Aerification of Patriot Bermudagrass

Now is the time to aerify and topdress bermudagrass.  Soil temps have elevated and lateral growth is at its peak.  Here are a few photos of the J&D Turf team aerifying at Anderson University, the training camp home of the Indianapolis Colts:

Pulling cores:

Sweeping the cores off the playing surface:

Initial topdressing pass.  Placing 75 tons over 100,000 sq ft:

Dragging in the sand:

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

A New Warning Track for Eastern Hancock Baseball

The J&D Turf team was at Eastern Hancock High School last week to install a new warning track.  There are to ways to construct a sub base for a track.

1. Using a compacted road-base type material and installing drainage along the wall/fence.  This is typically seen at professional facilities where concrete wall surround the playing surface.  This type of sub base is also necessary if the playing surface is expected to receive heavy traffic from heavy pieces of equipment - i.e. - concert traffic, cranes, heavy lifts, etc.

2. Simply compact the native soil to 95% compaction.  Then, please the track material over the sub base.  This method is much more cost effective and works well when the only traffic expected on the track includes mowers, golf carts, etc.  This sub base is typical at high school and park and rec levels of play.

At Eastern Hancock, option #2 was used due to the fact that this is a high school field, and the only traffic will be a zero turn mower and a gator.  Here are a few photos of the project:

Measuring out and painting a line in the existing turf to establish a 15 foot wide track:

After using a sod cutter, stockpiling the turf for removal from the site:

A native soil sub base at 95% compaction:

Beginning to finish off the track.  Crushed limestone was used as the track material:

The finished product:

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Bermudagrass - Slow Germination in 2013

As many of you know, the spring in the Midwest has been cooler than normal.  Thus, soil temps have been slow to warm.  Due to this fact, bermudagrass seeding projects have been slower germinating this year than last year.

Here is a photo from a Riviera bermudagrass seeding project on June 7, 2012:

Here is a photo from June 23, 2012 of the same field as above:

Here is a photo of a Riviera bermudagrass taken June 23, 2013 - field seeded in late May 2013:

Below is a photo of a Patriot bermudagrass field taken June 23, 2013 - field sodded in June 2012:

Bottom line, bermudagrass seed is slower in 2013.  Based on the photos above, it is about 2 weeks slower.  Bermudagrass established before 2013 is doing well.

Patience is needed, by August 1, 2013, this newly seeded bermudagrass fields will have 100% cover.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Summer Seeding and Sodding

HERE is a great article from Pamela Sherratt and Dr. John Street from Ohio State University.

Please review this article if you are considering summer seeding or sodding.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Midwest Regional Turf Foundation ? Purdue University Turf and Landscape Field Day - July 9, 2013

The Purdue University Turf and Landscape Field Day will take place on Tuesday July 9, 2013.  Click HERE to learn more about the program.  If you are in central Indiana on the 9th, please consider attending this event.  Click HERE to learn more about the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation (MRTF)

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Renovating O'Bannon Park - III

O'Bannon Park was sodded June 5-6, 2013.  To see the first to posts from this project, click HERE and HERE.

The following photos were taken Sunday June 9, 2013.  (My assistant is checking the shear strength on the sod)

As you can see the sod is beginning to root and establish.  The fields were kept lean at the Post Road site.  A starter was applied pre-sod and additional fertilizer will be applied after substantial rooting takes place (next 2-3 weeks).  The fields will be aerified and topdressed this fall.  Look for additional posts on this project throughout the summer and fall.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Sand Slit Drainage

Sand slit drainage is a common practice for drainage on native soil fields.  HERE is a great article from Ohio State on the history of sand slit drainage.  Is this a type of drainage for your athletic field?

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Renovating O'Bannon Park - II

The rootzone was prepared at O'Bannon Park.  The native soil rootzone was laser graded and a starter fertilizer was applied.  The sod for the project is being harvested from Post Road Park in advance of a larger project.  Here are a few photos of the harvest of the 2 year old sod at Post Road Park.

The bluegrass sod was transported to O'Bannon Park and installed less than 2 hours after harvest:

Below are three more photos of the project:

Look for additional posts on this project as the site is prepared for play.

To see an earlier post on this project, click HERE.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

My Turf is Turning Brown - Kentucky Bluegrass Seedhead Production

I had this question posed to me this week, "My turf is turning brown, and I know it is not an irrigation issue."  Here is a close up photo of the field:

Simply stated, many cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass are producing seedheads this time of year.  This can make the turf was difficult to cut cleanly.  Make sure to use a sharp set of blades before every mowing activity.  HERE is a great publication from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln on this subject.  Do the photos look familiar?  This activity will subside in the next 7-14 days.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Central Indiana Bermudagrass Update - St Luke Catholic Church

A quick post detailing the Patriot bermudagrass turf at St Luke Catholic Church.

The ryegrass was sprayed using Katana in mid May.  Katana will slowly remove the ryegrass.   The turf was then scalped mowed.  Here are a couple of photos from late May.

The ryegrass is quickly fading.  The goal is to have 100% bermudagrass by mid June.  First football practice is early August.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer