SportsTurf

August 2012

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.

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FieldScience | ByAlec Kowalewski, PhD Selecting the proper topdressing material for your athletic field >> CORE CULTIVATION (above) coupled with sand topdressing (below) is a common practices for allevi- ating surface compaction and improve drainage. Pho- tos provided by Alec Kowalewski and James Crum. B >> Above: TWO INCHES of sand topdressing accumu- lated on a native soil athletic field over two consecu- tive growing seasons, photo provided by Ed Everett. Table 1 also capable of maintaining stability and rapid infiltration during periods of heavy rainfall. However, sand-based athletic fields are particularly susceptible to or- ganic matter accumulation. Effects of ex- cessive organic matter accumulation on sand-based turfgrass systems include de- creased infiltration and hydraulic con- ductivity, diminished air filled porosity, which compromises gas exchange, and reduced root development and growth. Core cultivation and vertical mowing coupled with frequent sand topdressing applications are often used to combat or- ganic matter accumulation. Sand top- dressing can also be used to improve the physical characteristics of native soil ath- letic fields high is silt and clay, which would otherwise provide relatively slow infiltration, have poor stability during periods of saturation and be liable to compaction. Aggressive sand topdressing ENEFITS OF SAND- BASED ATHLETIC FIELD SYSTEMS include a foundation that is not only resistant to compaction, but (as much as 1.0-inch applied over 3.5 months), or sand-capping, can provide a cost-effective alternative to complete field renovation. Research conducted at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI and case study analysis have determined that in- tercept drain tile installation and a cu- mulative topdressing depth of 2.0-inhces can substantially improve native soil ath- letic field drainage and playability for $66,000 to 72,000 (estimates include ir- rigation and drain tile installation, as well as topdressing material and application). For field managers with substantial budget restrictions, topdressing alone can significantly improve playability and drainage; however, these fields will likely develop standing water along the side- lines and in low lying areas during peri- ods of heavy rainfall. SELECTING THE PROPER TOPDRESSING SAND necessary to develop a 2.0-inch sand layer over a standard high school football The amount of topdressing material >> Above: STANDING WATER ACCUMULATES on the sidelines of a well-managed athletic field with- out drain tiles despite a significant sand layer devel- oped from frequent topdressing applications. 14 SportsTurf | August 2012 www.sportsturfonline.com

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