LAWN CARE TECHNOLOGY FOR SPORTS TURF

The success of professional lawncare across the country indicatesthat technical expertise is availablefor application to sports turfmanagement. And, there is no ques-tion about the need to improve thesafety of playing surfaces, par-ticularly for young athletes just get-ting started. Often school boardsand municipal recreation leadersfail to improve sports turf qualitybecause of not knowing where tostart.

This article is intended to provideyou with some insight regardingsports turf maintenance problemsand related technology for solvingthese problems. In order to knowwhat we're dealing with, it's neces-sary to discuss use characteristics ofsports turf before considering fivemanagement areas of critical impor-tance: soils, irrigation, grasses, pestcontrol and grooming.

Use Characteristics

Of all turfgrass, sports turf ispresented with the most difficultand stressful conditions for growth.First of all, game play causes wearthat is physically abusive toturfgrass plants. They are cut andtorn from the sod as a natural conse-quence of foot traffic and player im-pact. Second, game play causes soilcompaction that weakens grassroots and limits recuperative poten-tial of individual plants. Third,game schedules and field use aresuch that the recovery time neededfor turf revitalization is severelylimited. Field renovation must belooked at as a continuing practicethroughout the entire play period,thus taking advantage of any andevery opportunity to make repairsand to improve growth conditionsfor the grass. In addition, it is notalways easy to identify who thedecision makers are. Time wasted inobtaining approval for essentialmaintenance and renovation prac-tices is time lost that can never be

replaced. The net result is lost op-portunityand generally a continua-tion of turf deterioration at a timewhen the safety of young athletesmay well be in jeopardy. Sports turfand playground liability is becom-ing more and more a fact of life astechnical information for field im-provement becomes more readilyavailable. There is no longer excusefor negligence in the culture ofnatural grass for sports playing sur-faces.

Further, a wide range of culturalpractices can be scheduled for fieldimprovement. Costs will vary con-siderably from location to locationand depending on the nature of thework to be accomplished. However,economics of sports turf construc-tion, maintenance and renovation ismore favourable than theeconomics of compensation for in-juries to young athletes.

Finally, before attempting to make apoor field better, determine if in factthere is a good chance that you canbe successful. Many fields are so in-tensively used that there is littlechance for grass or even weeds tosurvive. Such fields are losingpropositions at best and may in-volve you in legal settlements whenpositive results are not obtained. Inthese instances, either a lessening ofthe number of events scheduled oran expansion of play field acreage isrequired.

Now that you've considered theunique use characteristics of sportsturf and have determined who thesports turf decision makers are, it'stime to check on how soils, irriga-tion, grasses, pest control andgrooming can work to enhance yoursuccessful sports grounds manage-ment.

Soils

Soil condition on sports fields canmake or break you. In order for gras-

ses to grow well, soil must be gradedso that surface drainage moveswater away from intensive playareas towards the side lines. Waterthat collects in depressionsanywhere on a field will weakengrass in that area and ultimatelyresult in turf failure. From 12 to 18inches of crown in the center of afootball field is about right. Forother types of play areas, anequivalent slope is desirable formovement of excess surface water.

Then, the soil must have a sufficient-ly porous texture to allow water todrain down through the profile. Agood sandy loam soil is ideal. Un-fortunately, it's not a simple matterto add sand to aheavy or fine tex-tured soil and make it function likea natural sandy loam. Tons of sandare required and the mixing withexisting soil is labour intensive asseveral 3 to 4 inch layers must berototilled in one at a time. The alter-native is removal of existing soil andreplacement with an artificial rootzone mixture prepared off-site.

Heavy soils are often more effective-ly modified with organic matterthan with sand. Once turf is estab-lished on these soils, the continua-tion of root growth anddecomposition year in and year outhelps to maintain as favourable soilconditions as are possible. Anycause of turf failure disrupts thisprocess and reestablishment isgenerally difficult.

A word about topdressing. Sportsturf is in need of frequent topdress-ing to level the field and heal scarsfrom heavy use. Always use atopdressing that is the same as thatin the rootzone or one that is moresandy. Never use a topdressing thathas more silt and clay than is presentin the rootzone soil. Water willmove from a more sandy soil withlarge pore spaces into a less sandysoil with smaller pore spaces, but itwill not move readily from a heavier

finer textured soil into a lightercoarse textured soil. Improperlytopdressed lawns and sports fieldsare wet near the surface and shallowrooted. These conditions are dis-astrous for playing field surfaces.

Since use of play fields compacts thesoil so that pore spaces are smallerand internal drainage of waterslowed along with exchange of freshair into the soil, core cultivation, slic-ing and spiking are desirable prac-tices. Schedule these mechanicaloperations whenever growth condi-tions favour root development[cool, moist conditions in the northand warm, moist conditions in thesouth]. Use all three procedures.Core cultivation opens up holes andremoves plugs; these may be brokenup and returned as topdressing.Slicing develops slits or grooves inthe turf and soil that intercept waterand allow for deeper penetration ofair and water. Spiking breaks upsurface compaction that otherwiseseals off the soil and slows downinfiltration of water, air andnutrients. Generally, it is difficult tofind time to over-do these threepractices. The soil is a dynamicliving entity that provides support,moisture and nutrients for the turf.In order to get the most from the soilat hand, know both physical andchemical properties. Maintain soiltest information files and use thisinformation in prescribing lime andfertilizer applications. Not only is itimportant to make growth condi-tions favourable for turfgrasses, butalso for billions of soil organismsthat live within the rootzone andwork to create an environment thathas active biodegradation proper-ties. Such soils are necessary in thesafe and effective use of all pes-ticides.

Up to this point, we have assumedthat the field has been well con-structed with suitable soil or sandrootzone and that drainage tile havebeen placed properly with catchbasins and outlets that remove ex-cess water at acceptable rates. This

may not be the case, and if so, thereis little that can be done in fieldmaintenance that will overcome theliabilities of poor or inadequate con-struction. Your field managementefforts are not likel y to yield satisfac-tory results. However, one renova-tion practice sometimes helps. Tryconstructing narrow trenches 3 to 4inches wide and 3 to 4 feet deepfrom goal line to goal line. Positionthese from 5 to 10 feet apart andconnect the ends with tile linesalong the bottom so that drainagewater is carried away from the playarea. Fill the trenches with coarsesand and leave them open at the top.Grass will spread over the sand sothat it will not be visible. Do not addsoil to the top of the trenches; thiswill seal them off so they will notfunction.

Irrigation

Sports turf that must rely on naturalrainfall for water is likely to be poorin quality most of the time. Sportsturf that is over-watered because ofthe improper use of an excellent ir-rigation system will be poor inquali ty all of the time. Needed forexcellent quality sports turf is a welldesigned manual or automatic sys-tem that is used as needed and asdetermined by an experienced lawncare professional. Many sportsfields have limi ted prospects for im-provement because of the lack ofirrigation water. Fertilizers, pestcontrol chemicals and other culturalpractices have little chance of work-ing if water is the limiting factor.The use of just enough water at theproper time will enhance the effec-tiveness of all other practices util-ized in turf management.

Grasses

Sports turf can never be made betterthan the potential for excellenceprovided by the grass or grassespresent in the field. In the north, thebasic turfgrass should be either Ken-tucky bluegrass or turf type tall fes-cue. Use one or more of the newnamed varieties that feature im-

proved vigour, and better resistanceto diseases and insects. With Ken-tucky bluegrass, the new namedvarieties of fine fescue and peren-nial ryegrass may also be used.Generally turf type tall fescues areseeded by themselves without othergrasses. Avoid use of bentgrassesthat spread by above ground stolonsand tend to tear out as large divotsunder heavy traffic.

In the south, bermudagrasses areused most for sports fields. New im-proved cultivars are propagatedmostly by vegetative means. Newimproved seeded bermudagrassesare now under development andwill be available within a year ortwo. Since all warm season grassesgo dormant in the fall and remain inthat state throughout the winter andearly spring, they must be over-seeded in the fall with cool seasongrasses in order to provide a goodstable playing surface. Annual andperennial ryegrasses are used aswell as blends of perennial ryegras-ses and mixtures of perennialryegrasses and other grasses.

Overseeding techniques have beenstandardized for use with both cooland warm season turf. Where turf isthin because of intensive use,pregerminated seed mixed withtopdressing can be applied directly,watered and even cleated in bypractice or game play. Any plantsthat can be established will improveplaying conditions. Where largeareas are thin, slit seeding withmechanical devices that enhanceseed to soil contact are recom-mended.

For lawn care professionals the useof pregerminated seed is the mosteffective means for introducing thebest turfgrasses into an existingstand of sports turf.

Fur copies of Lawn Institute SpeciJll Topic Sheetslisting turfgrass best suited for sports turf in yourlocation, send a self-addressed stamped numberten envelope to: The Lawn Institute, Post OfficeBox 108, Pleasant Hill, Tennessee 38578.

Pest Control

Sports turf, because of the stressfulconditions under which it is grown,and the weakening effect of theseconditions, requires frequent use ofpesticides. Proper timing of treat-ments and use of most effective pes-ticides for local conditions isimportant.

The necessity for monitoring weeddevelopment and scheduling preand postemergence applications ofherbicides is a fact of life. Seldom aresports turfgrasses sufficientlyvigorous to crowd out weedswithout the help of herbicides. Thesame chemical formulations thatwork well on localla wns will also beeffective on sports turf.

Grooming

Sports turf requires mechanicalmowing and grooming, not only toproduce as healthy a turf as pos-sible, but also to provide aestheticappeal for spectators. Mowingheight and frequency are deter-mined by the type of grass and theuse of the turf on the field. Coolseason grasses are generally cut atfrom 11/2 to 2 inches. Warm seasongrasses are closer cut - 3/4 to 1inch. Grass should be cut frequentlyand clippings may be removed orleft on the field, depending on howwell the field is groomed.

In addition to mowing, fields maybe combed, raked, dragged orthinned in order to maintain the de-gree of vigour and growth com-patible with development of highestquali ty ground cover.

Summary

The lawn care professional has anexcellent opportunity to be of ser-vice in the management of sportsturf. This opportunity is perhapsbetter in some parts of the countrythan in others. An appreciation forthe value of fine turf and its use inthe enhancement of playgroundand sports field safety is important.

As an entry into this area of special-ized turf management, get to knowthe condi tion of the grounds you areinterested in. Learn who thedecision makers are and what it willtake to initiate a successful program.In doing this, use technical infonna-tion available to you from a widevariety of sources. For a start, youmay wish to obtain copies of thefollowing materials:

Athletic Fields - Specification Outline,Construction and Maintenance; 30 pages;$1.50., CooperatioeExtension Service, The Pen-nsylvania State University University Park, PA16802

Athletic Field Construction and Main-tenance [AG-BU 3105) 16 pages; $1.00.,Cooperative Extension Service, University ofMinnesota, St. Paul,MN55108

Construction and Maintenance of NaturalGrass Athletic Fields; [PNW 0240);27 pages;$1.50., Cooperaiioe Extension Service, OregonState University, Corvallis,OR 97331

by Eliot C. RobertsDirector, The Lawn InstitutePleasant Hill, Tennesseeand Executive Committee MemberNational Sports Turf Council

We Get Letters ...Dear Mike:

Would you please indicate thenames of some magazines thatmight be useful to our membersand how they may be obtained.

Jim GalbraithUniversity of Western Ontario

Dear Jim:

The following is a list of publica-tions that usually have articles onSports Turf. Most are free ofcharge. Thanks for the sugges-tions.

The Editor.

Southern Turf Management345W Hancock AvenueAthens, Georgia 30601U.S.A.

Pro Turf Magazine14111 Scotts lawn RoadMarysville, Ohio 43041U.S.A.

Grounds MaintenanceP.O. Box 12901Overland Park, Kansas 66212U.S.A.

Park MaintenanceP.O. Box 1936Appleton, Wisconsin 54913U.S.A.

Landscape Management7500 Old Oak BoulevardCleveland, Ohio 44130U.S.A.

Golf & SportsturfP.O. Box 156Encino, California 91426U.S.A.

The Lawn InstituteP.O. Box 108Pleasant Hill, Tn. 38578U.S.A.

Lawn & Landscape Magazine4012 Bridge AvenueCleveland, Ohio 44113U.S.A.

Lesco News20005 Lake RoadRocky River, Ohio 44116U.S.A.

Turf & Recreation Magazine103-1520 Rand AvenueVancouver, British ColumbiaV6P3G2

-Green's Maintenance Book"- $13.00Lawn Bowls Canada Boulingrin708-1600 James Naismith DriveGloucester, OntarioK1B5N4