Thursday, July 13, 2017

How to Pull an Infield Mix Sample

Pulling an infield mix sample is critical to determining the best approach to adding new infield mix to an existing infield.  Pulling a sample is a relatively easy process, below are the steps.

#1 - Have a bucket and a shovel ready:


#2 - Push all conditioner to the side - do not include this material with the sample:


#3 - Pull 4-8 samples across the infield at a four inch depth - this is the depth that the infield will be tilled/blended.  Note in the photo below a clear layering of infield mixes is present:


#4 - Agitate the samples and fill 1/2 of a one gallon freezer bag.  Now you have your sample ready for testing:


Consistency in testing is critical for amending infields.  All of our samples go to Turf and Soil Diagnostics.

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

Play on!
-Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Infield Mix Drainage - Do Not Use Gravel as a French Drain!

At multi-field complexes, drainage along the backstops can be challenging due to elevations of the press box building and bleacher areas of a facility.  There are many ways to design/drain the facility. One way I would not recommend is using a stone "french" drain as is shown in the photo below:


This drain will move water.  The problem?  The stone will migrate into the infield.  Stone is already present on this infield before the facility hosted its first game.

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

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer