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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/356087
CompaCtion In native systems, the soil particle size is not uniform which can lead to increased compaction. The coarser textured sand- based system is more uniform and has less risk of compaction. For multi-use fields there will be some level of compaction regard- less of your soil. Less than 200 hours play per year is recommended to maintain good field conditions; however with multi-use facilities, this is not always realistic. If space allows, rotating or moving fields can help reduce localized compaction. With native systems having a higher water holding capacity it is important to postpone play when fields are saturated. The increase in soil moisture not only increases compaction but it also increases the depth of the compaction, which is more difficult to remedy. One way to manage compaction is with soil cultivation, specifically aerification. In native systems, aerifying with hollow tine cores that are 5/8 to 1 inch in diameter and 3 to 4 inches deep is most effective. For fields with lower use, aerifying twice per year (spring and fall) is enough. Fields that are heavily used can be aerified 6 to 8 times per growing season. In either situation it is important that the turf is actively growing when you aerify to insure optimum recov- ery. In sand-based systems, hollow tine coring twice per year is usually sufficient. Higher traffic areas like goal mouths and between hash marks might require addi- tion aerifying. Consider your options when aerifying, because repeated core aerification to the same depth can result in a compacted layer at that depth. Rotating soil cultivation methods such as deep tine aerifying, solid tine aerifying, or deep drill and fill can allevi- ate the problem. topdressing In either situation it is important to topdress after aerifying. Light, frequent applications (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch depth) are preferred over less frequent, heavy appli- cations. After topdressing, drag the material into the canopy. Topdressing material helps with thatch control as well as leveling out low spots. In native systems topdressing can be used to modify the rootzone. Topdressing with a medium coarse sand after core aerify- ing can help promote drainage and reduce the risk of compaction. In sand-based systems it is important to topdress using a material that is similar to the rootzone mixture already in place. Using materials with different particle sizes can lead to layering, which can have a negative effect on drainage over time. www.stma.org August 2014 | SportsTurf 25 Left: Bermudagrass growing on native soil. Image courtesy of Natasha Restuccia. Right: Bermudagrass growing on sand-based soil. Image courtesy of Natasha Restuccia.