate the work as early in the spring or summer as possible. With a bit of creativity, one can often use their existing field as a source of plant material for light renovations. Springs, plugs, and/or sod can be harvested from healthy, out-of-play areas for renovations. If this is done early enough in the spring or summer, harvested and planted areas recover before fall season begins.

Figure 1. High-use soccer field requiring repair/ renovation with sod, springs, and/or plugs.

Figure 2. High-use field that could be grown back in with increased fertilization and careful water management during the summer.

In many cases, fields may go into the summer a bit worn but not to the point that renovation is needed. If that is the case, then concentrate on fertilization, aeration, and mowing practices to strengthen the existing stand of turfgrass. For fertilization, refer to soil test report recommendations so that only fertilizer materials that are needed are purchased and applied. Soil testing in NC is a function of the NC Department of Agriculture (NCDA), with their information readily available online (https://www.ncagr.gov/Divisions/Agronomic-Services). For much of the year, soil tests from NCDA are free for NC residents. Alternatively, there are several private labs in NC and elsewhere that conduct soil tests for a nominal fee. As suggested earlier, most soil test reports provide recommendations for fertilizer analysis and rate. If help is needed to translate your soil testing report to actual fertilizer needs, contact a NCDA Agronomist or your local county agent for assistance. These people are trained to provide this type of assistance and may also offer you guidance of where to purchase fertilizers in your area. You can find your local county agent’s contact information and learn more about your local county extension services by going to https://www.ces. ncsu.edu/local-county-center/ and selecting your county.

Figure 3. Selective aerification of high-wear areas.

Turfgrass on an athletic field will need nitrogen fertilizer to maximize turf density and recovery from damage, but it may (or may not) need other nutrients. The rule of thumb most often used is to apply one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet per growing month. I think it is fine to use a lower rate if your turf is dense and healthy; whereas you may want to even increase the rate in localized area that needs additional inputs for healthy growth in thin areas. Like many other cultural practices, to spread resources, treat the areas that need extra inputs more aggressively than the other areas.

Aerification is very important for turfgrass health on high-use athletic fields. Use whatever equipment you have available for core aerification and do it as often as possible. I would suggest at least two aerifications during the summer. If you do not have aerification equipment, there are contractors that can be hired to complete the work. Core aerification can help a field maintain turfgrass density during periods of heavy use. A hard field surface is not a safe field surface. This should not be considered as an optional practice for athletic fields.

Figure 4. Field which could use more frequent mowing to reduce scalping, prevent excess clippings, and to increase turfgrass density.

Mowing is the most common cultural practice in maintaining athletic fields, and it is probably the most important practice given a minimum budget. Frequent mowing of bermudagrass promotes greater turfgrass density. For bermudagrass keep the height of cut below two inches. For hybrid bermudagrass closer to one inch is much better. If your schedule allows, I would suggest mowing at least two times per week in the summer months. To keep bermudagrass at or below one inches will require mowing 2–3 times a week during June and July. In addition to increasing turfgrass density, regular mowing can assist with your weed-control program. Mowing is probably the most important practice given a minimum budget. Another tip, if mowing with a zero-turn mower, slow down. It can really improve mowing cut quality. Just because this type of mower can be used at a fast pace, does not mean they should be.

For weed control, hopefully there was a pre-emergence herbicide program initiated back during the winter months. This is essential to limit crabgrass and other summer annual weeds. But even with a good preemergence program, one may need to supplement with some post-emergence applications. If weeds begin to grow, tailor your post-control program to your weed species. You may even be able to get away with spot spraying problem areas. Your local county extension service can help you with weed identification and control suggestions specific to the weeds you have on your site.

These are all general recommendations for you to consider, but this approach often works with low-maintenance fields. For more in-depth resources please consult Carolina Athletic Fields: A Guide to Maintaining Quality Turf on Athletic Fields (https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/carolina-athletic-fields) or NC State’s TurfFiles (https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/). If there are specific issues (e.g. deep ruts in the field, invasive weeds, severe compaction, standing water, etc) then more aggressive approaches specific to your issues may need to be considered. Otherwise, careful attention to fertilization, aeration, mowing, and weed control are the practices that will give you the greatest return