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/69161
mineral based soil brings with it the risk of layering. If ade- quate cultivation is not provided, this risk can become greater with each subsequent application. In this particular situation more is not necessarily better. An anaerobic organic layer (black layer) in the soil is a potentially devastating problem on athletic fields. Cultivation in conjunction with topdressing should be ac- complished during times of the year when there is adequate moisture available and when the turf is actively growing and is in a position to repair itself. Topdressing materials with high organic matter content such as straight compost materials should not be applied when there are inadequate moisture lev- els or when there is the potential for drought stress. These ma- terials have the ability to rob the turf of available moisture when moisture is in limited supply. Core aerification is generally the recommended means of cultivation with any topdressing application. Multiple passes done in different directions are typically recommended. Again, the intensity of the aerification procedure is governed by fac- tors such the extent of texture variation between the topdress- ing material and the rootzone and the degree of thatch buildup in the area to be topdressed. When rootzone modification or turf renovation is the in- tent of a topdressing application, multiple passes to provide a coring pattern of a maximum distance between core holes of 2 inches and at a depth of 2 to 3 inches is recommended. The application of topdressing should be core aerification. The cores, along with the topdressing, should be dragged into the core holes using a drag mat at the comple- tion of the procedure. If a more rapid change in the surface conditions is desired, the soil cores can be removed after aerifi- cation; in this case it would be appropriate to topdress after soil cores are removed. Where severe soil structure damage has occurred such as in goalmouths, it is sometimes necessary to till the area in an ef- fort to blend the topdressing material with the damaged soil and create an adequate seedbed. Be wary of over-cultivating with the rototiller style of equipment, especially if the soil is to dry. Rototiller style cul- tivators can destroy existing soil structure by pulverizing the soil into a fine grainy (dusty) material if over used. As with most soil cultivation procedures, the soil should be moist enough to hold its shape after being clenched in your fist but dry enough to crumble if rubbed between your thumb and forefinger. It is not uncommon among sports field managers and con- tractors alike to incorporate topdressing into a renovation project. Topdressing can not only smooth and therefore im- prove the topography of a field, but also improve soil seed contact, which is critical to the success of an athletic field ren- ovation. accomplished before results, which in certain situations could not otherwise be achieved as effectively. The cost of these benefits must be justi- fied when compared to all other available options. ■ www.stma.org When topdressing is used properly, it can provide beneficial SportsTurf 19