Baseball Fields Hosting Football?

As many of you saw over the weekend, both Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium hosted football games this weekend. So, I figured I would share a couple of articles and a video of some of the preparations. Look for an additional post about the games later this week.

For an article about Wrigley’s transformation, click HERE
For an article on the history of football at Wrigley, click HERE, check out how the old configuration ran north-south

For an article on the Yankee Stadium transformation, click HERE
For a video of the transformation, click HERE

Play on!
--Jamie

Bermudagrass in the North - Round 2

As a quick follow up to the earlier post on Bermudagrass in the north, I wanted to post two more photos as the fall seasons start to wind down. These photos are from Rose-Hulman. The first photo is from the Cook Stadium at Rose-Hulman. This field has a Patriot Bermudagrass base that has been overseeded with Barenbrug Turf Star Elite ryegrass. As you can see, this field is still in excellent condition. The second photo is from the intramural fields at Rose-Hulman with the same Patriot Bermudagrass/Ryegrass overseeding. These fields have had numerous practices, games, etc and have been used non-stop since the early fall. Though not all of the Barenbrug Turf Star ryegrass has survived the traffic through the middle of the fields, the surfaces are still safe and playable.
Play on!
--Jamie

Slicer Baseball

Travels across the Midwest leads to interesting visits, on Friday the site was La Porte. I snapped a couple of photos of this interesting field. La Porte has won 8 state baseball titles, the most in the state of Indiana. Also, in 1987, La Porte was National Champions.

Play on!
--Jamie

Bermudagrass in the North?

As the Colts line up to take on the Eagles in Philadelphia today, I figured it would be a great time to spend a couple of minutes on bermudagrass. The game today will be played on bermudagrass that has been overseeded with ryegrass. Does that make a difference? Absolutely. Bermudagrass will go dormant and lose all color when weather cools and the first frost occurs. In Indiana and Philadelphia this is typically mid-late October. The turf will stay dormant until temperatures rise above 60 degrees in the spring, and then the turf will slowly start to green and will grow vigorously when night temperatures exceed 65 degrees. Please see the two photos. The first one is from the Colts training camp fields at Anderson University. This photo was taken last week. The other photo is from the Colts complex also taken last week. Both are Patriot bermudagrass. Obviously, the Colts complex has been overseeded. This practice field has seen in excess of 30 practices since Sept 1. The Eagles have a similar overseeded field. Purdue also plays on a similar overseeded field. Bottom line is, with proper maintenance, these surfaces provide a great surface for football.





In conclusion, this is something to keep an eye on. I truly believe we will continue to see bermudagrass push further north for athletic fields. For more info on bermudagrass in northern climates, click here.

Play on!
--Jamie

Late Fall Fertilizer?

It has been a difficult year to grow good sports turf in Indiana in 2010. I get a number of questions in regards to late fall fertilizer. The bottom line is, apply the late fall fertilizer application! Please see the link HERE for a great piece from Purdue.
Play on!
--Jamie

Broad Leaf Weed Control?

Broad Leaf Weed Control – In November?
I have had many questions about broad leaf weed control in November. The number one question is: “How effective are applications for broad leaf weeds in November?” The answer, very effective, Dr. Aaron Patton just posted a Turf Tip is regards to this topic. To see the tip, click HERE.
Play On!
--Jamie

It's Been a Busy Summer.......

It has been a busy summer, as i like to say, there is never an "off-season." Please see the exicting news in regards to J&D Turf below. Also, please be on the look-out for more frequent posts as J&D moves into 2011


J&D Turf Set to Expand Sports Turf Business
In early May, J&D Turf formed a strategic partnership with local golf and lawncare supplier Advanced Turf Solutions (ATS). President, Jamie Mehringer, and Sales Consultant, Dave Henricksen, remain part owners in J&D Turf, now based out of Fishers, alongside ATS.
J&D Turf, founded in the summer of 2008, specializes in athletic field construction, consultation and maintenance. Company president Jamie Mehringer, former head groundskeeper then director of operations at Victory Field in his 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Indians, brings to the market a combined expertise in sports turf and management. The combination has proven to be the differentiator for J&D Turf as the team tackles projects for professional sports teams, universities, K-12 school systems and parks departments. No matter the industry, clients see unparalleled playability on the field for their athletes and on-time, on-budget and beyond-expectations results for the administrators. With J&D Turf, everyone wins.
J&D Turf services:
• Laser grading
• Aerification
• Infield renovations
• Field construction
• Field renovation
• Grow-in of athletic fields
• Topdressing
• Overseeding
• Mound and plate construction and renovation
Consultation
Branded as Smart Turf, J&D Turf believes that the potential in every field is realized by understanding the science that drives healthy turf. Translating that know-how to projects is what the company’s consulting services are all about. For some, clients often have the manpower to work the athletic fields but need direction on what the staff should be doing to have the greatest impact. And, with architecture and civil engineering firms, it means ensuring the athletic fields are approached differently than is the common greenspace in the design. J&D Turf’s consulting ranges from one-time site visits by the experienced crew to lengthy consulting engagements with Jamie Mehringer.
Spend enough time in and around athletic fields in Indiana and you will undoubtedly see the results of J&D Turf’s work and expertise. The company has been part of projects with parks departments in Columbus, Fishers, Indianapolis and Plainfield. At the collegiate level, go to Butler University, DePauw University, Marian University, Indiana State University, Indiana Tech, Indiana University, University of Indianapolis or University of Notre Dame. Fields at each have benefited from J&D Turf’s touch.
The synergies between J&D Turf and ATS will benefit clients and customers on both sides. The partnership has greatly expanded J&D Turf’s product offerings and provides the business stability necessary to maintain a fleet of the latest equipment. And, the latest development, J&D Turf and ATS are the exclusive dealer of Natural Sand soil amendments, infield mixes, and mound clay in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The only full-service turf product and maintenance company in the region, J&D Turf is stronger than ever.
In the near future, J&D Turf plans to increase the size of its crew and, in turn, the geographic territory they are able to cover. Learn more about the J&D Turf approach at janddturf.blogspot.com. And, ask your colleagues. It won’t take long before you hear firsthand about Smart Turf results on Indiana’s athletic fields.

Play on!
--Jamie