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/765909
8 SportsTurf | January 2017 www.sportsturfonline.com FIELD SCIENCE ■ BY KEITH WINTER I t is often said that we live in a disposable, "throwaway" society. If we don't like something or aren't satisfied with the way it looks or works, we simply throw it away! As sport turf managers, few of us have the luxury of this kind of mentality. The cost investment and longevity of our playing surfaces are of the utmost importance. Our owners (whether public or private), management teams, and facility op- erators are entrusting us to keep a natural grass playing surface healthy and safe for long periods of time. Field replacement, except at the highest levels of professional sports, is usually not an annual occurrence, as some turf fields are expected to last a decade or longer. When you combine the seasonal wear and tear with aging fields, a comprehensive, ag- gressive, proactive, year round approach is the best solution. In other words, LET'S GROW GRASS, NOT REPLACE IT! Many might respond that this is easier said than done. There is little doubt that budgetary restrictions, event overuse, weath- er, and laziness can be hard barriers to overcome. The first three on that list may be beyond your control. The fourth is not! Let's put the hard work in and see what the results look like. First of all, make sure you are soil testing your field at least annually. The results from year to year tell you a lot. The anions, exchangeable cations, base saturation percentages, and trace elements dictate where your field currently stands and what it needs to improve as an active, healthy growth environment. Nitrogen is important, but it IS NOT the key to turf life. You can impact your macros (phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium) and micros (boron, iron, manganese, copper, zinc) through a comprehensive fertility program that will impact root and overall plant health. Additionally, if you haven't ventured into the world of biostimulants and micro-nutrition, you may be missing the boat and cheating your turf. Diverse soil biology, including high levels of indigenous beneficial bacteria and fungi are exactly what your soil needs, especially with sand-based fields. We annually introduce into our 4-year-old, sand- based field as much endo mycorrhizae and ecto mycorrhizae as are applicable, and our roots are deep and thriving. The healthier the roots, the quicker a field recovers and thrives whether you are looking for quick spring color (baseball) or active fall growth (football/soccer). LET'S GROW GRASS NOT REPLACE IT Aerial shot of Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, IN.