Tips Library: Specific Sports Tips
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What are your results in using a P.G.R. in your paint mixes? What rate did you utilize?
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What type of winter turf blanket would you recommend for a newly sprigged Tifsport Bermuda softball field outfield?
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What type of baseball skinned area mix do you use when constructing a new baseball field? How deep should this be installed?
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What's a quick and easy way to repair the bare spots on my soccer field?
"Pre-germ your seed and work it in lightly with a walk behind verti-cut machine (possible even during season). Use biostimulant to encourage seedling growth, keep the areas damp (not wet....hand water), and use existing turf to your advantage.... push with fertilizers and biostimulants to get as much fill-in as possible."
Jerad Minnick - Mizzou Soccer/Baseball/Softball, Columbia, MO
"One way to correct the bare spots before they happen is to seed the areas that become worn once a week before a practice or game. I seed my goal mouths and the middle of the field once a week and this minimizes the bare areas."
Kenny Pauley - Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
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I am looking for information about using crumb rubber on our soccer field. What do I need to know?
"Crumb Rubber can be helpful in the tracks left by the sideline judges. You will have to apply it while you still have a good stand of turf and build it up in layers over time, this also works for the team bench area."
Abby McNeal - Denver Broncos, Denver, CO
"Take baby steps when using crumb rubber. I feel it has its use, and we have seen results by applying thin applications on our sand-base soccer field. We use a broadcast spreader and try to apply at a 20% rate. The rubber, coupled with your normal sand topdressing program will increase the wearability of the goal areas and referee paths. Don't be afraid to apply seed at the same time as the rubber application."
By Hanson - NAAC/Jeffco Schools, Golden, CO
"Know not to use it. Use agressive turf management to eliminate your problems. Don't look for any other alternative because there is no substitute."
Jerad Minnick - Mizzou Soccer/Baseball/Softball, Columbia, MO
"Crumb rubber is a very dynamic product which can be used with many applications. The best way to apply crumb rubber is to topdress at 50% of the mowing height not breaking 3/4". The best particle size would be a 10/20 mesh size. If you have any further questions, please contact me."
Tim Vanini - Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
"Make sure the product is dry, and open the spreader more than you would if you were using sand. Back drag lightly at first. Make sure you pick up your cores, this greatly helps the application of the crumb rubber. You may do the goal mouths only for a start to see how it works for you."
Blair Elliot - City of Aspen Parks Dept., Aspen, CO
"Don't use it - too expensive for what you get out of it. It heats up in the summer and stresses the grass. Use sand compost mix for more organic matter in the soil."
Dennis Sobecki - Sylvania Rec., Sylvania, OH
"From my experience, using crumb rubber in the soil profile has been difficult keeping it in the profile, because it comes to the surface after a period of time. I recommend 3/4" core aeration and harvesting cores and topdressing with a calcine clay product. This improves soil structure and porosity. We found this method to be very effective.
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Ron Kirkpatrick - Tru-green Landcare, San Diego, CA
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Soccer Field Tips
"For a new soccer field design that eliminates those bare turf areas in the goalmouths check out the Rotational Athletic Field concept at www.pioneerfields.com.
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Matthew Butch - Pioneer Fields, Pittsburgh, PA
"I slice aerify the field two different directions during the season every couple of weeks to relieve the compaction."
Richard Butler - Jeffco Public Schools/Lakewood Memorial Field, Lakewood, CO
"We move our goals on 16 fields for practices three times a week. The only thing that makes us mad is when coaches move the goals back into the goal mouth.
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Doug Nicholson - Allen Creek Soccer Complex, Gainesville, GA.
"Constantly seed the goalmouths throughout the year. During play hand sown seed will be cleated in by the goalie and eventually you will see your wear spots getting smaller and smaller. "
Lance Tibbetts - City of Westbrook - Westbrook, ME
"Move the goal 20' either way to help with turf wear. Never design an irrigation system with a center line of heads along the length of the field"
Stephen Guise - Guise & Associates, Fullerton, CA
"Sod repairing goal mouth - cut out area to be sodded, remove debris from soil, establish rough grade, add soil-additives, fertilizer, water to settle and build water reserve in soil, rake to finish grade, roll area to be sodded, re-rake to final finish grade. Install sod and water lightly. Roll in 2 directions and water to saturation."
Domingo Castillo - Irvine Unified School District, Irvine, CA
"Shift goals during practice times."
Chris Collins - Advanced Microbial Solutions, Pilot Point, TX
"Apply a band 3 feet wide of crumb rubber the length of the field just outside both sidelines. This helps prevent wear areas from developing when the linesmen continually run up and down the sidelines. We also use it at the bench areas."
Kevin Yeiser - Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
"Sprinkling crushed rubber in the goal mouth to give stability to the turf."
Justin Spillman and Rusty Reese - Altoona Curve/Blair County Ball Park, Altoona, PA
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Football Field Tips
"To reduce rough fields after winter frost, a light rolling helps maintain a firm surface."
Brad Thedens - S.W. Franks Construction, Cleveland, OH
"Dormant seed between the 35's and bench area in the fall and also aerate and slice seed these areas in the spring when weather permits. I have found that this really keeps the sidelines nice and thick throughout the playing season. We will also aerate 2 times during June, then topdress and overseed the entire field at 3lbs/m."
Lance Tibbetts - City of Westbrook, Westbrook, ME
"If time and money do not permit you to do much logo work on the field try outlining the white yard line numbers with the school colors. It doesn't take a lot of time and will help dress the field up. Paint additional lines of the school colors on either side of the 50 and 20 yard lines. Walk the field after the games and replace any divots. The small amount of time needed to do this can pay dividends at the end of the year."
Kevin Yeiser - Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
"Have a strong root system developed prior to season."
Chris Collins - Advanced Microbial Solutions, Pilot Point, TX
"Topdress and aerate after every major event."
Justin Spillman and Rusty Reese - Altoona Curve/Blair County Ball Park, Altoona, PA
"Do not play on the same site year after year. Do not over schedule play. Use very aggressive fertilization and mowing. Don't water too much before play. We have one lighted side for adult flag football and it's killing us because it is in the outfield of one of our baseball fields and we resod every year. "
Roger Daigle - City of Fort Collins Parks Division, Fort Collins, CO
"High use fields fertilize once a month, overseed bermuda lawns in October, aerate at least 4 times a year and fill holes with sand, 4 different directions. Mow 1 to 3 times weekly."
Domingo Castillo - Irvine Unified School District, Irvine, CA
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Baseball Field Tips
"To keep weeds from growing on your warning track, you should spray right away in the spring and stay on top of it. Spray at least once a month as needed."
Patrick Finn - Bennett Family Park, Minnetonka, MN
"Tarp all mound and plate areas at all times not in use."
Bob Milano Jr. - Memorial Stadium, Berkley, CA
"Drag infield weekly, starting from pitchers mound, keeps filled from compaction, power broom grass infield edge so no lip develops. Use 3 types of drags."
Domingo Castillo - Irvine Unified School District, Irvine, CA
"Light topdress after overseeding. 10-20-10 after overseed. Laser grade every year. Back wash clay to turf areas to prevent lips."
Chris Collins - Advanced Microbial Solutions, Pilot Point, TX
"After games and practices sweep any infield mix that got kicked into the turf back onto the Skinned area. Even if you do this the next morning, it will help keep lips from building at the edge of the turf. Use a pitch fork or spading fork to relieve compaction in high wear areas like coaching boxes and the area in front of the mound. "
Kevin Yeiser - Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
"Keeping batter box, pitchers mound, and skin areas moist and playable."
Justin Spillman and Rusty Reese - Altoona Curve/Blair County Ball Park, Altoona, PA
"Consistent and developed maintenance standards and training. Don't play adult football in your outfield!"
Roger Daigle - City of Fort Collins Parks Division, Fort Collins, CO
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Other Sports Field Tips
"Watch out for Rugby!"
Roger Daigle - City of Fort Collins Parks Division, Fort Collins, CO
"Be pro-active in maintenance and patient with the personnel."
Stephen Guise - Guise & Associates, Fullerton, Ca
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Opinions and advice expressed by the participants on the www.torosports.com web site are those of the authors. The Toro Company disclaims any and all liability for those actual results. Visitors of www.torosports.com rely on such information at their own risk.
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