Every coach and player, no matter the age level, wants the best field to play on. This is a no brainer! But, how do we obtain the best field aesthetically and functionally? Hopefully through this blog post I will be able to shed some light on some important tips that will help you improve your field.
The first two things that need to be addressed for your field is your drainage and irrigation systems. If your field does not drain properly, it will have a hard time growing correctly. Low spots will create pools of water on the field and won’t allow the grass to grow. You will need to have a good irrigation system set in place as this will be the life support for your field. Without good irrigation, you will spend hours trying to water your field with water canons or regular garden sprinklers.
After you have your drainage and irrigation in check, the next step is to know what type of grass is best for your field. The geographic location of your field plays a big factor in this. If you are not familiar with what would fit your field best, Seedland1 has a great website to help you with any questions.
Once your seed has been laid down, you must now take constant care of your field. Some of the key tools that you will need are reel mowers (both large and small), weed-eaters, hoes, rakes, and shovels, among other tools. The biggest and most expensive pieces of machinery are your mowers. Ideally, you will have a large outfield mower and a smaller greens mower for the likes of the infield and foul territories of a baseball field. Your other tools will help you with up-keep and keeping the edges of the field in top condition.
When having your field stand out from others, the way you mow can play a huge role in this aspect. When most people see a baseball field and all of the artistic designs whether it be a checkerboard, the arch in St. Louis’s outfield, or the Boston B in their outfield, they think that the grass is cut at different heights or that the grass is painted. The grass is actually bent. The way the sunlight reflects off of the bent grass gives you that great design. When the grass is bent away from you, the grass will appear lighter in color compared to when it is bent towards you. The bending of the grass comes from the mowers special design to cut at lower heights and ability to bend the grass down with rollers. The more elaborate designs seen at different fields are done with a hand roller. These are somewhat small, weighted rollers that are used to bend the grass once it has been cut to give it the desired artistic design.
Another key to keeping your field looking its best is how often you mow it, as stated by Cincinnati Reds head groundskeeper Doug Gallant. Gallant says, “Mowing two to three times a week is good for healthy grass growth, as the mowing frequency will help keep the lawn thick.”2
Whether you are in charge of the local T-Ball field or in charge of a bigger operation, such as a heads groundskeeper, hopefully these tips will be helpful to you and your fields’ success.
References
1.Steps To Choosing The Best Type of Grass To Plant. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 1, 2015, from http://www.lawngrasses.com/
2.Sewell, D. (2010, July 10). Reds' groundskeeper shares lawn tips. Retrieved
February 1, 2015, from http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700047544/Reds-groundskeeper-shares-lawn-tips.html?pg=all
3.Reiner, T. (n.d.). Mowing Your Baseball Field Turf. Retrieved February 1, 2015, from
http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/mowing.html
Its cool to know how the baseball fields get their interesting designs. I would have never thought that the grass was simply bent over instead of cut. That is a big job for any grounds keeper.
ReplyDeleteWhen I played softball in high school I swore our coach was crazy for keeping up with the field so much. But it is really nice having a great field to play on others are not so fortunate. I remember having to rake the fields before and after the games when we had a man come and re-rake the field on a tractor, I thought it was the craziest thing. And the grass was always green year round. Now looking and seeing other high school and college fields we had a very well keep and nice field to play on.
ReplyDeleteBaseball is the most common sports that would be getting its popularity among different countries. To play this game, the field needs to be well designed and favorable for the players. In your blog, you have clearly defined the tips that would be helpful for the baseball field owners to make the field attractive and change its looks. Generally, the field specification provides a general guideline to encourage the coaches to enlist the help of the parents and edging the areas around the mound and home plate, and the infield skin.
ReplyDelete