Soccer, Lacrosse & Hockey

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Soccer, Lacrosse & Field Hockey Maintenance

A truly effective turf management program requires regular inspection of the fields, because that's the only way to make knowledgeable decisions about the bet promotion of the turfgrass culture. At the beginning of a program of regular inspections, have a soil test performed to help understand the nutrient values of the soil.
 
Ideally, every field should get at least a quick inspection every other week all year long--even during the off-season. That might seem like a lot of unnecessary work, but even regular five-minute inspections can save hours of work once the season rolls around. During the season, each field should be inspected once or twice a week.
 
While the turfgrass is actively growing, watch carefully for signs of mowing problems. A thick layer of clippings on the turf means the field is being allowed to grow too high between cuttings, and then is being cut too short. That kind of cutting spreads so many clippings on the turf that it literally kills the grass. And cutting off more than one-third of the plant weakens the grass and makes it less resistant to stresses of all kinds.
 
In addition to checking mowing height, tear off a couple of blades and examine the cut ends for clean shear and no ragged edges; dull mower blades tear the grass blades and make the turf vulnerable to disease. If the field has a whitish cast after mowing, that's a sign of mower blades that are not sharp enough. A close look will show that the ends of the blades of grass are probably shredded instead of clean-cut. (Of course, make sure the maintenance staff follows the manufacturer's directions for safely sharpening mower blades.)
 
When performing an inspection, check the moisture of the field. If it's too wet or too dry, those problems are best solved during the off-season, when there's no looming game date. If the field has received substantial precipitation, visual inspection will show how effectively the turf is draining.
 
One quick way to check to soil moisture is to push a screwdriver into the soil until some resistance is encountered. The screwdriver should easily penetrate 4" to 6" into the soil. If the soil is too hard for that, the field probably needs to be watered. (Another tool, called a "soil probe" or "soil profiler," can help check soil compaction, thatch accumulation, and root structure as well as moisture.)
 
Look for the appearance of weeds in high-traffic areas of the field, especially in the most compacted areas. In the North, for instance, knotweed is usually a sign of overcompaction. Relieving that compaction will allow the turfgrass to crowd out the knotweed.
 
The previous chapter includes a sample field inspection report, which is very helpful for recording and comparing findings. (See Table 12.1, Sample Field Inspection Report.) Recording all observations in this way helps in remembering all the factors that should be checked, and allows the manager to understand how the field responds to various conditions year-round.
 
13.5a Warm Season Maintenance
 
Table 13.1 shows a sample maintenance program that can be tailored to fit the needs of any soccer, lacrosse, or field hockey field in the warm season zone. Remember, this is only one maintenance program that is being used successfully on a particular field. In planning a fertilization program for any given field, the manager should consult the more detailed information found in Chapter 3, Fertility and Fertilizers.
 
Table 13.1. Warm Season Maintenance Program
 
Fertilization
The maintenance program outlined in Table 13.1 includes very aggressive fertilization, particularly in the spring, to promote the most rapid possible bermudagrass recovery from the competitive stress of the previous season. If the field is irrigated after fertilization, the heavy N applications can be performed all at once; otherwise, the fertilizer should be split into two applications two weeks apart.
 
A complete fertilizer (13-13-13) can be used in May to ensure P and K levels are adequate going into the summer months, while summer fertilization utilizes urea (45-0-0) for maintenance applications of one pound of N. Prior to overseeding in September, an application of 18-46-0 helps to promote seedling establishment. A supplemental application of K in October (after overseeding establishment) promotes winter hardiness of the turf, and the winter fertilization utilizes ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) to maintain sufficient ryegrass growth.
 
Aeration and Topdressing
For fields used by soccer programs throughout the year, the only periods of limited use during the growing season are the first of May and August. At these times, a spiker with 6" curved blades is run over the turf in 2 directions. The field is then topdressed with sand to smooth the divots created by the spiker. An additional ¼" of sand is applied after the field is overseeded in September to promote seed-to-soil contact.
 
Overseeding
It's a good idea to overseed the field with a three-way perennial ryegrass blend in late September at a rate of 15 pounds of pure live seed per 1,000 square feet. Poorly established areas can be spot-seeded in October. Overseeding is necessary where there is year-round use of the turf.
 
Mowing
Best results are achieved by mowing twice weekly at a 1" height from May through September. Cutting at this height maximizes sod strength of the bermudagrass and encourages lateral spread. After overseeding, the cutting height is raised to 2" to promote winter hardiness and maximize the wear tolerance of the bermudagrass during winter play.
 
Watering
It's a good idea to water the field every 3 days (if needed) from June through September, and as needed during the rest of the year. The goal should be to deliver a minimum of 1" of water per week to maximize turfgrass growth. Following overseeding, the turf is irrigated lightly and frequently to promote establishment of the ryegrass.
 
Weed Control
A postemergence herbicide program utilizing MSMA and 2,4-D is helpful in spot-treatment of week problems beginning in June, but herbicide treatment should be avoided during periods of environmental stress.
 
13.5b Transitional Zone Maintenance
 
Maintenance programs in the transitional zone are determined largely by the varieties of turfgrass used. If the field has warm-season varieties such as bermudagrass, follow warm-season maintenance practices, but realize that the cooler weather will shorten the growing season on both ends. If the field has perennial ryegrass or other cool-season varieties, use northern practice but remember that growth will start earlier in the spring and extend later in the fall.
 
13.5c Cool Season Maintenance
 
Cool season turfgrasses follow an annual cycle of strong active growth in the spring and early summer, dormancy in the hottest part of the year, and another strong growing season in the late summer and fall. Cool season maintenance practices need to account for this annual cycle. Table 13.2 shows a sample of a maintenance program that can be tailored to fit the needs of any soccer, lacrosse, or field hockey facility in the North.
 
Fertilization
Cool season fields should get less than 30% of their annual nitrogen needs in the spring, and the remainder should be applied in the fall. Restricting nitrogen application in the spring of year helps to prevent excessive shoot growth, and encourages strong root growth, which is vital to the health of the turf. At the first fertilization of the spring, apply a starter fertilizer such as 18-24-12, since the actively growing turfgrass plants will benefit fro the additional P and K at this point in the year. The starter fertilizer also helps get new plants established.
 
During the summer, one application of ½ pound nitrogen and a full pound of potassium helps protect plant health during the heat of the summer, and helps the turf to resist disease.
 
Applying the bulk of the nitrogen in the fall helps the turf recuperate from the stresses of the competitive season. The very best time to apply nitrogen is right after the lat mowing of the season, when the grass is still green. During this period, shoot growth slows to a stop, but root growth continues. The extra nitrogen is stored by the root system, and contributes to an early spring greenup, as well as helping the turf withstand summer stresses.
 
Aeration
Aerating frequently, and varying equipment, helps to make the turf stronger. In April, core the entire field in preparation for topdressing and slit-seeding. Later in the season use solid tine aeration to loosen the soil without leaving the field strewn with cores. Core aerate the field again at the end of the competitive season.
 
Topdressing and Slit-Seeding
Performing these two processes together substantially magnifies the benefits to the turf, and also helps to level the surface. (See Section 13.4 for more information on slit-seeding, or "overseeding.")
 
Mowing
The ryegrass starts growing first in the spring, so keep mowing height at about 1¼" to let sunlight reach the Kentucky bluegrass base. When the Kentucky bluegrass starts growing in May, raise the height by ¼". In July, the grass height should be at its highest point of the year.
 
About a month before the first game, start gradually reducing the mowing height to reach the desired height for the first game, remembering to cut off no more than 1/3 of the grass plants at any one mowing. This gradual reduction in advance of the season will allow the turf to adjust to the lower cutting height in time for competitive play.
 
After the season, keep mowing until growth has completely stopped. If the grass is allowed to grow too long and left that way over the winter, the risk of snow mold increases. On the other hand, scalping in the fall can expose the plant crowns to winter weather, weakening the turfgrass.
 
A reel mower is recommended for cutting heights of less than 2".
 
Watering
The demands placed on sports turf dictate that, as a general rule, the use of blanket weed treatment should be avoided. In order to encourage full recuperation after the season, most fields should be reseeded annually, and that makes application of preemergents unwise, since they stop grass germination. Even postemergent applications should be delayed until the new plants are fully established.
 
When solid cultural management practices are being followed, weed infestation is usually fairly easy to control. One spot-treatment a few weeks before the season begins is usually adequate to control weeds until long after the last game. Where blanket treatment is necessary because of a particularly severe infestation, perform the application only if the turfgrass and the weeds are actively growing, and make sure the soil has at least normal moisture levels. Avoid weed control applications any time the turf is under stress.
 
13.5d Program Variations (Practice Fields)
 
In cool season zones, the program outlined in Table 13.2 will support daily practices with minimal damage to the turf. (Of course, the ideal situation is to have more than one practice field to allow periods of recuperation, but that's impractical for most programs.) A team with one practice field usually holds about 100 practices on that turf in the course of a competitive season, resulting in several spots of bare soil by the time the last practice is held. Aerating and fertilizing these bare spots won't help much. A better strategy would be to apply one pound of nitrogen monthly from April to July, to strengthen the turf before the field is used. With careful mowing and watering, this kind of aggressive fertilization will help the field withstand the demands of the season.