Cover Story
Common Problems of Sports Fields By Mr. Michael Richard, Mississippi State University, Turfgrass Extension Associate
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cross the region, youth of all ages are enjoying America’s greatest past times. There’s no denying that sports are interwoven into the fabric of who we are as a nation. Some of my fondest memories as a child were made on the baseball, football, or soccer field. In my current role, I have the pleasure of visiting high school sports fields. The coaches and field managers I meet have a great passion for providing the best playing surface for their athletes. They juggle several job responsibilities and have limited budgets – making field maintenance a difficult task. In my travels, I have noticed some common maintenance practices that are lacking or in need of correction.
Cultivation Compacted soils may be the biggest constraint to proper turfgrass growth. Compaction occurs from excessive traffic that compresses soil particles, which restricts water and air movement through the soil profile. Turfgrass roots may be unable to penetrate the soil, which decreases turfgrass resilience to wear. Soil of our sports fields must be physically modified to relieve compaction, either modestly on a yearly basis, or more aggressively on a less frequent basis. The most effective way to do this is through annual aerification and topdressing. Aerification involves removing or loosening soil to relieve compaction, which improves drainage and increases water and air infiltration to turfgrass roots. This is best accomplished with a hollow tine core-aerifier that pulls soil plugs (Figure 1). Core aerification is most effective in conjunction with sand topdressing. Applying 1/8 to 1/4 inch of coarse sand during or immediately after core removal will fill the holes and help alter soil structure (Figure 2). Sand topdressing aids in making the aerification process last longer. Both of these processes
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should take place when the turfgrass is actively growing to help it recuperate more quickly.
Mowing Mowing is the most important, but often most mismanaged, aspect of sports field management. A properly mown sports field promotes lateral turfgrass growth, which increases shoot density and provides a denser turfgrass canopy. Mowing height and frequency directly impact the playability of sports fields. Hybrid bermudagrass sports fields perform best when mown between roughly 0.75 to 1.0 inches in canopy height. When bermudagrass is mown above these heights it becomes puffy and less wear tolerant (Figure 3). Correct mowing should never remove more than one third of the leaf blade. For example, if target mowing height is 1 inch, we mow when the grass reaches 1.5 inches. Depending on temperature, fertilization, and irrigation, fields may need to be mown every 2 to 3 days during summer months (an amount that many low-maintenance field managers are not comfortable with). An easy way to know if your mowing practices are adequate is by checking the turfgrass color. The grass should be green from the soil surface to the tip. Brown stems indicate improper mowing
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org
