Installing Infield Mixes and Warning Track Materials in Cold Weather

I have received a number of calls the last couple weeks in regards to installing infield materials in cold weather.  Bottom line is the following:

• DO NOT install infield mixes or warning track materials over frozen sub bases.
• Only install infield mixes and warning track materials over sub bases that consist of at least 95% compaction.

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

Play on!

--Jamie

@JamieMehringer

Stop Layering Infield Mixes!

Another visit to a troublesome infield, another layered infield mix.

The issue:
"My infield was ok, I had a contractor bring in new material and laser grade my infield.  Since then it has been a mess.  Cannot take rains events, chips out and is almost unplayable when dry."

I took a shovel and dug a hole, here is what was found:

As you can see the infield mix was simply placed over the infield and not tilled/incorporated into the existing infield mix.

The solution:
The quickest fix would be to simply till and laser grade the material.  After that activity, test the material to determine what type of amendment/engineered soil is necessary to "balance out" the sand/silt/clay content of the mix.

Click HERE to see how to add new infield mix to an existing infield mix.
Click HERE to learn more about what makes up an infield mix

Be careful when pricing out renovations.  Not blending a profile will make the process quicker and the grading cheaper, but will leave an infield mix in worse condition that before the work took place.

What should a blended column look like?

Photo Credit - Wes Ganobcik - Columbus Clippers

Note - The top 3-4 inches of the profile is blended together completely.  If using an engineered soil, the top 3-4 inches of an infield mix is the critical material.  This photo as shows how you can amend an infield with removing any infield mix.

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

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

J&D Turf Hires Evan Buckley

Last week, the J&D Turf team hired Evan Buckley as a new sales consultant.  Here is the release of the hire.

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

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

NOW is the Time for Late Fall Fertilizer Applications

Across the midwest cool temps are arriving.  With the weather comes the best time to apply late fall fertilizer.  Cool season turfgrass is still green but no longer growing.  Make those applications of all mineral fertilizer NOW!

Why apply late fall fertilizer?  HERE is a link from Purdue Turfgrass explaining the benefits of late fall fertility.

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

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Tricks of the Trade - Mantis Tiller

Another post in the category of "Tricks of the Trade."  This time we look at the Mantis tiller.  What is the trick to the Mantis?  It is a great tool to blend materials together on the sides of mounds - both bullpen and game mounds.  Below is a photo of the Mantis tiller at IPFW.

It is definitely as effective as a pick ax to ensure that the materials are not layered.

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

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Tricks of the Trade - Slope Board - Vol II

A couple of years ago I posted a Tricks of the Trade segment looking at an inexpensive slope board.

Yesterday at IPFW Baseball and new version was used:

In this application a 8 ft level was used to check the slope with a nail used to hold the level.

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

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer