12 SportsTurf | March 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com
T
his article is the second in a series
about muddy fields. The first one, "No More
Muddy Football Fields" (July 2013), was
about construction, reconstruction, and reno-
vation practices that minimize muddy condi-
tions on grass fields. This article is about alleviating muddy
skinned areas of ball diamonds for both baseball and soft-
ball fields by replacing or amending the existing soil.
The number one complaint for skinned areas has to do
with moisture—either too much or too little. Skinned
areas with too much moisture will be wet, soft, and
muddy, while skinned areas without enough moisture will
be hard, dry, and dusty. It's important to remember, the
recommendations that keeps fields from becoming muddy
in wet climates also work for skinned areas in dry areas of
the country. Soil texture and soil porosity are key elements
for keeping fields playable in both wet and dry weather.
The opinions presented here are based on my 30 years'
experience with skinned area renovation and installation,
along with feedback from hundreds of owners, coaches,
and players. All of the examples are based on real world sit-
uations in renovating and building community fields, park
and recreation fields, and high school and college fields.
THE IDEAL SKIN
The ideal skinned area has many or all of the following
qualities: First and foremost, the skinned area is graded for
surface runoff of water. It is playable soon after a heavy
rain with excess water evaporating quickly. It has the abil-
ity to retain moisture yet deal with excessive rainfall. It re-
NO MORE MUDDY
SKINNED AREAS
Field Science | By Jim Puhalla
Top Left: Excess skin soil is being removed from the base path to improve surface drainage. Bottom Left: A tractor is being used to spread the amendment evenly over the entire skinned
area. Middle: The amendment is being rototilled into the existing skin soil at the recommended rate. Right: Notice the color is dull because the amendment is dusty from the tilling process.
Soil texture and soil
porosity are key ele-
ments for keeping fields
playable in both wet and
dry weather.
