80 degrees, use Blitz GameLine Remover Solution in a backpack sprayer to saturate the painted area....
6
E E Pioneer Athletics, pioneerathletics.com During the 2007-2008 football season, the synthetic turf field at the Louisiana Superdome played host to 19 games. In a 20- week span, there were 10 New Orleans Saints games, five Tulane Wave games, the Bayou Classic, the New Orleans Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, and the BCS National Championship game. Each game required a complete field paint changeover, including all field logos, hash marks, and endzones. In previous years, the Superdome mainte- nance crew painted all field markings with house- 34 July 2008 hold paint from the local hardware store. After each event when the field paint had to be removed, they hired 15 temporary laborers who spent up to 3 days scrubbing the field with an industrial cleaning solution-and still had prob- lems with ghosting of the paint. Last season though, they found a way to remove every last mark on the field in 2- 3 hours by doing the work themselves with Pioneer Athletic's Removable Field Paint System. GameLine Temporary Marking Paint is a high-gloss paint specifically formulated to be easily removed from synthetic turf once sprayed with Blitz-GameLine remover solution. This paint is chemically engi- neered to react to the remover solution so its resin system releases from the turf blades. The process is simple: Step 1. Apply GameLine Temporary Marking Paint. Step 2. When the field temperature is below 80 degrees, use Blitz GameLine Remover Solution in a backpack sprayer to saturate the painted area. Step 3. Agitate the area with Pioneer's Blitz Remover machine, a lightweight, walk-behind, scrubbing machine with a 5.5-hp Honda engine www.sportsturfonline.com
Transcript of 80 degrees, use Blitz GameLine Remover Solution in a backpack sprayer to saturate the painted area....
E E
Pioneer Athletics pioneerathleticscomDuring the 2007-2008 football season the
synthetic turf field at the LouisianaSuperdome played host to 19 games In a 20-
week span there were 10 New Orleans Saintsgames five Tulane Wave games the BayouClassic the New Orleans Bowl the Sugar Bowland the BCS National Championship gameEach game required a complete field paintchangeover including all field logos hash marksand endzones
In previous years the Superdome mainte-nance crew painted all field markings with house-
34 July 2008
hold paint from the local hardware store Aftereach event when the field paint had to beremoved they hired 15 temporary laborers whospent up to 3 days scrubbing the field with anindustrial cleaning solution-and still had prob-lems with ghosting of the paint
Last season though they found a way toremove every last mark on the field in 2- 3 hours bydoing the work themselves with Pioneer AthleticsRemovable Field Paint System GameLineTemporary Marking Paint is a high-gloss paintspecifically formulated to be easily removed fromsynthetic turf once sprayed with Blitz-GameLine
remover solution This paint is chemically engi-neered to react to the remover solution so its resinsystem releases from the turf blades
The process is simpleStep 1 Apply GameLine Temporary Marking
PaintStep 2 When the field temperature is below
80 degrees use Blitz GameLine RemoverSolution in a backpack sprayer to saturate thepainted area
Step 3 Agitate the area with Pioneers BlitzRemover machine a lightweight walk-behindscrubbing machine with a 55-hp Honda engine
wwwsportsturfonlinecom
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENTand seven adjustable brush heights
Step 4 All traces of the paint rinse away withwater from a standard garden hose If drainage isan issue use Pioneers WaterClaw to remove theexcess water and paint residue while leaving theinfill in place
Pioneer worked closely with the Superdomecrew to develop a comprehensive system of fieldpaints field striping machines and equipmentthat addressed their particular situation and syn-thetic turf surface
Graco Inc wwwgracocomThe majority of turf striping equipment in use
today is pressure pot based with either an on-board compressor or C02 tank These older stylesystems make it difficult for turf stripers to findsubstantial product differentiation from onemanufacturer to another This type of equipmentrequires that paint be cut with water and thenadded to a tank on the striper which is very timeconsuming and is considered old school tech-
nologyAirless stnpmg technology is the newest
manner in which sports fields are now beingstriped This technology allows you to now savetime and money by
Spraying athletic paint uncut which keepsthe field looking great for 2-3 times as long asother systems including spray cans and pressurepots
Drawing directly from the paint container Nomore mixing and dumping is needed with thistechnology
Providing exact pressure control Pressurecontrol must be below 900 psi in order to avoiddamaging the turf You want to spray the turf notthe dirt Make sure equipment is capable to beingdialed down to avoid damage
Stencil spraying which is a must for sportsturf applications a quick change out to a 20-inchextension with proper tip allows for fast reliablestencil jobs
Use of adjustable spray shields to help keep
WITH IPiir =============tEQUIPMENT
STRIPERS RIDERS bull WALK BEHIND bull AEROSOLINFIELD GROOMERS DRAGS amp MATS
DRY LINERS amp FIELD LAYOUT SYSTEMSFIELD MARKING amp MASCOT STENCILS
CALL TOLL FREE
1700 Jasper St IF bull Aurora CO 80011
Fill in 128 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscomI14681-128
36 July 2008
FieldSaver trade Sideline Tarpscan be personalized to
your spedjications
bull Save your sideUnes ~ Itla[grass or artificial turf
bull HeaY-dUW constructionstands up to the toughestfootball teams
bull Durable polypropylene fiberlets air and water passthrough
bull 5 Stock sizes from14 x SO to 14 X iSO
bull We will customize by sizeschool name and 1090
bull Full field rain covers alsoavailable
the line quality the best it can be by blockingwind from blowing the paint allover the field
Use of tall turf tires allows unit to easily rollConnecting a drive system to the turf striper
which allows user less fatigue and provides con-sistent straight paint lines
Minimum of halfgallon per minute is neededto provide the coverage field managers demand
Paint filters on the sprayer Include the rockcatcher paint manifold filter and paint gun filterPrevents downtime due to clogs
Piston pump technology produces the mostconsistent lines
Non-clogging reversible SwitchTips allowgreat lines to be sprayed every day
One of the best ways to see what these newstyle airless turf-striping units can do is toarrange for a demo to see how it performs andhow easy or difficult it is to use
Transporting the unit is as important as usingit so make sure it is light-weight portable andable to be moved from field to field with little or
Protects and preserves your sidelines
A DIvIsIon 0 IIumphtys lIMJufllClUrlng
YourAll-American Advantage
5744 Woodland Ave Phila PA 191438004456680 Fax2157248706
wwwcoversportscomemail salescoversportscom
GSAContract GS-07Fmiddot6052Pcopy 2006 CoverSports USA
Fill in 129 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-129
wwwsportsturfonlinecom
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENTno hassle Lastly go with a proven brand froman equipment supplier who has a solid reputa-tion in your market
Whitlam Paint wwwwhitlampaintcomTemp-Stripe Athletic Field marking paints
are necessary now more than ever to put tem-porary markings for either a different sport orfor hosting an event that normally gets playedelsewhere whether its synthetic turf or naturaL
This product makes some sports turf man-agerslives much easier for a variety of reasonsSome people use Temp-Stripe because it has aeasy removal feature Gust water pressure andelbow grease) some like it because it breaksdown into the soil better than most other morepermanent long-lasting type field paints
Most like it because it actually works anddoesnt require the purchase and use of a chem-ical solution for removal nor does it require thepurchase of additional equipment for thatremoval process bull
Fill in 133 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-133
38 July 2008 wwwsportsturfonlinecom
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
StarLinerIn response to concerns from customers regard-
ing the environmental impact of aerosol field paintsPioneer Athletics developed a striping machine thatproduces sharp liquid paint lines with the ease ofan aerosol striper The StarLiner runs on arechargeable battery and resembles a typicalaerosol striper but delivers a bright liquid line thatwill not burn natural grass The brilliant white StarStripe paint made for the StarLiner containsHalogen 2000 optical brighteners and comes in a
bag-in-a-box container that is self-sealingand reusable Star Stripe paint is alsoavailable in orange red yellow and bluePioneer Athleticsfor inonnation lin in 059 on reader service lor or seehllPJ wwwnnersnorimscnmIl46Bj059
ProlineLayout fields once and never measure again with
Newstripes Proline field layout system Just drivethe rugged nylon locators into the ground at key fieldpositions attach the supplied string line to the loca-tors and youre ready to stripe your field The loca-tors are then left in place so you can preciselyremark your field year after year yet you will neverhave to re-measure There are no open holes tocatch cleats or fill with debris Available in packagedof 12 25 and 50 locators Each kit comes completewith starting tool and 600 feet of high-grade cordNewstripefor informationIiIIin Ofifion reader service lor or geehl1pllwwwonershorimscomIl4681middot060
Fill in 131 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-131
wwwstmaorg SportsTurf 39
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
ll~e all know the cultural practices
SUCh as aerification and topdress-ing are important for healthysports turf But verticutting or ver-tical mowing is the least-used
practice Verticutting has many important benefitsto produce healthy sports turf including thatchremoval lateral growth promotion seed bedpreparation and early spring green up
Thatch removalWhether you maintain warm season or cool
season turf thatch control is important Somethatch is good for the field system The proper
40 July 2008
amount of thatch will assist in the breaking downof chemical (fertilizers) because of the higherlikely hood of having good microbial activityProper thatch will allow for better seed bed fornew seedlings and gives good footing Excessivethatch can lead to a poor draining field a highersusceptibility to diseases and unstable footing
Proper verticutting loosens the old thatch andbrings it to the top Once the old thatch isremoved the turf can take in more water and takein more air promoting healthier turf Anotherpositive of removing excessive thatch is that yourturf will dry quicker because the air and sun getdown to the soil
On the playability side having too muchthatch the field will feel soft and slow A fieldwith proper thatch will feel firm and fast
Promotes lateral growthFor sports turf managers maintaining warm
season grasses verticutting is as important as aer-ification With proper fertilization verticuttingwarm season grasses will stimulate the cut stolonsto generate new growth from the cut area andthis forms a much thicker and denser turf Aftera light topdressing the field will become nice andtight and ready for play
The same is true but to a lesser degree for
wwwsportsturfonlinecom
some types of cool season grasses such as blue-grass In bluegrasses there is some lateral growthbut not as much as bermudagrass With the helpof verticutting the same cutting of the runnerswill simulate growth and help form a better rootmass and help to fill in thin spots
Seed bed preparationVerticutting is a great tool to enhance your
overseeding regiment The most importantaspect of getting good seed germination is tohave good seed-to-soil contact In most cases weare trying to seed into established turf such asover seeding into bermudagrass With the use ofverticutting you will open up the turf to allowthe seed to get in touch with the soil and increasethe chance of a successful germination
When you are trying to seed into thin areas alight verticutting will loosen the soil to allow forgood seed-to-soil contact The sports turf man-ager needs to be careful when verticutting thinareas You must remember that the turf is alreadyweak and any aggressive verticutting could setyou back further
Early spring green-upFrom my personal observations verticutting
in early spring (March in the Cincinnati area)will help with green up of cool season grasses
When you verticut you remove the old deadgrass that has been laying there over the winterVerticutting breaks up the winter derogation andopens the soil up to the warm sun that promotesearlier growth
Once the soil is opened up to that warmththe grass starts to grow and thicken up I haveseen areas that we verticut green up and start togrow 4 weeks earlier then non-verticut areas
Timing is very important You have to becareful not to try this too early in the year Youhave to wait until the heavy frost period is overIf you verticut too early and get a couple weeks ofhard and cold weather your plants could be introuble and take longer to recover since you haveremoved their protection
Talk with other sport turf managers aroundyour area and ask their thoughts and techniquesabout verticutting They can assist you withfinding the proper timing and equipment to dothe job
Darian Daily is head groundskeeper for PaulBrown Stadium Cincinnati OH
wwwstmaorg
bull AAA Bond Ratingbull A-Rated Third Party Insured Warrantybull Outstanding Corporate Financials
An ECOREtrade Company
Consistent Playability bull Superior Durability bull Synthetic Grass Systems
Obtain LEED Credits ByUsing A-Turf Products 888-777-6910 wwwaturfcom
Fill in 136 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscomI14681-136
Fill in 137 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-137
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENTand seven adjustable brush heights
Step 4 All traces of the paint rinse away withwater from a standard garden hose If drainage isan issue use Pioneers WaterClaw to remove theexcess water and paint residue while leaving theinfill in place
Pioneer worked closely with the Superdomecrew to develop a comprehensive system of fieldpaints field striping machines and equipmentthat addressed their particular situation and syn-thetic turf surface
Graco Inc wwwgracocomThe majority of turf striping equipment in use
today is pressure pot based with either an on-board compressor or C02 tank These older stylesystems make it difficult for turf stripers to findsubstantial product differentiation from onemanufacturer to another This type of equipmentrequires that paint be cut with water and thenadded to a tank on the striper which is very timeconsuming and is considered old school tech-
nologyAirless stnpmg technology is the newest
manner in which sports fields are now beingstriped This technology allows you to now savetime and money by
Spraying athletic paint uncut which keepsthe field looking great for 2-3 times as long asother systems including spray cans and pressurepots
Drawing directly from the paint container Nomore mixing and dumping is needed with thistechnology
Providing exact pressure control Pressurecontrol must be below 900 psi in order to avoiddamaging the turf You want to spray the turf notthe dirt Make sure equipment is capable to beingdialed down to avoid damage
Stencil spraying which is a must for sportsturf applications a quick change out to a 20-inchextension with proper tip allows for fast reliablestencil jobs
Use of adjustable spray shields to help keep
WITH IPiir =============tEQUIPMENT
STRIPERS RIDERS bull WALK BEHIND bull AEROSOLINFIELD GROOMERS DRAGS amp MATS
DRY LINERS amp FIELD LAYOUT SYSTEMSFIELD MARKING amp MASCOT STENCILS
CALL TOLL FREE
1700 Jasper St IF bull Aurora CO 80011
Fill in 128 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscomI14681-128
36 July 2008
FieldSaver trade Sideline Tarpscan be personalized to
your spedjications
bull Save your sideUnes ~ Itla[grass or artificial turf
bull HeaY-dUW constructionstands up to the toughestfootball teams
bull Durable polypropylene fiberlets air and water passthrough
bull 5 Stock sizes from14 x SO to 14 X iSO
bull We will customize by sizeschool name and 1090
bull Full field rain covers alsoavailable
the line quality the best it can be by blockingwind from blowing the paint allover the field
Use of tall turf tires allows unit to easily rollConnecting a drive system to the turf striper
which allows user less fatigue and provides con-sistent straight paint lines
Minimum of halfgallon per minute is neededto provide the coverage field managers demand
Paint filters on the sprayer Include the rockcatcher paint manifold filter and paint gun filterPrevents downtime due to clogs
Piston pump technology produces the mostconsistent lines
Non-clogging reversible SwitchTips allowgreat lines to be sprayed every day
One of the best ways to see what these newstyle airless turf-striping units can do is toarrange for a demo to see how it performs andhow easy or difficult it is to use
Transporting the unit is as important as usingit so make sure it is light-weight portable andable to be moved from field to field with little or
Protects and preserves your sidelines
A DIvIsIon 0 IIumphtys lIMJufllClUrlng
YourAll-American Advantage
5744 Woodland Ave Phila PA 191438004456680 Fax2157248706
wwwcoversportscomemail salescoversportscom
GSAContract GS-07Fmiddot6052Pcopy 2006 CoverSports USA
Fill in 129 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-129
wwwsportsturfonlinecom
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENTno hassle Lastly go with a proven brand froman equipment supplier who has a solid reputa-tion in your market
Whitlam Paint wwwwhitlampaintcomTemp-Stripe Athletic Field marking paints
are necessary now more than ever to put tem-porary markings for either a different sport orfor hosting an event that normally gets playedelsewhere whether its synthetic turf or naturaL
This product makes some sports turf man-agerslives much easier for a variety of reasonsSome people use Temp-Stripe because it has aeasy removal feature Gust water pressure andelbow grease) some like it because it breaksdown into the soil better than most other morepermanent long-lasting type field paints
Most like it because it actually works anddoesnt require the purchase and use of a chem-ical solution for removal nor does it require thepurchase of additional equipment for thatremoval process bull
Fill in 133 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-133
38 July 2008 wwwsportsturfonlinecom
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
StarLinerIn response to concerns from customers regard-
ing the environmental impact of aerosol field paintsPioneer Athletics developed a striping machine thatproduces sharp liquid paint lines with the ease ofan aerosol striper The StarLiner runs on arechargeable battery and resembles a typicalaerosol striper but delivers a bright liquid line thatwill not burn natural grass The brilliant white StarStripe paint made for the StarLiner containsHalogen 2000 optical brighteners and comes in a
bag-in-a-box container that is self-sealingand reusable Star Stripe paint is alsoavailable in orange red yellow and bluePioneer Athleticsfor inonnation lin in 059 on reader service lor or seehllPJ wwwnnersnorimscnmIl46Bj059
ProlineLayout fields once and never measure again with
Newstripes Proline field layout system Just drivethe rugged nylon locators into the ground at key fieldpositions attach the supplied string line to the loca-tors and youre ready to stripe your field The loca-tors are then left in place so you can preciselyremark your field year after year yet you will neverhave to re-measure There are no open holes tocatch cleats or fill with debris Available in packagedof 12 25 and 50 locators Each kit comes completewith starting tool and 600 feet of high-grade cordNewstripefor informationIiIIin Ofifion reader service lor or geehl1pllwwwonershorimscomIl4681middot060
Fill in 131 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-131
wwwstmaorg SportsTurf 39
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
ll~e all know the cultural practices
SUCh as aerification and topdress-ing are important for healthysports turf But verticutting or ver-tical mowing is the least-used
practice Verticutting has many important benefitsto produce healthy sports turf including thatchremoval lateral growth promotion seed bedpreparation and early spring green up
Thatch removalWhether you maintain warm season or cool
season turf thatch control is important Somethatch is good for the field system The proper
40 July 2008
amount of thatch will assist in the breaking downof chemical (fertilizers) because of the higherlikely hood of having good microbial activityProper thatch will allow for better seed bed fornew seedlings and gives good footing Excessivethatch can lead to a poor draining field a highersusceptibility to diseases and unstable footing
Proper verticutting loosens the old thatch andbrings it to the top Once the old thatch isremoved the turf can take in more water and takein more air promoting healthier turf Anotherpositive of removing excessive thatch is that yourturf will dry quicker because the air and sun getdown to the soil
On the playability side having too muchthatch the field will feel soft and slow A fieldwith proper thatch will feel firm and fast
Promotes lateral growthFor sports turf managers maintaining warm
season grasses verticutting is as important as aer-ification With proper fertilization verticuttingwarm season grasses will stimulate the cut stolonsto generate new growth from the cut area andthis forms a much thicker and denser turf Aftera light topdressing the field will become nice andtight and ready for play
The same is true but to a lesser degree for
wwwsportsturfonlinecom
some types of cool season grasses such as blue-grass In bluegrasses there is some lateral growthbut not as much as bermudagrass With the helpof verticutting the same cutting of the runnerswill simulate growth and help form a better rootmass and help to fill in thin spots
Seed bed preparationVerticutting is a great tool to enhance your
overseeding regiment The most importantaspect of getting good seed germination is tohave good seed-to-soil contact In most cases weare trying to seed into established turf such asover seeding into bermudagrass With the use ofverticutting you will open up the turf to allowthe seed to get in touch with the soil and increasethe chance of a successful germination
When you are trying to seed into thin areas alight verticutting will loosen the soil to allow forgood seed-to-soil contact The sports turf man-ager needs to be careful when verticutting thinareas You must remember that the turf is alreadyweak and any aggressive verticutting could setyou back further
Early spring green-upFrom my personal observations verticutting
in early spring (March in the Cincinnati area)will help with green up of cool season grasses
When you verticut you remove the old deadgrass that has been laying there over the winterVerticutting breaks up the winter derogation andopens the soil up to the warm sun that promotesearlier growth
Once the soil is opened up to that warmththe grass starts to grow and thicken up I haveseen areas that we verticut green up and start togrow 4 weeks earlier then non-verticut areas
Timing is very important You have to becareful not to try this too early in the year Youhave to wait until the heavy frost period is overIf you verticut too early and get a couple weeks ofhard and cold weather your plants could be introuble and take longer to recover since you haveremoved their protection
Talk with other sport turf managers aroundyour area and ask their thoughts and techniquesabout verticutting They can assist you withfinding the proper timing and equipment to dothe job
Darian Daily is head groundskeeper for PaulBrown Stadium Cincinnati OH
wwwstmaorg
bull AAA Bond Ratingbull A-Rated Third Party Insured Warrantybull Outstanding Corporate Financials
An ECOREtrade Company
Consistent Playability bull Superior Durability bull Synthetic Grass Systems
Obtain LEED Credits ByUsing A-Turf Products 888-777-6910 wwwaturfcom
Fill in 136 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscomI14681-136
Fill in 137 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-137
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENTno hassle Lastly go with a proven brand froman equipment supplier who has a solid reputa-tion in your market
Whitlam Paint wwwwhitlampaintcomTemp-Stripe Athletic Field marking paints
are necessary now more than ever to put tem-porary markings for either a different sport orfor hosting an event that normally gets playedelsewhere whether its synthetic turf or naturaL
This product makes some sports turf man-agerslives much easier for a variety of reasonsSome people use Temp-Stripe because it has aeasy removal feature Gust water pressure andelbow grease) some like it because it breaksdown into the soil better than most other morepermanent long-lasting type field paints
Most like it because it actually works anddoesnt require the purchase and use of a chem-ical solution for removal nor does it require thepurchase of additional equipment for thatremoval process bull
Fill in 133 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-133
38 July 2008 wwwsportsturfonlinecom
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
StarLinerIn response to concerns from customers regard-
ing the environmental impact of aerosol field paintsPioneer Athletics developed a striping machine thatproduces sharp liquid paint lines with the ease ofan aerosol striper The StarLiner runs on arechargeable battery and resembles a typicalaerosol striper but delivers a bright liquid line thatwill not burn natural grass The brilliant white StarStripe paint made for the StarLiner containsHalogen 2000 optical brighteners and comes in a
bag-in-a-box container that is self-sealingand reusable Star Stripe paint is alsoavailable in orange red yellow and bluePioneer Athleticsfor inonnation lin in 059 on reader service lor or seehllPJ wwwnnersnorimscnmIl46Bj059
ProlineLayout fields once and never measure again with
Newstripes Proline field layout system Just drivethe rugged nylon locators into the ground at key fieldpositions attach the supplied string line to the loca-tors and youre ready to stripe your field The loca-tors are then left in place so you can preciselyremark your field year after year yet you will neverhave to re-measure There are no open holes tocatch cleats or fill with debris Available in packagedof 12 25 and 50 locators Each kit comes completewith starting tool and 600 feet of high-grade cordNewstripefor informationIiIIin Ofifion reader service lor or geehl1pllwwwonershorimscomIl4681middot060
Fill in 131 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-131
wwwstmaorg SportsTurf 39
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
ll~e all know the cultural practices
SUCh as aerification and topdress-ing are important for healthysports turf But verticutting or ver-tical mowing is the least-used
practice Verticutting has many important benefitsto produce healthy sports turf including thatchremoval lateral growth promotion seed bedpreparation and early spring green up
Thatch removalWhether you maintain warm season or cool
season turf thatch control is important Somethatch is good for the field system The proper
40 July 2008
amount of thatch will assist in the breaking downof chemical (fertilizers) because of the higherlikely hood of having good microbial activityProper thatch will allow for better seed bed fornew seedlings and gives good footing Excessivethatch can lead to a poor draining field a highersusceptibility to diseases and unstable footing
Proper verticutting loosens the old thatch andbrings it to the top Once the old thatch isremoved the turf can take in more water and takein more air promoting healthier turf Anotherpositive of removing excessive thatch is that yourturf will dry quicker because the air and sun getdown to the soil
On the playability side having too muchthatch the field will feel soft and slow A fieldwith proper thatch will feel firm and fast
Promotes lateral growthFor sports turf managers maintaining warm
season grasses verticutting is as important as aer-ification With proper fertilization verticuttingwarm season grasses will stimulate the cut stolonsto generate new growth from the cut area andthis forms a much thicker and denser turf Aftera light topdressing the field will become nice andtight and ready for play
The same is true but to a lesser degree for
wwwsportsturfonlinecom
some types of cool season grasses such as blue-grass In bluegrasses there is some lateral growthbut not as much as bermudagrass With the helpof verticutting the same cutting of the runnerswill simulate growth and help form a better rootmass and help to fill in thin spots
Seed bed preparationVerticutting is a great tool to enhance your
overseeding regiment The most importantaspect of getting good seed germination is tohave good seed-to-soil contact In most cases weare trying to seed into established turf such asover seeding into bermudagrass With the use ofverticutting you will open up the turf to allowthe seed to get in touch with the soil and increasethe chance of a successful germination
When you are trying to seed into thin areas alight verticutting will loosen the soil to allow forgood seed-to-soil contact The sports turf man-ager needs to be careful when verticutting thinareas You must remember that the turf is alreadyweak and any aggressive verticutting could setyou back further
Early spring green-upFrom my personal observations verticutting
in early spring (March in the Cincinnati area)will help with green up of cool season grasses
When you verticut you remove the old deadgrass that has been laying there over the winterVerticutting breaks up the winter derogation andopens the soil up to the warm sun that promotesearlier growth
Once the soil is opened up to that warmththe grass starts to grow and thicken up I haveseen areas that we verticut green up and start togrow 4 weeks earlier then non-verticut areas
Timing is very important You have to becareful not to try this too early in the year Youhave to wait until the heavy frost period is overIf you verticut too early and get a couple weeks ofhard and cold weather your plants could be introuble and take longer to recover since you haveremoved their protection
Talk with other sport turf managers aroundyour area and ask their thoughts and techniquesabout verticutting They can assist you withfinding the proper timing and equipment to dothe job
Darian Daily is head groundskeeper for PaulBrown Stadium Cincinnati OH
wwwstmaorg
bull AAA Bond Ratingbull A-Rated Third Party Insured Warrantybull Outstanding Corporate Financials
An ECOREtrade Company
Consistent Playability bull Superior Durability bull Synthetic Grass Systems
Obtain LEED Credits ByUsing A-Turf Products 888-777-6910 wwwaturfcom
Fill in 136 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscomI14681-136
Fill in 137 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-137
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
StarLinerIn response to concerns from customers regard-
ing the environmental impact of aerosol field paintsPioneer Athletics developed a striping machine thatproduces sharp liquid paint lines with the ease ofan aerosol striper The StarLiner runs on arechargeable battery and resembles a typicalaerosol striper but delivers a bright liquid line thatwill not burn natural grass The brilliant white StarStripe paint made for the StarLiner containsHalogen 2000 optical brighteners and comes in a
bag-in-a-box container that is self-sealingand reusable Star Stripe paint is alsoavailable in orange red yellow and bluePioneer Athleticsfor inonnation lin in 059 on reader service lor or seehllPJ wwwnnersnorimscnmIl46Bj059
ProlineLayout fields once and never measure again with
Newstripes Proline field layout system Just drivethe rugged nylon locators into the ground at key fieldpositions attach the supplied string line to the loca-tors and youre ready to stripe your field The loca-tors are then left in place so you can preciselyremark your field year after year yet you will neverhave to re-measure There are no open holes tocatch cleats or fill with debris Available in packagedof 12 25 and 50 locators Each kit comes completewith starting tool and 600 feet of high-grade cordNewstripefor informationIiIIin Ofifion reader service lor or geehl1pllwwwonershorimscomIl4681middot060
Fill in 131 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-131
wwwstmaorg SportsTurf 39
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
ll~e all know the cultural practices
SUCh as aerification and topdress-ing are important for healthysports turf But verticutting or ver-tical mowing is the least-used
practice Verticutting has many important benefitsto produce healthy sports turf including thatchremoval lateral growth promotion seed bedpreparation and early spring green up
Thatch removalWhether you maintain warm season or cool
season turf thatch control is important Somethatch is good for the field system The proper
40 July 2008
amount of thatch will assist in the breaking downof chemical (fertilizers) because of the higherlikely hood of having good microbial activityProper thatch will allow for better seed bed fornew seedlings and gives good footing Excessivethatch can lead to a poor draining field a highersusceptibility to diseases and unstable footing
Proper verticutting loosens the old thatch andbrings it to the top Once the old thatch isremoved the turf can take in more water and takein more air promoting healthier turf Anotherpositive of removing excessive thatch is that yourturf will dry quicker because the air and sun getdown to the soil
On the playability side having too muchthatch the field will feel soft and slow A fieldwith proper thatch will feel firm and fast
Promotes lateral growthFor sports turf managers maintaining warm
season grasses verticutting is as important as aer-ification With proper fertilization verticuttingwarm season grasses will stimulate the cut stolonsto generate new growth from the cut area andthis forms a much thicker and denser turf Aftera light topdressing the field will become nice andtight and ready for play
The same is true but to a lesser degree for
wwwsportsturfonlinecom
some types of cool season grasses such as blue-grass In bluegrasses there is some lateral growthbut not as much as bermudagrass With the helpof verticutting the same cutting of the runnerswill simulate growth and help form a better rootmass and help to fill in thin spots
Seed bed preparationVerticutting is a great tool to enhance your
overseeding regiment The most importantaspect of getting good seed germination is tohave good seed-to-soil contact In most cases weare trying to seed into established turf such asover seeding into bermudagrass With the use ofverticutting you will open up the turf to allowthe seed to get in touch with the soil and increasethe chance of a successful germination
When you are trying to seed into thin areas alight verticutting will loosen the soil to allow forgood seed-to-soil contact The sports turf man-ager needs to be careful when verticutting thinareas You must remember that the turf is alreadyweak and any aggressive verticutting could setyou back further
Early spring green-upFrom my personal observations verticutting
in early spring (March in the Cincinnati area)will help with green up of cool season grasses
When you verticut you remove the old deadgrass that has been laying there over the winterVerticutting breaks up the winter derogation andopens the soil up to the warm sun that promotesearlier growth
Once the soil is opened up to that warmththe grass starts to grow and thicken up I haveseen areas that we verticut green up and start togrow 4 weeks earlier then non-verticut areas
Timing is very important You have to becareful not to try this too early in the year Youhave to wait until the heavy frost period is overIf you verticut too early and get a couple weeks ofhard and cold weather your plants could be introuble and take longer to recover since you haveremoved their protection
Talk with other sport turf managers aroundyour area and ask their thoughts and techniquesabout verticutting They can assist you withfinding the proper timing and equipment to dothe job
Darian Daily is head groundskeeper for PaulBrown Stadium Cincinnati OH
wwwstmaorg
bull AAA Bond Ratingbull A-Rated Third Party Insured Warrantybull Outstanding Corporate Financials
An ECOREtrade Company
Consistent Playability bull Superior Durability bull Synthetic Grass Systems
Obtain LEED Credits ByUsing A-Turf Products 888-777-6910 wwwaturfcom
Fill in 136 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscomI14681-136
Fill in 137 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-137
TOOLS amp EOUIPMENT
ll~e all know the cultural practices
SUCh as aerification and topdress-ing are important for healthysports turf But verticutting or ver-tical mowing is the least-used
practice Verticutting has many important benefitsto produce healthy sports turf including thatchremoval lateral growth promotion seed bedpreparation and early spring green up
Thatch removalWhether you maintain warm season or cool
season turf thatch control is important Somethatch is good for the field system The proper
40 July 2008
amount of thatch will assist in the breaking downof chemical (fertilizers) because of the higherlikely hood of having good microbial activityProper thatch will allow for better seed bed fornew seedlings and gives good footing Excessivethatch can lead to a poor draining field a highersusceptibility to diseases and unstable footing
Proper verticutting loosens the old thatch andbrings it to the top Once the old thatch isremoved the turf can take in more water and takein more air promoting healthier turf Anotherpositive of removing excessive thatch is that yourturf will dry quicker because the air and sun getdown to the soil
On the playability side having too muchthatch the field will feel soft and slow A fieldwith proper thatch will feel firm and fast
Promotes lateral growthFor sports turf managers maintaining warm
season grasses verticutting is as important as aer-ification With proper fertilization verticuttingwarm season grasses will stimulate the cut stolonsto generate new growth from the cut area andthis forms a much thicker and denser turf Aftera light topdressing the field will become nice andtight and ready for play
The same is true but to a lesser degree for
wwwsportsturfonlinecom
some types of cool season grasses such as blue-grass In bluegrasses there is some lateral growthbut not as much as bermudagrass With the helpof verticutting the same cutting of the runnerswill simulate growth and help form a better rootmass and help to fill in thin spots
Seed bed preparationVerticutting is a great tool to enhance your
overseeding regiment The most importantaspect of getting good seed germination is tohave good seed-to-soil contact In most cases weare trying to seed into established turf such asover seeding into bermudagrass With the use ofverticutting you will open up the turf to allowthe seed to get in touch with the soil and increasethe chance of a successful germination
When you are trying to seed into thin areas alight verticutting will loosen the soil to allow forgood seed-to-soil contact The sports turf man-ager needs to be careful when verticutting thinareas You must remember that the turf is alreadyweak and any aggressive verticutting could setyou back further
Early spring green-upFrom my personal observations verticutting
in early spring (March in the Cincinnati area)will help with green up of cool season grasses
When you verticut you remove the old deadgrass that has been laying there over the winterVerticutting breaks up the winter derogation andopens the soil up to the warm sun that promotesearlier growth
Once the soil is opened up to that warmththe grass starts to grow and thicken up I haveseen areas that we verticut green up and start togrow 4 weeks earlier then non-verticut areas
Timing is very important You have to becareful not to try this too early in the year Youhave to wait until the heavy frost period is overIf you verticut too early and get a couple weeks ofhard and cold weather your plants could be introuble and take longer to recover since you haveremoved their protection
Talk with other sport turf managers aroundyour area and ask their thoughts and techniquesabout verticutting They can assist you withfinding the proper timing and equipment to dothe job
Darian Daily is head groundskeeper for PaulBrown Stadium Cincinnati OH
wwwstmaorg
bull AAA Bond Ratingbull A-Rated Third Party Insured Warrantybull Outstanding Corporate Financials
An ECOREtrade Company
Consistent Playability bull Superior Durability bull Synthetic Grass Systems
Obtain LEED Credits ByUsing A-Turf Products 888-777-6910 wwwaturfcom
Fill in 136 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscomI14681-136
Fill in 137 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-137
some types of cool season grasses such as blue-grass In bluegrasses there is some lateral growthbut not as much as bermudagrass With the helpof verticutting the same cutting of the runnerswill simulate growth and help form a better rootmass and help to fill in thin spots
Seed bed preparationVerticutting is a great tool to enhance your
overseeding regiment The most importantaspect of getting good seed germination is tohave good seed-to-soil contact In most cases weare trying to seed into established turf such asover seeding into bermudagrass With the use ofverticutting you will open up the turf to allowthe seed to get in touch with the soil and increasethe chance of a successful germination
When you are trying to seed into thin areas alight verticutting will loosen the soil to allow forgood seed-to-soil contact The sports turf man-ager needs to be careful when verticutting thinareas You must remember that the turf is alreadyweak and any aggressive verticutting could setyou back further
Early spring green-upFrom my personal observations verticutting
in early spring (March in the Cincinnati area)will help with green up of cool season grasses
When you verticut you remove the old deadgrass that has been laying there over the winterVerticutting breaks up the winter derogation andopens the soil up to the warm sun that promotesearlier growth
Once the soil is opened up to that warmththe grass starts to grow and thicken up I haveseen areas that we verticut green up and start togrow 4 weeks earlier then non-verticut areas
Timing is very important You have to becareful not to try this too early in the year Youhave to wait until the heavy frost period is overIf you verticut too early and get a couple weeks ofhard and cold weather your plants could be introuble and take longer to recover since you haveremoved their protection
Talk with other sport turf managers aroundyour area and ask their thoughts and techniquesabout verticutting They can assist you withfinding the proper timing and equipment to dothe job
Darian Daily is head groundskeeper for PaulBrown Stadium Cincinnati OH
wwwstmaorg
bull AAA Bond Ratingbull A-Rated Third Party Insured Warrantybull Outstanding Corporate Financials
An ECOREtrade Company
Consistent Playability bull Superior Durability bull Synthetic Grass Systems
Obtain LEED Credits ByUsing A-Turf Products 888-777-6910 wwwaturfcom
Fill in 136 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscomI14681-136
Fill in 137 on reader service form or visit httponershotimscom14681-137
