Purpose, Maintenance Practices, Cultural Care, IPM, Design, Training 

1. Purpose

In order to maximize the benefits that the Town's maintenance efforts provide to the turf on its recreational and athletic fields it is necessary that the resources allocated to these activities be applied in accordance with an appropriate schedule and in a consistent manner. To that end Turf Maintenance Guidelines have been developed and are adopted for use by Town maintenance personnel.

2. Maintenance Practices

The following guidelines apply to all Town of Southbury Athletic Fields.

Mowing

Frequency: Generally, mowing should be done weekly, especially during the growing season. The importance of regular mowing for promoting healthy turf cannot be over emphasized. Growth should be monitored and mowing frequency increased to avoid removing more than ⅓ of the leaf blade during any single mowing.

Culling height: A mowing height of 2 to 2½ inches promotes healthier turf than shorter cutting. Longer grass allows deeper rooting and shades out the weed seed germination zone. It also allows the desirable Blue Grass, Fescues, and Perennial Rye grasses to better compete with other species.

Mulch Mowing: Grass clippings should rarely be removed from mowed turf areas unless they are heavy and an accumulation could smother the grass or create hazardous footing. Plant nutrients and organic matter help develop healthy, productive root growth.

Mowing patterns should be alternated to avoid compaction from mower wheels.

Turf must be completely thawed before initial Spring mowing.

Mowing should not take place on wet ground where ruts can occur and remain. All fields should be walked during wet conditions prior to mowing and a visual inspection done before a mower is taken onto the turf to determine if conditions will allow mowing without damage to the turf or soil surface.

Mowers must be maintained regularly, especially sharpening and adjustment of cutting edges.

Trimming should be coordinated with other mowing activities on the site.

If mowing long grass generates excess clippings they should be removed for grass health reasons.

Edging

Turf should be edged to give a finished look to field areas that border paved surfaces or planting areas. Edging should be performed 1 to 4 times per year, based on the maintenance standards of the site.shuld be edged to give a finished look to field areas that border paved surfaces or planting areas. Edging should be performed 1 to 4 times per year, based on the maintenance standards of the site.

Irrigation

Apply 1 inch of water per week. The frequency should be once or twice per week if percolation rate and moisture holding capacity allow.

During extremely dry weather, irrigation should be monitored more frequently.

3. Cultural Care

The following BMPs should apply to the Town's Athletic fields.

Fertilization

Soil test fertilized turf on a 2-year cycle.

Turf fertilizer should have a 4-1-2 ratio of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash (NPK) unless otherwise indicated by soil tests.

Each application should apply approximately ½ lb, actual Nitrogen/1,000 square feet.

50% of the Nitrogen fraction should be water insoluble slow-release.

Fertilizer applications should be avoided before or during heavy rainfall to avoid nutrient runoff.

Fertilizer applications should be avoided in very hot weather.

Irrigation systems should be checked to insure they are operating correctly before any growing season applications.

Sprinkler heads should be marked to avoid damage during application.

Fertilizer applications should be tailored specifically to each site.

PH Control

Soil PH should be tested annually. Lime should be added as needed to ensure optimum nutrient intake.

Aeration

All athletic fields, high compaction areas particularly, should be aerated regularly.

Fields should be aerated at least two times per year using hollow tines.

High compaction areas should be aerated intermittently between regular aerations.

Best times to aerate are March, May, and September.

Fields should be aerated with at least two passes at right angles.

Sprinkler heads should be marked to avoid damage during aeration operation.

Top Dressing

Top dressing should be done to selected high-compaction areas on at least a 3-year cycle.

Top dressing should include medium sand and organic material.

Each application should be about ¾ inch.

All depressions and holes should be filled with an appropriate soil prior to topdressing.

Over-Seeding

Over-seeding should be done regularly on all athletic fields and as needed on high wear areas as a spot treatment.

Entire athletic fields should be over-seeded at least once a year.

Over-seeding should take place in late summer.

Over-seeding should be done with a power driven mechanical slit seeder.

Over-seeding should be done at a rate of 4 lbs/1,000 square feet. Seed should be more heavily applied manually in very sparse areas and scarified by hand.

Heavy wear areas should be over-seeded frequently during the course of the season to avoid the occurrence of bare spots.

Rotation of Fields

Extensive wear and tear should be combated by annually rotating fields and goals. This practice should allow turf rehabilitation work and the re-establishment of grass in worn areas.

Mowing Height

Mowing height should be 2 inches minimum. Mowing height should be raised during period of dry weather. Mowing height should be lowered for last cutting of the season.

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4. IPM

Thresholds

Turf peals should be controlled wherever possible through good cultural practices and/or natural predators.

When pesticides are applied to playing field turf the least toxic product should be used at the lowest application rate that will effectively eliminate or control the pest.

Weeds, insects, and disease pests can generally be tolerated to some level in all park turf.

Threshold levels should be established for any such pests that may attack athletic field turf.

Control Strategies

The following are IPM controls for turf.

Broadleaf Weeds

When control is necessary, the primary control is to follow these cultural practices.

Careful monitoring of watering practice.

Fertilization.

Aeration.

Top dressing.

Over-seeding.

Woody Brush Control

Woody brush control in areas bordering athletic fields should be accomplished by mechanical mowing, pruning or removal with chainsaws.

Insects

The Japanese Beetle grub has caused extensive turf damage to Southbury's playing fields in the past. It should be closely monitored to insure it does not reach intolerable levels. If infestation reaches established threshold pesticide treatment should be applied. Fields should be continuously monitored for insect pests.

Disease

Fungal disease has not caused extensive turf damage to Southbury's playing fields in the recent past. However, certain diseases have the potential to cause serious damage in a short period of time if untreated. Fields should be closely monitored to detect and identify any fungal diseases in a timely manner. Appropriate fungicides may be utilized for treatment to insure damage does not reach intolerable levels.

Trimming Abatement

Grass and vegetation control is important along fence lines and other landscape features. Glass trimming should be accomplished in the following ways:

Push mowers and string trimmers should be used where possible.

Chemical controls should be used judiciously in high visibility areas.

Herbicide may be used through timely applications of Roundup™ and Surflan™. These products can be used for post and pre-emergent control.

5. Design

The following are design considerations that will improve the quality of turf on playing fields.

Surface runoff should be diverted away from fields and into other adjacent areas. New turf areas should be constructed with a minimum slope of 2% to promote surface drainage.

Fields should be provided with automatic Irrigation Systems.

Fields should be seeded (over-seeded) with a blended mixture of several species of grass. Selection of grass species should be based on site conditions, expected use, and maintenance standards. Use of a blended mix allows those species best adapted to the localized conditions to colonize those areas that provide the optimum growing environment for them. Perennial Rye grasses which are very wear-resistant and Kentucky Blue grass which produces rhizomes that fill in thin areas are widely used for athletic fields.

6. Training

All full-time park maintenance staff should have training in basic turf maintenance and care.

Mowing crews should have site-specific information on mowing heights and patterns at each facility.

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