www.stma.org March 2016 | SportsTurf 25
From a turfgrass standpoint, we focus on high traffic areas and
get ahead of them. If we wait until it is worn, it will be too late. We
frequently solid tine aerate high traffic areas to loosen compaction.
We also overseed those areas weekly. These areas are on-deck areas,
front of mounds, and grass base-paths (if you have them). We rotate
around the fields and try to hit every field at least 1x per week with
seed in the wear areas. We also carry bottles of seed with us on our
mowers. It is the best time to inspect your fields and put seed in any
small areas needing it.
From an infield skin standpoint, it is a constant battle of maintain-
ing grade. The better you maintain your grade, the quicker recovery
you will have from rain. The best way to maintain grade is to con-
stantly drag your fields with the bases pulled out. You should never
drag a field with bases in place. This will only cause buildup around
the bases causing an uneven grade and problems when it rains.
The offseason is when most of our work happens. If you take the
time and pick away at little things, you can accomplish a lot during
this time and do not need to scramble when season hits. Our fields
go into winter dormancy game ready (except for paint).
If your budget is tight, simply start a turf management process
with the infield grass only. Buy yourself a quality push mower and
dedicate that mower to your infield grass only. Keep the blades
sharp and mow a consistent height year around. Your infield grass
is flat and square, so it is easy to maintain. Follow the 1/3 rule and
never cut off more than 1/3 of your plant. If you do, it can dam-
age the cells and make your turf more prone to injury and disease.
You're better off mowing more frequently and not cutting much
grass, than mowing 1x per week and chopping off a lot of grass. I
have always followed the rule, if it is growing, then mow it. I consis-
tently mow my fields at game height, year around even when we are
not playing. We train it to be healthy at game height.
Fertilize your infield. This is easy, inexpensive and not very time-
consuming. Most of the game is played through the infield grass,
which makes that grass sacred ground. This can be as involved as
your budget allows. I recommend a good fertilizer application in
the early spring and one in the late fall at a minimum. If you can
get another application in during your growing season that is even
better. Grass isn't too different from humans; it performs best with
constant supply of food.
Andy Ommen
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