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/49194
the performance characteristics, appearance, and drainage properties. Mechanical groom- ing can accelerate the process when the proper equipment is chosen and operated by skilled personnel. "Drainage is essential to effective mainte- nance. It is possible that the bed of infill ma- terial serves as a filter. Infill can unavoidably retain inert particulate matter conveyed or blown onto the field or carried by rainfall or other air contaminants. By moving and re-lev- eling the upper layers of infill, mechanical grooming can delay the timeline when prob- lems may begin to occur in the normal course of use, which could reduce the drainage process. "Accumulation of unwanted or foreign materials is inevitable. Too much grooming, or the negligence of grooming, can affect the long term turf performance, even if such does not appear in the short run. Should a contam- inant have a growth potential, the species and its eradication agents should be carefully identified and removal should be immediate before serious infestation occurs. Equipment designed for that specific purpose must be operated by skilled personnel who have pre- cise knowledge of its effects. "Routine maintenance, if regularly applied, can reduce the long term effects of any exter- nal contaminants, making such occurrences almost a non-issue. "Brushing. It is important that the syn- thetic turf pile is maintained vertically. Regu- lar brushing is an important function that must not be overlooked or neglected. The surface should be brushed in a number of di- rections, alternating the direction in consecu- tive activities, but generally in the direction of the individual panels to avoid crossing over the main seams." EQUIPMENT SELECTION "Turf and maintenance equipment manu- facturer's advice should be sought when con- sidering any type of maintenance operation and the use of any equipment or procedures not recommended by the manufacturer of the system. The objectives of the mainte- nance process must be understood. "No two machines will operate to the same degree of efficiency and effectiveness. The condition of the surface will also affect the operation of the equipment. Both condi- tions should be evaluated. "Most maintenance equipment utilizes a brush or brushing action. It is critical that the type of brush used does not abuse the condi- tion of the surface. Drag brushes behind the power unit are normally not recommended because they tend to flatten the pile and generate the need to implement the cleaning operation twice or more unnecessarily. If drag www.stma.org brushes are to be considered, a test strip should be used to determine whether or not the effect and process of those brushes are desired. Brushes that have a rotary action in a horizontal position in front of the pile unit are preferred since they agitate the blades of the synthetic turf. The simultaneous vacuuming action should remove the undesired pollu- tants and debris. "Power brushing equipment may agitate the infill to various degrees. The type of brushing, vacuuming, de-compacting, and final grooming should be relevant to the end result. The objective of each grooming rou- tine should be determined prior to initiating the selection of the maintenance equipment, i.e., stand up of the pile and clean or level the infill within the pile; provide uniform per- formance characteristics; etc." FREQUENCY "A change in the use patterns and the in- tensity of play can influence the frequency of maintenance. The manufacturer should be consulted to recommend an initial mainte- nance schedule. It may take up to six months for the infill to finally settle into the pile of the synthetic turf. Environmental/climatic and use conditions may affect the final settling. Testing of the synthetic surface should occur as noted in the "Suggested Guidelines for the Essential Elements of Synthetic Turf Systems," published by the Synthetic Turf Council, and available on www.syntheticturfcouncil.org." TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT "Experience has demonstrated that the longevity of the field and the effectiveness of the maintenance are very much depend- ent upon the use of proper tools and equip- ment and the skills of the operator. The criteria and specification of the tools and equipment to be used should be under- stood at the time the field is accepted by the owner/user. "The type and quality of the equipment should be suited to the use and construction of the field. Proper selection is an essential el- ement to the successful application of the maintenance procedures. The desired per- formance of the equipment must be able to restore the characteristics of the surface with- out damage. It is essential that a discussion take place between the provider, the mainte- nance equipment manufacturer, and the owner prior to acceptance of the field. Pre- testing of the equipment on location may as- sist in the selection process." ■ Skinned Infields Warning Tracks Ready Play Field Magic™ reduces surface hardness (Gmax) and compaction by 22%. With Ready Play Field Magic™ Without Ready Play Field Magic™ Further advice on the rates of application or installation can be obtained by contacting AquaSmart™ 1-855-384-9844 | www.ReadyPlaySports.com Sold through Ewing Irrigation A Division of: Come see us at our booth at the STMA show SportsTurf 35 TM