SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/26719
F.O.Y. | Arvest Park Arvest Ballpark maintenance facts Fertilization (granular) 20-0-0 13-13-13 46-0-0 13-2-13 March April (smaller biweekly apps) May through September, urea-based May through September, ammonium sul- fate-based (these products are rotated so as to give the turf a variety of food sources) Fertilization (foliar) 12-0-0-6 April through September, biweekly apps as needed to enhance color Irrigation Hunter Industries control panel with 120 and 140 heads Hand-watering with Tricure pellets as needed Mowing TriPlex reel for outfield and aprons Walk-behind greens mower for infield and bullpens Height of cut: 1 1/8-in for OF, 1 inch for infield found works best in extremely wet conditions, which we had our first two seasons, followed by last season’s record high temperatures and little rainfall. So basically, the only changes I would anticipate our making will be dictated by weather challenges presented by the “Head Groundskeeper Upstairs.” ST: What’s the best piece of turf management advice you have ever re- ceived? Sowell:Two things come immediately to mind; my father always saying, “There’s never time to do it right, but always time to do it over,” and an old coaching companion preaching, “Work smarter not harder.” These are the principals that we use daily. We always work tirelessly and analytically to come up with an action plan, and attempt to execute it by finding the logical order of sequence which helps us be more productive, efficient and ultimately, successful turf managers. ST: How do you balance your work and personal time? Sowell: I have two factors working in my favor in this area. First, I am so fortunate to have a job that I love so that I rarely consider anything we do at the ballpark as work. Secondly, I am single and every day for me is Bring Your Child to Work Day as my most constant companion is a 10- year-old black lab named Ruby, who accompanies me to the park every day, as she has done for the past 9 years. So, basically we manage our work and personal time just like we do our ballpark by running wide open during the season, catching an occasional weekend break when we can, and making it a priority to find time to kick back and catch our breath in the off season. ST: What’s your most val- ued piece of equipment and why? Sowell: My most valued piece of equipment is not equipment at all, but rather the people that I am profes- sionally associated with, most notably my assistant, Kaleb Reynolds, and my crew the “Drag Diggities.” Equipment is expendable in that if a mower goes down and you 52 SportsTurf | March 2011 Aerifications Solid tine in spring and summer, as needed to help elimi- nate compaction Hollow tine in July or August to help the bermudagrass to reach optimum performance level Topdressing seeding Sand applications that accompany aerification and over- Nail drags Pre-fabed 6 x 4-foot Spring tines on infield groomer Screen drags 4 x 6-foot 3 x 5-foot Miscellaneous Edging is done every week during the season Sod rotation All sod for field is pulled from bullpens and new turf is replanted in bullpens For infield For warning track 2 x 5-foot with leveling board For basepaths and edges 3 x 12-foot For special situations Equipment used John Deere Field vacuum TC 125 TriPlex trim & surrounds mower 265313 Tractor 4320 Gator XUV 620i Sand Pro 1200 Hydro Rotary push mower 2500B TriPlex greens mower 2500B Walk-behind reel mower 260C Pro Gator 2030A Gator Tx Turf Aercore 800 Toro topdresser 2500 Wacker roller RD12 Gandy drop spreader Anderson broadcast spreader Tru Line field striper Whipper Clipper edger Ryan Jr. sod cutter AG Meier sprayer A19556 www.sportsturfonline.com